Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-07-19

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WW&gM 1sNAhsthe Q extraorriinary
NEM&NS9 murder which took
WY place 10 Melbourne
on Thursday night or rather Friday morn
ing, goes long way toward verifying this
saying A crime has been committed by an
unknown assassin, within short distance Of
the principal streets of this great city, and is
surrounded by an impenetrable mystery.
Indeed, from the nature of the crime itself,
the place where 1t was committed, and the
fact chat the assassin has escaped without
leaving trace behind him, it would seem as
though the case itself had been taken bodily
: out of one of Gaboreau's novels, and that his
famous detective Lecocq only would be able
to unravel it. The facts of the case are
simply these: .t...... e.. ,
ION the 27th day of July, at the hour of
twenty minutes to o'clock in the morning,
a hanson cab drove up to the police station,
=, in Grey street, St Kilda, and the driver
4 made the startling statement that his cab
contained the body Of a man whom no had
reason to believe had been murdered
"Being taken into the presence Of the in
spector, the cabman, who gave his name as
Malcolm Royston, related the following
strange story; rt-
"At the hour Of / o'clock in the morn
y ing, he was driving down Collins street East,
- when as he was passing the Burke and Wills
monument he was hailed by q gentleman
standing at the corner by the Scotch church.
He Immediately drove up, and saw that the
gentleman who hailed him was supporting
the deceased, who appeared to be very in
toxicated Both were in evening dress, but
the deceased had no overcoat on, while the
other wore a short covert coat of a light
fawn color, which was open. As Royston
drove up, the gentleman in the light coat
said, Look here, cabby, here's some fellow
awfully tight, you'd better take him homer
"Royston then asked him if the drunken
man was his friend, but this the other denied,
j saying that he had just picked him up from
the foot path, and did not know him from
Adam AT this moment the deceased
turned his face up to, the light of the
lamp under which both were standing,
and the other seemed to recognize him,
for be. recoiled pace, letting the
drunken man fall in a heap on the pavement,
and gasping out 'YopV he turned on his heel,
and walked rapidly away down Russell
street in the direction of Bourke street.
"Royston was staring after him, and Won
dering at his strange conduct, when he was
recalled to himself by the voice of the de-
ceased, who had struggled to his feet, and
was holding on to the lamp post, swaying to
and fro 4 wan GONE he said in thick
voice, st. Kilda' He then tried to get into
the cab, but was too drunk to do SO, and
finally sat down again OH the pavement
Seeing this, Royston got down, and lifting
him up, helped him into the cab with some
considerable difficulty. The deceased fell
back into the cab. and seemed to drop Off to
sleep; SO, after closing the door, Royston
turned to remount his driving seat, when lie
found the gentleman in the light coat whom
he had seen holding up the deceased, close to
his elbow. Royston said, oh, you've come
back,' and the other answered, Yes, I've
changed my mind, AMI will see him home
AS he said this be opened the door of the cab,
stepped in beside the deceased, and told Roy.
ston to drive down to ST. Kilda. Royston,
who was glad that the friend Of the deceased
had come to look after him, drove as he had
been directed, but near the Church of Eng
land Grammar school, on the St Kilda road,
the gentleman in the light coat called out to
him to stop He did SO, and the gentleman
got out of the cab, closing the door after him
4" He won't let me take him home, he said,
so III just walk back to the city, and you
--can drive him to St. Kilda.' .,-,,,. .,7.
'sWhat street, sira, asked Royston. zee
"'Grey street, fancy said the other, but
my friend will direct you when you get to
the Junction. }ia#7"
"A "'Ain't he too much on, sirr said Royston
tdut!p!s,y aarA@
"'Oh, 20. .t!!%.,.... L.... he ealc to tell yo;l
where he lives It's Grey street or Ackland
street, fancy. don't know which Ti'
"He then opened the door of the cab and
looked in Good night, old man. he said
The other apparently did Dot answer, for the
gentleman in the light coat, Struggling his
shoulders and muttering 'sulky BRUTE closed
the door again. He then gave Royston half
asovereign, lit a cigarette, and after max
ing few remarks about the beauty Of the
night walked off quickly in the direction Of
Melbourne. Royston drove down to the
Junction, and having stopped there, accord
ing to his instructions, he asked his fare sew.
eral times wliere he was to drive him to- Re
ceivtng no answer, and thinking that the
) deceased was too drunl 10 answer, he
got down from his slzE, opened the
door Of the cab, and found the deceased
AJHlS uuSN IA biio SOi lcA WlbI u ubhAuhcTCuleL
across his mouth. He put out his hand with
the intention of rousing him, thinking that
he had gone to sleep, when on touching him
the DECEASED fell forward, and on examine
tion, Ito his horror he found that he was
quite dead. Alarmed at what had taken
place, and suspecting the gentleman in the
light coat. he drove to the police station at
St. Kilda, and there made the above report
4 The body of the deceased was taken out of
the cab and brought into the station, adoctor
being sent for at once. On his arrival, how
ever, be found that life was quite extinct,
and also discovered that the handkerchief
which was tied lightly over the mouth was
saturated with chloroferns He hau no hest,
tatioa IN stating that from the way in which
the handkerchief was placed, and. tho
presncaapf chloroform, murder had
been committed, and from ell appearances
! the Diseased died easily and without a,
struggle The deceased isa slender man, OF
medium height, with dark complexion, and
- dressed inievcning dress, which Will render
Identification difficult. a. 1t Is costume
NaSl,..S:. Tl;lhn al. pk oI.. c,.,-...> =.