The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-03-02
MURDEROUS LONDON
W. P. Firth, in Christmas Time.

W. P. FIRTH in Christmas Time.
It is said that the memories Of
elderly people, while somewhat tail
ing as to recent events, are often ex.
traordinarly clear in respect of mat.
tiers connected with the experience OF
their days. 1t would be vain for me
to deny that am an elderly person,
for | have been forced to confess in
"another place" that l was born in
the year 1919, and have consequently
arrived at the end of the allotted
span; and though, as we are told,
there are some whose pilgrimage is
heightened beyond the usual lease,
then is their but sickness and sor-
row. OF the latter 1 have had my
share; of the former / lam most thank
full to say l know nothing. In re-
spect of memory, can claim exemp-
ton from the weakness that is said
to affiict people of threescore and ten.
for l have found it as true to me
when called upon to record events
that happened half a century since
as it is to those of more recent times.
Occurrences SO startling as to
shake the country from one end to
the other make indelible impressions
on the feeblest memories. suppose
no one living at the time of the Mar
murders can have forgotten the fran
tic terror thatpossessed the commun-
ity till the murder was discovered.
Numbers now living may have seen
the body of the suicide-the man hung
himself in prison-as it was carried,
ina cart, about the locality OF his
crimes, exposed to the scrutiny of
thousands of his fellow-creatures. I
can wildly recall a certain evening
at my home in MISUNDERSTANDING
about 12years old-when my father,
who had been reading the times, ex-
claimed, "Well, of all the horrors
ever hear of this beats everything!"
"What's the NATTER" said my
mother.
"The doctors are to blame; if there
were no doctors this wouldn't have
"What wouldn't have happened?
You look Mortified, What is it,"
again demanded my mother.
"What is it?" exclaimed my father,
"Why, they have been killing people
to supply the doctors with bodies to
be dissected-that's what has hap
pened. Here is a long account-a
couple of wretches-no, there's three
of 'em, Bishop, Williams, and anoth-
er-who have been leagued together
to decoy people into their place,
smother them, then put their bodies
into sacks, and then take them to
the hospitals to be cutup.'
ut isn't true! don't believe it, !"
said my mother.
swell, l hope it isn't" said my
father, 'but here it is all in print"
In 1882 London news took
many hours in reaching Yorkshire,
but subsequent account only served
to confirm the first announcement,
of course accompanied by fearful
exaggerstions. Instances were given
ofrespectable citizens who were way
laid in lonely places; a "pitch-plas-
ter" suddenly placed over mouth
andnose speedily produced insensi-
bility; one of the murderers carried q
sack, and in a few moments the re-
spectacle citizen was on his way to
the surgeon. Another method of
pursuing this dreadful trade" was
for the confederates to fix upon an
evident stranger-a countryman
perhaps-whose curious stare at
London sightsrevealed him to the
operators, who would civilly accost
him and offer their services. "Had
he seen the Tower?" "No, that was
just what ne wanted to see.'' 'Well
they were going that way, and would
be most happy, etc, etc"
By the way of the murderer was
not the way to the Tower, but to
his own house, into which the victim
was induced to enter, and after lit
tie persuasion to take light re-
freshment. Bread and cheese and
beer were produced.
This beer has rum taste" says
the guest.
"Has it?" says the host: Gust let
me taste it. Why, you seem a little
sleepy-come long way, / suppose.
Here is some first rate brandy, take
a good swig of that. that's the stuff
to keep your eyes OPEN" Judging
from the effect, that it was the stuff
to keep the eyes shut, for the country
man had no sooner taken one ''swig"
than he fell into a deep sleep.
The next act in this performance
was to strip the body and carry it to
a we'll in the back yard of the house:
a cord was then tied to the feet, and
the body was plunged head foremost
into the well. "After," as one OF the
murderers said in his confession, 1--WE
had allowed time for all trace OF the
brandy to be washed away, the dead
man was drawn up, put into a sack.
and one of us took him to the doctors;
no questions was asked, we was paid
the money, and come away"
To all these dreadful details did we,
my brother and ], seriously incline.
with the result on my part ola con-
siderable amount of terror on my
first visit to London.
I WAS on my way to school at St.
Margaret's, and I knew ! must be
some days In London. ! felt sure !