St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-14
How a Black Rock Mechanic
Fulled the Wool Over the
Thunderer's Eyes.
The Wild-Goose Chase Of the
British Detective, Kerby,
and a Female Agent.
Buffalo Irishmen Jump on the
London Newspaper With
Emerald Vehemence.

y
Courier created a profound sensation
this morning by publishing thirteen let
ters and number of kilograms written
by special detective from Scotland
Yard. sent out in the interest of the
London Times to procure evidence tEat
would implicale Charles Stewart Par
nell in the PnGniX park murders. 1t
appears that in August last Black
Rock mechanic, just naturalIZed, being
out of work and in need of money. con-
cpived the scheme of making something
out of the London Times. He wrote
letter 10 the publishers Of that paper to
the effect that, while working as
mason on the New York
aqueduct, he came across two
Irishmen who were in possession of
documentary evidence that would prove
the letters on which the Times relies Oh
the present investigation to be per-
fectly genuine. His language was:
"There is two Irishmen here that was
Indirectly in the combine to murder
CavendiSh and Burke where l can get
all the proof you want for very little. :"
This person received a cablegram from
the London Times telling him "to hold
on TO the man at all hazards" and that
an English detective would soon be on
American soil. The detective duly
came in the person of j. T. Kerby, or
s'Cris Thomas," and was said to be ac-
cOmpanied by
A FEMALE AGENT
as sharp as himself. Kerby's first let
ter to the Buffalo man was written from
New York, and directed reply to be
sent to c. Thomas, care Maj. Rice, 1887
Broadway. 1t said that the writer was
authorized to see him and others well
compensated who are willing togive I'M
doubted proofs. and also. if necessary,
go to England and give, link by link,
testimony that would be accepted by
the courts of Great Britain and also by
the royal commission. He guaranteed
that not only would the rewards be lib
eral to all who would serve. in procur-
ing proof, but the protection would be
ample. He requested the Buffalo man
60 proceed to New York with his docu
ments, to avoid mixing with any one in
the city, and to keep a closed mouth.
This was written on Aug. %. The
Buffalo man did not go to New York,
and his replies to Kerby were opened at
Maj. Rice's by some third party.
Thereupon Kerby changed his name to
"Cris Thomas and shifted his address
to room 81. Gedney house, Fortieth street
and Broadway. This solitude was max
ing things
WARM FOR THE BUFFALO NAN,
especially when he proposed ameeeting
at the Tiff hou>C here. He was equal
to the occasion, and warned the En-
glish detective that their game had been
discovered, advising him to leave the
city. Kerby and his fair companion
thereupon crossed over to Toronto.
From Toronto he went to Montreal, and
thence to Chicago, where his headquar-
tiers were with George Harvey & Co.,
179 La Sale street, all the time implOr-
ing the Buffalo man to hasten to pro-
cure his proofs, and paying out money in
sums of $25 to SO at a time, aggregating
in all about 500. In his last letter from
the Gedney house he said that he was
authorized to assure both of the Supposi-
titious Irishmen comfortable farms of
their own and secure them in compe-
tencies for their lives. He was willing
to pay $500 apiece in cash if they would
give up the papers. Writing from
Room 572, Palmer house, Chicago, Nov.
%, he began to show Detulance, sus-
pecting that he was being duped, and
declared that he would not pay out an
other dollar until he could see the
papers in his own hands. Besides, he
had got so much other evidence, as it
was, that he could afford to do without
them. Still he was willing to give $780,
Anyway, would not want either of
them or II. to come here. All want is
the paper and letters, after see them
with my own eyes. If after get them
and he has money, he then consents to
20 and give evidence,
FOR 4 FURTHER SUM.
we'll and good, but you can tell II. what
] say, and nothing will induce me to
pay out another dollar until | get the
papers. This is final. The papers once
in my hands, I'll do as | have said above
for them, and all | have said in my pre-
vious letter for yourself, and more, too.
But only when get the papers, The
correspondence ceased with the thir-
teenth letter, written on Dec. from
the Palmer house, Chicago, announcing
his intention of proceeding to Niagara
Falls. In the course of his wanderingS
after proof the Scotland Yard man went
to RavensWOod. ILL.,, where he said his
son lived, and thence he wrote Offering
10 give the Buffalo man $500 if he would
make success certain, and the same
to each of the other men. There
was, of course, no evidence whatever
of the nature sought by the agent of the
Times and the British government. AT
the meeting of the Irish National leagne
in st. Stephens hall this afternoon, the
exposure made by the Courier was dis
cussed, and the course of the Times, in
endeagoring to trump up evidence
against Parnell, was emphatically de-
nouncei in speeches and resolutions.
"The rottenness of the Times case
against Parnell and the other Irish
leaders was never better illustrated
than in Kerby's Infamous mission to
suborn perjured and mercenary evi-
dence before the royal commission %
said President Callahan in introducing
the subject.
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A Monarchist Elected.