River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-01-03

after the third murder / was in a read
ing room much frequented by Euro
peans. When / left had to cross a
plat OF ground about forty feet wide.
It was well shaded by trees. but also
well lighted by gas-light. and brick
sidewalk six feet wide ran straight to
the street Near the gate leading TO
the street was the only dark spot, and
a bench was here placed beneath a
tree. As / came along | noticed a
native seated on the bench as If wait
ing for his master inside. noticed
him as one might glance at passing
carriage, and was going on. when he
called:
"Sahib. for Gods sake stop mo-
ment! | am very i'll. l have been
poisoned"
do you think you have been poi
soned?" asked, as ieft the path and
approached him.
Il am sure of it. Let me take your
hand"
He seized my left hand in his left,
and his fingers had the grip of wise.
He half rose from the bench, and
something forced me to say:
II am sorry for you. | will go and
find some Englishman who can render
you aid"
"But are you no English?"
mo, am an American.
He seemed to gasp. and heard him
mutter under his breath as he relaxed
his grasp on my fingers. Then he
said:
Never mind, Sahib-never mind.
We are all dogs to the English. They
would be glad to see me die. will
find a doctor.
He staggered away through the gate
and was out of sight in a moment.
while | found myself so weak that
was obliged to sit down on the bench
he vacated. had caught sight of a
naked knife in his right hand as he
half rose from the bench. Here was
the assassin! He was powerful fellow.
with muscles of steel. He got my left
hand. intending to lift my arm and
give me the fatal blow. but when gave
my nationality he desisted. II was the
English he was after had seen him
in the shadow. where all dark faces
look alike | had heard his voice, but
all natives of India seem to have the
same intOnatiOns. Had he been led be-
fore me two minutes later in company
with others | could not have picked
him out. But what assurance the as
sassin must have! There was not a
in which some one was not
passing. Indeed, as / stood beforc
hia two men entered from the street
and two left the reading rooms. He
hadn't one chance in fifty of commit
ting murder and escaping observation
and pursuit, but he took the risks.
II is a fact conceded by the average
that British official who
i willine@stO take advice is rarity.
The Indian mutiny was years coming.
The signs were as plain as the sun at
MONDAY, but British pigheadedness
and official egotism refused to see or
believe. / verify believe that if
a New York detective should pro-
coed to London and secure a
straight pointer as 10 the identity of
the Whitechapel fiend he would not
only be scOfTed at. but distractions
would be thrown in his way. / felt it my
duty to 90 To the English chief of po-
lice Of Bombay and lay the fFv,is be-
fore him as have before the reader.
He began to smile as soon as | began
to talk. and presently waved me away,
and said:
Thanks for your kindness. sir. but
your story IS al nonsense. You don't
know these natives a we do. You
were a bit scared, you know, and you
saw a knife and a plot where nothing
OF the sort existed. Thanks, sir, but
an very busy to-day"
/ went away feeling mortified and
indignant, but revenge was at hand.
That very evening, between ten and
eleven o'clock. member of the civil
of the Bombay presidency
he was tax receiver, / believe
was found weltering in his blood as
the assassin's fourth victim. He was
lying in a heap in front of bench in
public park, and it was easy enough
for me to realize how it had come
about. The native who took my hand
had taken his. The knife had gone to
the mans heart. and the right ear was
A police official came to see
me. and was asked II pay the chief
another visit. but this | fatty re-
fused Ia do. had been snub-
bed and insulted, and il he caught
his man it must be without help
from me. The reward was now
to f2.O00, and over thirty
arrests were made within the next
two days. The whole city was in a
ferment by this time, and as the days
went BY and the real assassin was not
caught. the pOpulace demanded the
head of the chief of police, and he
had To step down. His successor had
more than his keenness and little of
his cOnceit, and when he sent for ne |
Obeyed the summons. He was sasis-
fled that the native who spared me
slew the collector. but we were still in
the dark regarding the mans identity.
Ten days passed, and then British
Major was assassinated on public
street between two lamp-posts. In
this instance the hour was late and the
Major was drunk The murder was
identical with the others, and during
the next day many Europeans left the
city.
II was queer how the first clew was
struck Two days after the murder |
was talking with an English officer
about the bloody business. and the
name Of the first victim was mem
toned
Poor Tom sighed the officer. Il
wonder if he will find any ears to pull
in that other laad.
What do you mean?" asked.
well, he was a gOOd-hearted COM
paniOn. but terrible hard master on
his servants. He had his own way of
them. Some of Us believe
in kicks and cuffs, backed up with
good big oaths. but Tom pulled their
ears for them. 1t was not week be-
fore his death that | saw him pull the
right ear Of his groom until blood
flowed from the torn flesh.
Iput two and two together a quick
rs "a flash Of lightning. and half an