Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-14
THE ARREST.

One morning tneIe WIS Il PlehSahV Av
tie breakfast party in the boarding house
Of MIR. Baldwin in the village of Clifton.
MFR. Reginald Birchall, Mrs. Reginald
Birchail. Mr.. Douglas Pelley, blonde
Young Englishman whom they had
brought from Liverpool, were discuss
ing triyialities, while Mr.. Baldwin was
reading the morning paper.
"Weil." said Mr.. Baldwin suddenly,
"the body found in Blenheim Swamp
has been identified"
Mr.. Reginald Birchall. who was rails
ing O teaspoon to his mouth, let it drop
with a clatter into his cup.
What--aw-was the poor devils
name ?" asked Mr.. Policy, languidly.
II. c. Benwell," said Mr.. Baldwin.
"Great God !" cried Pelley, rising
hastily. >,
"That's terrible" said Mr.. Birchal,
never budging.
Mrs. Blrchall sat white as death.
For the past day or two Alr. Policy
had been uneasy. He was out walking
one afternoon with his partner near the
whirlpool rapids, when Mr.. Birchall
persuaded him to descend frail and
rickety fight of steps Immediately over
the water, and be was on the point oil
stepping upon some rotten boards,
which would have precipitated him into
the abyss. when q horrible suspicion
crossed his mind and he turned back.
Birchall was standing above, calmly
looking down.
Again, one dark and blusty night Mr..
Birchall said Come, let us take turn
on the bridge" The wind was blowing
a gale, and they had TO lean overto KEEP
their feet. They were quite alone on
the great Suspension Bridge, Birchall or
the outside, when suddenly he said
"Come out here, Policy, and keep the
wind of "
a horrible thought" said MIR. Pelley
afterward, "crossed my mind, and all o
sudden my suspicious were aroused
about this man. In that instant my
whole connection with him flashed across
me how he was perfect stranger K
me, and that meeting him as strange
| had been led to believe in him, anC
had come out to strange land with hin
on the sole strength of series of plausi
BILE stohes.
"No.' 1 said, you stay where yoI
are
81 almost felt sick, not from fear, bu
strange, undefinable feeling came owe
me, and [ turned back with HIM at once
81 thought on that instant that h
meant some evil. | knew the place
The rail there alongside the footpath j
not more than two and a hall feet high
and there arc wide openings in it.
would DO the easiest thing IN the worlC
to pitch man over that rail or unde
! it into the beginning Of the whirlpool
rapids.
II was small wonder, therefore, tina
? Mr.. Policy sprang sghast to his fee
} when he heard OF the murder OF Ben
well.
81 will go on TO Princeton" said Bir
I chall, getting up from the breakfast
table, land see the body" But whel
Pelley about an hour later volunteered t,
accompany him Birchall showed a tele
gram, which, he said, he had received
} from the clerk OF the Stafford House, il
, Buffalo. stating that Benwell had gon
/; to New York, and requesting that hi
luggage be sent there to the Fifth Ave
, nue. Hotel. Pelley Immediately starte,
for New York, and was told at the Fifth
: Avenue Hotel that nobody named Ben
: well had been there. He at once re
5 turned to Clifton, and as soon as he ar
rived there found that Birchall had iden
titled Benwell's body and, with his wife
4 had been arrested. Pelley was himsel
$ taken into custody, but afterward re
leased.