The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-06-29
TWO MYSTERIOUS
MURDERS.
Remarkable Criminal Career of a
Human MOnstrOsity.
THE DETECTIVES BAFFLED.
Dual Life of an English Broker, Whose
Extraordinary Power of Facial
Transformation Supplied Him
With an Impenetrable Disguise.
Disclosures of an Autopsy.
Written for THE SUNDAY CALL.

EROM time to time fugitive operations
~ of the mysterious law of heredity,
IE& acting under the retrogressive infiu-
enee of reyersion, are manifested by the
reproduction of features and leeuliarities
that were general in the primitive and
brutal condition of the human race. These
exhibitions of natures obstinacy in cling
ing ID her first pressions-impression
which she stamped heavily on her animate
creatures-are not confined to physical
construction, but extend themselves to
mental characteristics.
The years 1928 q were conspicuous in
England for extraordinary activity in trade
and commerce, resulting in an unusual in
crease in capital This led to the formation
of numerous joint stock companies with
the object of finding employment for the
large surplus by extending tie range oil
commercial enterprise beyond the limits
to which it was ordinarily confined.
divergence Of this kind from legitimate buSi-
ness naturally 1OStered the spirit of speech
lation, aud many London merchants and
tradesmen allowed themselves to be tempted
TO make investments il schemes and projects
entirely outside their commercial undertake
ings. Some few made money. but most of
those who dabbled in the shares of such
companies were ruined or sustained grley-
Gus losses.
STABBED To THE HEART.
Among the more fortunate was Mr.
Trevelyan, wealthy merchant of high
standing. About 10 o'clock one night in
November, 1924, he returned to his home in
the western suburbs OF the metropolis,
accompanied by Mr.. Courtney, prominent
broker, who, as was well known, was his
adviser and agent in extensive transactions,
and bore an unblemished reputation
on Change. The members of Mr..
Trevelyan's family were. Just retir-
ing when they arrived, and the
two entered his private room on the ground
floor. 1t was situated beyond and next TO
the dining-room, which was on the left side
of a somewhat spacious entrance-hall well
lighted with hanging chandelier, IN which
burned twelve wax candles. On the right
were the drawing-rOOm and other apart
ments. a door at the farther end of the
hall opened into the interior and back por-
tion of the house, one passage in which led
TO the garden.
MI TTevelyan and his agent remained
over an hour In conversation, during which
time the servant mad been TuDg for on two
or three occasions to bring refreshments
and perform other usual services. Mr..
Courtney had been frequent visitor under
exactly similar circumstances. On his
departure it had always been the custom
for this man servant 10 put out the lights.
lock the doors and attend to the security of
the house, as Mr.. TTeYClyan invariably
went to bed when his friend lett him.
On the present occasion MI. courtney
was distinctly heard to take his leave, and
Mr. Irevelyan, after calling cut Good
nlghtP to close the door Of his room; then
the outer door slammed. Not more than
two or three minutes had passed after the
slamming of the door before Williams, the
servant above alluded to, entered the en-
trance-han for the purpose OF closing the
house for the night, when, just as lie had
arrived beneath the chandelier, man Of
powerful frame and hideOus cOuntenance
suddenly opened Mr.. TTeveyan'S door from
the inside rushed, with the full blaze Of
the lights reflected on his face and per-
son, upon the astonished man, who had
turned round at the ening Of the door,
aud stood directly between him and the
hall door, struck ftrcely at him with a
dagger and escaped. Williams Immediately
raised the alarm, and with the other serV-
ants entered Mr.. Treveyan's room.
where they found tie merchant seated be-
fore the fire in his armchair, dead
stabbed to the heart. Almost Immediately
AFTER THIS HoRRWYING DISCOVERY
Williams sank down in a swoOn. He had
been stabbed in the left forearm, which he
had instinctiYely raised in self-defenSe, and
had bled protusely. Medical aid was pro-
cured at once which, though it could do
nothing for the murdered man, succee led
In restoring Williams to Consciousness.
The severe wound in his arm was carefully
dressed; it had been inflicted with TRAN
gular weapon, very sharp at the edges, as
was made evident by the nature both Of MS
own wound and of the stab that had caused
his masters death. In both instances
muscle and sinew had been cut as with a
razor.
At the investigation which followed this
atrocjOus deed Williams gave graphic de-
scripton Of the man whom he saw issue
from Mr.. TTeTelyan's room. Standing, as
he did, beneath the chandelier. with it
somewhat to his back, when he turned
round he was in such a position that the
full light fell on the murderer, while he
himself was in comparative shade. SO
hideOus was the ccuntenance of the man
that every lineament was stamped upon his
memory with the same certainty OF detail
as that of an impression taken from a steel
engraving. The left eye was so asqulnt
with an outward turning that more than
half of 1t was blank white. lie could
swear that it was the left eye, because as
the assassin struck at him the eye on the
side Of the appraised arm cleaned on him
with a phOsuhOrescent light that Mortified
him Civilians exact words we're: ut
seemed as If lighted sulphur shone through
it, and l felt terribly scaTed'); the
DOstrils were so widely expanded that
they seemed only a continuation of the
cheeks, while the end of the nose
was so drawn in that the whole of that
prominent feature hardly projected beyond
the cheek-Oones. But what increased the
hideOuSueSs Of the facial formation, and
especially gave 1t the ferOciOus expression
of some horrible wild beast, was that the
under Jaw projected so far in advance of
the upper one that the lip was drawn down,
displaying the gums and the large teeth,
which actually rose In front Of the upper
lip. Short, curly, darkish hair covered the
chin and jaws. Williams was obstinate in
his belief that the man wore no mask. He
could see the working Of the lip and move
ment of the lower jaw as he CRASHED his
teeth.
THE MURDERER's PLUMBER
Further evidence showed that the robbery
OF very large amount of bank notes and
convertible securities had been accom-
plIShed by the murderer during the few
minutes he was in Dir. Trevelyan's room.
Mr. Courtney testified that at late hour on
the afternoon of the same day he had paid
over to Mr.. Trevelyan upward of $4,000
Bank Of England notes and bonds of differ
ent kinds, the proceeds of q speculative in
vestme1t that he had made for Mr..
Trevelyan some time previously. Mr..
TreIelyaD was to have come 10 his Office in
time to place them in the bank, but failed
to do so; He only arrived just as he
Courtney was on the point Of going home;
he insisted upon taking the money. which
was made up in a somewhat bulky package,
and gave receipt for it. He then requested
him to go with him and talk over business
matters. They dined together in the city,
and arrived at Mr. TreYelyan's house very
shortly after 10 o'clock. On their entrance
into Mr.. Trevelyan's room that gentle
man locked up the package in his bureau.
throwing his bunch Of keys upon the table
after doing so: Having remained at least
an hour with Mr.. Trevelyan, Mr.. Courtney
left the house. The last ne saw of Mr..
Trevelyan was when lie was standing in
front Of the doorway of his room as he
called out Goodnight" to him. MIR.
Courtney on leaving the house had not OBJ
served any one in the street. He produced
the receipt and the numbers OF the bank
notes and bonds, to prevent the disposal Of
which every precaution was taken.
The whole affair was one of deep mys-
terry How could the assassin have become
possessed OF the knowledge that Mr.. Ire
Yelyan had in his room so large sum of
money on that particular night? And how
and when did he gain admission into the
house2 With regard to the first question
Mr.. Courtney was positive that none Of his
clerks could have given any information
with regard to the delivery OF the money.
Apart from his perfect confidence in
their fdalitv thew couid have had no