The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-29

hor and took her to his home In jelly
hypon Oak. one OF the most beautiful sub
urbs OF Birmingham. where she was recognized
by his son and all his children leftthe house.
They did not live together long. however. and
separated upon his agreeing TO give her an
allowance OF $500 per year. When she made
the demand for $1,000 Ellio.ts solicitors de-
eided t. look into matters. and the police took
charge of the case. 1t turned out that Mrs.
Hall bad been Blacks mistress for several
years. and that It was through his friendly ad-
vice to old Elliott, when the charge of seduc-
ton was brought against the latter. that he
had married her The reason that Black had
resigned from the Police Department so sud
denly was that he know hla secret had gotten
out and he feared exposure. and the reason
she had simultaneously come down on Elliott
for $4,000 was to enable Black and herself to
take Continental tour.
Since these facts have been whispered about
in Birmingham numbers of citizens have come
to Chief OF Police Farndnle to tell him OF sue
cessful Matchmaking operations upon them
by Mrs. HILL, and in almost every instance In
srector Blnck's kindly advice to the victims to
pay up in order to avoid scandal had been
the reason for submission Black has always
boon an inscriptions. daring. and vindictive
man. One Of his colleagues related to THE
Sun representative the case OF man named
Sweeney. who had been imprisoned for five
years on whit he declared to be trumped up
charge Of burglary. One day there came an
informer to Black. who told the detective that
Sweeney was out OF Jail and threatening to
shoot him to avenge the wrong he had SUI
fered. rs he?" said the detective. elevating
his eyebrows. Pm much obliged to you."
and he ushered the person who had called
upon him out OF his room. The following
DypDinU Swppnay again hrOu~h t in IN tho
police station charged with attempted bur
Glary. He declared he had done nothing
The Judge sentenced him. after hearing
Blacks evidence. to ten years penal servitude.
a sentence Sweeney is now undergoing.
1t can easily be understood that the discov-
cry OF these facts in connection with Blacks
private life and official career has cast quite q
new complexion on tho Daily and Egan case
These men. it has always been declared by
those who studied their case. were innocent Of
the charges brought against them. and there
now seems every reason to believe that they
were the victims Of vile plot. Blacks testi-
mony was almost the only evidence against
Egan. 1t was he who swore that bottle Of
nitro elycerine was found hidden in the gar
den attached to Egan's house. But for that
piece of evidence it Is morally certain the Jury
would have at least discharged one OF the
two mon in the dock. But in those days
Blacks word was law. He was the para gon Of
truthfulness and his probity and honesty were
looked upon as above question. Put him into
the witness box to-day. discredited official.
stepped to tho lips in vice and infamy. and his
word would not be considered good enough to
hang a dog upon.
Alderman Manton and others have repeat
edly declared that the police placed tho bottle
OF nitro glycerine in the garden before they
dug it up. and it would indeed now appear as
II there was much justification for that allega-
ton. This is tho phase of the matter which
has appealed to MIR. John Redmond. and which
he Is determined to probe to the uttermost
depths. II he can prove to the House OF Com
mons that at the timo OF the Egan and DAILY
case Blacks character was such rs to make
his evidence wholly unreliable. the letters
must ut once DO struck or the unfortunate
men who are at the present moment wearing
themselves out in penal servitude.
Black was OF a most peculiar temperament.
He had but two ideas. to make money and to
score successfully in his profession. He is re-
putcd to be wealthy. having large Investments
in South American stock. although his salary
was until recently only 600 year. and had
not for great length OF time been fixed at
that sum. He was intensely vindictive against
the Irish people. When the Chief Constable
Of Birmingham protested to him against tho
manner in which the Egan and DAILY case was
being worked up. Blacks reply was. l am an
Englishman" His notion OF poetry was that
the best specimen OF the art was to DO found in
the burlesque Of Faust Up to Date" where
Mephisophees Is made to sing:
They may wrigsle. they may struggle but Two got en-
In myeye;
And I'll have EN- yes. III have 'em. shall have em
by and by.
These lines had fascination for Black. and
he was constantly in tho stalls OF the theatre
when Mr.. Z. j. Lonnen was singing there. He
had freely expressed his intention OF bringing
q libel action for $1,000 against Alderman
Manton for saying that the Egan and DAILY
case had not been conducted upon fair and
Just lines: but since the disclosures concern
ing Blacks character have come to light moth
ing has been heard Of the action. Indeed.
nothing has been heard OF Black himself. In
Birmingham official circles the utmost reti-
cence is preserved regarding the whole bust
ness 1t is Of course to tho interest OF all con-
cerned to prevent q Government inquiry. such
as is contemplated by the Irish members. into
Blacks career. THE SUN representative. who
interviewed some half dozen OF the heads Of
the police. could extract but little from them.
"If an inquiry is granted" said one. lit will
kill tho chief" " 1t Is n black day for Birming-
ham," snid another. An awful disgrace to
the city" murmured yet another while n Su-
perintendent OF Police. a big. burly Irishman.
when questioned Us to the details Of tho Black
case said: my only reply Is UNI, all hum"
Yet despite the reticence at Headquarters
which has increased since tho appearance Of
ledmond's question. the whole OF the men,
bcrs OF the Birmingham police force are per-
fecty aware OF the facts of the case and speak
OF them in tremulous tones since the prospect
of an official inquiry has come into view 1t
will be a terrible exposure. Is the general opin-
ion expressed by men who thoroughly know
tho situation. At any rate there is this all-im-
portant fact. that when Detective Superin-
tendent Van Helden was promoted to the po-
siton vacated by Black he said to the chief
constable that II no was to be In charge OF the
department 1t would have to be conducted on
honest lines. to which the chief replied: " 1t 10
quito time they were introduced"
THIS SEEMS RATIONAL.
when You Know just What You Want
H0u Can Transact Business Quickly.
A well-dresssd young man came into the