The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-16

~ AALI
money lenders whose names he had for
gotten. 1t is believed that Callan, the
money lenders and Monson were all ac-
completes in q conspiracy to murder Biz
kin.
Monson, who is not yet IS years old, is
credited with having ruined more young
men than any other person in England.
He is the most conspicuous character in
the fast set of young men who pervade the
music halls and night clubs of London.
His notoriety alone Is sufficient to attract
attention from many newcomers to the
metropolis. Monson is hand in glove with
more young noblemen than any other man
in London. He knows all the fast scions
of the great houses who come to London
in the season.
When one of them comes into his titles
and estates, he is, If disposed to go the
pace, soon found in Monson's company,
md IS long as his money lasts he is sur
rounded by seeming friends. But there is
nothing new in ~swindling q spendthrift
of his money. What has made Monson
notorious is the number of suspicious
deaths in which he has been concerned.
These were all the deaths of influential
young men who were friends of his and
who had recently been insured for nor
NOUS sums of money.
He is supposed to be the originator and
chief of a gang of conspirators now oper-
ating in England with the object of VIC
timizing British and American insurance
companies, trust companies n similar
financial institutions. The young noble
men with whom Monson associates attract
to him great numbers of untitled sons of
the wealthy classes. Among these people
in England it is no unusual thing for SIN
gle individuals to carry life assurances of
$3.50, 900 to $500, 900. They have also I'm
der British law disposing power over large
sums of money dependent upon another
life, so that the deaths of people who never
knew Monson may benefit his victims or
himself.
London was for q long time puzzled to
know what Monson was up to. Every
body who met him-and he knows thou
sands of people in London-was assured
that here was a man who would never lie
idle. His face is full of resolution and
energy. He has a strong character and is
. natural leader. One of his most surpris-
ing characteristics is his power over young
men almost after the first meeting. He
exercises a great and peculiar fascination.
It was supposed for a time that Monson
WIGS llflUE dill GAtIdf d&dIU lll6 uDOu t2it
money he acquired through the death of
Hambrough, but after a time the records
of the bankruptcy court-that great clear
ing house for broken fortunes ard ruined
noblemen-began to throw his name to
the surface.
Almost every young swell who came
n the bankruptcy court was a friend Of
Monson. Most of them were indebted to
him.. In a great many cases he it was
who encouraged e to squander their
fortunes and then introduced them to the
money lenders. The mere fact that a man
was bankrupt was no reason why he
shouldn't have plenty of money If he were
8 friend of Monson. Did he not have a
life insurance policy2 Was be not heir to
some property in which some other living
person had a life interest? Was he not
heir to an entailed estate, no matter how
far removed? These were only a few Of
the forms of property upon which Monson
knew how to raise plenty of ready cash.
One must remember that there is no
usury law in England, and that rates of
interest as high as rs per cent or 100 per
cent or 200 per cent are legal and can be
collected by law if once the signature of
the victim is secured
Tn majority of Monson's victims are
never heard Of In the law courts, as their
families pay almost any sum of money to
save the family honor. 1t is, however, a
far more serious matter in which he is
now concerned.
This is what is known as the Tangier
mystery. It bears a striking resemblance
in some of it's features to the ArdIamont
mystery. Both are also suggestive of the
celebrated Burchell-Pelly murder case,
which occurred near Woodstock, Ont, a
few years ago and excited both continents.
In that sAReginald Burcflell, an Oxford
man Of good FAMILY, like Monson, deeoyed
young Englishmer to Canada to murder
them. He was tried and convicted for the
murder Of Douglas Raymond Pelly and
was duly hanged. The Tangier mystery is
being closely investigated ct the present
time by tho Scotland Yard police.
Herbert Birkin, the victim of the Tan,
ger tragedy, was one Of four sons Of a
millionaire Nottingham lace manufactur-
CT. Upon the death of their grandfather,
William Cliff Maxton, each OF these four
sons is to inherit So, 500,0 900. The family
Is enormously wealthy, for besides tho
Erandfather's great fortune the father OF
she four Birkin boys has millions in his
pwn right.
Herbert Birkin, accompanied by o valet
md q man described as Owen Ca1lan. ar
rived at Tangier about two months ago
nnd put NJ at the Bristol hotel They