The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-12
THE WRONG Man.

I
THE WRONG NAN.
Strange indeed are the unsolved unys-
teries of all great cities, and none
stranger, perhaps, than some Of those
that might be told Of the highways
and byways Of London. Murder, rob
berry and all the other deeds made
criminal by sensitive and egotisticaI
civilization-these have taken place in
the very eye of the public, with never
a clue, or, at least, but false clue, 10
the perpetTator Men, women aud
children have disappeared from crowd
ed thoroaghfares, spirited away, as it
seeins, none ever knowing whittier.
One of these grim romances of resi-
life came under my notice few years
ago. You may, perhaps, remember
reading of it in an obscure corner of
your daily paper, FOR it happened at a
time of national sensation when The
shooting dead of man on Lrdgaie hill
was q mere episode barely ccusids Ted
worthy Of mention in a paragraph.
Circumstances not only made me al
most q spectator Of the crime, but they
have recently made me learn the
whereabouts Of the criminal Aeei-
dent. in other words, has acquainted
me with fact which half the detect
ives at Scotland yard would, as the
saying goes, give their ears to learn.
Bot, before / teli you of the murderer,
let me remind you Of some Of the facts
Of the murder.
1t is now some years ago that I was
walking down Ludgate bin with
friend, q PLAZA clothes detective, to
whom have not yet divulged the Sc
crrt / am here making public. We
were on the north side, and nearly at
the railway bridge which spans the bill
l by Ludgate circus, when from the 9TH
er side of the road rang out the sharp
report OF a pistol. There was flash, a
puff of smoke, and, as though by mag
ic, at once crowd.
Scott and 1, be scouting a case and
q new sensation, crossed the road and
pushed our way through the human
eddy, which swung around the body of
a man lying by the curbstone. My
friend, by the magic wcrd Police"
managed to work = way for us both
through the struggling sightseers, and
We got to the centre at the same mo-
ment that bnrly policeman reached
the same goal through the opposite side
of the crowd.
He and Scott knew one another, aud
the latter whispered to his colleague,
Al saw an elderly man starting at the
run round the circus corner down
Bridge street. You'd oest take him for
safety's sake. silk hat, fur coat; go
with him, Herm; you must have no
tieed the man"
This last sentence vas addressed to
me, and, though not having the eye Of
a detective officer, had not noticed
any one start at the run, was by no
means unwilling to accompany P. G.
xxx. 3
We got out Of the crowd; happily
without there being any general idea of
orr mission, OF We should have bad the
whole mob at our heels. In Bridge
street there was no sign Of such msn
as Scott had described. The constable
asked the first cabman on the rank if
be had noticed any one Of that descrip-
lion.
Seed i'm? did; e jest took the
'ansom in front o me, an offered Tom
HiBgs 'aif-a- crown to get to Waterloo in
ten minutes"
"Fiye shillings 10 you il you overtake
him." said excitedIy, as the police
man and go; into the cab.
of he ratified over Blaekfriars bridge,
and down Stamford street. Our Jehu
turned into a narrow by-way to get to
tie station, and had only just time to
pull his horse up, for there was
''block1 ahead caused by brewers
dray, the horses of which could not be
induced to start off with their heavy
load Our cab stopped close to another.
which was empty.
.Hallo, Bingsr' sang out the driver
over our heads. Where's your fare g''
The other cabnsn pointed with his
whip 10 a gentleman hurriedly making
his way toward the station
"wait for me, said xxx. 3, and so
saying he jumped out Of the hanson
aud at that swinging trot peculiar to a
policeman in hurry pursued his quar-
~. did not have to wait many min
utes, filed with that curious, halfpleas-
ant, haIf-painful perturbation which
rsaalIy attends a hunter at the mo-
ment when he thinks himself on the
point Of securing big game. ] had
never hunted human game before, but
could realize the excitement Of it in my
'ast ten minutes experience.
had not long to wait for the return
Of the constable, who had secured his
man as be was mounting the steep in
cline that leads to the Waterloo main
line booking-oiiiee.
'T'll see Mr.. Scott later" / said, as
captor and captured got into the vehi-
Gle, and as heard the "elickv with
which the handouts were fastened on
the wrists Of the unfortunate man.
did not care 20 return TO the police
station with the constable and his
charge. for i had recognized in the lat
ter fairly well known city man, cne
/ who had an unenviable potorlety in