Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-01-11

Doubtless the police, despite Trails
dry hint to MI. O'Flynn. had. seen fit to
withhold the discovery from the press
for a time. But the evening papers
had been Informed, and, as usual, made
the most of so sensational an item.
What keen wits some of these para
graph writer's have, if only they would
refrain from so persistently overrating
the resources at the disposal of the 30
lice! Perhaps the cleverest comment
airy was that which appeared in the
Evening Express" at all events, did
not disdain to study it's suggestions.
The Soho Tragedy-We learn that
the identity of the victim has at length
been established as that Of saloon
passenger from New Zealand, by the
Union Steamship company's Wairoa,
which only reached the Southwest In
dia docks upon the morning of the 10th
ult.
",rhe corpse. it will be remembered,
was discovered in Greek Street lodg-
ing house early upon the Goth ult.; so
that the unfortunate man was MUIR
dered we'll within twenty-four hours
of his leaving the ship. He proves to
he a Mr.. Luke Arnewood, grandson and
heir of the late Mr.. Basil Arnewood,
an Irish gentleman of good social posi-
lion and large means; and he had 1t
'eems, returned from New Zealand for
The purpose of entering into possession
of his Inheritance.
The police. as usual, are somewhat
rcticent as to what further clues may
be in their possession. but are sanguine
of q successful issue to their efforts.
OF course they always are. We may,
however, be pardoned if we refust to
share too strongly in these hopeful an
icpatioEs. Despite the unrivalled
network of communication at their
command. they have failed signally to
race the missing ledger, Webb, in
whose room the corpse was found. Up
to within few hours ago they had
failed to identify the murdered man;
md, more likely than not. their present
partial successhas been due to some
lucky scrap of information received
Nov. we hold that the detective de-
partment relies Il great deal too much
upon the old standby of information
received especially in cases Qike the
present. where it is almost certain that
the crime was not the work of profess
sional law-breakers. Unless we are to
assume that Luke Arnewood. upon
landing, fell straightway into the
hands of some Of the bad characters
who haunt the neighborhood of the
docks-an assumption scarcely consist
ent with the discovery of his body in
Soho-then the probabilities are that
he was decoyed to his doom by some
person on the lookout for his arrival;
and that person would assuredly take
very possible precaution to prevent
his victims movements being subse-
luently traced. A very few hours will,
however, decide that point.
''If Luke Arnewood quilted the docks
With his luggage, by the ordinary
means of porters and a cab, then evil
lence to this effect will be speedily
forthcoming. If not, the chances are
that prepare tons had been made be-
iorehand to get him and his belongings
away in the hustle of landing, without
local help. We incline to this latter be-
lief. and harbor a conviction that, if
,'ver the murderer is brought to justice,
j, will certainly not be by means of the
I'D information received formula
confess that the perusal of that
paragraph took me down several pegs
II my own estimation. 1t was written.
certainly. upon very ineXact inforIna-
ion. and probably in haste. Yet how
,lnartly the situation had been sum-
ned up! And, thinking the matter out,
The belief gained upon me that the
writer's ingenious surmise was cor
rect, and that the murder was, indeed,
he outcome of prearranged scheme.
If so, then the momentous question
rose: Who would be likely to devise
plot so foul against so utter a strang-
or as Luke Arnewood: Revenge, or
lust of gain, is at the bottom Of most
murders. Revenge seemed out of the
question in the present case, because
he victim knew no one in England.
Jain it might very well be. The trav-
'eler had refused all financial aid from
)'Bren Il Grudgery as unnecessary
He had, perhaps, brought large sum
)f money with him; and, apart from
his. the somewhat awkward reflection
rose that one man, at least, would
benefit very greatly indeed by Luke
\rncwood's death{-the very man who
vas Offering $4,000 reward for the dis
overy of his cousins murderer!
Captain Arnewood the culprit! Was
he thing possible, conceivable? 1t
was. certainly. somewhat staggering,
but my experience as an inquiry agent
llau taught me tnat thoroughly I'M
'crupulous. selfish man. or woman, will
stop at nothing. providing the risk of
detection appears to be small. Was
Captain Arnewood such man? I'm
,ossible Of course. for me to form any
piEion of his character Jpn the
trpngth of one short interview.
First impressions are, 1 believe, more
ften right than wrong. and he certain
did not impress me favorably with
lis opering words and jerEy. nervous
"nnEer. True. I had subsequently
,ohtied my original opinion of the
Nan; but this. as l now realized, had
sen due more to gratitude for the
prospects opened out to me by his Of
tor than to any deliberate revulsion OF
ceiling.
AS to his offer of large reward. that
~cmed equally consistent with either
innocence or guilt. It was just the
;ort Of thing Il high-minded, generous
nan would do on the spur of the mo-
ment and as a vent for his feelings.
But it might also suggest itself. to a
guilty man. as an excellent proof Of in
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