Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-01-11

the Soho tragedy Gas Il was still Called
Doubtless the police, despite TraiIrs
dry hint To Mr.. O'Elynn, had seen hit to
withhold the discovery from the press
for Il 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 nave, il only they would
refrain from So persistently oyerrating
the at the disposal Of the pO-
lice! Perhaps the cleyerest comment
airy was that which appeared in the
Evening Express ut all events. l did
not disdain TO study its suggestions.
The Soho Tragedy-We learn that
the identity of the victim has at length
been established as that Of a 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 18TH
ult.
The corpse. it will be remembered,
was discovered in a Greek Street lodg-
ing house early upon the 10Th ult.; so
that the unfortunate man was muir
dered we'll within twenry-four hours
Of his leaving the ship. He proves 10
be a Mr.. Luke Arlewood, grandson ana
heir of the late Mr.. Basil Arnewood.
an Irish gentleman Of good social posi-
ton and large means; and he had, IL
seems. returned from New Zealand for
the purpose OF entering into possession
Of his Inheritance.
The police. as usual, are somewhat
- - b, hr-t al.1aI ~ n y
be in their possession, but are sangulne
Of a successful issue TO their efforts.
OF course they always are. We may,
however, be pardOned il we refust 70
share too strongly in these hopeful an
ticipatioEs. Despite the unrivalled
network OF communication ar their
command, they have failed signally 70
race the missing lodger, Webb, in
whose room the corpse was found. Up
TO within a 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
Now, 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 il is almost certain that
the crime was not the work Of profess
sionaI Iaw-hreakers. 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
every possible %precaution TO prevent
his victims movements being subse-
quently 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
1ence to this effect will be speedily
forthcoming. II not, the chances are
that preparations had been made be-
fOrehaad to get him and his belongings
away, in the hustle Of landing. without
local help. We incline 70 this latter be-
lief, and harbOr a conviction that, if
ever the murderer is brought to Justice,
IL will certainly not be by means Of the
old information received formula"
| confess that the perusal OF that
paragraph took me down several pegs
IN my WI estimation. 1t was written,
certainly, upon very ineXacC informa
ton, and probably in haste. Yet how
smartly the situation had been sum-
med 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,
the outcome of a prearranged scheme.
If so, then the moment0us question
ross Who would be likely to devise
a plot so foul against so utter Il strang-
er as Luke ArnewoodE 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.
Cain it might very well be. The trav-
Feler had refused all financial aid from
JBrien < Grudgery as unnecessary.
he had, perhaps, brought q large sum
II m5ney with him; and, apart from
his, the somewhat awkward reflection
arose that ~ man, at least, would
benefit very greatly indeed by Luke
ArnewOod's deathf-the very man wlO
vas offering 5000 reward for the dis,
overy OF his cousins murderer!
Captain Arnewood the cuIprit! wa
the thing possible, conceivable? II
was, certainly, somewhat staggering
but my experience as an inquiry agent
had taught me that a thoroughly IN.
scrupulous. selfish man. or woman. will
stop ct nothing, providing the risk OF
detection appears to be small. Wa
Captain Arnewood such a man? I'm.
possible, Of course, for me TO form any
opinion OF his character upn the
strength OF one short interview.
First impressions are, / believe. mOrc
Iften right than wrong, and he certain.
y did not impress me favorabTy with
his opening words and jerky. nervous
manner. True, I had subsequently
modified my original opinion of tbs
man; but THIS, as I now realized. had
been due more TO gratitude for the
prospects opened out 10 me by his of
fer than to any deliberate revulsion OF
feeling.
As 10 his offer Of large reward. thai
}eemei equally consistent with either
innocence or guile: 1t was Just the
sort of thing a high-miEIed. generous
l ma n mould Il -, IL -. . -