The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-15

terror was at it's height. the number of
policemen abroad in the fields num-
bered over seventy. Suddenly there
came up one of the most severe rain
and thunder storms that has occurred
in the district in many years, and
naturally the "constables" made for
the doors of the nearest cottages and
knocked for admittance. But they
knocked in vain, for the timid farmer
folk within preferred to sit tight, not
knowing but the actual animal muir
derer himself might be at their doors.
1t was in the latter part of August
that matters at last came to a climax
with the sensational arrest of George
Edalji, only son of a local clergyman
of high standing, on the charge OF nav
ing been responsible for the deaths OF
various slaughtered animals twenty,
eight years old and hitherto OF good
repute, Edalji has been carrying on
business as a lawyer in Birmingham
for the last four years, and he is the
author of a rather well written book
on railway law He always has been
looked upon as uncommonly studlous.
The Rev. Shagwiji Edalji, vicar or
Great Wyrley-father of the accused
is a Parsee but Edalj1s mother is an
English woman. Up TO ms arrest tle
young man lived with his parents at
the Great Wyrley rectory, going to Biz
mingham by train.
Edalii's arrest followed Immediately
upon the finding of the mutilated BODY
of pony killed just as the other AMI
mails had been, in field about half a
mile from the rectory. The police sus-
pected the young lawyer because they
discovered footprints leading away
from the scene of the animals death
and almost up to the clergyman's door.
They insisted upon entering, searched
the house, and the discoveries which
they had to report when they came out
again made it appear fairly certain
that Edalji was the guilty man. The
pony was killed on rainy night, ana
in the young lawyers wardrobe the
officers of the law declared that they
found not only a pair of muddy boots
but a suit of clothing which they as
sert was so damp as to be almost wet.
Later the police found people who had
seen Edalji on the fatefuI night and
who testified that he was wearing this
identical suit on that occasion. Oddly
enough, two of these persons were a
pair of lovers, out moon-gaz1ng to-
gether Moreover on both the coat
and trousers of this suit the detectives
say they found short, red hairs which
matched exactly the coat of the
slaughtered pony. On one of the arms
say that in Edalji's room they found
also four razors, the blades of which
were stained deep red, apparently
with blood, and they believe it was with
these weapons that the animals were
killed Edalji took his arrest coolly
and when offered his freedom on bail
said that he preferred to wait his trial
in prison. as he knew he would be sub
jected to continual insult if he remained
at liberty.
One of the most extraordinary feat
ures of this strange affair is the re-
markable part which anonymous let
tiers have played in it. They began to
pour in on all sorts of people soon after
the beginning of the mysterious attacks
on animals. First private individuals
got unsigned missives in which the
writer threatened to Ego for" their
horses or cows-even their fowls. Then
the police began to receive mysterious
epistles, posted from all over the dis
trict, and saying that their author or
authors knew who was responsible for
the slaughter of stock and would tell
if rewarded. But these obliging folk
never could be traced. The letter which
most frightened the villagers was re-
ceived by a police sergeant,sand read: