The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1904-09-21

REMARKABLE STORY ABOUT A
GANG OF LONDON THIEVES.

VuSrV 0OVO ~ = W sOOoS
Adopted by 4 eenefaetor-Made
Sole Heir to Fcrtune-Fuli Comics
sion Of . Plotter Ends Mystery.
The New York Globe reprints the
following special to the Globe" un-
der the date line London. June ~.
1885,"
Through q sensational slum murder
and the revelation by 1t Of a gang OF
thieves and c~ut-throats, Scotland Yard
has unearthed . most interesting ro-
nance and incidently restored to his
fortune . young boy, who, despite his
few years, has gone through more
than ordinarily comes to men in the
full course of their lives. A quarter
Of a century ago society was greatly
interested in the marriage of the late
Edwin Leeford, then a young man
in his teens, with a lady CT high po-
sition several years his senior. The
marriage, which had as its issue one
son, did not turn out happily. and in
q few years Mrs. Leeford, taking her
son, went to the continent to live.
Some time later intimate friends of
the family were greatly troubled over
reports of . liason between Mr.. Lee.
ford and an estimable young woman,
the daughter of . retired oficer. Then
. relative died. leaving Mr. Leeford
his fortune. Mr.. Leeford went to
Rome to settle the estate and died
while there. without leaving, SO far
as then known, a will. The where
abouts Of the unfortunate young wU-
man became q mystery. fer she left
her fathers roof and was supposed
to have made away with herself.
Now. however, 1t is known that she
died in q county workhouse after
having given birth to q son, who has
come to be the hero of this latest
causes celebde, and Is to enjoy what
is left Of his half Of the estate left
by his unfortunate father. whose will.
It turns out, was destroyed shortly
after his death by his wife.
Last week, 1t will be remembered,
Spitalnelds was greatly excited BY the
murder Of q notorious woman named
Skies. The murderer was her lover.
known ~ BILL" who 9 few days
later, was killed while attempting to
| elude pursuit. The crime was = d.
rect outcome of the romance to which
reference has been made.
According to the police. the boy
when he left the workhouse fell into
the hands Of q gang OF thieves wnlcn
has existed for several years in the
east end, under the leadership OF one
Fagin. Their efforts to make a thief
out Of him failed, but 1t ultimately
put him in the way of coming into his
own. He was arrested on q charge
Of pocket picking preferred by Mr..
Brownlow, . gentleman Of means,
and discharged for lack of suuiciel1
evidence. Mr.. Brownlow became in
terested in the boy and took him
home. but . few days later members
Of the gang, the murdered woman and
her brother kidnapped him for feal
that he would tell what he knew tt
the police. Later he was taken by
the murderer and another thief t.
help them IN robbing the house Of
Mrs. Maybe and In the melee thai
followed the boy was badly hurt
Again he fell into the hands Of the
police, but this time Mrs. Maybe
came to his rescue and provided HIN
with . home.
In the meantime, It seems. his half
brother, Edward Leeford, had be
come cognixant Of his existence, aQi
conscious Of the fact that the DO,
was heir to half his fathers property
undertook 30 destroy Ill proof Of hi
identity. Leeford IL . bad character
and. under the name Of Monks" ha'
consorted with thieves more or less
including FAgin. He decided. there
fore, to have Fagin get hold Of tn
boy and keep him. for he himself ha'
secured Ind destroyed some littl
memsntoes that had been taken iron
; the boys unfortunate mother BY he
. aufeA.
In IL saae e disrspqtsble chara<
tDFs into which tie boy had fAlls1
. ho had found one friend, the Stke
wuman. She undertook to warn Mn
1oee Maybe, Mn. M6yiIs's njees. Q
IT. conspiracy against the boy, IN,
aelsceeded n her SBort. but yagiz
etsoevectlng her. had her shadowet
AanA then toll her brother that sh
had bstsayed him to the police Thi
4via II cauaa AZ the murder.