The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-19


then had several successful voyages
In succession, and In the following
year, 1894 he retired. After that he
Travelled for some years, and finally he
bought a small place called Wood
mans Lee, near Forest Row, in Sus-
sex. There he has lived for six years,
and there he died just week ago to-
day
There were some most singular
points about the man. In ordinary
life he was a strict Puritan-a SILENT
gloomy fellow His household con-
sisted of his wife, his daughter, aged
twenty, and two female servants.
These last were continually changing
for 1t was never a very CHEEKY situa-
ton, and sometimes 1t became past
all bearing. The man was an inter-
mittent drunkard, and when he had
the fit on him he was perfect fiend
He has been known to drive his wife
and daughter out of doors in the mid
die of the night, and fog them through
the park until the whole village out
side the gates was aroused by their
screams.
He was summoned once for a saw
age assault upon the old vicar, who
had called upon him to demonstrate
with him upon his conduct. In short,
Mr.. Holmes. you would go far before
you found a more dangerous man
than Peter Carey, and | have heard
that he bore the same character when
he commanded his ship. He was
known In the trade as Black Peter
and the name was given him. not only
on account of his swarthy features
and the colour of his huge beard, but
for the humours which were the terror
of all around him. | need not say
that he was loathed and avoided by
every one of his neighbours, and that
l have not heard one single word of
sorrow about his terrible end.
you must have read in the account
of the inquest about the mans cabin
Mr.. Holmes, but perhaps your friend
here has not heard of 1t. He had
built himself a wooden outhouse-he
always called it the cabin'-a few
hundred yards from his house. and it
was here that he slept every night
1t was little, single-roomed hut, six
teen feet by ten. He kept the key in
his pocket, made his own bed, cleaned
1t himself, and allowed no other foot
to cross the threshold. There are
small windows on each side. which
were covered by curtains and never
opened. One of these windows was
turned towards the high road, and
when the light burned in 1t at night
the folk used TO point 1t out to each
other and wonder what Black Peter
was doing In there. That's the win
dow, Mr.. Holmes, which gave US one
OF the few bits of positive evidence
that came out at the inquest.
You remember that a stonemason,
named Slater, walking from Forest
Row about one O'Clock In the morn
ing-two, days before the murder
stopped as he passed the grounds and
looked at the square of light still shin
ing among the trees. He swears that
the shadow of mans head turned
blind, and that this shadow was GER
talnly not that of Peter Carey, whom
he knew well. 1t was that of
bearded man. but the beard was short
and bristled forwards In a way very
different from that of the captain So
he says, but he had been two hours
In the public house, and 1t is some dis
lance from the road to the window.
Besides, this refers TO the Monday,
and the crime was done upon the
Wednesday.
'On the Tuesday, Peter Carey was
in one of his blacklist moods. flushed
with drink and as savage as a danger
Gus wild beast. He roamed about the
house and the women ran for 1t when
they heard him coming Late In the
evening he went down to his own
hut About two o'clock the following
morning. his daughter, who slept with
her window OPEN heard most fearful
yell from that direction, but 1t was
no unusual thing for him to bawl and
shout when he was In drink, so no
notice was taken. On rising at seven,
one of the maids noticed that the
door of the hut was open, but so great
was the terror which the man caused
that it was midday before anyone
would venture down to see what had
become of him. Peeping into the open
door, they saw sight which set them
flying. with white faces, into the vii
lage. Within an hour l was on the
spot and had taken over the case
well I have fairly steady nerves.
as you know. Mr.. Holmes. but l give
you my word. that got a shake when
I put my head into that little house.
1t was droning like harmonium with
the flies and bluebottles and the floor
and walls were like a slaughter
house. He had called 1t a cabin and
cabin 1t was, sure enough, for you
would have thought that you were
in ship. There was bunk at one
end. n sea-chest. maps and charts,
picture of the Sea Unicorn, a line of
iogboolxs on shelf, all exactly as
one would expect to find it in a cap
tain's room. And there. in the mid
die OF IL, was the man htiiiseii-hiS
face twisted like lost soul in tor
ment, and his great brindle beard
stuck upwards in his agony. Right
through his broad breast a steel har-
pooh had been driven, and 1t had sunk
deep into the wood of the wall be-
hind him. He was pinned like a beetle
on a card OF course, he was quite
dead, and had been so from the In
slant that he had uttered that last
yell of agony.