Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-08-12


cause If I had been handling the case I
should have been inclined to make that
F, the starting point Of my investigation.
However, my friend. DR.. Watson.
knows nothing OF this matter, and
should be none the worse for hearing
the sequence OF events once more Just
give Us some short sketches OF the es-
sentials."
Stanley Hopkins drew a slip of paper
from his pocket.
Il have a few dates here which will
give you the career OF the dead msn
Captain Peter Carey. He was born In
'45-ify years Of age He was a
most daring and successful seal and
whale fisher. In 1888 be commanded
the steam sealer Sea Unicorn OF Dun
dee. He had then had several success
full voyages IN succession and In the
following year. 1884, be retired. After
that he travelled for some years, and
finally be bought small place called
Woodm ans Lee. near Forest Row, in
Sussex There he has lived for six
years, and there be died just a week
ago today.
There were some most singular
points about the man. In ordinary
life be was a strict Puritan-a silent.
gloomy fellow. His household consist
ed OF his wife. his daughter. aged
twenty and two female servants.
These last were continually changing.
for II was never a CHEEKY situation. and
sometimes it became past ali bearing
The man was an Intermittent drunk
ard, and when he had the ft on him he
was a perfect fend. He has been
known 10 drive his wife and daughter
out Of doors in the middle OF the night
and fog them through the park until
the whole village outside 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 20 far before
| you found n more dangerous man than
/ Peter Carey, aud | have heard that
/ he bore the same character when he
commanded his ship. lie was known
IN the trade as Black Petar. and the
name was given him not only on &C.
count OF his swarthy features aud the
color OF his huge beard. but FOR the
humors which Were the terror OF all
around him. l need not say that he
was loathed aud avoided by every one
OF his neighbors aud that I have not
heard one single word OF sorrow about
his terrible end
"iOu must have read in the account
} Of the inquest about the mans cabin.
Mr. Holmes. but perhaps your friend
here has not heard OF It, He had built
a wooden outhouse-he always called
1t the 'cabin'-a few hundred yards
from his house. and IL was here that
he slept every night II was a little
| single rooned hut 10 by 10 He ken,
the key in his pocket. made his own
| bed, cleaned IL himself aud allowed
no other foot 10 cross the threshold.
There are small windows on each side.
| which were covered by curtains and
never opened. one OF these windows
was turned toward the highroad. and
when the light burned IN IL at night
the folk used to point il 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 bi;s of positive evidence
that came out at the Inquest.
"Yor remember that a stonemason
named Slater. walking from Forest
Row about / O'clock in the morning
two days before the murder, stopped
as he passed the grounds and looked
at the square OF light still shining
among the trees. He swears that the
shadow OF mans head turned side
ways was clearly visible on the blind
and that this shadow was certainly
not that of Peter Carey, whom he
knew well. 1t was that OF a bearded
man, but the beard was short and
bristied forward IN a way very diff
ferent from that OF the captain. So
be says, but he had been two hours IN
the public house. and it is some dis
lance from the road 10 the window.
Besides, this refers TO the Monday, and
the crime was done upon the Wednes-
day.
ION the Tuesday Peter Carey was in
enc Of his blacklist moods, flushed with
drink and as savage as a dangerous
wild beast. He roame1 about the
/ house. and the women ran for il when
they heard him coming. Late In the
evening he went down TO his own hut.
About 2 o'clock the following morning
his daughter, who slept with her win
dow open. heard a most fearful yell
from that direction, but il was no I'M
usual thing for him TO bawl and shout
when he was ia drink, so no notice
was taken. On rising at Z one OF the
maids noticed that the door OF the hut
was open, but 50 great was the terror
which the man caused that II was mid
day before any one would venture
down 70 see what had become of him.
Peeping into the open door, they saw
! sight which sent them flying with
white faces into the village. Within
an hour I was on the spot and had
/ taken over the case
well, have fairly steady nerves. as
you know, Mr.. Holmes. but I give you
1 my word that got shake when put
my head into that little house. IL was
droning like harmoaium with the fiies
and bluebottles, and the door and walls
were Ike a slaughter house he had
! called IL a cabin. and a cabin IL was.
a sure ornfrrs Won xxnrsf{ howA