Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-24

rule. he had sufficient regard for his
own interests to resist such temptations,
but in one curious case. at least, believe
he allowed it largely to influence him 1t
was certainly an extremely odd case
one Of those affairs that, coming to light
at Intervals but more often remaining
unhcard of by the general public. con-
vince one that. after all. there is very lit
tie extravaganza about Mr.. r. L. Steven
sons bizarre imaginings of dcings in
London in his New Arabian Nights.
There is nothing in this world that Is at
all possible" / have often heard Martin
Hewitt say. that has not happened or is
not happening in London" Certainly he
had opportunities of knowing.
The case 1 have referred to occurred
some time before my own acquaintance
with him began-in 1878. in fact. He had
called one Monday morning at an office
In regard to something connected with
one of those uninteresting though often
difficult. cases which formed. perhaps. the
bulk of his practice. when he was in
formed of a most mysterious murder that
had taken place in another part of the
same building on the previous saturday
afternoon. Owing to the circumstances or
the case only the vaguest account had ap
peared in the morning papers, and even
this. as it CHANGED. Hewitt had not read.
Inc bulldlnS was one OF Il new row IN a
partly rebuilt street near the National
Gallery. The whole row had been built
by Spectator for the purpose of letting
out in fats. suites of chambers and In
one or two cases, on the ground floors.
offices. The rooms had let very well, and
TO desirable tenants as a rule. The least
satisfactory tenant the proprietor re-
luctantly admitted, was a Mr.. Rameau
negro gentleman. single. who had three
rooms on the top floor but one of the par
ticular building that Hewitt was visiting
His rent was paid regularly, but his be-
hayior had produced complaints from
other tenants. He got uproariousIy drunk
and screamed and howled in unknown
tongues He fell asleep on the stair
case. and ladies We're afraid to pass. He
bawled rough chan down the stairs
and along the corridors at butcher
boys and messengers, and played
on errand boys brutal practical jokes that
ended in police court summonses. He once
had a way OF sliding down the balusters,
shouting: "Hoi hot no. YAH he went
but as he was big heavy man. and the
balusters had been built for different treat
ment. he had very soon and very firmly
been requested TO stop It He had plenty
OF money. and spent 1t freely; but 1t was
generally felt that there was too much of
the light-hearted savage about him to mt
him to live among quiet people.
How much longer the landlord would have
stood this sort of thing. Hewitt's informant
said, was matter of conjecture. for on the
Saturday afternoon in question the tenancy
had come to a startling full stop. Rameau
had been murdered in his room. and the
body had In the most unaccountable fasn-
ion. been secretly removed from the prem
ises.
The strongest possible suspicion pointed
TO man who had been employed in shovel
ing and carrying Goals, cleaning WINDOWS
and chopping wood for several of the build
ings, and who had left that very SATURDAY:
G. The crime had. in fact, been committed
with this mans chopper, ana the man NM
70 self had been heard, again and AGAIN 10
threaten Rameau, who, in his brutal IaSh-
ion had made a butt of HIM This man
was a Frenchman, Victor Goujon by name,
d. who had lost his employment as "a Watcn-
maker by reason of an injury to his rlgnt
hand, which destroyed its steadiness; ana
so he had fallen upon evil days ana ooa
5obs. .,
- He was a little man OF no great strength,
INT extraordinarily excitable, and the
coarse gibes and horse play of the big negro
drove him almost 10 madness haileau
would often. after some more tnan olui-
narily outrageous attack, contemporary
fling Goujon a shilling. which the niue
Frenchman. although wanting SHINING
hadly enough would hurl back In his lace.
almost weeping with impotent rage, rig;
Canaille"' he would scream. DIRTY pig oi
Africa, Take your sheelin' to we're you
ave stole 1t! voleur Pig! :, tho hasa
There was tortoise living IN the pdSe
rnent of which Goujon had made rather d
pet and the negro would sometimes vs.
this animal as missile, rlhelhe 1. a. ~
little Frenchman's head On one su1l -
casjon the tortoise struck the wall so
forcibly as to break its shell, and then 1ol-
ion seized a shovel and ruSned at MS toi
mentor with such blind fury that the latter
,oode a holt of it. These were but a rev
OF the passages between Rameau anu the
incl Dorter, but they illustrate the state OF
feeling between tneEn- ,., oIo -
tive in France who offered him Work, gave
notice to leave, which expired on the Jay
Of the crime. At about three that after
noon a housemaid proceeding toward na-
rneau's rooms met Goujon as he was gong
away. Goujon babe her good-by, and.
pointing in the direction or Rameau
rooms. said exultanty: Dere sha.i De pc NJ
more OF the black pig for me; VT I'm l
ave done for. Zut. l mock me or I'm: Il
Will never tracasser me no more. Ana ne
went away.
rneau's rooms knocked and got no reply
Concluding that the tenant was our. she
was about TO use her keys, when she found
that the door was unlocked she passed
through the lobby and into the sitting
room and there fell in dead faint at the
sight that met her eyes Rameau lay WHO
his back across the sofa and ms heau
dropping within an inch of the ground On
the head was "A fearful cash, and below II
was a pool of blood
The girl must have lain unconscious for
about ten minutes. When she came to her
senses she dragged herself terrified. from
the room and UP 10 the housekeepers
apartments. where, being an eXcitaoie ana
nervous creature she only screamed Muir
terics that lasted three-quarters of an hour.
When at last she came to herself, she told
her story. and, the hall porter having been
summoned Rameau's rooms were again APP
preached.
The blood still lay on the floor. and the
chopper with which the crime had evil
IDENTIFY been committed, rested against the
fender: but the body had vanished! A
search was at once made, but no trace of
It could be seen anywhere. 1t seemed i'm
possible that it could have been carried out
of the building. for the hall porter must at
once have noticed anybody leaving with so
bulky a burden. Still. in the building 1t
was not to be found.
When Hewitt was Informed of these
things on Monday. the police were, of
course. still in possession of Rameau's
rooms. Inspector Meetings. Hewitt was
told. was in charge of the case, and as the
inspector was an acquaintance OF his. and
then in the rooms upstairs. Hewitt
went up TO see him.
MEETINGS was pleased to see Hewitt. and
invited him to look around the rooms.
Perhaps you can spot something we have
overlooked" he said. Though it's not a
case there can be much doubt about
You think it's Goujon. don't your
Think? Well. rather Look herei As
soon as we got here on Saturday we found
this piece of paper and pin on
the floor. We showed ii TO the housemaid