River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-12-31
Most Mysterious Murder Mystery in Phladelphias History

Copyright, 1908, by w. G. Chapman.)
capt. James l. Donaghy, chief of the
detective bureau of Philadelphia. is
fine type of the IeveI-headed investigators
Of crime of the present day. He has been
in the department for 30 years; he never
wore a disguise Of any kind in his life;
ne knows every rule of the game, and
has occupied every separate position in
the service from that of sub-policeman
up to the responsible post which he now
fills with signal success. He was the
conspicuous figure in the famous White
murder case although he moGestly dis
claims the credit saying that the glory
belongs to the entire police force OF the
Quaker City. The story, outside Of its
own interest, is important as a fair IL
lustratiOn Of the unrOmantic and Dusl-
nesslike methods now generally used in
the detection of criminals in the large
cities of the United States)
On the night of May 10, 1900, Prof.
Roy Wilson White, fellow of the law
school Of the University Of Pennsyl-
vania, and q lecturer on Roman law
at the famous seat of learning, was
mysteriously and brutally murdered.
Prof White, although man OF less
than 80 years of age, had already won
an international reputation in his spe-
cial branch Of study. He was
quiet and unassuming in manner, and
enjoyed the reputation of being the
most popular instructor at the uni
versity. So far as known he did not
have an enemy in the world, and the
news of his murder came as a terrible
shock, not only to his family and
friends, but also to the thousands of
students with whom he had come into
personal contact during the period of
his tutorship.
On the day of the murder all of his
movements were accounted for from
the time he said good-by at his home
in the morning until the moment he
left the classroom for the night.
During the afternoon he had a long
talk with one of his associates con-
corning a work in which the two men
were mutually interested. He took
dinner alone at small hotel near the
university, and after that lectured to
the law class under his charge. He
was confident and enthusiastic, and
never appeared to better advantage.
About ten o'clock at night he left for
his home in Germantown, suburb of
Philadelphia He started in the di-
rection of the PoWelton Avenue sta
tion of the Pennsylvania railroad with
the purpose of boarding the 1916
train.
Less than an hour later policeman
walking along Thirty-second street, adj
joining the railroad tracks, stumbled
against body on the sidewalk. 1t
was quite dark in that section-in
fact it was afterwards declared to be
the darkest spot in all of Philadelphia.
The officer flashed his lantern on the
inert mass before him, and was
shocked to find a man, mangled and
bleeding His head was crushed and
he was unconscious. The pockets of
the white vest were turned inside out
and his gold watch was missing. The
little green bag that he always car
ried by his side was spattered with
his life blood. 1t contained among
other things a textbook on plead
ing"-a book from which Prof White
had been lecturing that evening. Some
notes on sheets of paper which he had
utilized in his "Quiz" class were also
in the bag A pocketbook contained
a life insurance policy, an invitation
to a class reunion in another state,
and sum of money in greenbacks.
A few yards away, imbedded in the
soft earth, was an iron bar, quite
thick, and about Is inches long. 1t
was such a thing as is used on the
platforms of freight cars.
The dishgured corpse was removed
20 the university hospital, and the best
medical and surgical aid summoned.
But it was too late; the vital spark
had fed, and all that the professors
and students had left to them was the
memory of Roy Wilson Whites gra-
cious life.
The shocking nature of the crime
seems to have aroused the author
tiles into instant and universal activ-
ity. Superintendent of Police Quirk
and Chief of Detectives Miller held a
consultation to determine what should
be done. While they were talking
James A. Donaghy, a member of the
detective staff, passed the open door
of the outer office. Quirk espied him.
Hello, JIM" he cried
1t had been raining eats and dogs"
all the afternoon. Donaghy entered
the office water-soaked from head to
foot
Whats the matter with you?" said
Miller
You ought to know" was the re-
joinder. You sent me down to
Media to get a pickpocket."
Did you get him?'
'Sure," was the rejoinder, "and got
soused in The bargain"
'Well," said Miller, we've got
something bigger than pickpocket to
look after now; listen"
Donaghy listened. And the more he
heard the more absorbed he became.
He forgot all about his wet clothes.
lie forgot everything but desire to
get on the track of the man or men