River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1909-03-04

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SazsaassisssssazaI late, lonely spot, which
fallen logs and tangled thickets com
bine to render well-nigh impossible
to the feet of the curious explorer,
and at one edge there lies a pool of
black, sullen water yclept Pine pond.
Far in the depths of this foul morass
on the morning of February 81, 1890,
two brothers, Joseph and George Ed
ridge, while out chopping wood, STUN
bled over the lifeless body of young
man, half buried in the weeds and
brush In the back Of the head was
a round, black hole indicating where
a bullet had ploughed it's fatal way,
and near the nape of the neck was a
similar wound. Even to an uneXpe-
rienced eye it was evident that the
victim had been shot down from be-
hind, perhaps without obtaining a
glimpse of his cOwardly assassin. The
body was that of a smoothly shaven
youth of refined appearance. The
clothing was of excellent quality,
English in style and cut, with a check
capped macintosh, and underwear also
of British make. There was no clue
to his identity. The name of his tai
Tor and the label on his clothes had
been cut away and the label on his
brown derby hat removed.
Detective John Wilson Murray of
Toronto was ordered to take the case
in hand and he went to view the
big Blenheim swamp where the body
had been found. He gazed upon the
tell-tale crimson splotch where the
head Of the murdered man had lain
then surveyed the surrounding ground
and came across a grim trail of ac-
cusing red. He followed it back a few
PAGES and found that it ended in one
great blot of gore, beyond which there
was no further trace of blood 1t was
evident that there the shot had been
fired that felled the victim. His muir
derer had borne the lifeless body to
the denser place to hide it. On his
hands and knees Murray crawled
around the scene of the crime, going
over the ground inch by inch. Three
times he crossed and recrOssed the
fatal trail hoping that he might dis
cover a bit of a label, a button, a
scrap of paper-anything that might
Lend a clue to the history of the muir
dered man. At last his exertions
were rewarded by the finding of a CT
gar holder with an amber mouthpiece,
marked F. w. b., and that was all of
the grim secret yielded by the dismal
swamp.
Five days had elapsed since the
finding of the body, but though pic
lures of the victim were published in
all the leading Canadian papers and
copies sent to England, no Identified
ton was made. The body was buried
at Princeton, few miles from Blen-
helm. On the sixth day a man and
woman arrived at Princeton and asked
to see the body, saying that they had
seen the picture printed in the pa
pers and fancied they recognized the
features. They had crossed from
England recently, and on the same
ship was a young man who resembled
strongly the picture of the deceased.
The body was dug up on March 1, the
lady and gentleman viewed it, and
identified it as the remains of their
fellow passenger
1--WE think his name was Benwell,"
they said HE was merely a casual
acquaintance aboard ship and we
knew nothing of him."
They returned to Paris, town
about ten miles from Princeton, and
Murray, returning from a visit to the
swamp, went directly to the hotel
where they were staying.
Il am John Wilson Murray of the
department of criminal investigation,
said the detective, introducing him
self you are the gentleman who
has been viewing the body found in
the swamp"
Yes" said he, "my wife and I
were out at the grave and saw the
body"
You were acquainted with the
young MANI" queried the detective.
Very slightly" was the response.
81 just met him aboard ship"
What was his nance" inquired
Murray
4 think it was Fred Bentwell or
Berswell or Benswell." replied the gen.
tleman I'VE were fellow passengers
on the Britannia of the White Star
line. He was on his way to London,
Ontario. l last saw him at Niagara
Falls. He had a good deal of lug
gage and left some of it,
"Will you be able to point out his
baggage?" asked Murray.
Why, yes" responded the gentle
man. Il am going to the Falls to-day.
We only came here because we saw
the picture in the paper"
Let me have your name, please, so
that can find you at the Falls re-
quested Murray.
Reginald Birchall of London, Eng
land. / shall be pleased to help you in
any way that is in my power" replied
the gentleman.
How was the young man dressed
when you last saw him." inquired the
detective.
Murray was wearing navy blue
overcoat at the time, and Birchall
touched the sleeve of it lightly.
Like that" he said, "a whole suit
of blue"
Did he drink" asked Murray.
YES. he used to get pretty jolly at
times" asserted Binchall
The detective shook his head
gravely