St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-03-20

fOre?'
Il have been in New York and
Niagara Falls, but never in Canada,
replied Birchall and having thanked
him for the information given, Muir
ray withdrew.
On his way to the telegraph office
he reviewed the conversation that had
just taken place. He had already
reached the conclusion that Birchall
had lied to him.
Shadow this man." the message
read, but do not arrest him unless
he tries to cross the river to the
United States. l will be there Sunday
night"
Murray then took the train for Lon
don, and visited acquaintances there
in search of traces of the Fred Ben
well described by Birchall. From
Edward Meredith, lawyer, he learned
that Barrister Hellmuth of London,
Ontario, had returned from England
on the same steamer that had had
Benwen and Birchall for passengers.
He ascertained that Benwell had not
called to see Hellmuth, and a thorough
search of London, Ontario, proved
that Benwell had not been there at all
Birchall and his wife, meanwhile, had
returned to Niagara Falls, Ontario;
and on March Birchall was arrested,
his wife being taken into custody two
days later They were remanded un-
til March IL.
Further Investigation revealed that
| Mr. and Mrs Birchall and a young
man named Douglas Raymond Pelly
were guests of Baldwin's boarding
house at Niagara Falls, and had ar
rived there the day after the murder.
Murray called on Pelly, who was
| handsome young fellow, five feet nine
inches tall, of slight build, with a
small, light moustache and decided
English accent. Pelly declared that he
was the son of the Rev. r. P. Pelly of
| Walden Place, vicar of Saffron Wal
| den, Essex, England. He was Is years
old, graduate of Oxford, and a cousin
of the beautiful Lady Pelly, who was
| one of the suite of Lord LansdoWne,
formerly governor general of Canada.
He informed Murray that he knew
both the dead man, whose picture was
in the papers, and Birchall
"Benwell, Birchall Mrs. Birchall,
and all came out from England in
one party" said Pelly. "Birchall and
Benwe1l left us for day and Ben
well never came back. / saw the pic
ture of the dead man few days later,
and told Birchall it was Benwell and
that he ought to go and identify the
Dody and make sure"
Murray spent several hours convers-
ing with Pelly who was perfectly will
ing to tell all he knew regarding the
suspect and murdered man. Among
Birchalls papers, found in searching
his effects, were letters corroboratiVe
of what Pelly said. The latter, with
his Oxford course finished and the
world before him, was looking for an
opening in life, when, in December,
1889, he read an advertisement in
London, England, newspapers as fol-
lows:
"Canada.-University man, having
farm, wishes to meet gentlemans son
to live with him and learn the bust
ness, with view to partnership; must
invest $500 to extend stock;
board, lodging, and five per cent. in
terest till partnership arranged. Adj
dress, ]. R. Burchall, Primrose Club,
4 Park Place, ST James, London
Pelly wrote to the above address,
requesting further particulars In re-
ply he received a telegram from J. R.
Burchall, stating that he would visit
Walden Place, Saffron Walden, on the
following Thursday. Pel1y answered
with a note, which was found with
other letters in Bircha1Ts effects, hop
ing that he would stay all night as it
was long way to come for such a
short interview, and also he desired to
have his father meet ]. r. Burchan
On the appointed day Burchall ar
rived at Walden Place, and later met
Pelly in London, and won over both
son and father.
He pictured to them a large farm
one and half miles from Niagara
Falls, Ontario, farm with large
brick houses and barns, the former
heated by steam and lighted by gas
and the latter by electric light, with
lights placed around the farm He
told of the big and profitable bust
ness, and mentioned the fine fishing,
shooting and other sports to be en-
joyed on the estate. He explained
that the business carried on was buy
ing horses in the rough and grooming
them to sell for profit; that the farm
was used to raise horse feed; that
during ]. R. Burchall's absence his
overseer, a Scotchman named Melon
aid, and several hired men looked
after the farm and business: that he
had branch business at Woodstock,
Ontario, and had rooms there, where
he and his wife lived at times. He
said a number of Englishmen lived
around Niagara Falls, and that a club
had been created in which the mem
bers lived in English style and had
English servants. Burchall said he
had organized the club. The country
was an earthly paradise, with wealth
to be had for simply sojourning in
the land.
Completely captivated by this glow
ing description, on January II, 1890,
Pe1ly wrote from Hollington, st. Leon
ard's-on-Sea, to ]. R. Burchall, say
ing: please consider all settled. If
you will have the agreement drawn
up, will sign it and forward you
cheque for G17O at the same
time i shall look to meeting you on