The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-04-29
SOME CLEVER CRIMINALS
Instances of their Success in
Outwitting Detectives.
MISTAKES OF OFFICERS
Gxses of Mistaken Indentity--Two
Men Who Served Seven. Years of
life Term When Innocent
strange BluBder Of the French
Police i'm the Case of De Tourville.

Many OF the mistakes of detectives
tie those of mistaken identity.
: me time ago a man belonging to
&c OF the best known and wealthiest
antilles in the 90 intry was greatly
Eurrrised and more indignant when
he vas arrested by a detective who
6laaGht he had captured a criminal
who recently had escaped from pris-
en-. Profuse explanations on the
pan of the captured man were fol-
lo1ed by equally profuse apologies
sn the part of the detective, so that
the incident closed without i'll will
ON either side.
A mistake with a more tragic re-
suh occurred in England in 1879.
The mistake arose in connection with
the famous Edlinghah burglary,
VIXEN two men were brought before
the Newcastle assizes charged with
the Sobbing of the vicarage. 1t APP
Pcsrs that when the vicar had inter-
rus1ed his unwelcome visitors they
ha1 shot at him, so that the charge
OF attempted murder was added to
saat of burglary. The two men.
BTx1naghan and Murphy, who were
charged with the crime, were con-
visSed and sentenced to life impris-
onment, as the evidence seemed to
be convincing beyond the shadow of
doubt. They served seven years
Of their term. Then two other men
-1n 10
guilty. of the robbery.
De Tourville, one of the most ter
rihte OF the European criminals, es-
csPed punishment for a long time
becSuse of the mistake of a detec-
tive. The death of woman at
Scarborough by what De Tourville
declared was the accidental dis
charge of revolver was investigated
by detective from London, but so
frsnk and open appeared the con-
duct of the great criminal and so
hourishing was his appearance that
the officer was misled and reported
that he was convinced that the af-
fair was an accident.
%hen few years later the death
ne wife of De Tourville was be-
investigated-he murdered her
hurting her over a precipice in
Alps-the body of the woman
80 mad died at Scarborough was eX-
yrred and examined. 1t was found
,art. far from killing herself by ac-
ri5sat, she had been murdered by
EoBs one who had shot her in the
haGEi, so that a slight examination
wspfd have established the fact. The
TTTis axe of the detective at the time
Of ihe Scarborough crime had terri
ble results, for IN the time De Tour
yIllsy was allowed to go free he CON-
sufsted two more murders.
Sherlock Holmes constantly in
gisEed that nothing in a room where
n sFime had been committed should
be touched, and this appears to be
Il good rule, judging by a mistake
rgxde by an intelligent police officer
in Ireland. The policeman was
placed in charge of a room in which
u Aurder had been committed to see
taar nothing was disturbed until his
superior officers arrived. He found
ihe time passed slowly amid such
melancholy surroundings and pro-
Sneded TO console himself with a
Ftge. He lit candle which he found
az the mantelpiece and finding a
ETsmpled up piece of paper on the
ssDor he used that for lighting his
Fipe
Is he vas afraid that his super
5Grs would object to his smoking
Ktfle on duty he opened the window
ee order to let out the smell OF the
tH1acco and in order to see them
wrien they approached. so that he
c1ald put his pipe out in time. 1t
WAS discovered later that In indulg-
ixg in the innocent pleasure OF a
pipe of "tobaccy" he destroyed three
1 the most important clues.
The length of the candle which he
tad lighted would have indicated
1Ae time when the murder was COM
TTrtsd, the paper with which he had
Gshted his pipe, Judging from the
7sfarred remains, had been left there
tg the murderer himself and the po-
Sneman had forgotten whether he
1ad found the window locked or un-
sacked when he opened it to let out
,te smell of smoke, Furthermore,
The keen nosed detective who was
gut on the case, smelled the odor
Hf the tobacco smoke, and not know.
ing whence 1t originated, spent a
Fat of valuable time in tracing i,
dawn.
Some years ago one of the mos
cruel murderers ever known almosr
escaped because two policemen re
FUSED 20 investigate charges of who's,
rrgth they were in doubt. A mar
running along behind a cab cam,
gE Tor two policemen and gasped ou
thar murderer was riding In IT,,
cab with the remains Of his victim.
Out of breath from his exertio,
and too excited for a connected stor
sfie police officers were inclined I
mink the man either crazy or drunk
md therefore turned a deaf ear [