Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-03-04

LAW wac INV JOoA5 D 0NN
when you last saw him?" inquired the
detective.
Murray was wearing a 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.
THAT London, Ontario, is a bad
place for a convivial chap" he said.
They'd kill a fellow there for S..
Were you aver in this country be-
fore?"
Il have been in New York and
Niagara Falls, but neve 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"
Further investigation revealed that
NFr and NTyo Diroholl and a NnvnO
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 a
handsome young fellow, five feet nine
inches tall, of slight build, with a
small, light moustaehe 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 rs years
| old, a 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 I all came out from England in
one party" said Pelly. "Birchall and
| Benwell left us for a day and Ben
well never came back. / saw the pic
ture of the dead man a few days later,
and | told Birchall it was Benwell and
that he ought to go and identify the
body 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
Birchall's 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 gentleman's 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. Ad-
dress, J. 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 ]. R.
Burchall, stating that he would visit
Walden Place, Saffron Walden, on the
following Thursday. Pelly answered
with a note, which was found with
other letters in Birchall's effects, hop
ing that he would stay all night as II
was a long way to come for such
short interview, and also he desired tt
have his father meet J. R. Burchall
On the appointed day Burchall ar
rived at Walden Place, and later me-
Pelly in London, and won v bott
son and father.
He pictured to them a large farm
one and a half miles from Niagara
Falls, Ontario, a farm with large
brick houses and barns, the former
heated by steam and lighted by gas
and the latter by electric light, will
lights placed around the farm. Ht
told Of the big and profitable bust
ness, and mentioned the fine fishing
shooting and other sports to be en-
ioyed on the estate. He explained
that the business carried on was buy
ing horses in the rough and grooming
J them to sell for profit; that the farm
was used to raise horse feed; tina
} during ]. r. Burchalls absence hi
o~verseer, a Scotchman named McDon
aid, and several hired men looket
after the farm and business; that HI
| had a branch business at Woodstock
Ontario, and had rooms there, wher'
he and his wife lived at times. HI
: said a number of Englishmen livet
J around Niagara Falls, and that a clul
+ had been created in which the mem
bers lived in English style and hal
English servants. Burchall said h
! had organized the club. The countr,
was an earthly paradise, with wealtl
5 to be had for simply sojourning il
the land.
\ Completely c~aptivated by this glow
!. ing description, on January II, 1896
Y Pelly wrote from Hollington, st. Leon
ard's-on-Sea, to ]. R. Burchall, say
ing: please consider all settled.
you will kave the agreement draw
up. ! will sign It and forward Q
they are hid Thnsa nf fha rinaal