The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1909-03-24


great extent since II
was set forth in the person of the hero OF
the Murders in the Rue Morgue." Still
doth Sherlock Holmes Turk in the
darkened precincts OF his superheated
rooms. consuming tobacco and daily
ing with the insidious delights of
opium. at times taking refuge in the
profound silence for which Poe's
asiute analyst was noted. and emery
ing from his reyeries master of a new
set of brilliant deductions warranted
to furnish key to the secrets of any
criminal case presented for his consid-
Grafton. And even as Holmes followed
In the footsteps of Dupin. countless
hordes of imitators camp upon the
trail of Holmes. and we are forced to
the conclusion that the type is pretty
sure to be utilized by authors.
The question naturally suggests 1t
self: Is the real simon-purc detective
like unto the member OF his profession
who works wonders in the world of
fiction2 Put this proposition up TO
Wilson Murray. chief Inspector of
criminal investigation of the depart
ment OF Justice OF the province of
Ontario. Canada and he will answer
emphatcally in the negative. The
solving of these seemingly inexplicable
problems Is a capital exercise for the
intellect. but has mighty little to do
with practical police work. For Grim
finals are not drawn into the meshes
OF the official net by virtue of fine
drawn deductions and opium-bred in
-spiratinns.
Such would he Murray's opinion.
and Murray knows whereof he speaks.
for he has been through the mill.
For over 30 years he has been in
spector, and In that time murders by
the dozen. burgiariee by the score.
crimes of all kinds. totaling thousands.
have been solved by him and the per-
petrators apprehsnded. His career is
a record of events ou,riyaling the de-
tectiye tales of fiction: for fact, in its
fullest scope. is stranger far than fic-
ton. He has followed men over two
continents: he has pursued them over
land and sea. from country to country.
from hemisphere 10 hemisphere. from
new world to old world and back
again. He has Travelled over 10000
miles In chase OF a single man. He
has shot and been shot. He has been
worsted In desperate struggles when
help came In the nick of time. and he
has fought grim battles single-handed.
when defeat would have meant death.
His prisoners have ranged from men
of high estate to creatures OF the
lowest depths. The cases he has
solved range through every variety OF
crime known to the police records OF
the world. lie has run down counter
.feiters OF 31,0O0.00O and more; he has
ainraveIed the mysteries of murder
where life was taken for eighty cents.
fHc has the counterfeiting plates.
valued at $4,000. as trophy of the
one chase and he has a rusty iron pipe
AZ a souvenir OF the other
John Wilson Murray was born in
the city of Edinburgh. Scotland, on
June 25. 1870 He came OF long
line of seafaring men who had been
sailing the globe for generations be-
fore him. Early la his teens he went
To sea. sailed around the Horn and
made a voyage to the West Indies
Iater he landed ia Philadelphia. made
his way to Buffalo. and sailed for some
time on the great lakes. On June s,
1857, he enlisted In the United States
navy. joining the u s. S. Michigan
then in Chicago. although her head
quarters were in Erie. Pa. He stayed
aboard the Michigan until the civil
war broke out in 1861. He was 81
years old then: there was a shortage
Of officers in the regular service. and
Murray was selected as one of the
likely young fellows to be sent on to
the training school at Washington. He
shidied faithfully. and when the ex-
aminations were held he passed and
received a commission in the United
States navy.
Murray served through the civil war
in the navy. lie was in the Missis.
.sippi. or Gulf. squadron a part OF the
lime. under Commander Jewett, and
lac fought under Farragut and was in
Number OF engagements including
the fight at Mobile From service in
the Mississippi and gulf Murray was
ordered to the great lakes aboard the
aiichigan. lie continued aboard her
until after the close OF the war, and
in December 1866. he left the Mich
igan and the service.
Thus at the age of rs Murray had
sailed the South seas and around the
Horn. had stood the grueling of a six
months trip TO the guano fields had
been through the pounding life aboard
the West Indies fruiters, had fought
through the civil war, and stood q
powerful. seifreliant young giant on
the lookout for his calling in life. He
was as strong as a bull. a silent fel
low, slow to anger and plenteous In
vengeance, once he was aroused. He
feared neither man. gun nor Delaying
pin. He was a faithful friend and Q
relentless foe. lie was the last tt
pick a quarrel. but once it was picked
he was the last to drop 1t. His asso
ciates liked him. He was a silent
sturdy. self-contained person, with 1
remarkable gift for gaining the conf
dence OF other men.
The war left its indelible imprint
on Murray's life. as 1t did on the life
of many another man. 1t tended IL
mold his ambitions and direct then
along the line of what later became