The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-03-05
INjsSll

Ex.sts.sl4sysT known as bl'uhcim
KKeW1@ swamp 1t is a desc,
~s-asdasass~n@ late, lonely spot, which
fallen logs and tangled thlckc's com
biDc 70 render welI.ngh impossible
% tho feet Of the curious explorer
ana at one edge there lies a pool Of
black. sullcn water yclept Pine pond
Far In the depths Of this foul morass
on Abe morning Of February o. 1890
two brothers, Joseph aud George Ed
ridge while out chuppIug wood, stun
ble~ over the lifeless body of young
man. half buried In the weeds aud
brush 10 the back Of the head was
a rSund black hole indicating where
a bullet had ploughcd it, fatal way,
and near the Hape Of the neck was a
similar wound Even to an unexpe-
rienced eye II was evident that the
victim had been shot down from be
hind, perhaps without obtaining
glimpse Of his cowardly assassin. The
E>dy was that OF a smoothly shaver
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
10 his identity Tho name Of his tai.
Tor and tho 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 ~ take the case
In hand and he went to view the
big Bleuhclm 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 &c.
cusinR red lie followed Il back few
PAGES and found that It ended in one
great blot Of gore. beyond which there
was no further trace Of blood II was
evident that there the shot had been
fired that felled the victim His mur.
dereP had borne the llfeless body TO
the denser place 10 hide II. 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 rccrossed the
fatal trail hoping that he might dis.
cover Il bit OF label, a button.
scrap Of paper-anything that might
lend a clue to the history of the muir.
dered man At last bis exertions
we're rewarded by the finding OF n CT.
gar holder with an amber mouthpiece.
marked r. W b., and tina. 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, q few miles from Blen.
helm. On the sixth day a man and
woman arrived at Princeton and asked
10 see the body, saying that they had
seen the picture printed in the pa,
pers and fancled they recognized the
features. They had crossed from
England recently. and on the same
ship was young man who resembled
strongly the picture OF the deceased.
The body was dug up on March /, the
lady and gentleman viewed II, and
Identified II as the remains OF their
fellow passenger.
We think his name was Benwell,"
they said. He was merely casual
acquaintance aboard ship and we
knew nothing OF him"
They returned to Paris, a town
about ten miles from Princeton, and
Murray, returning from a visit to the
swamp, went directly to the hotel
where they were staying.
II 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
che swamp"
Yes" said he, my wife and
we're out at the grave and saw the
body"
you were acquainted with the
young man." queried the detective.
Very slightly" was the response.
81 Just met him aboard ship"
what was his name?" inquired
Murray.
Il think It was Fred Bentwell or
Benswell or Benswell," replied the gen.
tleman. we were fellow passengers
on the Britannia OF the White Star
line. He was ON his way to London,
Ontario. ] last saw him at Niagara
Falls. He had good deal OF lug.
gage and left some Of It,"
viii you be able to point out his
baggage7" 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.
,uested Murray.