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

Es known as Blenheim
8V@ swamp. 1t is a DESC
49, late, lonely spot, which
fallen logs and tangled thickets COM
bine to render well-nigh impossible
to the feet of the curious explorer,
and at one edge there lies a pool of
black, sullen water yclept Pine pond.
Far in the depths of this foul morass
on the morning of February 81, 1890,
two brothers, Joseph and George Ed
ridge, while out chopping wood, STUN
bled owe the lifeless body of a young
man, half buried in the weeds and
brush. In the back of the head was
q round, black hole indicating where
a bullet had ploughed its fatal way,
and lear the nape of the neck was a
similar wound. Even to an unexpe.
Tienced eye it was evident that the
victim had been shot down from be-
hind, perhaps without obtaining a
glimpse of his cowardly assassin. The
body was that of a smoothly shaver
youth of refined appearance. The
SiOeulu6 WOO vi CACOllCuI QudllIJy
English in style and cut, with a check
capped macintosh, and underwear also
of British make. There was no clue
to his identity. The nam of his tai
Tor. and the 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 to take the case
in hand and he went to view the
big Blenheim 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
cusing red. He followed it back a few
PAGES and found that it ended in one
great blot of gore, beyond which there
was no further trace of blood. 1t was
evident that there the shot had been
fred that felled the victim. His muir
derer had borne the lifeless body to
the denser place to hide it. 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 recrossed the
fatal trail hoping that he might dis
cover a bit of a label, a button, a
scrap of paper-anything that might
lend a clue to the history of the MUIR
dered man. At last his exertions
were rewarded by the finding of a CT
gar holder with an amber %mouthpiece,
marked F. w. b., and that 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
to see the body, saying that they had
seen the picture printed in the pa
pers and fancied they recognized the
features. They had crossed from
England recently, and on the same
ship was a young man who resembled
strongly the picture of the deceased
The body was dug up on March 1, the
lady and gentleman viewed it, anG
identified it as the remains of theil
fellow passenger.
I'VE think his name was Benwell,'
they said. HE was merely a casua
acquaintance aboard ship and we
knew nothing of him."
They returned to Paris, a towr
about ten miles from Princeton, ant
Murray, returning from a visit to thu
swamp, went directly to the hote
where they were staying.
Il am John Wilson Murray of tn
department Of criminal investigation,
said the detective, introducing him
self. you are the gentleman whit
has been viewing the body found ii
the swamp"
YES" said he, my wife and
were out at the grave and saw thu
body"
"You were acquainted with til,
young MANI" queried the detective.
very slightly" was the response
Il just met him aboard ship"
what was his name?' inquired
Murray.
Il think it was Fred Bentwell 0
Benswell or Benswell," replied the ger
tleman. 1--WE were fellow passenger
on the Britannia of the White Sta
line. He was on his way to Londor
Ontario. / last saw him at Magyar
Falls, He had a good deal of lug
gage and left some of it,"
"Will you be able to point out hi
baggage?" asked Murray.
why, yes" responded the gentle
man. II am going to the Falls to-day
We only came here because we say
the picture in the paper"
Let me have your name, please, s
that / can find you at the Falls n
quested Murray.
60