Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-07-01
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time to take the regular train at Fem
church street for his home at Hack
ney. That was the last time he was
ever seen alive.
It did not take many hours to
prove that the unoffending clerk Of
Robarts & Company and the unknown
individual whose body had been found
near Victoria park were one and the
same person, and that the old gentle
man had been brutally murdered for
his money. The eyeglasses and the
gold watch and chain were both misc
ing. The blood-soaked cushions. tho
general disorder OF the railway car
riage, and the imprint OF the bloody
hand on the door Of the vehicle
proved that a terrible struggle had
taken place before the foul deed was
accomplished. 1t must have been done
very quickly because the distance
from Fenchurch street, from whence
the train started, and Hackney was
only q matter OF three miles-in fast,
the deed must have been committed
Immediately after the train left the
city, for the body had been thrown
into the bushes OF Victoria park. and
the murderer had evidently jumped
from the train before 1t reached Hack
ney station.
But the days went by and there was
no result. The newspapers were filled
with the details Of the crime and there
was great public Indignation. The old
est citizens OF the metropolis wrote
scathing letters to the London Times
in which they inquired dramatically
whether 1t was possible for a man to
go on a railway journey In the heart
OF the British Empire without In
curing the risk Of being murdered.
The police chafed under this criticism.
but still they did not appear to make
any progress. Col. Fraser sat In his
office day by day and tried to solve
the problem. He finally resolved that
1t would be necessary to trace the
gold watch and chain that had been
stolen from Mr.. Briggs before 1t worad
be possible to get clue to the man
who had committed the murder. Every
pawn-shop In or around the metropolis
was visited but none OF them pos
sessed any jewelry that corresponded
to that which had been stolen from
the bank clerk In the railway carriage.
Col. Fraser was not satisfied with
these reports. and determined to per-
sonally prosecute his inquiries and
researches In another direction. He
selected the jewelers. OF London and
began his work in the locality known
as Cheapside.
To his delight he came upon a sig
nificant clue within "a hours. Mr..
Graves, a jeweler in Cheapside, pos
sessed a gold chain which was identi-
cal with the one that had been owned
by Mr.. Briggs. The jeweler said that
he had accepted the chain in ex-
change for another one which he had
given to a foreign looking person who
had called at his establishment To
add to the importance OF this discov-
cry, It was learned that the exchange
of the jewelry had been made on the
day following the murder OF Thomas
Briggs.
The news Of this first link in the
chain Of evidence was widely pub
lished in the London newspapers. On
the day following. while Col. Fraser
was seated at his desk in the police
headquarters. the door opened and
stranger entered the room. He was q
short. stout, red-faced man. wearing a
blue coat with brass buttons. The
man carried a whip and from his
dress and manner was evidently q
cabman. He saluted in an awkward
manner.
rs this Col. Fraser?'
hn
And may you be the chief OF po-
lice?"
That's what I am called some
times" was the indulgent response.
well. my names Bobby Smith,
Glad to see you, Mr.. Smith"
I'm a cabman.
AN honorable vocation" responded
the colonel, with a smile.
Il understand you're investigating
the murder of Mr.. Briggs"
At this Col. Fraser was all atten-
ton. He scanned the mans face care
fully and replied:
"Yes. / am. Can you furnish me with
any Information on the subject?
II don't know" was the response.
hut I have a little box here that may
interest you.
Whereupon no handed Col. Fraser
a jewellers little card box bearing the
name Of Mr.. Graves. the Cheapside
ieweler. The officer looked 1t over
and said: