The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-02-17
EXTRAORDINARY AeEs Ils I'D oF9 cRINAE
(copy1lsht, BY n. q. chapmap.)


the bank and Mackoull, but Is believed
to have made away with the portion
Of the plumber which Mackoull offered
for his own security. Thus the AFFAIR
stood for some time, .Mackoull having
seized the opportunity to leave the
country
i He reappesred In England in the fol
! lowing year, believing that his surren'
der Of part OF the money would set
him free from molestatlon. But the
bank speedily secured his, arrest on
the ground Of breach of faith. He
was placed on trial for the theft, but
once again the authorities were I'M
able, to make out case against him.
Atackoull surrendered to the bank
| further sum Of $5,00O, but finding that
he was at liberty, promptly sued his
go;betwaen for this sum on the ground
that 1t had been handed over by him
without proper authorization. He ac-
tIally succeeded in recovering. the
greater portion of It. Embroidered and
considering himself free from further
annoyance, Mackoull opened an,o6ice
as bill broker, buying the bills with
the stolen notes. He was arrested and
the notes were lmpounded. Again he
] was discharged and at once he began
/ suit to recover his property" the pro,
ceeds Of his ithefts. Theacase attract
ed the utmost attention and crowds
filled the court in which Mackoull,
posing as tile victim of q spite action,
demanded that he be freed from fur
Their persecution.
His singular luck continued with
him. Unless the bank could prove his
guilt Mackoull would necessarily re-
cover his plumber. Such travesty of
justice could not be endured, and the
Paisley bank turned for help to Demo
van, who had been watching Mackoull
ever since the murder Of Begbie. Den
ovan was set to work to collect evil
dence to prove that Mackoull had been
concerned in the original robbery.
Mr.. Donovan lost no time. He de-
termined 10 reconstruct the entire his
tory OF Mackoull's actions since the
robbery, and Mt once left Edinburgh to
follow the exact course taken by the
fugltiyes after the robbery. No less
than. nine years had elapsed since that
occurrence: but all along the route
Donovan came. upon traces OF them In,
the post books, experimenting these
meager records BY the "reminiscences
Of innkeepers and waters.
| The bloodhound.like faculty which
Donovan possessed is shown by the
trouble to which he went TO hunt up
evidence. He was told that certain
George Johnson. residing at BeIford,
would be, abis to identity Mackonll.
Johnson had been q waiter at the Tai
bot inn in Darlington nine years preyi-
oNsly. but had disappeared from home.
Donovan did moi abandon his quest for
such a trlfe. Observing that a church
stood Immediately. behind the ipn, he,
thought that some of those who fire..
.quented it might furnish a clue. He
went to church the following Sunday
and, listening to the scraps OF CONVEX
sation that passed among the worship
ers, heard mentioned the name of one
Thomas johnson, brother of George,
who was a .peddler. Donovan immed1-
ately set of. in search OF this man,
found him, and learned that his broth
er George was still alive and was a.
waiter either at the Bay Horse In
Leeds or else in Tadcaster, Or at an
inn at, Standardization, In West
moreland, II he were not 70 be found
there, his tather-in,law, Thomas Cock
burn OF New York, would know Of his
whereabouts.
The clue led next to Alnwlck, where
a barber remembered having shaved
the fugitives. Il was ANXIOUS to find
this barber" writes Mr. Donovan. but
found he had put an end 10 his exist
ence some. years ago." At Morpeth
the inn lat which the fugitives had
stayed had gone out Of existence. At
Newcastle the posting book had been
lost, But at the Queens Head, Dur
ham, there was found the entry,
"Chaise and four to Darlington, Will,
and Will" The first Will could not
be located; the second VIII was an
old postboy, still living, and he remem-
bered Mackoull and described him.
The landlady remembered the three
men also, and said that they were
travelling in haste toward London and
had with them a quantity of Scottish
bank-notes. When Donovan reached
the Talbot inn at Darlington he oh.
tanned news OF George Johnson, who
had removed to Tadcaster. The land
lord remembered the three men In the
post-chaise.
Donovan continued on his relentless
course. At NorthallertoD be learned
that the three men had changed a.
quantity of Scottish. bapk.notes. At
York more news Of George Johnson
came to hand, He resided at Tadcas.
Ter, as the landlord OF the Talbot inn
had said, and was a fsh.hawker in
that town. johnson, clearly remem'
hered Mackoull and agreed to come to
Edinburgh, 10 give his evidence. He
had seen "a stiff, stout man with red
face" with two companions in the