The Springfield herald., 1912-01-26


M=ASNN& ploits in the eighteenth
Nk(,WM century made him a
EMT national hero among
N the criminal popula-
VI tion of Lon d o n i.
w Charles was a genius
~ in crime, and 1t is to
be hoped devoutly that
the world will never look upon his like
again.
The son Of fle-maker and a de-
vout Methodist, Peace was born In
Sheffield. England, little before the
expiration Of the third decade of the
last century. At an early age he de-
veloped three habits: A love of
preaching, a fondness for the fiddle
and a penchant for burglary. His
boyhood is wrapped In an obscurity
which need not be lifted; suffice 1t to
state that for twenty years after reach
ing mans estate he alternated be-
tween affiuence and prison. 1t was
not until he was approaching middle
life that he resolved to perfect the
science Of burglary. always clumsy
occupation and involving more risk
than the rewards appear to merit
That Peace was guilty Of wholesale
homicide Is generally surmised. But
only two murders were definitely
brought home to him: that of Mr.. by.
son at Banner Cross. Sheffield. for
which he suffered the extreme penalty,
and one at Whalley Range, near Man.
chester, for which man named Will
liam Habron was wrongfully convict
ed. In the year 1875 Habron was
placed on trial for the murder of a po-
liceman named Cock. against whom
1t was known that he had n grudge.
Footprints were found near the place
where Cock had been shot, William
Habrohs boots fitted them, and Hab-
ron was found guilty of manslaughter
and sentenced to penal servitude for
life. Peace was the murderer.
But it is known that. when at work.
Peace always went armed and was
always ready to use his weapons. 1t
probable, therefore, that during the
many years in which he was the
scourge of South London, Peace fire.
quently took the life of his victim.
The murder of Mr.. Dyson was an
unexpected act on the part of SO des-
perate and cold-blooded a scoundrel
as Peace. 1t was crime of Jealousy,
for Peace was in love with Dyson's
wife. The evidence to inculpate him
was direct, and reward of $500 was
red upon his head. Thenceforward
hundred detectives sought for him
and down the country-and with
" preliminary the story of Charles
lace, the criminal genius, begins.
~-,,e six months after the Banner
''E'der gentleman named Rob
's. lied in Lambeth, district of
London south of the Thames. inhabit-
ed by a class of fairly prosperous
tradesmen and men of small means
The time of his residence in that
region was signalized by an epidemic
of burglaries, which succeeded each
other SO regularly and successfully,
and so baiIled the police. that they
were universally believed to be the
work of an organized gang of ma
RAIDERS. Gradually the range of these
crimes extended through all the re-
gions south of the Thames, through
Greenwich, Blackheath and Putney.
No city clerk retired to bed without
the apprehension that he would awak-
en- to find his household rif1ed. More
over, even the acutest watchdog ap-
peared helpless before this strange
marauder
After while Mr.. Robinson removed
to Peckham, the residence of the
wealthy suburbanite of moderate
means. He at once won the esteem of
all his neighbors. The detached villa
in which he lived with his wife and
Ii, hIr,
worthy woman, but slightly inclined to
drink, almost oozed responsibility.
There was not a policeman anywhere
around but saluted Mr.. Robinson re-
specially when he passed or drove by
in his neat and modest pony-trap. Mr..
Iobinsons gentle manners made him
much sought after in local society.
He was passionately addicted to
music, and his soirees were faithfully
recorded in the local paper, while he
became pillar of the Methodist
church, where he prayed and sang
fervently on Sundays. He was
churchwarden; his somber clothes in
dicated a contempt for the frivolities
of the world; his musical propensi-
ties furnished the only apparent outlet
for the emotional side of his nature.
Mr.. Robinson's collection of fine Gre
mona violins was the envy of local
connoisseurs. In his magnificent draw
ing room was fine suite of walnut
wood, valued at EGO; he affected pier
glasses and Turkey carpets, bijou
4 piano and an antique guitar, which
was subsequently identified as the
property of a lady of title. In fact as
"
inson was Charles Peace, the''wanted"
murderer.
How did Peace successfully evade
the attentions of the detectives, slim
ulated as they were by the offer of
large reward for his apprehension?
Partly, of course, because, being
man of genius, Peace, instead Of seek