The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-02-10

= Z. eyer existed. He ranks
Z = Z, ~ with the famous Jack
Sheppard, whose ex-
q q n ploits in the eighteenth
NV century made him a
Il national hero among
~ the criminal popula.
tion Of London
Charles was a genius
~ in crime. and It is to
be hoped deyoutly that
the world will never look upon his like
again.
lie son Of a stile.maker and de.
Won't Methodist, Peace was born in
ShefieId England. a little before tile
expiration OF the third decade Of the
last century. AT an early age he de-
Eeioped three habits: A love of
preaching, a fondness for the fiddle
and aSpenchant for burglary, His
boyhpod II wrapped in an obscurity
which need not be lifted; suffice 1t to
state that5fo twenty years after reach'
Z irig mans estate he alternated be-
tween afduence and prison. It was
not until he was approaching middle
y life that he resolved to perfect the
sscIence 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 we're definitely
brought home to him: that of Mr.. by.
son at Banner Cross, Sheffield, for
which he suffered the extreme penalty,
and,ohe at Whalley Range. near Man
chester, for which a man named VIII
Y liam Habron was wrongfully convict
ed. In the year 1875 Habron was
placed on trial for the murder of a po,
Il lice1nan named Cock, against whom
IL was known that he had a grudge.
Footprints were found near the place
where Cock had been shot, William
Habrotrs boots fitted them. and Hab-
ron was found guilty Of mans!aughter
and sentenced to penal servitude for
life. Peace was the murderer.
81 But Sc Is known that, when at work,
Peace always went armed and was
always ready to use his weapons. II
Is sprobable, therefore, that during the
many years in which he was the
scourge Of South London. Peace fire.
qtently,took the life Of his yictiE.
3Ihe murder Of Mr. Dyson was an
unexpected act on ethe part OF SO des.
perate and cold,blooied scoundrel
as Peace; 1t was a crime of Jealousy,
for Peace was in love with Dysons
wife. The evidence to inculpate him
was direct, and a reward of $500 was
placed upon his head, Thcnceforward
a hundred detectives sought for him
up and down the conntTy-and with
this preliminary the story OF Charles
Peace, the criminal genius, begins.
Some six months after the Banner
Gross murder a gentleman named Rob
inSon settled in Lambeth. district Of
London south Of the Thames, inhabit-
ed by class Of fairly prosperous
tradesmen and men OF small means.
The time Of his residence i'll that
region was signallzed by an epidemic
{ OF burgiaries, which succeeded each
other so regularly and successfully,
and so batfied 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-
glons 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 rined. More
over, even the, acatest watchdog ap.
pearedS helpless before this strange
marapder
After a while Mr.. Robinson removed
to PeGkham, the residence OF the
wealthy suburbanite OF moderate
means. He at once won the esteem Of
all his Reighbors. The detached villa
in which he lived with his wife and
his housekeeper, Mrs. Thompson, Il
worthy woman, but slightly inclined to
( drink, almost -ooEed responsibility
There was not policeman anywhere
around but saluted Mr.. Robinson re-
specially when he passed or drove by
!, in his neat and modest pony-trap. Mr.
RObinson's 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 q pillar Of the Methodist
church. where he prayed and sang
fervently on Sundays. He was a
churchwarden; his somber clothes in
dicated contempt for the frivoIit!es
OF the world; his musical propenst.
ties furnished the only apparent outlet
for the emotional side Of his nature,
Mr.. Robinson's collection Of fine Gre
mona yiolins was the envy Of local
connoisseurs. In his magnificent draw.
ing room was a fine sulte of walnut
wood, valued at eco; he affected pier
glasses and Turkey carpets, a btiou
piano and an antique guitar, which
was subsequently identified as the
property of a lady Of l.''. In fact, as
has been doubtless SUM- : Mr., Rob
inson was Charles Peace, u ranted'