The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-04-15
Watch Chain Found

A piece of gold watch chain with a
lapel button attached, similar to the one
worn by Mr.. Martin, was found with the
opera hat. The boy has since lost it.
bnt from the description he gives of it
the police are convinced thar il was Mar
tins. The swivel was missing as though
the chain might have been broken fore
IDLY from the watch. As Martin carried
1t loosely In his pocket. the breaking of
the chain cannot be accounted for
Detective w. j. Burns today has been
retained by the Martin family to investi-
gate the mystery of the disappearance
of the man.
The American detective is working quite
independently Of the Scotland yard police
officials He is using his own European
agents and following his own lines. He
has only two theories, one that Martin
is hiding voluntarily or involuntarily, and
the other that he lies at the rivers bot
tom. He scouts the idea of suicide, and
thinks 1t likely that Scotland Yard Will
solve the mystery within couple of
days.
Superintendent Mccarthy of Scotland
Yard declared this afternoon:
Il have no doubt Martin Is alive. In-
dications are that he has gone to the
continent
IL the police have any definite informa-
ton to support this view they are keep
ing 1t to themselves.
Mystery Deepened
1.-The finding of Mr. Martins hat and
watch chain somewhat deepened the mys-
terry and convinced me more than ever
that they were not placed there by MUIR
derers or thieves" superintendent Me-
Carthy, chief of the criminal investiga-
ton department., said, who continued:
1T is unlikely that murderers would
| carry hat from the scene of a murder,
nor do they usually leave anything of
value, such as q gold chain, behind and
take the watch. which was hanging to it.
Besides, Martin, from the description Of
him given by his friends. would be un-
likely to visit the neghborhood where the
things were found. 1t is one Of the rough
est parts of London and the people who
live there are not the kind a well to do
American would likely like to meet.
I'VE have received hundreds of reports
that Martin has been seen since his dis
appearance, but no reliance can be placed
on any of. them.
MANY cabmen likewise have called
who believe they drove Martin from the
club where he parted from his friends,
Lut in each case it was proved that the
claimant was not the cabman wanted
Most of those who have reported were
doubtless attracted by the reward which
has been increased now to $4,000 by
friend of Martins in London. AS to the
body being thrown over the bridge. that
is impossible.
"a policeman patrols Hungerford foot
bridge which is very narrow night and
day and he did not see man in a dress
suit cross on the night in question near
any well dressed person who would at
tract attention in either
Cabman Missing
What is worrying the police most Is the
failure of the cabman to appear. IL Mar
tin did leave the club in a cab of which
the door porter is none too certain the
big rewards offered would, 1t is thought.
tempt the cabman to give ali the avail
able Information to the police, but latter
! ly there have been several cases in which
this has not been done and this has made
them incline to the view that crooks have
gone into cab driving as IN other large
cities for pelf An American insurance
company insured Martin for $4,000. This
concern today cabled for data. The police
have not vet opened the missing mans
safe deposit box as number of formalt
ties have to be gone through before
this is possible The boy who found the
opera hat and a man who saw 1t say
1T was in perfect order when found. Even
row the crown is not crushed. Detec-
tive Burns and his agents en- the. con-.
tinent have been Instructed to make a
careful search of Europe for Martin,
especially in Paris and Brussels.
j. Iockhart Anderson, a friend of Mr..
Martin is also employing private detec-
tlves.
The police are making a searching in
vestigation into the report that Martin
was a heavy player at "Cheim de Fer
/ in fashionable gambling dens which he is
known to have frequented-