The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-03-17
True
Detective Stories
BELOW DEAD LINE


a point beyond which crooks could
not penetrate except under peril of
immediate arrest, even though no
charges were pending against them
at the moment. The device was orig
mated by William Melville, superin-
tendent of Scotland Yard during the
reign of Queen Victoria.
But it was in connection with the
prevention of crime, rather than in
the solving of one, that Melville had
his most distinguished success. for If
he had not been able to capture Vroff,
the famous anarchist, it is quite pos
sible that the car of Russia and pos
sibly some of the members of the
reigning family in England would have
been blown into eternity.
The affair in question occurred some
months after Melville had taken charge
of Scotland Yard. The visit of the
czar had been widely heralded through
the press and every governmental op-
erative in Great Britain had been
pressed into service to secure the safe
ty of the visiting ruler. The entire
island was combed for men who were
known to be hiding, and, as final
resort, Melville issued an order that
any suspicious character found within
five square miles of the line of march
from Buckingham palace to the Man.
sion house would be arrested on sight.
low fha o,,,.;xy 80
the car, Melville's reports indicated
that the city had been thoroughly
cleaned up.
But on the very day of the process
sion, only two hours before the royal
families were scheduled to leave the
palace, Melville was informed that his
men had failed to apprehend the most
dangerous nihilfst on the continent
young Russian by the name of Vroff,
who had escaped from prison in st.
Petersburg and had entered England
in such roundabout manner that his
arrival had not been recorded Ac-
cording to the word which reached
Melville, Vroff had secured employment
in a wine merchants establishment
along the line which the procession
would follow, and had sworn to throw
a bomb under the cars carriage as
it passed.
Melville realized that there wasn't
a moment to be lost. Also, it was a
job which he must handle alone.
AS it happened, Melville knew the
establishment where Vroff worked, and
he also knew that certain vintage
Of champagne was kept in the cellar,
whence it was produced only at spe-
cial request 1t was for this reason,
therefore, that he made his way to the
wine shop and stated that he would
like to purchase half dozen bottles
Of the champagne.
AS he expected, the proprietor in
formed him that the vintage was in
the bin, but offered to have it brought
up Immediately.
Don't bother to do that" replied
the Scotland Yard man, I'll go down
with one of your cellarmen and pick
out the bottles for myself. Possibly
I'll see something else that I want at
the same time. Send that man along
with me to point out the way" and
he indicated one of the employees
whom he had recognized from the de-
cription as Vroff.
AS they reached the foot Of the
stairs, the cellarman pointed to bin
nearby and stated that it contained
the champagne the customer asked for.
Realizing that he could not stage his
coup so close to means of exit, Mel
vile examined the bottles, offered some
objection to the age of the wine and
inquired what lay in the back Of the
cellar.
Burgundy" replied the other, COM
mencing to be bit FESTIVE, for the
hour of the approach of the process
sion was drawing rapidly nearer.
"Fine!" said the Scotland Yard head.
II think I'd prefer that, after all. Let
me see some of it, will you?"
Grumbling bit under his breath,
Vroff led the way back into the dim
recesses Of the cellar, and as he bent
forward to secure a bottle, Melville
closed with him.
With sidewise eel-like slip, Vroff
ducked out from under the detec-
tive's arms, and, before Melville
knew what he was doing, he had
reached into bin in the center of the
cellar and secured big, murderous
bomb, which he held high above his
head.
"Stop!" he commanded, as the Scot
land Yard operative started toward
him. zone more step and I'll blow
the whole place to HI and you with
it,"
Melville, wise in the knowledge Of
anarchial principles, realized that this
was q bluff.
you've got me-" he admitted. "But
for Gods sake don't throw that thing
in here! We'd both be killed."
"Then back into that doorway" d.
rected Vroff, land don't make sound.
Slowly and hesitatingly, so as to
bring the Russian nearer to him, Mel
vile obeyed orders. Then, just as the
anarchist reached out to close the door,