Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
erts Find Unusual Puzzle in Case of Kidnapped Prince

whined a reply. apparently unsatis-
factory To the owner of the head and
shoulders. For he suddenly flung
the door open. and lunged for the
policeman with a kris. a crooked ma
tive knife.
But from behind the policeman
spurted the fire of revolver shot
and the big native pitched headlong
30 the ground. For some time the
party outside waited for further de
veIopments from within the hut
Then when no one seemed inclined To
come out. the men outside, guided by
pocket electric torches, cautiously ven
tured into the hut.
1t was saualid place, hut il held
royal prisoner. Raj. Bey's heir
appa rent. wasted with Imprisonment.
was huddled in corner, chained to
the wall.
He was taken 10 the nearest city
given food, rest and regal hunting
outfit with many trophies purchased
quietly from dealers. \ week later
Raj Bey and his royal party went
again to the station To meet the
prince. This time the occasion was
complete and the princes big bag OF
hunting trophies formed part OF
triumphal procession. SO far as the
world knew the princes trip from
England to his home was one un
broken excursion of pleasure.
~
RUT a representative OF Specisl
~ Branch told Raj Bey. with much
circumstantial evidence, what had
really happened to his son. When
the young man boarded. the train st
the university town to so to London
he took a firstclass carriage In
which he found fellow traveller.
young man of apparent means and
refinement.
The stranger struck up a CONVEX
sation and 1t appeared that he knew
several OF the princes friends; that
he was acquainted with midas prob
lens: that he sympathized exceed
ingly with those who complained Of
England's tyranny in India. and In
several other respects proved him.
self sympathetic travel acquaiut-
ance. When, therefore, the stran-
ger took out an appetizing looking
hamper at tea time and invited the
prince to join him. the young man
| did not like to refuse.
The stranger was the James Pierce
of London and Monte Carlo, the
black sheep of good family. ath-
lete, college man. veteran of the
WOIiu wal anu icduCi VI n sans VI
clever, fearless Adventures. In the
tea he proffered the prince was a
powerful narcotic that sent the
young man into a deep sleep for
days with intervals of near-con-
seriousness. in which he was given
more OF the drug.
When the train arrived in London.
Pierce, pretending to he half drunk
himself, told the porters that his
bosom friend was dead to the
world" with drink and asked assist
ance to a taxicab.
Pierce kept up the play skillfully
and with complete success. and
whenever necessary reused the
prince sufficiently to give the effect
of a man hopelessly drunk and ready
to drop off to sleep again. In Lon.
don PieFce's confederates, Samuel
Westwick and another, stole a launch
and with the prince on board. un-
conscious and on Pierce's arm. went
down the Thames. where the bobby
saw them, Westwick singing as he
used to sing i'm the guise of the
plumber when he robbed houses.
At the mouth of the Thames was
a small yacht chartered by Pierce
and his gang, which took the prince
through the Mediterranean and to
India. There the prince. still semi
conscious, was taken ashore. oSten-
sibly a very sick youth In ths care
of several loving friends. In this way