Evening star., 1927-10-23
Skill of Scotland Yard
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first picked up the scent. Interview
ing Mrs. Nilsson on some pretext he
picked up a screwed-up envelope from
the floor. 1t bore a Liverpool post
mark many weeks old, but he, Mar
shall and Nutkins examined it with
interest. They knew that there were
few people who corresponded with
this lady. 1t might be cold scent,
but they determined to act upon IT..
Marshall and some Of his merry men
made swift raid on Liverpool.
Luck was with them. They found
that the suspects had stayed at Chi
chester street. Liverpool, They had
apparently been in funds-a signifi.
cant fact of which Marshall did not
fail to take note.
GO began silent and resolute chase
~ all over the country, for
Fowler and Nilsson had twisted and
turned like hunted hares. using diff
ferent names In different towns and
employing every device that came to
them to smother their traces. From
Liverpool they had gone to Manches.
ter, and thence to Cardiff, where they
Joined travelling circus under the
names of Taylor and Scott. Fowler
did strong man turn in the show.
Step by step the pursuit followed
them through South Wales to New
port, Pontypool and Bristol. At Bris-
tol 1t was found that Nilsson had
contrived to dodge up to London and
the latter in some manner having
managed to elude the watch the police
were keeping upon them.
For some time Marshall and his men
were baffied at Bristol. Then they
picked up the scent and went on to
Swindon, where their quarry had
again changed their names to Steven
son and Walsh. Through Chippen-
ham the trail led at last to Bath, and
the fugitives were located in lodgings
over shop in Monmouth street,
which they had taken in conjunction
with the Snowman.
All one April Sunday Marshall had
outposts about the house. With his
characteristic patience the chief in.
spector waited to make sure before
he betrayed his presence. He wanted
not one man but two, and he left
Burrell to determine when they were
both in the trap.
Burrell signaied that all was ready.
A wait of matter of minutes en-
sued, while hasty assurance was made
by Marshall that the police surround
ing the place were on the alert. A
sergeant of Bath police was the first
TO thrust the door of the room open,
and in spite of his bulk, Detective In
spector Nutkins was hard behind, a
revolver In hand.
1--WE are police officers. Hands
up!" he cried, and dashed at Nilsson.
In the dim light of fiickering oil
lamp, the officers made for the vari-
Gus people in the room. Nilsson
sagged In limp terror. without lifting
a hand, as he was seized. He and
his wife and the Snowman were led
almost unresisting from the room.
Not so Fowler. He uttered snarl.
ing imprecation as Marshall sprang
at him, and swung a blow with the
whole Of his enormous strength. A
quick swerve saved the detective, hut
his hat was ruined. Let me tell the
story in Marshall's own words:
II made for Fowler. The room
was poorly lighted quite a simple
gleam of the lamp. and we could not
see very much. I seized Fowler. and
another officer or two seized him in
stantly. He became most desperate.
He aimed a blow which caught me
across the top of the hat l was wear.
ing. and smashed 1t, and l think l
smashed his. There was general
row. He nearly swayed some of US
down. I drew my revolver and
struck him across the head with it.
Nutkins presented loaded revolver,
but that seemed to have no effect.
AS last resort / struck him with
an unloaded revolver, think two or
three times. on the forehead. He fell
down eventually and we got the
handouts on him."
So they got this wild beast, sense
less but still untamed, to the hospital.
The following day he was taken to
the local police stntlon, where he
tiercely denied the charge. Els