The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1882-09-23 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

HARRY BLYTH, AUTHOR OF "THE LOVE OF A LIFE,"" THE PRIDE 0' THE MILL," "IN AN EVIL MOMENT," &C., &C.  CHAPTER 11. MATTERS OF BUSINESS.  Some few days after the occurrence of the events we have just described, Ur. John Foley, Private Inquiry agent, sat in his office in Essex Street, Strand, London, gnawing his nails over a letter that evidently perplexed him deeply. Mr. Foley, we may mention, had once been one of the best known of London detectives, and,probably, would have remained in the force unto this very day had not some men more astute than himself got hold of him, and in an evil moment tempted him to fotget his duty and to involve himself in a celebrated turf fraud case which even yet is not quite forgotten Mr. r ey ni-. , notwithstanning 1.! “is past services, received a liberal invitation to sojourn in one of Her Most Gracious Majesty's strongest prisons. Upon regaining his freedom he decided to trade upon his old reputation for acuteness in the discovery of crime. He hired three rooms, furnished them well, made a drunken, vagabond, old lawyer his clerk, and opened a Privateinquiry office. The epistle which so sadly bothered him was written on a sheet of thin blue paper, post size: the letters were fine, small, and distinct, and suggested that the caligraphist had been trained abroad, prcbably in France. It was to this effect : "On Thursday the—th of October last an aged man, feeble, bent, and ragged —a mere Bunch of Rags, in fact— entered the town of Paisley. No soul knew his name or whence he came. He spent some hours in a public-house, which you will find fully described in the enclosure marked A. He drank sparingly; he appeared to want rest more than refreshment. Towards evening he walked to the dwelling of a certain Mr. Jasper Brothewood. He entered this man's house and has never been seen alive since. The rags that he had worn were discovered by the writer floating upon the river Cart which runs at the end of Jasper Brothewood's garden. The writer hid those clothes or rags, in a spot which you will find pr,perly indicated in the enclosure marked B. So far it would appear that this old ragged man has met with foul play, and that his body has been made away with. The writer must tell you that Mr. Jasper Brothewood, though he has been in Paisley some few years, and has been a successful man, is not generally liked. Nothing is known of his past; he has no wife; no relation has ever visited him. He is a hard man, and a mystery shrouds his early life. In the document marked C you will find all that the writer has been able to glean concerning him set forth in full. Your business is to trace the old ragged man who entered Paisley on the date the writer has given you—if alive, to find him; if dead to discover his body and bring his murderer to justice. The one who pens this letter must for ever remain unknown to you.. As you do your  work so you will be paid. the person who addresses you will know whether you are putting our heart into this matter or not; every movement you make in it will be known. . Be earnest  ,  _ and diligent, and you will be rewarded - even extravagantly. You will find in the envelope marked D three Bank of  England notes for ten pounds each. Lay the fact to heart that those who are not serious do not part so readily with their money; remember it nets with you how soon a heavier remittance reaches you. Do not seek to discover who has written this. Concentrate all your energies upon the missing man, and—