Year: 1873

/


2niscellaneons.


One Hundred Pounds ResOGrd.
Nature has not been pleased to bestow upon
me any special gifts, and l cannot call myself
| a clever man. But have been brought up In
a good school and whatever natural shrewd
ness | may have, has, so to speak, had keen
edge put on it, in experience OF many yes RS
as a detective officer. If there is one thing
more than another upon which pride myself,
it is that Disseminating character, and being
able to at once detect whether person charged
with an offence is innocent or guilty. How tar
this pet theory of mine is borne outby fact the
following story will show.


Some years ago, in the month of December,
| was strolling in the ighborhood OF Scotland
Yard when noticed that was followed by a
short thick set man, of very peculiar appear
ance. He looked about three or four and
twenty, and was very shabbily dressed in
clothes which evidently had never been made
for him. Each of the garments had the stamp
of having belonged to people in different walks
in life. The old court trousers, much too large,
were those of working man the vest which
had been of brighter scarlet, was that of a
groom or coachman; whilst the sourtout, patch
ed and out at the elbows as it was, had the un-
mistakeable cut of a west-end tailor. ltstruck
me that we were old acquaintances, for his was
a face, once seen, not easily to be forgotten.
He was very ugly, but had not whatone would
call "a bad face" The greatest popularity
about him was the eyes, which were OF dark
hazel and very small, with an extraordinary
obliqueness of vision, that made it impossible
to tell whether he was looking you in the face
or not. His head was covered by an old seal
skin cap under which was much coarse hair of
a golden red, whilst his face was ornamented
with luxuriant crop of whiskers of the same
fiery hue.


All this noticed as he twice passed-each
time looking as if about to address me. AS he
passed the second time, turned on my heel
and followed, and, quickly overtaking him,
said,


"Well my man, you appear to know me?"


eyes, Mr.. Sharpe" he replied, 81 know you
very well, though, dare say, you have forgot
ten me. My name is Charlie Fox; and you've
had me before the peak more than once when
l was young 'un.'


"Why," said, "you are the young rascal
that belonged to the Westminster gang, and
used to give US all so much trouble"


"Yes guv'nor but since my mother died,
which is good many years now, I've been try
ing to keep on the square. I've been to sea,
and been working about the docks, or wherever
l could get job. Lately amt had anything
TO do, and Pm almost starving. / knew you
directly saw you, and I've been a-following
you, thinking you might give me something to
get some grub. It's hard work, guvn or, to
keep straight after you've once gone wrong,
specially when you're hungry, and lot of
pals tempting you"


AS listened, l thought his story might be
true. I remembered him a young thief,
with abad mother, but that was years ago andI
knew, if he had been knocking about London,
and up to his old games, must have heard or
seen something of him.


"Look here, Fox" said, "you may be telling
me lie or you may not; but you are hungry,
l will give you meal"


took him into the nearest public house,
and gave him some-cold meat and bread, and
a pint of beer and his appetite certainly con-
firmed one part of his tale. When he had finish
ed his dinner, he said,


"Now, Mr.. Sharpe, you've done me turn
which shant soon forget and I'll do you one
in return, by putting you up to good thing.
You know all about the murder of the woman
at Glasgow and l can tell you where to lay
hands on the cove that did it. There's hundred
pounds reward end suppose, if I plant you
on him, you'll give me halt ?"


knew of the murder. 1t was one ofpeculiar
atrocity, committed about month before, in
Glasgow, upon poor girl, an unfortunate
Hitherto the police had been at fault, and the
Home Secretary had offered reward of one
hundred pounds.


At first it struck me as improbable that Fox
could know anything about it but he further
told me that he was lodging down at the east
end, near to one of the docks and the murderer,
a sailor, who had been ashipmate, was lodging
in the same house, and had confessed the crime
to him. Still, could not see motive for Fox
betraying his friend, and said,


"You are no doubt very clever, Mr.. Fox but
you must not try to make me believe that,
because | have given you something to eat and
drink, you are willing to round upon pal"


His reply did more to convince me than
anything else.


"You forget, Mr.. Sharpe, the half of the re-
ward which will take me out of the country,
and give me fresh start !; but besides that, l
owe the man grudge, and if l live I'll pay
him."


told him he could soon prove whether his
information was true by showing me the house
and the man. l would take couple of officers
with me, and arrest him at once.
To this, however, Fox would not listen. He
said the neighborhood was very bad one, the
man most desperate character, and surround
ed by friends, and there would be but little
chance of taking him there. His idea was to
entice him west, and take him when off his
guard. Even then Fox warned me that there
would be considerable risk, as the murderer
carried with him the knife with which he had
committed the crime, and threatened to use it
on any one that attempted to take him. After
further conversation, it was arranged that Fox
should meet ne that night, and in the mean
time should think upon some scheme.
NV plan was soon matured. 1t was this
got an order for one of the west end theatres for
the following night, Fox was to invite the man
to accompany him, but Lefore entering the
theatre, was to take him into public house,
and then. when he was drinking his glass, we
would take him.


Punctually at the time appointed Fox met
me. gave him the order for the theatre and
explained what l wished him to do in the mat
ter, at the same time giving him few shillngs
| for his expenses.


must confess waited for the following with
considerable anxiety. The case was a most
i'm portant one, and, if could carry it to sue
cessful issue, would add considerably to my
reputation. l chose two officers to accompany
me, upon whom could depend, both of them
| experienced and powerful men. Seven o'clock
was the time named but, to guard against
mistake, we were in the Strand half an hour
earlier the three of us, of course, being in plain
clothes. Seven o'clock arrived d-half-pasts seven,
eight oclock-but no appearance of our men
and at half past eight we gave it up in disgust.
For once felt assured had been thoroughly
sold.


Next morning, however, / found at the sta
ton badly written scrawl from Fox, saying
that the man had got SO drunk the night before
that he could do nothing with him, and that
he (Fox) would meet me at twelve o'clock, at
the house where had given him his dinner !;
and if could give him another order for the
theater, he felt sure of bringing the murderer
up that night l met Fox, gave him the order,
and arranged to be on the lookout at seven
o'clock.


This time fortune favored us. We had not
waited many minutes when l saw Fox coming
along the Strand, in company with tall man,
in a rough pea jacket. He stopped to look at
shop-window, and as passed l noticed that
the tall man had the cut of sailor. He was
broad -shouldered, deep chested, and long in
the arm, and evidently would be an awkward
customer to contend with. They walked on for
about one hundred yards, and then turned into
the bar of public house. In half minute
my colleagues and I followed, and asked for
something to drink. We five were the only
people in the bar, and the barmaid was just
serving Fox and his friend with two glasses OF
ale. At the back of where the tall man stood
was a small gas-burner, and my two brother
l. ns~I1 kAATN