Year: 1873




of Archibald Brown, Of Greenock, and
stated that he was sailor. On search
ing him, we found in his possession
two soyereigns and some silver, and
large clasp-knife, such as is usually
worn by seafaring men.


[ took Fox to a coffee shop off Fleet
street and arranged with the proprie-
tor to supply him with board and lodg-
ing from day to day. Two men from
the force, in plain clothes, were told
off to watch him night and day, with
orders to arrest him if he made any at
tempt to escape. The next morning
the prisoner was brought before
magistrate. My witness, Fox, would
not, thought, make very favorable
impression in his ordinary costume
In fact, I was ashamed of him, and pur-
chased at a secondhand shop a suit of
clothes for him. When he had his
new rig-out, and his hair cut, he was
much more presentable. At the Po-
lice Court he gave his evidence in such
a strait-forward way as to favorably
impress the magistrate with it's truth.
The prisoner denied having made any
such confession to Fox, and protested
his innocence, and asserted that he
had not even heard Of the murder
He either did not know or refused to
state where he was at the time; and
this, joined to the fact that he was
native of town such a short distance
from GLASGOW, in some measure con-
firmed the evidence of Fox. Finally,
Brown was remanded for a few days,
to enable us to communicate with the
authorities at GLASGOW, and to produce,
if possible, further evidence. We i'm
mediately telegraphed to the chief of
the police at GLASGOW, stating that we
had arrested man named Brown for
the murder of the woman, and that
the prisoner was remanded from that
day (Thursday) until the following
Monday. We received a telegram in
reply that they believed we had got the
right man, and that an officer would
be sent up to London in time for the
adjourned examination. Nextmorning
we had letter confirming the telegram.
The murder had, it appeared, been
quite mystery to the GLASGOW police
until the day before the receipt of our
message, when woman had been fonnd
who asserted that she had seen the de-
ceased on the night of the murder in
company with a sailor named Brown,
and that she had watched them 90 into
the house together. The letter fur
ther stated that an officer would arrive
on Sunday night to take charge of the
prisoner.


In the meantime we kept sharp
watch upon Fox; but, apparently, there
was little occasion for it, as the officer
reported that he scarcely ever left the
house where he was staying, and show
ed no desire to do so. He twice called
upon me at the station, and expressed
great concern lest any of Browns
friends should get hold of him, as he
felt sure that his life would not be safe.
Our men watched him up to Saturday
night, when, so convinced had we all
become of his good faith, that | asked
my chief if he thought it was necessary
to continue the surveillance. Heagreed
with me that it was not, and the officers
were withdrawn. On Sunday after
noon [ looked in to see Fox, to tell
him that we should want him at the
Police Court the next morning at
eleven. [ found him having his tea,
and apparently quite at home in the
comfortable quarters | had provided.


That night | met the Scotch officer
at the Great Northern Station, who |
congratulated me on the successful ar
rest which [ had made [ admitted
that thought there was some credit
due to me, as there had been difficulties
in the way, and the prisoner being such
a tall, powerful man, there had been
danger also. His reply took all the
breath out of my body!


"Eh, mon, there's some mistake here.
The mon we want is a wee chap, nick
named Red-head Charlie but whose
real name is Brown, alias Fox, alias
Sinclair, and half a dozen othersW


A light broke in upon me in a mo-
ment. A few hasty words Of explana-
tion to the Scotchman, and as fast as
a handsom cab could 60, we tore down
to Fleet street, but arrived too late, for
the bird had flown. Fox, the actual
murderer, had left the coffee-shop a
bout an hour before, and from that day
to this we have never seen nor heard |
anything of him.


Ineed scarcely say that the prisoner,
who was as innocent as [, was set at
liberty the next morning.