MERCER OF “THE YARD.”

Hokitika Guardian, 29 May 1924, Page 4

MERCER OF “THE YARD.”

FAMOUS CASKS RECALLED. LONDON, March 22. Chief Inspector .Mercer, of Scotland Yard, who has been seriously iil -iocs, last December, lias tendered bis resignation. Its acceptance rests with the Home O.'llee. to which a report wiii be submitted by Sir William I he wend. Chief ( ommisaioiier <:l Polhe. On December I I last there was a big re-spon-u Ir.im Ins colleagues when volunteers were asked in undergo blond transfusion for .Mr .Mercer’s benefit. The operation however, did nit lake place. Mr .Mercer’s career has never lacked variety, lie was, a trooper in the llcr.se (iiianis before joining the polite, and in time became

principal detective at Viue-strcci Polite Station. From this position be rose In (haL of one of the four chief detective inspectors at Scotland Yard. Strong-i Raged and a silent worker, he was not given to laughter. His interests seemed to b;< cenirod in hard work. He believed in bis own jude,. incut and bis theories were seldom dis. tis.-ed with others.

11 is knowledge of the night life ol London was \ery cxteii-ive. lie wean ideal poliee-ollicer in one respect he kept bis ears open and I is mouth shut, arid the reL.nurd •-( r.xik" had in him a good friend. His duty (nine liist. but lie was always fair. THE EASTBOURNE MURDER.

The two out standing cers halidlct by .Mr Mercer wire the Horatio trottcmlev ease and the murder at Ear-

1.-mime of Irene .Mttnro. No oil" km v. what wtis in his mind when the m'.ir dor ‘.aspects, later hanged for tin crime, were released after a short dci

ention. But the release was only pari c.l .Mr Mercer's plan for fixing Ike guilt en them. A. young woman arrived at i-.'a-i----bburno from Lmido:i on the day the men walked into apparent freedom. Her job was to make friends, with the suspects, and the information she gained had a great hearing on the rearrest and conviction of the murderers. Mr Mercer beg/tn and completed the conviction. The chain of evidence was forged too thoroughly to he broken. Wlien Bottonilev arrived at court on the day of bis convieion lie still believed in bis star. But -Mr Mercer, who throughout the whole trial was a silent watcher, knew that Bottonilev would not use the two tickets for the Derby lie bad previously purchased. UNSOLVED CRIMES. Mr Mercer had his failure as well as his successes. His long-drawn-out l in(|uiries at Cambridge and Ports-/ mouth failed to solve the mystery ol the murders of two lonely women.

Hundreds of people were examined regarding the death of Miss Lawn, an elderly shopkeeper, who was murdered in her shop at Cambridge, but the inquiry ended in a fruitless trial. No one was convicted for murdering Mrs Mary Pelham, known as Brighton Mary, in her house in Blossom-alley, Port sea. The woman was strangled and afterwards struck repeatedly on the head with a bottle, lmt the numerous clues proved fruitless of a solution. Itt the beginning of this month the Portsmouth poliae received information that a sailor who committed suicide at sea first wrote out a confession of the murder