A MYSTERY SOLVED.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 379, 5 August 1874, Page 3

A MYSTERY SOLVED.

A very mysterious disappearance of four children lately caused the greatest distress to the families of four residents of Melbourne. Their names are Peter Griffiths, aged eleven, the- eon of the assistant-stationmaster at the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway station ; George Hope, aged ten, the son of Mr. Hope, hardware merchant of Collins-street east ; Charles Ityrne, aged eight, son of the messenger of the Town Hall; and John Champion, aged ten, son of Mr. Champion, of the Queen's Arms Hotel, in Swanstonstreet. Since the four little scholars left the St. Paul's State School yesterday afternoon at four p.m., not the slightest trace has been found of them. From inquiries made at the boat-houses at the Yarra bridge (says the •' Argus)" there is no reason to believe that the children have gone on the river in a boat, and at a late hour last night the distracted parents were without any clue. But the " clue "is given in the " Herald." It is related : — "At daylight the searching parties were again afoot, and were all dispersed, when one of the attendants at the Town Hall, whose avocations took him to one of the gloomy recesses "in the basement story, heard cries, and proceeding to unbolt the door, the poor children were discovered confined in a small space about 8 feet by 4 feet, which contains an unused closet, &c, which is eutirely open to the heavens. The explanation was simple. One of their number was the son of the hall-keeper, and boy-like knew the haunts of the famous breed of pigeons which have long found quarters in the nooks aud crannies of the Town Hall. Of course, all the other boys were ardent pigeon fanciers. They formed an expedition to explore, and possibly — to capture. They penetrated the labarynthine passages, and passed the fatal door, which it is presumed slammed behind them, and the bo)t shot. There they passed the night — little Peter covering his mates with his poncho to the best of his ability. The joy of the parents may be well imagined, and it is not improbable that the youngsters will, in after yeare have a fancy for the song which bewitched our Charles the Second, and gave us a Duke of Monmouth, called, 'My lodging is on the cold ground/