Was He the Man?

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10223, 26 April 1911, Page 2

Was He the Man?

OUR SERIAL.

BY F. L. DACRE, —,—:—o— Author of "A Phantom of the Past,." "Tronholme's Trust," "The Doctor's Secet," "A Loveless Marriage," "Sir John's Heiress," etc.

CHAPER XX.—Continued

| Fenton bowed and continued: I "Havo you any reason to believo that thero was any connection between James Robson and tho prisoner?" "Ye 3, I am certain that thero was a very closo connection." "Why do you believo so?" "Becauso I havo traced that connection back somo years, and because I found on tho body of Robson "Sir, I object to that, also. The witness is answering tho former question," exclaimed Mr LatchfordBrown, again rising. "I cannot prevent the witness from c aying what he found, Mr LatchfordBrown, though I cannot allow what he found to be produced in evidence, replied the magistrate. Tho attorney sat down, looking anything but pleased, while Fenton went ° n "What did you find on the body of Robson?" "I found a stamped letter addressed to Major Denver, Great Western Hotel, Paddington." "Did you open it?" "Sir, I must again object. You have already decided that sufch a letter is not evidence." Both counsel paused for the decision of the magistrate, but the point vas settled by Morel, who drew a damp looking, sealed letter from his pocket, and said quietly: _ "I did not open it. Here it is as 1 found it." "I submit that your honour should read the letter, and decide as to its admission," said Fenton. "I should not like to do that without Mr Latchford-Brown's consent; and even then, Ido not think that I could act Upon it," said the magistrate. "I have no objection," replied the attorney, "providing that I may state that this letter was probably written) for the purpose, of blackmail. This Robson knew of my client's unfortunate resemblance to his rascally accomplice, and may have sought to trade upon the fact." The letter was now handed to the magistrate, who opened it, read it, j and without a word handed it to the> counsel for the defence. Mr Latchford-Brown ran his eye over it, ejaculated, "I thought so," and tossed the.sheet of paper to Fenton, who also read it, and passed it back to the magistrate, with a bland smile. This ended the incident, and he proceeded with his examination of Morel.

CHAPTER XXI,

tried to silence liim before the examination .took place." "Sir, I must again object," interposed Mr Latchford-Brown, rising at this point. "All that is the merest hearsay and supposition—such stuff as dreams aro made of, and I submit that 110 evidence lias yet boon offered to proro that my client is other than ho represents himself to be." "I very much regret," said Fenhni. "that the absence of two import;?: witnesses compels me to proceed in a rather roundabout fashion, but if my learned friend will have a little patience, he will soon see that this is much more solid matter than dream May I proceed, sir?" The magistrate nodded, and he went on: "Do you know by what means Burton could have identified Fitzgerald o " "I do." "Could you applv those means yourself?" "No, I could not." "Do you know of any who could?" "Yes; the sentries who were oti guard on the convict hulk 1 erette, at Toulon, cn the night of January 24, 188 —, and the doctor who saw Fitzgerall stripped at the St. Lazare prison, in Paris. They will be here to-night, or to-morrow morning. I have received telegrams to that effect." Fenton then addressed hints df to the magistrate, and sak< ■ "1 propose now, sir, to offer this witness for cross-examination. I can not proceed further until the am" J of the two witnesses, who, as this witness has stated, have been despatched by the French authorities. Meanwhile, I would suggest to my ieanied friend that when he has done with this witness, he shall, to save time, place his chief witness, Mr George Grey, on the stand." This was agreed to, and Mr Latch-ford-Brown rose to cross-examine t lie French witness. "You say'that you first saw the prn°ner five years ago, in prison, in i'ir '"Yes." "And for five years after that y-..;: ne\er set eyes upon him?" "No." "You next saw him four months ago in a cafe in the Strand." "Yes." "For how long did you see h::n then?" About half an hour. I took a seat from which I could see his face in the mirror, wilhout his seeing me.'' "IndesJ! And you made a complete study of his face, I presufne, under these conditions?"

IS HE THE MAN?

"Were you acquainted with the man whose body-was, found in v the water with that of Robson?"*'

"Yes, we had been friends for some years, and had worked together on many international cases." "Do you believe that these men came by their death by accident, or otherwise?" "I believe that Robson tried to throw Burton into the river,, and that Burton, though unable to prevent him doing so, held on to him, and dragged him with him."

"Now, Monsieur Morel,'-' said Fenton, drawing himself up, and speaking very gravely, "I want you to tell us how you received information as to the manner in which this murder — as according to your belief it is—had been committed, arid how you were enabled t<- go straight to' the spot where the bodies were found."

"Yesterday morning, about ten o'clock, I called on Mr George Grey, a great friend of the late Major Denver and deeply interested in the capture of Robson. He related to me what I may. call a trance vision he had had on' the previous night, and minutely described the scene on Chelsea Bridge. He had on a previous occasion had such'a vision'relating to this case, and ■ it enabled me to trace Robson from' Paris to Walworth, where I ought to! have arrested him some days ago. I felt that this vision was a mirage, if I may so, of actual facts; and thinking there might be other impressions which Mr Grey had forgotten, I took the liberty of throwing him into a hypnotic state, and so obtained exact directions from hitn'as to the location of • the bodies. I went straight to Chiswick, and found them at the spot indicated.'' The breathless silence with which this- extraordinary evidence was received, .was broken, when Morel finished speaking, by an irrepressible murmur of astonishment from the crowded court. Even the magistrate, himself, could not refrain from. glancing, with a puzzled, half-incredulous air, at the witness, and audibly murmured: "Marvellous, if true." "Apart from Mr Grey's singular experience," continued ' Fenton, "do you kno~-wof any reason for Robson trying to kill Burton?" "Yes; Burton -was helping me to run Robson and liis accomplice to earth, and he knew it. Besides, Robson was flying for his life, and once caught he was doomed, for he had no marvellous resemblance to another man to help him even for a time. He would have tried to kill anyone who . recognised him. Added to this, it seems that Burton was the only living man, besides himself, who could place Fitzgerald's identity beyond a doubt, and very probably Robson knew this, and

"Yes, the conditions were very favourable." "What do you mean?" "I mean that he was eating and drinking at the time." -A.nd what has that to do with vour recognition of him?" "Everything. No two men ea; exactly in the same way, however muc.'i they may be alike externally, but the same man always eats in the same way after his twenty-fifth year." ''You are quite certain of that? ' "Yes; I have proved it to be vo again and again. I have identified over a hundred criminals, without ore failure, by watching them eat. I s:uv Fitzgerald eat his dinner in prison five years ago, and when I saw this man eat his supper in the Strand, tour months ago, I was able to swear p >sitively that he was Fitzgerald." "That is simply your theory. Have you no other grounds to go upor than ' that, when you swear positively ch-t the accused is the murderer, ge'rald?" Morel smiled in polite deprecation, and proceeded: ""In the first place Fitzgerald ha'ted slightly—very slightly—with his right leg. It was only noticeable wiiep he began to walk. This man halted whuen he left the cafe. Secondly, I have it from the St. Lazare auth>Cities that Fitzgerald had a habit. of every now and then —see, he is dom« it now." ° "What do you mean, s»ir. 1 want your evidence, nob remarks on the accused." Every eye in the court was fixed on the accused, when Morel suddenly pointed to him, and uttered his startling words. It was in vain that the counsel tried to stop what was coming: "I mean," continued the witness, with a ring of triumph in his voue, "that Fitzgerald had a habit of -iking up suddenly, every now and thou scowling slightly, stroking his beard' and then looking down again witn his eyes half closed, he prisoner did all these things when I spoke. I saw hin do so three times in the cafe." This produced a decided ensatnn among, the spectators in court. The magistrate looked keenly at the accused, who met his gaze unflinchingly,, and then looked round the room. Fenton smiled grimly, and Mr Latch- . ford-Brown looked as though he had made a mistake, which he tried to retrieve by saying: "That will not do for evidence in England, Monsieur Morel. You must keep these little theatrical effects for Franco. If you have nothing sounder to go upon you may step down. This is too serious a matter for such trifl- ■ ing. I have nothing more to ask you." (To be Continued^.