1939-09-04 — Page 17

THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER

TO-DAY'S STRANGE STORY OF REAL PEOPLE

THE AMAZING LORD SOMERSET CASE

By AUGUSTUB ST. MARS- THE Southernmost neck of Ontario that lies between three of the Great Lakes was quite agog in 1888 over the appearance of Lord Somerset.

That dignified and dapper gentle- man reappeared with his wife in the same region two years later, travelling as Mr. and Mrs. John R. Birchall. Their reappearance was most sensa- tional and dramatic: In a desolate re- gion, Blenheim Swamp, famous as 'a hiding place for criminals, the author- ities had found in the snow the frozen corpse ΟΙ а conspicuously refined young man of about 21 with two bul- let holes in the back of his head. Everything that might identify the victim had been removed laundry marks, tailors' and haberdashers'

They Flinched With Sudden Horror.

that

names, papers. That was on February that the young man had dropped his other than Pelly, the young man re- 22, 1890.

cigarette-holder.

ported to have left England with Bir- Superintendent Murray of Ontario's The stationmaster added that the chall and Benwell. Having read of Criminal Investigation Department older man closely resembled Lord Birchall's arrest he had hurried, from appeared to have no clue whatever on Somerset who had visited the neigh- Montreal to give his testimony, which which to work.

After sending the bourhood two years before, also that was by no means lacking in interest. body to an undertaker in the nearby he remembered that he had frequent- Reading Birchall's advertisement in a village of Princeton he combed

the ly seen him and Lady Somerset drive London paper, he had contacted him neighbouring terrain. It yielded but into Blenheim Swamp for plenics, and given him, a premium of £500 one possible item of evidence, an am- Learning that the couple had gotten ($2500), as had Benwell, preparatory ber and silver cigarette holder bear- away as far as Hamilton, Murray wir- to accompanying them both to a vast ing the initials "F. C. B."

ed the police there to arrest them. agricultural tract alleged to have been A few days later the erstwhile Lord · Meanwhile the Clever detective had owned by Birchall in Ontario. Somerset, now calling himself Birchall, cabled Scotland Yard, London's police appeared at the undertaker's with his headquarters. The reply stated that Birchall and Benwell were very

During the trip Pelly noted pretty wife. As they pulled down John Reginald Birchall, then touring friendly, the former calling the latter the sheet covering the murder victim. Canada and the United States with his "Fred." Benwell was a high-spirited Murray noticed that they flinched with wife had lately advertised that he jokester and Birchall, although much sudden horror. Birchall muttered wished to contact several young men older, was more subservient than su- nervously that the corpse was that of of means interested in becoming es- perior in his attitude toward him, a jolly young chap he had chatted with tablished as gentlemen farmers in which had puzzled Pelly. cn the ship that had brought them Canada. Two young men who res at Buffalo Birchall announced that he Arriving over from England. Birchall said he ponded and paid premiums to Birchall must make a brief business trip and remembered the youth's first namê as were now en route with him and his Pelly was surprised when he discover- Fred but could not recall his last wife to the big Birchall farm in On- ed that Benwell Had gone with him name. He thought it began with "B." tario. These clients were F. C. Ben- was still more surprised when Birchall

Murray, continuing to comb

well and a Mr. Pelly. As the initials returned alone, on February 20, stat- the neighbourhood, found a girl who re- of the former name were identical ing that Pelly had begged to go on to membered that on February 19 she with the "F.. C. B." on the silver and the farm and get started with his had seen two strangers going toward amber cigarette-holder, Superinten- training without further waste of time. the scene of the body's discovery. A dent Murray concluded that he now Pelly replied that he was equally an- man living nearby remembered hear- knew the name of the murdered man. xious to get started without further ing a couple of. shots about the same But Birchall was either Lord Som- delay and further expense but Birchall time. And their neighbour, the sta- erset, his twin brother or tionmaster, recalled seeing a

his exact. insisted on, first visiting Niagara, very double, according to all who had seen where Pelly accompanied him much young man and an older man alight them both and how to unscramble this against his will. from the Buffalo train shortly before egg Murray and his áble staff were ut the girl had seen the two strangers. their wits' ends to determine. What fixed the circumstance in the While they were pondering over this stationmaster's memory was the fact Murray received a call from none

PRESIDENT LINER

Sailings

SAN FRANCISCO. AND LOS ANGELES.

Via

SHANGHAI, KOBE, YOKOHAMA AND HONOLULU

*8.8. "PRESIDENT PIERCE"

*8.8. "PRESIDENT TAFT"

8.8. "PRESIDENT COOLIDGE"

18.8. "PRESIDENT CLEVELAND"

*8.6. "PRESIDENT PIERCE" ·

9.8. "PRESIDENT COOLIDGE"

Omite Shanghai.

† Omita Yokohama.

"

OCT.

NOV.

NOV.

SAILS SEPT.' 9th at 4.00 P.M. SEPT. 23rd at 9.00 A.M. OCT. 7th at 4.00 P.M.

21atat 7.00 AM

4th at 4.00 P.M. 18th at 4.00 P.M.

AND FORTNIGHTLY THEREAFTER

NEW YORK AND BOSTON VIA SUMA

6.8. “PRESIDENT HAYES" 8.8. "PRESIDENT POLK"

SAILS SEPT. 14th at 12.00 Noon SEPT. 29th at 12.00 Noon AND FORTNIGHTLY THEREAFTER

S.8. "PRESIDENT COOLIDGE”. 8.8. "PRESIDENT POLK”. 9.8. "PRESIDENT TÄFT"

8.8. "PRESIDENT CLEVELAND"

MANILA

SAILS.SEPT. 16th at 1:00 A.M, SEPT. 29th at 12.00 Noon 'OCT. 1st at 2.00 A.M:

OCT. 18th at

2.00 A.M.

AMERICAN

PRESIDENT LINES

ROUND-WORLD SERVICE.

12, PEDDER ST.

TELEPHONE 28171.

•

Birchall further irritated his young client by insisting that they wait until night to walk under the cataract as he -wished to look through the spray dur- ing moonlight. He led Pelly along the most perilous ledges and had be- gun to make a move that would have pushed the young man into the roar- ing, foaming chasm had not a stranger appeared on the ledge. Pelly retreat- ed across a narrow bridge where Bir- chall overtook him and faked a colli- sion that nearly consummated the deadly plot..

So Pelly, forfeiting his £500 had his baggage, taken to the Buffalo sta- tion while Birchall was out of the hotel and hurried to Montreal.

HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI

BANKING CORPORATION I

Authorised” Capital

Issued and Fully Paid-up, $20,000,00 Reserve Funda:—

Sterling"

Hong Kong Currency, Re-

serve

Reserve Liability of Pro-

prietors

00,00%

.2 6,000 CÚC.

$10,000,00

$20,000,00

HRAD'OFFICE; HONG KONG,

OF DIRECTORS":

A. L. Shields, Esq.

Chairman.

WV. H. Lock, Esq.,

-Deputy Chairman;~~

Hon. Mr. J. K. Bousfield, (). Miskin, Esq.

A. 3. Compton, “Faq, “K, 8. Morrian, Baq.. Hon. Mr. B... Dodali, Hon. Mr. T. 1. Fearos

D. F. Landals, Bag H, V. Wilkinson, Eag

Sir Vandeleur M. Grayburn,

Chief Maångar.

SHUY

BANGKOK BATAVIA BOMBAY

CALCUTTA CANTON CHEFOO COLOMBO

DAIREN FOOCHOW HAIPHONG

HAMBURG

HANKOW HARDIN HONGKEW ILOILO

ІРОН

JOHORE КОНЕ

KOWLOON

BRANCHES ¡—

KUALA LUMPUR

Current

LONDON LYONS MALACCA MANILA MUAR MURDEN NEW YORK PEIPING PENANG LANGOON BAIGON

(Jokoen)

SAN FRANCI800 BHANGHAI

SINGAPORE

BOURADAYA

SUNGEI PATANI SWATOW

TIENTSIN

TOKYO

TSINGTAO

YOKOHAMA

Accounts opened in Local Curranag and Fixed Deposita soolved for one year oë- on terms which will be quoted on application. shorter periods in Local and other currencies in various sizes TO LET.

ALSO up to date SAFE DEPOSIT BOXE# Hong Kong, 25th February, 1980.

HONG KONG SAVINGS BANK.

by the HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BAND Tha Business · cíˆ the “above Bank La conducted ING CORPORATION. Bules may be obtains on application.

FOR THE HONG KONG AND SHANGHA BANKING CORPORATION.

V. M. GRAYBURN,, Chief Manager.

Hong Kong, int March, 1937.

THE CHARTERED BANK OF INDIA, AUSTRALIA & CHINA Incorporated by Royal Charter, 1858. Paid-up Capital Reserve Fund Reserve Liability of Pro-

prietors

.£8,000,000.- .£8,000,000.

£8,000,000.

HEAD OFFICE: LONDON: 38, Bishopsgate, E. C. 2: Sub-Agencies in London: 17/122, Leadenhall Street, E. C. # West End Branch: 14/16, Cockspur Street, S. W. 1. Manchester Branch: 62, Mosley Street, Manchester, 2. AGENCIES AND BRANCHES:

Harbin

Penang Hongkong

Alor Star. Amritsar Bangkok Balala

Bombay Usioatts Agenoiet

Olive Barost

Fairlie Place

Canton Cawnpore

Cebu

Ilollo

Bangoon

Balgon

pok

Beremban

Karachi

lan

Shangbat Singapore

Sitiawan

Kuala Lumpur Bournay

Kuching

Taiping

Madras

Mentain

Manila

Tongkah

Medan

(Blaket)

New York

Tuingias

Paiping

Yokazams

(Faking)

PCREIGN EXCHANGE and General: Banking Business_tranasolad

DEPOSITS aquired for One Year of CURRENT ACOQUNTS opened and

ekortas

Birchall was tried in Woodstook, a town about 30 mile above London, On- Colon be tario, the very place where he

had Dala!

Haiphong effected previous swindles in the role Hamborg of "Lord Somerset." His wife, who

Hankow never wavered in her loyalty to him;" was completely exonerated of any knowledge of or complicity in his crimes. He was defended by three prominent barristers and reporters from the chief cities of Canada and the United. States covered the six days'

The Rank's Head Chice In London indartakus court proceedings. During that. whole Eremitor and Trusion business, and sistmas tre week. Birchall maintained his smile, which may be sacarlained at any of táp - Russ

covery of British Income Tax overpaidy on – learne his swagger and his bluff,

Was and Branches.. dressed in the very latest style, even to an expensive fur-ned He testified in his own behalf without nervousness or irritation. But all of this was to no avail.

Maintaining his courteous pose he strutted toward the folch, alongside the executioner chose, it hàng him, but finally lost his here when his weeping, broken-hearted wife appear-

periods In Local or Other Currencies – ní rat

SAVINGS ACCOUNTS also opened in which will be quoted on sppilosion. Currency and Starling with interest – allowed 7: rated chainable on application.

R. A. CAMIDGE,

Manager.

THE WING-ON BANK, LTD.

Head Office: Hong Kong. 26. Des Voeux Road, Central Authorised Capital $10,000,000 LONDON BANKERS-

Westminster Bank, Ltd,

of banking business transactal. Foreign Exchange and every descrip..

ed from the crowd to kiss him good-tion bye...

As to why. voluntarily himself into a police, trap by ing at the undertaker establ and identifying himself with remains one of the enign inology

費 Current Accounts, and Savings Ac

counts opened.” Fixed Deposits receiv

peared at rates which will be quoted os

application,

¿we

Trusteeship anil Executorship undes taken, Safe Deposit Boxes for-hire:

PHILIP GOCK GRINLES