Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1907 — Martin Hewitt, Investigator. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Martin Hewitt, Investigator.

Ghe Quinton Jewel Affair.

...By... ARTHUR MORRISON.

Published bv Arrangement With Harp* 41 Brothers.

(Concluded] “It bus certainly been no laughing matter for you. Now, tell me-have you anything in your possession—docu-

ments, or valuables, or anything—that any other person, to your knowledge, la anxious to get hold of?” “I have not, sor—dlvll a document! As to valuables, thlin an’ me is the cowldest av sthrangers.” “Just call to mind, now, the face of the man who tried to put powder hi your drink, and that of the doctor who attended to you in the railway station. Were they at all alike, or was either like anybody you have seen befoijp?" Leamy puckered his forehead and thought. “Faith,” he said presently, “they were a bit alike, though wan bad a beard an’ the udther Whiskers only.” “Neither happened to look like Mr. Hollams, for instance?” Ix?amy started. "Begob, but they did! They’d ha’ been mortal like him if they’d been shaved.” Then, after a pause, he suddenly added. “Holy saints! Is ut the fam’ly he talked av?” . Hewitt laughed. “Perhaps It Is,” he said. “Now, as to the man who sent you with the bag. Was It an old bag?" “Bran’ cracklin’ new—a brown leather bag.” “Locked?” “That I nlver thrled, sor. It was not my consarn.” “True. Now, as to this Mr. W. hlpi■elf.” Hewitt had been rummaging for some few minutes in a portfolio and finally produced a photograph and held it before the Irishman’s eyes. “Is that like him?” he asked. “Shure it’s the man himself! Is he a frlnd av yours, sor?” “No, he's not exactly a friend of mine,” Hewitt answered, with a grim chuckle. “I fancy he’s one of that very respectable family you heard about at Mr. Hollams*. Come along with me now to Chelsea and see If you can point out that houge in Gold street. I'll send for a cab.” He made for the outer office, and I went with him. “What is all this, Hewitt,” I asked—“a gang of thieves with stolen property?” Hewitt looked in my face and replied, “It's the Quinton ruby!” “What! The ruby! Shall you take the case up, then T' . “I shall. It Is no longer a speculation.” “Then do you expect to find it at Hollams’ house In Chelsea?” I asked. “No. I don’t, because it isn’t there, else why are they trying to get it from this unlucky Irishman? There has been bad faith in Hollams’ gang. I expect, and Hollams has missed the ruby and suspects Leamy of having taken tt from the bag.” “Then who is this Mr. W. whose portrait you Have In your possession?” “See here!” Hewitt turned over a small pile of recent newspapers and selected one, pointing at a particular paragraph. It was an evening paper of the previous Thursday, and the paragraph was a very short one, thus: “The man W’ilks, who was arrested at Euston station yesterday in connection with the robbery of Lady Quinton’s jewels, has been released, nothing being found to incriminate him.” The thing was plain now. Wilks must have been bringing bls booty to town and calculated os getting out at Chalk Farm and thus eluding the watch which he doubtless felt pretty sure would be kept (by telegraphic instruction)- at Euston for suspicious characters arriving from the direction of Badcot. His transaction with Leamy was his only possible expedient to save himself from being hopelessly taken with the swag in his possession. The paragraph told me why Leamy had waited In vain for “Mr. W.” in the cab. “What shall you do now?” I asked.

88 88 88 88 88 88 88 “I shall go to the Gold street house and find out what I can a» soon as this cab turns up." “May I come to look on?” I said. "Of course I don't want to be in your way, and the result of the business, whatever ft is, will be to your credit alone. But I am curious.” “Come, then, by all means. The cab will be a four wheeler, and there will be plenty of room." Gold street was a short street of private houses of very fair size and of a half vanished pretension to gentility. We drove slowly through, and Leamy had-no difficulty in pointing out the house wherein he had been paid £5 for carrying a bag. At the end the cab turned the corner and stopped, while Hewitt wrote a short note to an offi cial of Scotland Yard. “Take this note,” he instructed Leamy, "to Scotland Yard in the cab and then go home. I will pay the cabman now.” The cab rolled off, and Hewitt and I strolled back along Gold street. "I think,” Hewitt said, “we will drop in on Mr. Hollams for a few minutes while we can. In a few hours I expect the police will have him, and his house, too, if they attend promptly to my note." But we were destined not to make Mr. Hollams’ acquaintance at that time. As we approached the house a great uproar was heard from the lower part giving on to the area, and suddenly a man, hatless and witlf a sleeve of his coat nearly torn away, burst through the door and up the area steps, pursued by two others. I had barely time to observe that one of the pursuers carried a revolver and that both hesitated and retired on seeing that several people were about the street, when Hewitt, gripping my arm and exclaiming, “That’s our mgn!” started at a run after the fugitive. We turned the next corner and saw the man thirty yards before us, walking and pulling up his sleeve at the shoulder, so as to conceal the rent. “That’s Sim Wilks,” Hewitt explained as we followed. “Don't stare after him in case he looks round. Presently when we get into the busier streets I shall have a little chat with him.” But for some time the man kept to the back streets. In time, however, he emerged into the Buckingham Palace road, and we saw him stop and look at a hit shop. But after a general look over the window and a glance In at the door he went on. “Good sign,” observed Hewitt. "Got no money with him. Makes it easier for us.”

In a little while Wilks approached a small crowd gathered about a woman fiddler. Hewitt touched my arm, and a few quick steps took us past our man and to the opposite side of the crowd. When Wilks emerged, he met us coming In the opposite direction. “What, Sim!" burst out Hewitt, with apparent delight. “I haven’t piped your mug for a stretch. I thought you'd been jugged. Where's your dicer?” Wilks looked astonished and suspicious. "I don’t know you,” he said. “You’ve made a mistake.” Hewitt laughed. "I’m glad you don’t know me,” he said. “If you don't, I’m pretty sure the peelers won’t. I think I’ve faked my mug pretty well and my duds too. Look here. I’ll stand you a new dicer.” Wilks was still suspicious. “I don’t know what you mean.” he said. Then, after a pause, he added, "Who are you, then?" Hewitt winked and screwed his face genially aside. "Hooky!” he said. “I’ve had a lucky touch, and I’m Mr. Smith till I’ve melted the pieces. You come and damp it." “I’m off,” Wilks replied. /“Unless you’re pal enough to lend me a quid,” he added, laughing. “I am that,” responded Hewitt, plunging his hand in his pocket. "I’m flush, my boy, flush, and I’ve been wetting it pretty well today. I feel pretty jolly now, and I shouldn’t wonder if I went home loaded. Only a quid? Have two, If you want ’em—or three.” Hewitt had of a sudden assumed the whole appearance, manners and bearing of a slightly elevated rowdy. Now he pulled his hand from his pocket and extended It, full of silver, wlth.ffye or six sovereigns Interspersed, toward Wilks. “I'll have three quid," Wilks said with decision, taking the money, “but I’m biowed if I remember you. Who’s your pal?” Hewitt jerked his head In my direction, winked, and said In a low voice: “He’s all right. Having a rest. Can’t stand Manchester,” and winked again. JVe lurched into a public house and drank a little very bad whisky and water. Wilks still regarded us curiously, and I could see him again and again glancing doubtfully in Hewitt’s face, but the loan of £3 had largely reassured him. Presently Hewitt said: “How about our old pal down in Gold street? Do anything with him now? Seen him lately?” Wilks looked up at the ceiling and shook his head. Hewitt looked cautiously over his shoulder, leaned toward Wilks, and said: "Look here—this Is the straight tin. I know this—l trot it from the

' very bloke tha|!e given away . —by 0 o’clock 8 Gold street wilj be | i turned inside out, like an old glove, and every one in the place willbe”— He finished the sentence by crossing h|s wrists like a handcuffed man. (‘What’s more.” he went oh. ‘they know all about What’S gone on there lately, and everybody that’s been In fit out for the last two moons will be wanted particular and will be found. I’m told.” Wilks looked In Hewitt's face and asked, "Is that straight?” "Is It?” replied Hewitt with emphasis. “You go and have a look, If you ain’t afraid of being smugged yourself. Ohly I sha’n't go near No. 8 just yet— I know that.” Wilks fidgeted, finished his dtink and expressed his intention of going. "Very well. If you won't have another”— replied Hewitt. But he had gone. “Good!” said Hgwltt, moving toward the door. “lie has suddenly developed a hurry. I shall keep him in sight, but you had better take a cab and go straight to Euston. Take tickets to the nearest station to Radcot— Kedder- , by, I think It Is—and look up the train I arrangements. Don't show j-ourself too much, and keep an eye on the en- | trance. Unless I am mistaken. Wilks ■ will be there pretty soon, and I shall be on his heels.” Hewitt hurried after Wilks, and I took the cab and did ns he wished. There was an hour and a few minutes, I found, to wait for the next train, and that time I occupied as best I might, keeping a sharp lockout across the quadrangle. Barely five minutes before tfie train was to leave, and just as I*was tieginning to think about the time of the next, a cab dashed up and Hewitt alighted. He hurried in, found me, and drew me aside into a recess, just as another cab arrived. “Here he is.” Hewitt said. “I followed him as far as Euston road and then got my cabby to spurt up and pass him. He has had his mustache shaved, off; and I feared you mightn’t recognize him and so let him see you.’' From our retreat we could see Wilks hurry Into the looking office. We watched him through to the platform and followed. He wasted no* time, but made the best of his way ,to a third class cairiage at the extreme fore end of the train. “We have three minutes,” Hewitt said, “and everything depends on bls not seeing us get into this train. Take this cap Fortunately, we’re both in tweed suits.” He had bought a couple of tweed cricket caps, and these we assumed, sending our hats to the cloakroom. Hewitt also put on a pair of blue spectacles and then walked boldly up the platform and entered a first class carriage. I followed close on his heels. “So far so good,” said Hewitt when we were seated and the train began to move off. “I must keep a lookout at each station in case our friend goes off unexpectedly.”

“I waited some time,” I said. “Where did you both get to?” “First he went and bought that hat he Is wearing. Then he walked some distance, dodging the main thoroughfares and keeping to the back streets In a way that made following difficult, till he came to a little tailor shop. There he entered and came out In a quarter of an hour with his coat mended. This was in a street in Westminster. Presently he worked his way up to Tothill street, and there he plunged into a barker's shop. I took a cautious peep at the window, saw two or three other customers also waiting and took the opportunity to rush over to a notion’ shop and buy these blue spectacles and to a hatter's for these caps. He was rather a long while in the barber’s and finally came out as yqu saw him, with no mustache. This was a good indication. It made it plainer than ever that he bad believed my warning as to the police descent on the house in Gold street. “When we alight, we shall have to follow Wilks again under the most difficult possible conditions, In the country. There it is often quite impossible to follow a man unobserved. It is only’ because it is the only way that I am undertaking it now. Wilks has hidden the ruby, and without help it would be Impossible to find it? We are following him so that he will find it for us.” “He must have hidden it, I suppose, to avoid sharing with Hollams.” “Of course, and availed himself of the fact of Leamy having carried the bag to direct Hollams’ suspicion to him. Hollams found out by his re- 1 peated searches of Leamy and his lodgings that this was wrong and this morning evidently tried to persuade the ruby out of Wilks’ possession with a revolver. We saw the upshot of that.”. Kedderby station was about forty 1 miles out. At each intermediate stopping station Hewitt watched earnestly, but Wilks remained in the train. At Kedderby we saw him jump out quickly and hasten from the station. The train stood for a few minutes, and he was out of the station before we alighted. Through the railings behind.. khe platform we could see him walking briskly away to the right. From the ticket collector we ascertained that IRadcot lay in that direction, three, tniles off. At first for a little the road zigzag, god, and then the chase was comparatively easy. We waited behind one bend till Wilks had passed the next and then hurried on lite trail, treadin© in the dustiest parts of the road or on the side grass when there was any to deaden the sound of our steps. At the last of these short bends we looked ahead and saw a, long white stretch of road with the dark form of Wilks a couple of hundred yapls Tn front. Sf* Just ahead we saw the square tower of an old church about with thick trees. Opposite this Wilks paused,' I Hooked Irresolutely up and down the road and theh went bn. We crossed, the road, availed ourselves of the op-

posite hedge and foHbwed. th* Tillage was to lie sdau.some 800 or 400 yards farther along the road, and toward It Wilks sauntered slowly. Before b*e actually reached the houses he stopped and turned back. .’A -The churchyard!” exclaimed Hewitt under his breath. “He close and let him pass.” Wilks reached the churchyard gate and again looked. Irresolutely about him. At that moment a party of chll dren who had been playing among the graves caifie chattering and laughing toward and out of the gate, and Wilks walked hastily away again, this time lr. the opposite direction, “That’s the place, clearly,” Hewitt said. “We must slip acrdks quietly as soon as he's far enough down the road. Now!”

We hurried stealthily across, through the gate and into the churchyard, where Hewitt threw his blue spectacles away. It was now nearly .8 In the evening/ apd the suu was setting*. Once again Wilks approached the gate and did not enter becaulte a laborer passed at the time. Then he' came back and pipped through. , The grabs graves was long, and under the trees it was already twilight. Hewitt and 1, two dr three yards apart, to avoid falling over one another in case of sudden movement, [watched from l>ehind gravestones. Wilks made straight for the stone behind which Hewitt waited.

I saw Hewitt’s dark form tewing noiselessly round to the other side of [the stone. Wilks passed on and dropped on his knee beside a large, weather worn slab that rested on a brick understructure a foot or so high. The long grass largely hid the bricks,’and among it Wilks plunged his hand, feeling along the brick surface. Presently he drew out a loose brick and laid It on the slab. He felt again in the Place and brought forth a small dark object. I saw Hewitt rise erect in the gathering dusk and with extended arm step noiselessly toward the stooping man. -Wilks made a motion to place the dark object in his pocket, but checked himself and opened what appeared to be a lid, as though to make pure of the safety of the contents. The last light, straggling under the trees, fell on a brilliantly , sparkling object within, and like a flash Hewitt’s hand shot over Wilks’ shoulder and snatched the Jewel.

The jnan actually screamed—one of those cudous sharp little screams that one may hear from a woman very suddenly alarmed. But he sprang at Hewitt like a cat, only to meet a straight drive of the fist that stretched him on his back across the slab. I sprang" from behind my stone and helped Hewitt to secure his wrists with a pbeket handkerchief. Then we marched him, struggling and swearing, to the village. We didn’t get back to London till the next day, staying for the night. There w#e, in fact, no late trains. We told Sir Valefitine the story of the Irishman, much to his amusement. “Leamy’s tale sounded unlikely, of course.” Hewitt said, “but It was noticeable that every one of his misfortunes pointed in the same direction—that certain persons were tremendously anxious to get at something they supposed he had. When he spoke of his adventure with the bag, I at once remem tiered Wilks’ arrest and subsequent release. Leamy’s recognition of [Wilks’ portrait made me feel pretty certain. Plainly, he had carried stolen property. The poor, innocent fellow's conversation with Hollams showed that,-as, in fact, did the sum, £5, paid !to him by way of ‘regulars, ’ or customary toll, from the plunder for services of carriage. Hollams obviously took Lee my for a criminal friend of Wilks’, because of his use of the [thieves' expression ‘sparks’ and ‘regubars,’ and suggested, in terms which jLeamy misunderstood, that he should sell any plunder he might obtain to himself, Hollams. Altogether it would have been very curious if the plunder [were not that from Radcot Hall, especially as no other robbery had been reported at the time. * • I “Now, among the jewels taken, only ( one was of a very pre-eminent value—|the famous ruby. It was scarcely likely that Hollams would go to so much [trouble and risk, attempting to drug, Injuring, waylaying and burgling the’ jrboms of the unfortunate Leamy, for a Jewel of small value—for any jewel, in fact, but the ruby. ; “The struggle and flight of Wilks from Hollams’ confirmed my previous [impressions. Hollams, finally satisfied that , very morning that Leamy certainly had not the jewel, either on his person or at his lodging, and knowjng from having so closely watched him that he had been nowhere where It could be disposed of, concluded that Wilks was cheating hjm and attempted to extort the ruby from him by the aid of another ruffian and a pistol. The rest of my way was plain." We ascertained on our return to -town the next day that the bag. with all its contents Intact, had been taken by the police at their surprise visit to No. 8 Gold street, as well as much other stolen property. Hollams and Wilks each got very wholesome doses of penal servitude, to the Intense delight of Mick Leamy. Leamy himself, by the bye, Is still to be seen, clad In » noble uniform, guarding the door of |a well "known London restaurant. He [has not had any more £5 notes for carrylhg bags and does not expect any.

"Is that like him t" he asked.