The Mystery of a Hansom Cab | Page 7

in Saturday's issue:--'Another hansom
cabman called at the police office, and gave a clue which will, no doubt,
prove of value to the detectives in their search for the murderer. He
states that he was driving up the St. Kilda Road on Friday morning
about halfpast one o'clock, when he was hailed by a gentleman in a
light coat, who stepped into the cab and told him to drive to Powlett
Street, in East Melbourne. He did so, and, after paying him, the
gentleman got out at the corner of Wellington Parade and Powlett
Street and walked slowly up Powlett Street, while the cab drove back to
town. Here all clue ends, but there can be no doubt in the minds of our
readers as to the identity of the man in the light coat who got out of
Royston's cab on the St. Kilda Road, with the one who entered the
other cab and alighted therefrom at Powlett Street. There could have
been no struggle, as had any taken place the cabman, Royston, surely
would have heard the noise. The supposition is, therefore, that the
deceased was too drunk to make any resistance, and that the other,

watching his opportunity, placed the handkerchief saturated with
chloroform over the mouth of his victim. Then after perhaps a few
ineffectual struggles the latter would succumb to the effects of his
inhalation. The man in the light coat, judging from his conduct before
getting into the cab, appears to have known the deceased, though the
circumstance of his walking away on recognition, and returning again,
shows that his attitude towards the deceased was not altogether a
friendly one.
"The difficulty is where to start from in the search after the author of
what appears to be a deliberate murder, as the deceased seems to be
unknown, and his presumed murderer has escaped. But it is impossible
that the body can remain long without being identified by someone, as
though Melbourne is a large city, yet it is neither Paris nor London,
where a man can disappear in a crowd and never be heard of again. The
first thing to be done is to establish the identity of the deceased, and
then, no doubt, a clue will be obtained leading to the detection of the
man in the light coat who appears to have been the perpetrator of the
crime. It is of the utmost importance that the mystery in which the
crime is shrouded should be cleared up, not only in the interests of
justice, but also in those of the public--taking place as it did in a public
conveyance, and in the public street. To think that the author of such a
crime is at present at large, walking in our midst, and perhaps preparing
for the committal of another, is enough to shake the strongest nerves. In
one of Du Boisgobey's stories, entitled 'An Omnibus Mystery,' a
murder closely resembling this tragedy takes place in an omnibus, but
we question if even that author would have been daring enough to write
about a crime being committed in such an unlikely place as a hansom
cab. Here is a great chance for some of our detectives to render
themselves famous, and we feel sure that they will do their utmost to
trace the author of this cowardly and dastardly murder."


CHAPTER II.

THE EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST.
At the inquest held on the body found in the hansom cab the following
articles taken from the deceased were placed on the table:--
1. Two pounds ten shillings in gold and silver.
2. The white silk handkerchief which was saturated with chloroform,
and was found tied across the mouth of the deceased, marked with the
letters O.W. in red silk.
3. A cigarette case of Russian leather, half filled with "Old Judge"
cigarettes. 4. A left-hand white glove of kid--rather soiled--with black
seams down the back. Samuel Gorby, of the detective office, was
present in order to see if anything might be said by the witnesses likely
to point to the cause or to the author of the crime.
The first witness called was Malcolm Royston, in whose cab the crime
had been committed. He told the same story as had already appeared in
the ARGUS, and the following facts were elicited by the Coroner:--
Q. Can you give a description of the gentleman in the light coat, who
was holding the deceased when you drove up?
A. I did not observe him very closely, as my attention was taken up by
the deceased; and, besides, the gentleman in the light coat was in the
shadow.
Q Describe him from what you saw of him.
A. He was fair, I think, because I could see his moustache, rather tall,
and in evening dress,