M
asin& Lnme a Business
Hy George T. Tardy C
True Record of the
Achievement of Fa
mousJohnW. Murray
in Uncovering the
Guilty Parties in the
Menhcim Swamp
Slaughter How the
Slayer Was Un
earthed b y the
Master Sleuth.
OCR ml leg from the little1
ljjj "W I town (if Eastwood, On
Hi I tatio, Canada, Hi ore lies
I n ilnrlf irliwimv mni-Hli
known hh Blenheim
swamp. It Is a deso
late, lonely Mtiot. which
fallen logs and tangled thickets com
bine to render well nigh Impassable
to the foot of t ho curious explorer,
wid at ono edge there lies a pool of
bluck, sullen water yclept l'ine pond.
Far in the depths of this foul morass
on the morning of February 21, 18!)0,
two brothers, Joseph and George. Eld
ridge, while out chopping wood, stum
bled over the lifeless body of a young
man, half burled in the weeds and
brush. In the back of the head was
a round, black hole Indicating where
bullet had ploughed Its fatal way,
find near the nape of the neck was a
similar wound. Kveu to an unexpe
rienced eye it was evident that the
victim had been Hhot down from be
hind, perhaps without obtaining n
glimpse of his cowardly assassin. The
body was that of a smoothly Bhavcn
youth of refined appearance. The
clothing was of excellent quality,
English in style and cut, with a check
taped mackintosh, and underwear also
of Ilritlsh make. There was no cltie
to his Identity. The name of his tai
lor and the label on his clothes had
been cut away and the label on his
brown derby hat removed.
Detective John Wilson Murray of
Toronto was ordered to take tho case
In hand nnd ho went to view tho
big Blenheim swamp where tho body
bad been found. lie gazed upon tho
tell tale crimson splotch where tho
head of the murdered man had lain,
then surveyed tho surrounding ground
and came across a grim trail of ac
cusing red. lie- followed It back a few
paces and found that it ended In ono
great blot of gore, beyond which there
was no further trace of blood. It was
evident that there the shot hnd been
fired that felled the victim. Ills mur
derer had borno tho lifeless body to
the denser placo to hide It. On his
bands and knees Murray crawled
around tho scene of tho crime, going
over tho ground inch by Inch. Three
times he crossed and recrossed tho
fatal trail hoping that he might dis
cover r bit of a label, a button, a
scrap of paper -Anything that might
lend a clue to the history of tho mur
dered man.' At last his exertions
were rewarded by the finding of a ci
gar holder with an amber mouthpiece,
marked F. V. II., and that was all or
the grim secret yielded by the dismal
swamp.
Five days had elapsed since tho
finding of tho body, but though pic
tures of the victim were published in
all the leading Canadian papers and
copies sent to England, no Identifica
tion was made. The body was burled
at Priuceton, a few miles from Hlen
helm. On tho sixth day a man and
womnn arrived at Princeton and asked
to seo the body, saying that they had
seen the picture printed in the pa
pers and fancied they recognized the
features. They had crossed from
Kngland recently, and on the same
ship waB a young mau who resembled
strongly tho picture of the deceased
The body was dug up on March 1, the
lady and gentleman viewed It, nnd
Identified It as the remains of their
fellow passenger.
"We think his name was Henwell,'
they said, "lie was merely a casual
acquaintance aboard ship nnd wo
knew nothing of him."
They returned to Paris, a town
about ten miles from Princeton, nnd
Murray, returning from a visit to the
swamp, went directly to the hotel
where they were staying.
"I am John Wilson Murray of the
department of criminal investigation,"
said the detective. Introducing hlm
. self. "You arc the gentleman who
has been viewing the body found In
the swamp?"
"Yes," said he, "my wife and I
were out at tho grave and saw the
body."
"You were acquainted with the
young man?" queried tho detective.
"Very slightly," was the response.
"I just met him aboard ship."
"What was his name?" Inquired
JA urray.
"I think It was Fred Hontwell or
llenswcll or llenswell," replied the gen
tleman. "We wore fellow passengers
on the Hritannlc of tho White Star
line. He was on his way to London,
Ontario. I last saw him at Niagara
Falls. He hnd a good deal of lug
gage and left some of it."
"Will you bo able to point out his
baggage?" asked Murray.
"Why. yes," responded tho gentle
man. "1 am going to the Falls to day.
Wo only came here because wo saw
the picture In the paper."
"Let me have your name, please, so
that I can find you at the Falls," re
link 'rd Murray.
"Reginald Hirchall of Iondon, Kng
land. I shall be pleased to help you In
any way that Is In my power," replied
the gentleman.
"How was the young man dressed
when you last saw him?" Inquired the
detective.
Murray was . wearing u navy blue
overcoat at the time, and liirchall
touched the sleeve of It lightly.
"Like that," he said, "a whole suit
of blue."
"Did he drink?" asked Murray.
"Yes, ho used to get pretty Jolly at
times," asserted llinchall.
The detective shook his head
gravely.
"That London, Ontario, if a bad
place for a convivial chap," he said.
"They'd kill a fellow there for $5.
Were you ever In this country be
fore?"
"I have been in New York and
Niagara Falls, but never in Canada,"
replied Blrohnll, and having thanked
ill in for tho information given, Mur
ray withdrew.
On Ills way to Uip telegraph office
ho reviewed the conversation that had
just taken place. He had already
reached the conclusion that liirchall
had lied to him.
"Shadow this man," the message
read, "but do not arrest him unless
ho tries to cross the river to the
United Slates. I will bo there Sunday
night."
Further investigation revealed that
Mr. and Mrs. liirchall and a young
man named Douglas Raymond Polly
were guests of Haldwlu's boarding
house at. Niagara Falls, and had ar
rived there tho day after the murder.
Murray called on Polly, who was a
handsome young fellow, five foot nine
Inches tall, of slight build, with a
small, light moustache and decided
English accent. Polly declared that ho
was the Ron of the Rev. R. P. Polly of
Walden Place, vicar of Saffron Wal
den, Essex, England. Ho was 25 years
old, a graduate of Oxford, ami a cousin
of the beautiful Lady Polly, who was
one of the suite of Lord Lansdowne,
formerly governor genernl of Canada,
lie Informed Murray that he know
both the dead man, whose picture was
in tho papers, and liirchall.
"Henwell, liirchall, Mrs. liirchall,
nnd I all came out from England In
one party," said Polly, "liirchall and
Henwell left us for a day and Hen
well never came back. I saw tho pic
ture of tho dead man a few days later,
and I told liirchall it was Bcnwcll and
that ho ought to go and identify the
body nnd mako sure."
Murray spent several hours convers
ing with Polly who was perfectly will
ing to toll all ho knew regarding the
suspect and murdered man. Anions
Illrchall's papers, found in searching
his effects, wore letters corroborative
of what Polly said. The latter, with
his Oxford course finished and tho
world before him, was looking for an
opening in. life, when, in December,
1889, ho read an advertisement in
Iondon, England, newspapers as fol
lows:
"Canada. University man, having
farm, wishes to meet gentleman's son
to live with him and learn the busi
ness, with view to partnership; must
invest 500 to extend stock;
board, lodging, and live per cent. In
terest till partnership arranged. Ad
dress, J. R. Hurchall, Primrose Club,
4 Park Place, St. James, London."
Polly wrote to the ubovo address,
requesting further particulars. In re
ply he received a telegram from J. R.
Hurchall, stating that ho would visit
Walden Place, Saffron Walden, on tho
following Thursday. Polly answered
with a not,e, which was found with
other letters In liirchall's effects, hop
ing that he would stay all night as it
was a long way to conic for such a
short Interview, and also he desired to
have his father moot J. R. Hurchall.
un me appointed day Hurchall ar
rived at Walden Place, and later met
Polly In London, and won over both
son and father.
He pictured to them a large farm
one and a half miles from Niagara
Falls, Ontario, a farm wUh largo
brick houses and barns, the former
heated by steam and lighted by gas
and the latter by electric .light, with
lights placed around tho farm, lie
told of tho big nnd profitable busi
ness, and mentioned the fine fishing,
shooting and other sports to be en:
joyed on the estate. Ho explained
that the business carried on was buy
ing horses In tho rough nnd grooming
them to sell for profit; that the farm
was used to raise horse feed; that
during J. R. RurchaU's absence hla
overseer, a Scotchman named McDon
ald, nnd several hired men looked
after tho farm und business; that ho
had a branch business at Woodstock.
Ontario, and had rooms there, whom
he and his wife lived at times. Ilo
snld a number of Englishmen lived
around Niagara Falls, and that a club
had boon created In which tho mem
Iters lived In English style and had
English servants. Hurchall said lie
had organized the club. The country
was an earthly paradise, with wealth
to bo had for simply sojourning in
the land.-
Completely captivated by this glow
ing description, on January 11, 1S90,
Polly wrote from llolllngton, St, Leon-nrd'son-Sea,
to J. K. Hurchall, say
ing: "Please consider nil settled. If
you will have the agreement drawn
up, 1 will sign it ami forward you a
cheque for 170 at the name
time. I shall look to meeting you on
February first. When you get my
steamer tickets would you be so kind
as to forward mo some steamer la
bels?" At half past eight that evening
liirchall returned to the Stafford
house in liuffalo alone. He was in
high good humor, joking and laughing
pleasantly. In response to Polly's in
quiry for his companion of the morn
ing ho stated that he took Henwell
to tho farm and Introduced him to
McDonald, tho overseer. Later Hen
well told him that he did not like the
place or the people but he had stayed
at the farm when liirchall left for
Huffalo. liirchall also said he had
Riven Henwell several addresses be
fore leaving, so that he could visit
folk in the country roundabout, In
cluding Attorney Ilellniulh of London,
Ontario, who had boon a passenger on
the Hritannlc. Polly began to ask too
many questions, whereupon Hlrcliull
declared he was tired and went to
bed. On the following day they went
to Niagara Falls, taking their lug
gage with them. They crossed to tho
Canada, side and stopped at Mrs.
lialdwln's, liirchall arranging for
rooms and board there.
Soon after their arrival at lialdwln's
liirchall Invited Polly to take a walk
during which tho young man, who was
beginning to suspect that his astute
host was not playing an altogether
straight game, told liirchall that he
had not made good his representa-
mlstrust of liirchall had increased a
thousand fold and he curtly refused to
move from whore he was standing.
Hirchall turned white, looked around
and stepped toward his companion.
As he did so Polly walked on. Hirch
all called to blm sharply: "Come,
walk alongside me," he said. "Your
heavy overcoat will help keep the
rain off mo." Polly shook his head
obstinately and was about to take Po
his heels and run when two men came
walking across the bridge, Hirchall
then ceased to argue with his com
panion and the two made their way
back to Canada, keeping several paces
apart. The next day Hirchall, accom
panied by his wife, went to Paris, On
tario, to view the body of the man
whose picture had appeared in the
papers and shortly after their return
to the Falls the arrest followed.
Murray cabled and wrote at once to
Scotland Yard, London, England, for
Information about liirchall, Polly and
Ilonwoll. He was advised that J. R.
liirchall was none other than the
younger son of the Rev. Joseph Hir
chall, late well-known vicar of church
kirk and rural dean of Whalloy. After
completing his course at Oxford, young
Hirchall, who had achieved a reputa
tion for wildnoss during his college
days, went to London. There, lie
eloped with Florence Stevenson,
daughter of David Stevenson, for 50
years master of transportation of t lie
London and Northwestern railroad,
liirchall's favorite club at this time,
November, 1KS8, was tho Iladminton
club, 100 Picadilly, W. When ho
made ready to leave England after his
marriage, he cashed cheques for 25
at the Hadmliiton dub, and C.
Stewart Sproat, secretary of tho club,
wrote him on January 7, lSltO, when
he was back in England, to send the
cash without further delay.
He and his bride sailed for America
In the fall of 1SS8. They wrote to
David Stevenson from America, and
early In IbS'J Hirchall wrote from
Woodstock, Ontario, to creditors at
lie verified the dates of arrival and
departure at tho Metropolitan hotel of
the party of four, and their arrival at
the Stafford house, Buffalo, on Feb
ruary 16. At the Stafford house he
ascertained tho tact that, on the day
following their arrival. Pelly and Mrs.
Hirchall stayed at the hotel, while
liirchall and Henwell were called be
fore six o'clock and went away to
gether. Hirchall returned In the even
ing but Henwell never returned.
The next step was to follow the
course of Hirchall and Henwell after
leaving the Stafford house on Febru
ary 17. Conductor William II. Poole,
running on the Grand Trunk railroad
between Niagara Falls and Windsor,
asserted that lie had two passengers
who got off his train at Eastwood,
four miles from Blenheim swamp.
Their description answered that of
liirchall and Henwell. The train
stopped at Eastwood at 11:14 that
morning. Matthew Virtue, a bailiff of
Woodstock, was on the train. As it
left Eastwood he saw two young Eng
lishmen walking away from the sta
tion, one of them wearing a cape coat.
A Miss Lockhart of Hlandford was on
tho train. A couple of seats ahead of
her sat two young Englishmen. As
the train approached Eastwood her at
tention was drawn to them by the
manner in which they were talking
about the land. They wero admiring
fields which had nothing about them
to be admired. One was easy to iden
tify by the big astrakhan cap he wore.
She saw them alight at Eastwood and
walk north.
Alfred Hay ward and his wife saw
the pair leave Eastwood station. John
Crosby, a young farmer living in
Blenheim township, was driving in
Governor's road about noon when he
saw the two young men walking to
wards Blenheim swamp. Miss Allle
Fallon, who lived with her mother a
short distance from Blenheim swamp,
saw them pass the house on the road
leading past the marsh. One, in a
enpe overcoat, walked ahead of his
9Q4 f m Mk
jTOriUED OVER. THE
1 UFELE5S BODY OF A
Y0UI1G NAN -HALF BURIED
.IN THE WEED5 yiND.BRUtfi
tions. liirchall gave an evasive re
ply, and under pretense of showing his
companion the beauties of the Niagara
river, took him down an old rotten
stairway that led over the cliffs to
the edge of the water. At the bottom
of the shaky stops there stood a
stranger, the sight of whom seemed
to annoy Hirchall, for without linger
ing to admire the view he turned nnd
retraced his steps. Returning to their
rooms they saw a newspaper contain
ing the account of the discovery of
the body of a murdered man near
Woodstock, nnd Hirchall proposed that
Polly should go (lure and see if the
remains wore those of Henwell. This
sinister remark aroused fresh sus
picions In Polly's mind and alarmed
him to such an extent that he slipped
a revolver into his pocket, determining
to carry it in the future.
On the next day liirchall persuaded
Polly to go over to the American side
of the river with him, under the pre
tense of looking after some missing
baggage. It was raining nnd blowing
hard when they started to walk back
to Canada across the Suspension
bridge. There wire no other pedes
trlnns In sight as they Heated the
center of the bridne and Hirchall. halt
ing, requested Polly to look over the
cables nt the roaring torrent below.
"The view Is superb," he said, ns
he leaned over the edge, "come and
see it."
Polly saw that It would be an ca:y
thing to thrust an unsuspecting per
son over the cable into the river. His
Oxford, saying that he was in the em
ploy of Somerset & Co., Brook street,
Woodstock, and would pay his debts
promptly, in the summer of 18S!)
Hirchall and his wife returned to Eng
land and lived with Mr. Stevenson.
Then it was that liirchall began ad
vertising, under the name of J. R.
Hurchall, address the Primrose Club,
for young men with money to go to
Canada and learn farming. IVHy's
father was. as he had stated, vicar of
Saffron Walden. Essex, nnd BenwcH's
father whs Col. Henwell of Chelten
ham. At Woodstock Murray learned that
Hirchall and his wife arrived there
from England in the nntumn of 1SS8
to look over farm lands and enjoy the
country life of Canada. Hirchall nnd
his wife passed as Lord and Iady
Somerset. They lived gayly and
seemed to have money befitting their
rank In life. They were fond of driv
ing and picnics, nnd ono of the spots
"Lord Somerset" visited on various
occasions was Pine Pond, which was
surrounded by Blenheim swamp.
When thc r turned to England. "Lord
and Lady Somerset" departed from
Woodstock very suddenly, leaving nu
merous unpaid bills behind them.
When Hirchall ngaln sniled for
America It was not In the role of I-ord
Soniersrh. He came accompanied by
Ids wife. Polly and Henwell, ami the
fottr arrived In Now York on the Bri
tannic on February II. From this
date Murray took tip the trail and
verified the truth of Polly's narrative.
companion. She had known Iord
Somerset by sight the year before
nnd thought tho man walking behind
was that nobleman. James Rapson
owner of a swamp adjoining Blenheim
swamp, was out with his men cutting
timber about one o'clock in the after
noon, when he heard two pistol shots
fired in rapid succession in Blenheim
swamp.
Thus Murray completed his chain of
evidence to tho swamp and the very
hour of the murder when the assassin
was alono In the swamp with his vie
tim. Tho shots wero fired about one
o'clock, half an hour after Miss Fallon
had seen the men pass. Hirchall had
evidently pointed out land from the
car window as rrt of his farm, nnd
told Henwell they would take a short
cut through the woods to it. Henwell
was a credulous youth and innocently
entered the swamp and started up the
winding path. It was nn easy matter
for Hirchall to drop behind a moment
white Ben well was pressing eagerly on
anxious for a view of the farm the
farm lie was never to see.
les than two miles of Eastwood and
he could get to Woodstock from there
as easily as from Gables Corners. Tho
man thanked him and walked on to
ward Eastwood at a rapid pace.
At three o'clock Miss Alice Smith
arrived at the Eastwood station to
post a letter. As she was going into
the station gate she came face to face
with Lord Somerset, who had been la
Woodstock the year before, and who
had called at the home of her grand
father, John Hay ward at Eastwood.
Somerset wore an astrakhan cap. He
came up to Miss Smith and shook
hands, saying: "How do you do?
Don't you remember me?" and asked
after her family and grandfather. Ho
told Miss Smith he was coming back
later, and then bought a ticket for
Hamilton. Miss Mary Swazie, another
young lady of Eastwood, also was at
tho station for the three o'clock train,
and saw the stranger. His trousers
were turned up and his shoes were
muddy. Miss Ida Cromwell of East
wood also saw him at the station.
James Hay ward, an Eastwood store
keeper, saw him at the station and
recognized the so-called Iord Somer
set. At 3:38 the train for Niagara Falls
reached Eastwood and the stranger in
the fur cap climbed aboard. George
Hay, a brakeman, saw and remem
bered him distinctly and Identified
liirchall positively as the man. Other
witnesses also identified him, their
evidence covering Hirchall's trail up
to his return to the Stafford house,
Huffalo, at 8:30 at night. Witnesses
also identified the dead body of Ben
well as that of the young man with
Dirchall on tho train to Eastwood, and
on the road to the swamp, Hirchall,
according to the detectives deduc
tions, had four hours and 24 minutes
In which to walk the four miles from
Eastwood to the swamp, do the mur
der, and walk back to Eastwood. He
arrived at 11:14 in the morning and
departed at 3:38 in the afternoon. If
he took three hours to walk the eight
miles, he still had one hour and 24
minutes for the crime.
As a final proof of Hirchall's guilt,
Murray was advised by the London,
England, police that Col. Henwell had
Just received from Hirchall an undat
ed letter, headed with the address of
Niagara Falls. The postmark revealed
Its date as February 20, three days
after Hirchall left Henwell dead in
in the swamp. In this letter Birchall
asked that $500 be sent him at1 once,
adding: "I have been talking to your
son to-day about arrangements, and he
Is so well satisfied with the prospect
here that he is ready to go immediate
ly into the partnership, and he Is
writing to you to-day on the subject."
The $500 asked for was to be the
first payment on $2,500 which Col.
Henwell was to send to hla son for
I'lrchell If the farm and prospects
pleased the youth. Pelly identified
the body found on February 18 as Ben-
well's body, and therefore Hirchall
could not have been talking to him
on February 20. Instead of writing
to his father on February 20, Henwell
was lying cold in death. Having
found witnesses who Identified BTr-
chall as the bogus Lord Somerset, who
had made frequent visits to Blenheim
swamp the year before, and had
learned the path to Pine Pond, the
lake in the swamp that is supposed to
be bottomless, Murray knew that his
case was complete.
liirchall had embarked in business
as a murderer. He had deliberately
planned the crimes and fitted himself
for the practice of his profession.
While masquerading as Lord Somer
set he had selected the bottomless
lake known as line Pond for the grave
that would tell no tales. The Blen
heim swamp he marked as the place
of slaughter. He was familiar with
the emigration business, through his
father-in law's knowledge of it, and
conceived the idea of taking rich
young men instead of poor Immi
grants. Ho created an imaginative
farm and went back to England seek
ing victims, but. made the mistake of
taking two Instead of ene. Even
then his plans were well laid. He In'
tended to kill Henwell In the swamp
and shove Pelly into tho whirlpool
rapids. Neither body would be found
for h would bury Henwell In the bot
tomless lake and Pelly would vanish
In the rapids. If one of the Elrldgcs
had not slipped in the swamp he
would not have stepped upon Hen
well's body, revealing tho crime. Bir
chall had not meant to leave the body
where anyone could find it. He waa
heading for Pine Pond when ho slew
Henwell and intended to drag the
body there, lint a recent storm had
Bwept the swamp and choked with do
brls the path to the bottomless lake.
With Henwell and Pelly vanished from
oft the face of tho earth, Birchall
would have collected through bogus
letters to tho fond parents tho sum
Btill due from his victims and then
returned to England in pursuit of
other prey.
Hirchall's trial began at Woodstock,
Ontario, on September 22, 1J90. The'
case attracted world-wldo attention
and the English newspapers as well
as those of France. Germany and
Italy printed columns upon columns
of the proceedings. Despite the bril
liant and desperate fight made by the
prisoner's counsel to save his client
the evidence gathered by Murray was
too convincing to he set aside. Blr-
M nan Pas, . o varies muck b rhu WIlfl fomi(, sentenced
young farmer living on tho road be- , ... ,...,.,, ntl v ' ' ' nr.
tween Eastwood and Blenheim swamp,
was driving homo from Woodstock
when, ut the crossroads leading to
Eastwood, a man turned the corner
from the Blenheim swamp road nnd
started for Eastwood. The man wore
a fur cap, and li'1 stopped and asked
Mr. Buck the way to Gables Corners,
as he wished to .et to Woodstock.
Buck told him ho was within much
hi in- ii.iiigcu on .-November 14 i?
wont to his doom bravely on a cold
gray morning, walked out In the
prison yard unsupported and mounted
the scaffold with a steady step. The
dn-p fell, and an Inert figure dangled
i t the end of a rope, swinging to and
fro In the chill wind. Frederick Ben
well hnd been avenged by the law.
H'opvrl jlil. i,v vv ,.,,.