Tobias Gregson shows what he can do.
Thepapersnextdaywerefullofthe“BrixtonMystery,”astheytermedit. Eachhadalongaccountoftheaffair,andsomehadleadersuponitinaddition. Therewassomeinformationinthemwhichwasnewtome. Istillretaininmyscrap-booknumerousclippingsandextractsbearinguponthecase. Hereisacondensationofafewofthem:—
TheDailyTelegraphremarkedthatinthehistoryofcrimetherehadseldombeenatragedywhichpresentedstrangerfeatures. TheGermannameofthevictim,theabsenceofallothermotive,andthesinisterinscriptiononthewall,allpointedtoitsperpetrationbypoliticalrefugeesandrevolutionists. TheSocialistshadmanybranchesinAmerica,andthedeceasedhad,nodoubt,infringedtheirunwrittenlaws,andbeentrackeddownbythem. AfteralludingairilytotheVehmgericht,aquatofana,Carbonari,theMarchionessdeBrinvilliers,theDarwiniantheory,theprinciplesofMalthus,andtheRatcliffHighwaymurders,thearticleconcludedbyadmonishingtheGovernmentandadvocatingacloserwatchoverforeignersinEngland.
TheStandardcommenteduponthefactthatlawlessoutragesofthesortusuallyoccurredunderaLiberalAdministration. Theyarosefromtheunsettlingofthemindsofthemasses,andtheconsequentweakeningofallauthority. ThedeceasedwasanAmericangentlemanwhohadbeenresidingforsomeweeksintheMetropolis. Hehadstayedattheboarding-houseofMadameCharpentier,inTorquayTerrace,Camberwell. Hewasaccompaniedinhistravelsbyhisprivatesecretary,Mr.JosephStangerson.