AT THE TOLL OF THE BELL.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8581, 7 September 1893, Page 2

AT THE TOLL OF THE BELL.

» — A CURIOSITY OP CRIME. For certain reasons real names and dates are withheld in the followingextraordinary narrative. The scene of the story is a village in the West of England, which we will call Chesdale. It lies about five miles from a large .market town, for which the name of Chalmscott will here suffice. About flve-and-twenty years ago there resided in Chesdale a well-to-do farmer named Dalton. He had an only sob, who, being in hi 9 twenty-seventh year, and a hard-working, business-like fellow, was of the. greatest assistance in the business. There was also living in the village a young veterinary surgeon named Selwood, who had succeeded to a pretty large practice in the neighbourhood on the death of his father, and who had a small independent income in addition. These two young men were rivals for the hand of the exceedingly pretty daughter of another farmer, whose place was situated about two miles out of Chesdale. The lady for some time oscillated between the two swains, but at last decided in favour of young Dalton, with the result—Selwood being of a rather passionate nature —that a violent quarrel took place between the successful suitor and his vanquished rival, which nearly led to blows. But although the breach remained unhealed, no further open unpleasantness occurred between them. Some weeks afterwards the whole neigh, bourhood was thrown into a state of the most intense excitement by the discovery late one evening of the dead body of young Dalton lying in the road about a mile and a half out of Chesdale, on the way to Chalmscott. Two respectable inhabitants of the village, walking home about halfpast nine, found the body of the unfortunate young fellow. His horse was quietly nibbling the grass which bordered the pathway, a few yards abead. The coolest of the two men stayed with the body, whilst the other, mounting the horse, rode off to the village for assistance. He was soon back in company with the doctor and a posse of inhabitants, and an examination took place. The medical testimony was emphatic—firstly that Dalton was dead, and, secondly, that he had met hia death by strangulation. The evidence elicited by the coroner was of the most meagre kind. According to Mr Dalton, hU son had been over to Chalmscott market, from which he was returning when he met his fate. No motive for the crime could be imagined. The few shillings found on the body would be about the amount the hapless man would have left after making certain payments. An open draft drawn by the farmer on his.bankers for a sum of £150, which he had desired his son to cash for him-was still in hi* pocket-book, which, it should be aala>iad been found by his side, having apparently been jerked out of his pocket during the struggle, which there was every evidence of having taken place between the-murdered man and bis unknown assailant, or assailants. Dalton senior could not account in any way for his son not having cashed this draft, as requested, except that having an unusual amount of business to transact, he had left it until it was too late. Nothing further was forthcoming to shed a light either ou the identity of the perpetrator of the crime or on his motive for its committal, and the jury returned a verdict of "Wilful murder against some person or persons unkaown." In view of the bad blood that' was known to have existed between the deceased and young Selwood it was but natural that suspicion should fall upon the latter. And although the detective set to work to unravel the mystery made inquiries which resulted in proving that the deed could not possibly have been committed bj him, he found things so unpleasant chat in the course of a few months he sold his practice and left the neighbourhood for good. One of the noted characters of Chesdale was one George Strange, a man of about fifty years of age, who united the offices of sexton and bellringer in the parish. He also officiated in the capacity of organblower and had something to do with the cleaning of the church. By these united labours he contrived to earn sufficent for a frugal living. This Strange was a native of Chesdale, his father having kept a small alehouse in the village. He (Strange) had in his youth shown a preference for the society of a small number of other lads, idle and vicious by nature, who were the scandal of the place. All efforts to reclaim him were fruitless, and the end of it was that one fine day he dis appeared without a word of warning, all the parental ready money vanishing at precisely the same time. For five-and-twenty years Mr Strange remained absent from his native place. At the end of that time, when his parents were dead (he had no other relations in Chesdale) and he himself was all but foreotteo, he made his reappearance as suddenly as he had taken hi 9 departure. A few of the younger villagers remembered him, and his return soon got about. Public curiosity was Intense as to what had brought him back, if he proposed to settle down there, and, if so, how he intended to support himself. Strange evinced not the slightest disinclination to answer every question put to him. He had got tired of knocking about the world, he declared, and had come to settle down and finish his days in his native vUlage. He'd saved a little money, enough to last for a few months, until something turned up. He hoped somebody would give him a fair chance, although he had been a bit of a rascal in the old days. It was his intention to turn over a new leaf now, and make up for the past. These utterances, coupled with the steadiness with which he applied himself to the carrying out of various odd jobs that were entrusted to-h»m during the next few months, caused him to be regarded with a favourable eye, and when the old sexton and bell-ringer died some time afterwards he commanded interest enough to get appointed to the vacant post, by which, as we have already remarked, he contrived to pick up a very decent livelihood. Strange, who was about forty-five years of ace when he returned, was of a reserved and taciturn disposition. Taking tip his residence at the, cottage of'an old friend of his named Wild, he kept himself >to himself, rarely mixing with his fellow villagers in any way. Another old crony named Simmonds was the only person, apart from Wild, admitted to his coraSanionship. Chesdale folk shook their cads ominously at this alliance. Wild bore anything but a stainless reputation. ;He obtained a living in a very irregular way, and although he had never been caught he was strongly suspected to know more about some of the neighbouring game preserves than he had a right. Simmonds, who was a farm labourer and worked for the elder Dalton, amongst others, was not held in very high respect bythe respectable part of Chesdale. Five years passed by, during which Strange'a conduct was above reproach, and so more was *aid or thought of the strange companionship he had thought proper to keep. Then came the murder of young Dalton, from which time, although it was not generally noticed, the bond of onion between the three men became closer than ever. To ail appearances there never was a more devoted trio than this. This devotion was strikingly manifest when at the end of about seven years Simmonds was taken ill and died. The sexton especially seemed almost inconsolable, ana when some three years later his sole

remaining frfend, Wild, lay sick unto ( death, Strange's concern was greater than eT Andnow came the day when Wild was reported to be sinking fast. It" was on a summer's evening about five o clock, and the sexton, meeting the doctor coming.out of the cottage, inquired how the patient ,v Very bad indeed," was the reply; "if he lasts beyond another two hours it wui be about as, much as he wilL I ani coming back again shortly, but I can do no B< The intelligence, although not unexpected, aeemed to agitate the sexton most profoundly. He passed into the cottage, threw himself into a chair, and remained for quite half an hour in a painful reverie. At length, apparently fully determined upon some line of action, he pulled himself together, fetched pen, ink, and paper, and wrote a short note, which he sealed and addressed aud then placed m bis pocket. He then took the key of the church from its customary resting Place, left the cottage, and proceeded, with a pallid but determined face and hasty strides, in the direction of the sacred building. Arrived there he unlocked the door, aud then stood waiting as if for somebody to come. In a few minutes one of the village boys came along, ! Strange accosted, asking him if he had a mind to earn a shilling for himself. The boy answered readily in the affirmative. " Very well, then, it's easy done. You ye only to take this letter to Jem Wild's cottage, and say he's to have it directly. It s very important, and you inusn'c make a mistake or get stopping anywhere. You understand ?" ....... The lad took the letter and the shilling, and with a nod of intelligence went off in the direction of the cottage. Strange followed him with hU eyes until he was out of sight, when he pushed back the ancient church door and entered, closing the door behind him. The young messenger used every dispatch, and ten minutes later the letter was brought.to the bedside of the moribund Wild, with whom sat both the doctor and (he clergyman, in addition to the dying man's married sister. In response to a faint sign from Wild, the clergyman broke the seal of the letter, aud as he did so the whole party was j startled by the unexpected tolling of the j church bell, the sound of which at that very moment came floating across the fields and in at the open window. | The reverend gentleman, after a short pause, cast his eyes on the open letter, and then read as follows: "To James Wild. The'doctor tells mc you are dyiog. By the time you receive this I shall have put an end to myself. The tolling of the bell presently will warn you that you are the last man, Remember your oath. Goodbye j_gkorge Strangk." The effect of the remarkable letter on the dying Wild was very extraordinary; he became greatly agitated. " Give mc some brandy," he gasped. " Don't let mc die until I have confessed what is weighing on my soul." After swallowing a little of the restorative he revealed the following j terrible story: The murder of young Mr Dalton had been I committed by Strange, Wild andSimmonds between them. The latter being in the employ of the elder Dalton had, by accident, on the morning of the crime, overheard about the cashing of the cheque, and had suggested to his two pals the Idea j of disguising themselves, waylaying the young man on his way home at night aud robbing him of the money. It seemed such a safe thing to do, and the sum was so tempting that the scheme was unanimously agreed to. They did not intend to use greater violence than was necessary to secure the booty, and bind Dalton's hands and feet to prevent the possibility of his giving the alarm until they had sheered off. But the unfortunate young fellow struggled so desperately when pulled off his horse that his assailants, fearful of discovery, strangled him. And then came the bitter disappointment on finding no signs of the gold, for which they had committed the blackest of crimes. They left the body there, and In a roundabout way reached their homes, unseen by any living soul. But on the day of the funeral, by the suggestion of Strange, they took an oath of the most solemn kind that he of the three who should survive his other two accomplices should in his last hours make full confession. Shortly after this strange tale was told, Wild died. The doctor and clergyman, together with several other people of the village, made their way to the church, and, going Into the belfry, found the sexton hanging to the befirope, dead. Resolved not to outlive the last of his partners in guilt, he had hanged himself, having by the act tolled his.own deathknell. — Licensed VictuaZters'Gazette.