A SCOURGE OF ANARCHISTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 152, 24 December 1903, Page 2

A SCOURGE OF ANARCHISTS.

RETIREMENT OF A FAMOUS DETECTIVE. SOME rERS*ONAL NOTES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, 13th November. On tho 30th inst. a wry fuuious man will retire into pr,ivato life- after a, public career which hns bwn in many respects without precedent, aliko for importance and for sensation of incident. Superintendent William Melville, Chief of tho Political Branch of the oJulectivo Service at Scotland Yard, has Been thirty-one years' servico in the force. For years past ho has been tho chosen special guardian of our own Sovereign and h« predecessor, of Queen. Alexandra, tho Princo of Wales, and of all the foreign Sovereigns who havo visited this country.. Thanks to his unremitting wa toilful ness, in no instance hns any ono of theso illustrious personages oomo to harm. His exertions and vigilance have been splendidly acknowledged in tho way of gifts sufficient to stock a moot interesting museum. The recipient, however, is about the lnst man living likely to deck himself out in jowclkry and trinkets, but ho cherishes these superb gifts with a natural pride in view of tho great nnd historic sources from whenco ho derived thorn. But Melville's mission in lifo was twofold—to • protect, on tho ono hand, to destroy on tho other— and ho was equally successful in each. Just as through his vigilant guardianship, tho crowned .heads nnd other illustrious personage* wm> visited this country, or went from tlus country abroad, havo passed unscathed amid all the perils and menaces that constantly surrounded them, so also the infamous enemies who constituted those porils, and whoso existence wns a constant menace, have been shadowed and hunted down by Mervillo until it may fairly bo eaid that in Britain, at any rate, anarchism lias boon practically, destroyed and made- virtually impossible by him alone. This may seem n good .deal to say, but it can be bomo out fully and literally by facts that are within my own knowledge, derived pirtly from Mr. Mel* ville himself, but also corroborated by other information in my possession. Tho story of hia career, if ever published in full, would certainly constitute one of tho most' remarkable records ever placed beforo tho public. During tho current week, since tho announcement was made of his intention to retire, the daily papers have, been full of stories and statements about tho famous detective, but in most instances they do not quit© reproduce what actually happened, according to the Superintendent himself. It is not easy to givo a pen-picturo of this remarkable man. On the occasion of my firet meeting with him I should certainly have taken him for anything in the world rather than 'for whnt ho was. It came about thus : I luid travelled down to Brighton ono Sunday morning after tho celebrated "Pullman Limited" timed to do tho 51 miles from London •to Brighton in tho even hour, had been put on by the London, Brighton, and South Coast Company. ' Wo into ruled to break tho record, but we didn't. A trivinl disarrangement of tho engino spoiled tho run on that occasion, nnd we arrived three minutes late. I wus spending tho day with the Resident Engineer at Brighton, and I found as a fellow-guest a pleasant, genial-looking gentleman, well advanced in middln ago, fairly tall— or, at any rate, above middle height — well proportioned, perhaps inclining to stoutness, and witli. a- slight military touch about his bearing. Jlis faco was cleanshaven save for a mouatacho, in which, us woll as in his cropped hair, a tinge- of grey was beginning to show itself in somo Abundance. 110 might luivo been a country squiro or a well-to-do London merchant; in fact, almost anything but the greatest living detective officer. I have called him "genial" ; as a-, nule tliat word is vapid and unmeaning. But in tho present cnot> it does seem rather to express uio idea I formed of Superintendent Melville, lie talked with perfect quiet simplicity and utter absence of ostentation or <J side," and while lio conversed well nnd freely and brightly upon current topics of interest, it wus a. long timo before the faintest hint escaped him as to his vocation in life or liis special experiences. When ho waa introduced to me simply as "Mr. Melville," it never occurred to mo to associate him with tho terrible avenger of tho law , of whom 1 hnd heard and read so much, happened i to express regret tlint wo had failed to make our "record," whereupon ho remarked, "Well, ib was quito fust enough for me. When you are going to travel faster than that just let mo know, and I will not be there. I imagined ho was a littlo timid of high speed, us are. eomo of my elderly friends, and it is quito possible that, liko so many men of extra* ordinary bravery, lio may havo beeu a J shade nervous in one- particular reapoct. I am inclinad to suspect, however, that his professed timidity was merely v little I bit of nannies humbug. By degrees, us ho "warmed up," whilo wo sat around the fire, he began to cull from "tho moonlight of memory" many curious experiences. As to most of there my lips are sealed in tho meantime. But thero are ono or two which it can do no harm to rofor to, ebpeciully us one at any rate of them has beon printed in a somewhat' garbled and incomplete form by j, London papci. I have already said that Superintendent Melville was a veritable scourge of the anarchist community. Ho might have been created fpr tho express purpose of detecting, pursuing, and destroying them, for all theso three things he did with a skill that deemed almost suporhuman, and with a rclcutlessnoss that knew no weakoning or hesitation. Many of my New Zealand readers may recollect tho Ravachol murder in a Paris restaurant, ono of a number of atrocious crimes committed at that period by tho French, anarchists. One- of tho anarchists who was sneuially "wanted"- by the French authorities was the malefactor Meunier, who was believed to havo escaped to Mug. land, but who was known to contemplute an early departure for some other part o*f .tho European Continent thnn France. Information wus duly sent to Scotlund Vurd, and as a matter of course tho matter caino into tho hands of Mr. Molville, who instantly organised a complete supervision of every locality to which Meunier would have beon likely to resort, and also every railway station from which ho could mako his escapo for tho Continent,. Melville himself had formed a stiong mipression that Meunier, who had reached London by ny extraordinary circuitous route, in tact via America, would travel by tho 9 p.m. Continental mail from Victoria Station, London. Accordingly Mr. Melville, with characteristic confidence in I in his own. resources, resolved thnt that should be his own point of guard, it has been stated that he went "uloiie." That is accuiate in the sense that ho took none of his men, but he was not alone in another sense, for ho was accompanied by his wife, who on that occasion proved herself eminently worthy of hor distinguished husband in respect of quickness of perception, coolness, and courage. Mind, this story is ns I received it from Melvillo himself. < I may explain that ha resides nt Clapham, and we frequently are follow-pat-gengers to and from tho city. Thus evon had he beon recognised d» being ut Vlc^ toria Station with hi« wifo, returning homo by an evening train, that "would havo seemed a mew matter of couise, nnd would not havt> excited any fcus-j uicioii. However, ns it turned out, no* body khew him, and' he and his wifo while apparently looking for t-hea suburban train, strolled easily about the ylut- •

form, looking ut. the book-stdllH and t)it>ntricul po.steis -without tho slightest symptom of being on the watch for anybody. For a good uliilfe, indeed, until just us the mail tiain was on tho verge of starting, tho anxiously expected quarry did not appear. Suddenly uo Mr. Melvillo wus luuning over un illustrated paper at the bookstall, I ho- corner of his loft eyo showed him the- very -man, Mounter, hurrying to catch/ Jue> train. By this timo tho Superintendent liftd .almost given him up, suspecting' cither, thnt- Meunier hud roceived somo warning or that ho hud voluntarily altered his" plane. However, thero he was at last. "So 1 just said to my wife," continuud Mr. Molville, " 'My dear, 1 wish you Would just go into tho waiting-room for a few minutes. I havo recollected something I must do bofore we leave, and I will come to you as soon "as I can.' And so she appeared to do, but, of cour&e, blio had not lived with mo all these years without knowing a Jiltlo 6f my "'ays, and sho guessed at once that thero was something up, and that I was going to attempt a capture, although I thought it better not oven to hint anything about it to her beforehand. I knew Meunier was well armed— in fact, when he wus searched it was proved that ho had re- 1 volvors and knives all over him. And so I thought it bettor to secure assistance). | So I went to one of , the" station policemen and asked him .to "kelp me in an important capture.' "110 was rather flat tored at first, and .willingly assented, but I thought it right to caution him that. the man wo wcreaf^er was an anarchist, and certain to bo armed, ond then ho remarked that h6 'though* ho ought to consult his Inspectoli before ho wont m for work of that kind. Accordingly I sent him away with injunctions to hold his tongub. "I saw I should have to do the whoiO thing myself," continued Mr. Melvillo, "so watching my opportunity, I rushed upon Mounier and grappled with him. Ho was as active as a cat, and wo had a long" and desperate struggle- before E could get him under control. Ho, of courflo, was .striving all tho while to get at a revolver or a knUe, and I, of couise, t was doing my best to prevent him. For if he could onco have got his hand into , his pocket my chance would have been a, ' poor ono. Naturally in the struggle both our hats fell oft", and them seemed ultimately to disappear, but 1 hud something olso to think oi than hats. My original plan had beon to persuado him if possible to como away quietly with mo in a cab, but 1 saw that this was impracticable, aad so thoro was nothing for it but to fight the battlo out. We both, rolled oft tho platform over and ovc* ono anothor, much, to tho astonishment I dare say of the bystandors, for our struggle was the first intimation of anything being up. I was bigger nnd 'stronger .than Mourner, buo ho wus wouderfqlly- tpugh and active, and seemed for tho time" to have almost superhuman strength, us is the case with lunatics. But iv tho ond 1 managed to get him safely handuufiVl M>d harmless. Then I put him into a cab aud got in with him. 1 ' , ri .. And then came tho comedy after Uie farce. Tho loyal nnd watchful Mrs. Melvillo, who, with duo wifely thoughtfulness, had promptly picked up her husband's hat when it fell, and who had also Tcacucd tho hat of Mounter, now approached tho cab window, carrying ft hat in each hand. Sho was perfectly calm, and though doubtless she mu»t havo suffered terrible anxiety during that life and death struggle between the anarchit* and his cn/ptor, slio preserved perfect outward t>rmg froid. "My dear/ she said, " hero is your hut ; and thi«, I think, is tho other gentleman's ! Was it not a- droll anti-climax to such a potential tragedy? On another occasion • Superintendent Melville executed ft plan which ho had long been maturing for finally breaking up that pestilent nest of dangerous anarchists whicn was located in Windmillstioet, a small thoroughfuro off Tottenham Court-road. " Ho conceded a strong force of constabulary all nrouud tho building where theso sanguinary ruffians wero known to bo holding a meeting in tv flrst-lloor room. It was impossible that they,' should oscapo by breaking through this cordon, but thfy wore known to uo armed to the toeth, and it was recogni&ed as being nn oven chance whether tho first constnb'.o who advanced would not meet with instant death. Nevortholess, Melvillo oharucterustically determined that ho would load, tho ussault. _ Ho did, rushing, into, their room with a rcvolvur nt full cock h& teok-Uieui by surprise, and" so cowed thorn that oy tho timo hie men had followed* him into Iho room M chtpice o{ a serious 'strugglo had disappeared.' That affair wns virtually fho aoaUi-blow to anarchism in this country. They had learned that no matter how carefully precautions were taken they could not escape tho omnipresent oyc of tho terrible Melville, and since thai dnto the outrages by dynuinito and otherwise! which had become ho unpleasantly prevalent, almost entirely ceased. Tho organisation then "built tip has been continued over since, and could bo brought to benr at any moment on dangerous or even suspicious character)). I may add that for his gallant capture of Meunier, Sup- ', erintendcu't Melvillo was awarded the Fronch Legion of Honour, together with other gratifying recognitions of the (.kill und prowess he had displayed. When tho German Emperor visited this country in January, 1901, on tho occasion of tho lato Qucon's funeral, Mr. Melville was specially entrusted with the euro of this most illustrious guest, hi addition to elaborate and impressive interactions ■ which ho received from the British Government, ho was also particularly nnd urgently implored by Princo Henry of Prussia never to lose sight of tho Kaiser oven for a moment, ana so far as it wan humanly possiblo Mr. Molvillo literally obeyed that injunction. And this enabled him to know uuotlier phuao of his extraordinary personal iklll. Now, on the occasion of tho funeral I occupied a position not far from tho starting point from Victoria Station, where I had a most excellent view of everybody who paused in procession, and of qvorvthing that occurred. I knew from Mr. Molville himself exactly where ho waa to bo in tho procession, and >yhen I gazed at the Roynl coffin and at tho King und Kaiser, who immediately followed it, I naturally tried if I could aeo Mr. Melville. But, although I am ordinarily credited with beuig somowhu-t sharp-sighted, I utterly faucd to pick him out, and to this day I do not know, nor has ho been able to explain to mo, how it was that thero at the very centre of all the public interest and under the goae of so many thousands of people ho managed somehow to pass as it wero invisible. That doubtloss hns been anothor of tho special qualifications which have enabled him to effect so many striking results. Tho German Royalties had the most unbounded faith in him,* and trusted as lmplicitly't^Jii^gWßrdjanship us if ihoy had been children out with' their parent*. And oil through that peries of ceremonies Mr. Melville's attendance was continuous and his watchfulness unremitting. But "I'the final ntngo, of all, the virtually private, .ono when i tho' beloved remuins were, 1 taken into tlie Hoynl Mausoleum ut Ir.ogm^re, then Mr" Melville thought tho time had come.wHen lie might retire- into a less prominent, portion iv ,tho assemblage But the' next instant he mw I rihco Henry hurrying up to him ' with a most anxious expression of countenance, and on reaching him tho Prince earnestly ontieatod that he would nt once return to tho Emperor's immediate vicinity and not quit il for a moment until ail was over. Of course ho hnd no nllcrnativo but to put his* modesty mi <mo sido.nnd obey. The gift ho subsequently rictlved from the German Emperor in memory of that attendance wtut one of

the most magnificent watches that I ever behold. Apart from its great intrinsic value, it is lendcicd priceless to its recipient, through bearing the Imperial monogram beautifully enamelled, und a most gracious inscription. At the outset I referred to Superintendent Melville'n essentially gonial and benevolent appearance, so little calculated to suggest tho awe-inspiring personality that lay beneath that benevolent extorior. But I saw tho true man onco. Wo had travelled up to town together, and I had accompanied him to his office to chut nbnul some matter that I thought would be of interest to New Zealand reader*. While wo were conversing with pleasant unrestraint, a letter was broutrht in by an orderly und handed to him Courteously asking my permission, he opened tho letter, and then all in a moment I beheld the real man. I have not the slightest idea to this day what wns in that epistle, but as he read it there scorned to como ovor his M-holo framo a sort of stiffening «s into .steel. Tho muscle." of his face and jaw set as into iron. The kindly smilo disappeared from his lips and his eyes no longer beamed with their usuul bonovolonco of aspect, but had become stern, piercing and terrible, and us I watched him and noted those piercing eyes and that iron jaw I thought to myself that tho change boded no good for some malefactor, although doubtless the malefactor's misfortuno meant tho great benefit of his fellow-creatures. When ho had finished reading tho lottor he appeared to become thoughtful, and the stern expression still remained urton his face. I judged that tho timo had come for mo to tako my leave, and so I did. I have nevor forgotten that littlo interview.