A BLACK MUSEUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2818, 18 March 1908, Page 41

A BLACK MUSEUM.

TO BE ESTABLISHED IN WELLINGTON. (Fbom Oub Own Cobbespondent) WELLINGTON. March 10. Mr Dinnie (Commissioner of Police) is forming a museum of crime on similar lines to the "Black Museum" at Scotland Yard. Mr Dinnio'g assortment is quite a small one yet, but a much larger and more thrilling collection (says the Dominion reporter) may soon be added to it, and even the germ of the museum is imposing. The articles are arranged effectively, and with explanatory labels in a large case erected over <he commissioner's mantelshelf in his office. They consist largely of revolvers of various sizes and patterns, taken from desperate criminals. Anyone of these might have meant a conotable'e or detective's life. The revolver used in a wounding case at Napier several years ago has beside it a most bloodihirsty looking knife, which was also taken from the assailant. A mask and electric lamp made a very interesting memento of a Christchurch burglary. The mask ie simplt, yet effective —a piece of black rag with.tattered edges and two irregular holes for eyes, a paper covering for tie head being attaeied to keep the mask in position. A story is connected with the revolver, electric lamp, chisel, and file which survive a burglarious adventure in Christchurch. The burglar might have been Quite safe, but he left his finger print upon the chisel, and the innocent-looking tool, falling into the hands of the police, effectively betrayed its owner. The revolver is a vei-y neat little weapon, and beeide it is a bundle of five cartridges. A burglary at Amberley, perpetrated by more than one msn who met with their due reward, yields for mementoes two very serviceable looking revolvers (one of them accompanied by a bundle of six cartridges). A photograph of rhe bicycle which played an important part ip the memorable Papakaio murder case and a score or so of bogus halfcrowns with which some Wellington citizens were once deceived, though some of them are cruda enough imitations, are also in the collection. The museum, however, will assume its real glory when Mr Dinnie is able to add to it a much larger collection of exhibits made by a Canterbury resident, wbcee avocation is connected with the administration of justice. This collection also is not a public one, but it is known to a very few, and the writer of the Dominion article happens to have seen it. It fills, he says, a faiily large room, where one would hardly care to spend a night. If they could speak ihe articles in this collection could " a tale uufold whese lightest word would harow up thy soul." Here is a portion of the roye with which a certain murderer was hanged, together with the dre=s worn by his -woman victim when sho met her dea-h. Here also, carefully preserved, in spirits, is a ghastly human hand tho famous " severed hand which formed the centre of a remarkable Canterbury mystery. A human hand was found on one of *ho beaches between Godley H°ad and Sumncr. It is contended that the hand had formerly belonged to a man whose life was heavily insured, and who, it was presumed, had met his death by drowninpr on the beach. A claim was made for the insurance money, but suspicions were aroused, and the snpix^ed dead man was foun.l hidinpr and \cry much alive. The attempt to cheat the insurance company fai'erl. but so far «i 6 raemon serves no one ever lfarneil for certain where the hand came froT" of how it was obtained. Exhibits in connection with a a-ha«tly baby murder case. and phonographs and weapons of various erimirals are amonjr this choice oollaction, which Mr Dinnie hopes to recoivi 1 soon as a free gift in accordance with a promise of t.he owner.