THE ,"WATERLOO BRIDGE MYSTERY," EXPLAINED.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 88, 21 November 1872, Page 2

THE ,"WATERLOO BRIDGE MYSTERY," EXPLAINED.

WbitinG to the Birmingham Gazelle, "An Old London Sub-Editor " advances a theory with respect to the "Waterloo Bridge Mystery," which is scarcely loss startling than i the discovery- of the carpet-bag itself. The " Old '■ London , Sub-Editor" boldly declares that the v/holc "mystery" was neither more or less-than a deliberate hoai perpetrated by " well-known penny-a-liner " who chanced in the early da;of October, 1857, to be more than usually pressed for mone , and who in the dearth of > sensational news conceive 1 notable idea of manufacturing some, .and writing fri basis of a bag of human remains a glowing account o. imaginary murder, as a painter sketches from a lay figure. After detailing the manner in which the account of tho.discovery of the famous carpet-bag was brought to him when "sitting in the sub-editorial chair in an office in the Strand, on the night of the.9t)h of October, 1857," the " Old London Sub-Editor" gives the following as his version of the story : —" The ' liner' who bfought me the copy had chambers in anjnn novs demolished to make way for the new law courts. These chambers were in close proximity to the. rear of an • hospital. A'bfcotb'er ' liner' was acquainted with one of tho officials of this hbepitak From, this official a bag full of htlman remains and some human blood were procured from the dissecting room and carried to the 'liner's' chambers in the.inn,. A suit of clothes was then got; those-were cut about with α-khifd and'smeared' here and there, with blood. After a full description of everything had been taken by the two 'liners,. , the. human remains and bloody clothes were placed in the bag, Th"e question of depositing the bag in some outlandish yet conspicuous plaecj where it could be easily found, next arose. An old man, who had seen better days, who acted as copy carrier for the two ' liners,' was let inio the secret. This old roan disguised himself as a female, and,.with the bag in his hand, in the darkness of night, made for Waterloo Bridge, one of the least frequented bridges over the Thames, from the fact that a.toll is demanded from every passenger. Tying a rope, to the bag, he carefully swung it • over the bridge, .and. lei it gently drop on- the shelving masonwork at the foot.of.,one<of the pillars. He then moved on a little and watched; but, no one appearing he went home, and came again early in the mornin. After waiting a while, he saw a&oat being, rowed towards. ■ the. pillar of the • bridge, the-bag. taken into the boat, and tbe<boat again propelled tew&sds the shore.. He immediately set off for theinn, and informed the anxious 'liners' how well their plans had so -far succeeded.; One set off to the river aide, the.other to Bow-street poHce station.. The river-side--'liner having Been tht) bag safely in.,the.custody of the police, waited till it WM examined,and then eenfc to the ffidJe a Bhort, paragraph, mentioning the. finding, of the bag .«*d what it conta.ned.. which paragraph was intended as to the managers of the morning, papers. By this time tne tow-street police were on the •ecenfcy the. terrible discovery was.in the hands o£ithe officers o£ the the 'liner* triumph was complete." This is really an appalling suggestion-and as an example of."journalisti<J,enterpri ß e,' qmte puts in the shade that which was recently made the subject of an interchange of diplomatic-notes bfetween Lord Gran-rille, and tho ±rnencwMinbtee.r-Pall : Mall Gazette. ' • > ♦