The Mystery of a Hansom Cab

e hansom cab the following articles taken f

en shillings in

h chloroform, and was found tied across the mouth of t

kid - rather soiled - with black seams down the back. Samuel Gorby, of the detective office, was present in ord

e had been committed. He told the same story as had already appeare

gentleman in the light coat, who was

ntion was taken up by the deceased; and, besides,

m from what y

d in evening dress, with a light coat over it. I could not see his face ver

hat was it he wo

d down, and I could see on

hen you asked him if

n't; that he had

ds he seemed to

d "You!" and let him fall on to the ground

he lo

that

ere you looki

ut a m

did you se

to the cab I turned round

what di

I've changed my mind, and will see him home," and then

en as if he kn

hen he looked up, and perhaps having had a row

see him c

aw of him was at my

en did he

down by the Grammar Sch

of fighting or struggling i

noise of the wheels going over the stone

the light coat got out

was perf

uld you t

n had risen, and I

u see his

it. I only saw as much as I did when

es torn or disarr

e I remarked in him was t

it open whe

when he was holdin

t before he came back

I supp

n he got out of the ca

not let him take him home, and th

where you were to d

in Grey Street or Ackland Street, St. Kilda, but

hat the deceased was t

sleep and the shaking of the cab would sober

t coat apparently did not kn

s either in Ackland

not think t

might be a club fr

the man in the lig

t five

time you heard no

the deceased ha

ight coat said "good-night" t

me a half-sovereign, and w

ntleman in the light coat ha

usted his boots with it.

any striking pec

ept that he wore

there peculi

ger of the right hand, and I

id you no

as lighting

ll to the deceased when

I then got down, and f

was h

ad was hanging on one side, and there was a handkerchief across his mouth. When I touched him he fell into the other corn

ng which Gorby had been continually taking no

ing in Collins Street East. I made a post-mortem

thin a few hou

chloroform that the deceased had died from the effects of anaesthesia, and

r: Go

mic, and there was a considerable amount of congestion, especially apparent in the superficial vessels. There was no brain disease. The lungs were healthy, but slightly congested. On opening the thorax there was a faint spirituous o

ied from the inhalation of some suc

egeneration of the heart? Would that have

ould have a decided tendency to accelerate the fatal result. At the same time, I ma

en a party down to St. Kilda, and was returning about half-past one o'clock. A short distance past the Grammar School I was hailed by a gentleman in a light coat; he was smoking a cigarette, and told me to drive him

t when you stopped

o'clock

do yo

ght, and I heard the Post Of

hing peculiar about th

he was some swell of the town out for a lark. His hat was

otice if he

e half-sovereign, I saw he had a diamond

he was on the St. Kild

He di

the unknown man who entered the cab with the deceased on Friday morning at the corner of the Scotch Church, near the Burke and Wills' monument. It had been proved that the deceased, when he entered the cab, was, to all appearances, in good health, though in a state of intoxication, and the fact that he was found by the cabman, Royston, after the man in the light coat had left the cab, with a handkerchief, saturated with chlorofo

after an absence of a quarter of an hou

of poison, namely, chloroform, feloniously administered by some person unknown; and the jury, on their oaths, say