Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 880 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

t- +. > ™ ” ne > Cpa, ea ——. ~~ GRP +. . _— Broadway Billy and the Bomb-Throwers. > "The noon hour came, and passed, and the building was still safe. it was easy to conceive that the plans of the Anarchists had been changed, and that the banker had been taken instead. Their mode of operation upon him had been altered. No doubt he was now held until he would in some manner agree to pay his own ran- som, or in some way give surety for a cer- tain amount. The hour of noon passed, as said, and no ~ explosion took place. All the secret agents were in disguise, and it was not likely that one of them could be recognized. This, then, was not the reason why no bomb was thrown, but rather the reason we have stated. However, an arrest was to follow, as we will now proceed to set forth in words. It was nearing half-past twelve, when two suspicious-looking characters appeared on the scene. They were roughly dressed, and their ages could not be readily guessed. Ze they were young, maybe middle- They looked at almost every man they met, as they neared the bank, and seemed to be particularly suspicious of all who were loitering around the building. Cne of the fellows had his right hard con- cea d under his coat, and seem@d to be cari ing something which he did not care to Have seen. What that something was the suspicious observer might guess. That is to say, such an observer would de- cide that it must be a bomb. Would that be right? Let us see. They came on, and as they neared the bank a man walked close behind them with noiseless step. This man had on soft rubber soles, and was not to be heard, and he was within touch of eitber of the fellows by merely putting out ‘hisarm. Still he did not appear to be inter- _ ested in them. Had they turned and caught him, he would have passed straight on without so much as looking at them. Another, however, would have filled his place. On they came, till nearly opposite the door, when the two increased their pace. Another step or two, and oneof the fellows drew his hand suddenly from under his coat and raised his arm as if to throw something into the bank. : But, he never threw it. man behind him caught his arm, and immediately four or five other men were up- on the two, and they were quickly hand- cuffed. They resisted, but that was useless, and before a crowd could collect to learn what was the excitement they were pressed into a hackney coach and driven off in haste to the Police Headquarters. Arriving at the Prefecture, they were taken immediately before the prefect. “*Ha! what have we here?” the prefect “Two men who have just. made the at- tempt to blow up Helmann’s bank,” was the wer. “Caught in the act?” “Yes, fairly; here is the vomb they would have thrown.” The officer held up to view something that looked like what a bomb could be im- to ** Take care not to drop that,” the prefect earnestly. ‘‘ What names do they ve?’ oan we give no names, but we take one to an Englishman and another an American.” ~ “That is the case, eh? I will examine them in private.” The prefect motioned that they were to be taken into his private room, and thither they were ccnducted, while he followed them. The door was closed, and immediately the prisoners were allowed to sit down, their captors moving away from them and taking seats themselves, and the prefect demanded: “Well, young gentlemen, what do you know?” ‘‘That we are your prisoners now, Monsieur le Prefect,” one answered. M. Lepine emiled. ‘* And prisoners of whom I am proud, too, Broadway Billy and Harry Freeman. I pre- sume there is nothing danger-us about this bomb, is there?” All laughed as the prefect tossed the bomb into a corner. ‘* We have some information for you, sir,” spoke up Billy. The reader had guessed, no doubt, who these were. ‘* And what is that, Mr. Weston?” ‘“‘ There isa plot to blow up the Green- wich Observatory, near London, and it is to be done this day.” ‘** Morbleu! but that must be prevented, if possible. Tell me what you know about it, and I will telegraph immediately to the authorities.” “ An agent named Bourdin—Martial Bour- din, who went to London early this month, from Paris, has sent word:«to Anarchists here what is going to be done, and so we come to know of it.” ** Yes,” continued Harry, who could speak the language the better, ‘‘this man is to do the work himself, and will place his bomb about dark this evening. A guard on hand at the Observatory can prevent it if they are watchful. This is all we can tell you about the matter, but it is enough,” CHAPTER XVI. ANOTHER EXPLOSION. NOTIFIED by the Paris police, the London: police had men on guard at the Observatory that night. Just after nightfall, the keepers of Green- wich Park, about six miles from London Bridge, heard a-loud explosion. A hasty search led to the discovery of a man on the hill-top near the Observatory, greatly mutilated and loudly groaning with ain. . His legs were shattered, one arm had been blown from his body, and he was almost completely disemboweled. As soon as he became conscious of the keepers’ presence he begged them to kill him. In a few minutes afterward he became in- sensible, and ten minutes after being taken to the Seaman’s Hospital he died. English and French papers were found in his pockets. And this was the Martial Bourdin of whom Broadway Billy and his side-partrer had given information, The police made an investigation im- mediately of the man’s life in London, and it was found that he had been concerned in a dangerous plot, the full details of which could not be learned at once. No mention was made in the press of the private “‘ pointer” that had been telegraphed from Paris. Broadway Billy, away in Paris, was still serving London as well. It was stated, however, that the occupants of a club-house in Windmill street had been in active communication with Anarchists on the Continent. Emile Henry, who threw the bomb in the cafe of the Hotel Terminus, had visited them not long since, and it was believed that here he obtained the explosives which he used in his bomb. = " eo Rep Seer 13 On the following morning the newspapers- Pitan contained a full account of this af-: air. The account of the arrest befcre Helmann’s: bank was set forth, and the names of the prisoners wire given as William Mast and Henri Coutant, one an American and the other a Londoner. This was like a bomb to the Anarchists. They had discovered the escape of their prisoners, of course, and were mystified at the disappearance of their Detective Queen, Here these very prisoners had been found trying to blow up Helmann’s bank, and it must be, they reasoned, that Fanchette, the Detective Queen, was at the back of it all, in some manner, But, it seemed, the police were at loss to know what to do with tke prisoners they had taken, for, apparently, the fellows were either playing a double role, or were really- police agents themselves. This latter was what they claimed to be,. but there was the absence of proof. They claimed they had no intention of throwing the bomb, but as it was said to be a real bomb, and ready for doing much mis- chief, this plea was discredited. Unless proof was forthcoming for what they claimed, they would certainly have to suffer as Anarchists. 3 Really, there was little doubt, but the po- lice were willing to give them the chance- to produce proof if they could, The reader will detect the subtle game- the detectives were playing, with the aid of” the prefect. The proof was not forthcoming, and the- prisoners were committed to jail. In the mean time the police had been ac-- tive in their search for the missing banker. He, however, had vanished utterly. Julie Helmann was untiring in her work, and the yen were acting upon every clue they could get hold of. Still the matter was a mystery, and it was feared that the banker had been put out of the wa At uiath. however, came word from: Broadway and Harry that he was living. They, withont, Among other things, they had got upon: track of the hunchback, Meunier, who had been missing for some time, and for whom. the police were looking everywhere. In a secret communication to the prefect, they informed him that Meunier was in London, and gave his address. The next day would see Billy and Harry set free, their - sentences having been light. Acting upon this information, the prefect notified the London arrested. They, however, had got wind of the fact that the police were after them, and tried to- ge: out of London secretly. They were conveyed in a closed cab to the - Liverpool Street station, from where they in- onee to go as quickly as possible to Ant- werp, Inspector Melville, however, had his eye - upon them, and was in wuiting for them on the platform of the station, and the moment they reached there his hand fell upon Meunier’s shoulder. The hunchback shook the hand off immedi- ately and started to run away, but aftera few steps he was grasped firmly by the inspector’s hand upon his collar. He fought desperately, but the porters and several persons from the crowd aided the inspector, and he soon had him hand- cuffed The had made a dash down the plat- form, meantime, but had been tripped and pounced upon before he could get away. The whole station was in an uproar till the inspector drove off with his prisoners. “COmMmICDOO jail, had learned more than those- lice, and the result: was that Meunier and an accomplice were - ‘ 7 . . , t SE td