VII + 

The Government and Mr.¬†Jessen + 

In recording the events that followed the reappearance of the Four Just Men, I have confined myself to those which I know to have been the direct outcome of the Red Hundred propaganda and the counter-activity of the Four Just Men. + 

Thus I make no reference to the explosion at Woolwich Arsenal, which was credited to the Red Hundred, knowing, as I do, that the calamity was due to the carelessness of a workman. Nor to the blowing up of the main in Oxford Street, which was a much more simple explanation than the fantastic theories of the Megaphone would have you imagine. This was not the first time that a fused wire and a leaking gas main brought about the upheaval of a public thoroughfare, and the elaborate plot with which organized anarchy was credited was without existence. + 

I think the most conscientiously accurate history of the Red Hundred movement is that set forth in the series of ten articles contributed to the Morning Leader by Harold Ashton under the title of вАЬForty Days of Terrorism,вАЭ and, whilst I think the author frequently fails from lack of sympathy for the Four Just Men to thoroughly appreciate the single-mindedness of this extraordinary band of men, yet I shall always regard вАЬForty Days of TerrorismвАЭ as being the standard history of the movement, and its failure. + 

On one point in the history alone I find myself in opposition to Mr.¬†Ashton, and that is the exact connection between the discovery of the Carlby Mansion Tragedy, and the extraordinary return of Mr.¬†Jessen of 37, Presley Street. + 

It is perhaps indiscreet of me to refer at so early a stage to this return of JessenвАЩs, because whilst taking exception to the theories put forward in вАЬForty Days of Terrorism,вАЭ I am not prepared to go into the evidence on which I base my theories. + 

The popular story is that one morning Mr.¬†Jessen walked out of his house and demanded from the astonished milkman why he had omitted to leave his morning supply. Remembering that the disappearance of вАЬLongвАЭвБ†вАФperhaps it would be less confusing to call him the name by which he was known in Presley StreetвБ†вАФhad created an extraordinary sensation; that pictures of his house and the interior of his house had appeared in all the newspapers; that the newspaper crime experts had published columns upon columns of speculative theories, and that 37, Presley Street, had for some weeks been the Mecca of the morbid minded, who, standing outside, stared the unpretentious fa√Іade out of countenance for hours on end; you may imagine that the milkman legend had the exact journalistic touch that would appeal to a public whose minds had been trained by generations of magazine-story writers to just such d√©nouement as this. + 

The truth is that Mr.¬†Long, upon coming to life, went immediately to the Home Office and told his story to the Under Secretary. He did not drive up in a taxi, nor was he lifted out in a state of exhaustion as one newspaper had erroneously had it, but he arrived on the top of a motor omnibus which passed the door, and was ushered into the Presence almost at once. When Mr.¬†Long had told his story he was taken to the Home Secretary himself, and the chief commissioner was sent for, and came hurriedly from Scotland Yard, accompanied by Superintendent Falmouth. All this is made clear in Mr.¬†AshtonвАЩs book. + 

вАЬFor some extraordinary reason,вАЭ I quote the same authority, вАЬLong, or Jessen, seems by means of documents in his possession to have explained to the satisfaction of the Home Secretary and the Police Authorities his own position in the matter, and moreover to have inspired the right hon. gentleman with these mysterious documents, that Mr.¬†Ridgeway, so far from accepting the resignation that Jessen placed in his hands, reinstated him in his position.вАЭ + 

As to how two of these documents came to Jessen or to the Four Just Men, Mr.¬†Ashton is very wisely silent, not attempting to solve a mystery which puzzled both the Quai dвАЩOrsay and Petrograd. For these two official forms, signed in the one case by the French President and in the other with the sprawling signature of Czar Nicholas, were supposed to be incorporated with other official memoranda in well-guarded national archives. + 

It was subsequent to Mr.¬†JessenвАЩs visit to the Home Office that the discovery of the Carlby Mansions Tragedy was made, and I cannot do better than quote the Times, since that journal, jealous of the appearance in its columns of any news of a sensational character, reduced the intelligence to its most constricted limits. Perhaps the Megaphone account might make better reading, but the space at my disposal will not allow of the inclusion in this book of the thirty-three columns of reading matter, headlines, portraits, and diagrammatic illustrations with which that enterprising journal served up particulars of the grisly horror to its readers. + 

Thus, the TimesвБ†вАФ + 

вАЬShortly after one oвАЩclock yesterday afternoon and in consequence of information received, Superintendent Falmouth, of the Criminal Investigation Department, accompanied by Detective-Sergeants Boyle and Lawley, effected an entrance into No.¬†69, Carlby Mansions, occupied by the Countess Slienvitch, a young Russian lady of independent means. Lying on the floor were the bodies of three men who have since been identified asвБ†вАФ + 

вАЬLauder Bartholomew, aged thirty-three, late of the Koon-dorp Mounted Rifles; + 

вАЬRudolph Starque, aged forty, believed to be an Austrian and a prominent revolutionary propagandist; + 

вАЬHenri Delaye Fran√Іois, aged thirty-six, a Frenchman, also believed to have been engaged in propaganda work. + 

вАЬThe cause of death in the case of Bartholomew seems to be evident, but with the other two men some doubt exists, and the police, who preserve an attitude of rigid reticence, will await the medical examination before making any statement. + 

вАЬOne unusual feature of the case is understood to be contained in a letter found in the room accepting, on behalf of an organization known as the Four Just Men, full responsibility for the killing of the two foreigners, and another, writes a correspondent, is the extraordinary structural damage to the room itself. The tenant, the Countess Slienvitch, had not, up to a late hour last night, been traced.вАЭ + 

Superintendent Falmouth, standing in the centre of the room, from which most traces of the tragedy had been removed, was mainly concerned with the вАЬstructural damageвАЭ that the Times so lightly passed over. + 

At his feet yawned a great square hole, and beneath, in the empty flat below, was a heap of plaster and laths, and the debris of destruction. + 

вАЬThe curious thing is, and it shows how thorough these men are,вАЭ explained the superintendent to his companion, вАЬthat the first thing we found when we got there was a twenty-pound note pinned to the wall with a brief note in pencil saying that this was to pay the owner of the property for the damage.вАЭ + 

It may be added that by the expressed desire of the young man at his side he dispensed with all ceremony of speech. + 

Once or twice in speaking, he found himself on the verge of saying, вАЬYour Highness,вАЭ but the young man was so kindly, and so quickly put the detective at his ease, that he overcame the feeling of annoyance that the arrival of the distinguished visitor with the letter from the commissioner had caused him, and became amiable. + 

вАЬOf course, I have an interest in all this,вАЭ said the young man quietly; вАЬthese people, for some reason, have decided I am not fit to encumber the earthвБ†вАФвАЭ + 

вАЬWhat have you done to the Red Hundred, sir?вАЭ + 

The young man laughed. + 

вАЬNothing. On the contrary,вАЭ he added with a whimsical smile, вАЬI have helped them.вАЭ + 

The detective remembered that this hereditary Prince of the Escorial bore a reputation for eccentricity. + 

With a suddenness which was confusing, the Prince turned with a smile on his lips. + 

вАЬYou are thinking of my dreadful reputation?вАЭ + 

вАЬNo, no!вАЭ disclaimed the embarrassed Mr.¬†Falmouth. вАЬIвБ†вАФвАЭ + 

вАЬOh, yesвБ†вАФIвАЩve done lots of things,вАЭ said the other with a little laugh; вАЬitвАЩs in the bloodвБ†вАФmy illustrious cousinвБ†вАФвАЭ + 

вАЬI assure your Highness,вАЭ said Falmouth impressively, вАЬmy reflections were notвБ†вАФerвБ†вАФreflections on yourselfвБ†вАФthere is a story that you have dabbled in socialismвБ†вАФbut that, of courseвБ†вАФвАЭ + 

вАЬIs perfectly true,вАЭ concluded the Prince calmly. He turned his attention to the hole in the floor. вАЬHave you any theory?вАЭ he asked. + 

The detective nodded. + 

вАЬItвАЩs more than a theoryвБ†вАФitвАЩs knowledgeвБ†вАФyou see weвАЩve seen Jessen, and the threads of the story are all in hand.вАЭ + 

вАЬWhat will you do?вАЭ + 

вАЬNothing,вАЭ said the detective stolidly; вАЬhush up the inquest until we can lay the Four Just Men by the heels.вАЭ + 

вАЬAnd the manner of killing?вАЭ + 

вАЬThat must be kept quiet,вАЭ replied Falmouth emphatically. + 

This conversation may furnish a clue as to the unprecedented conduct of the police at the subsequent inquest. + 

In the little coronerвАЩs court there was accommodation for three pressmen and some fifty of the general public. Without desiring in any way to cast suspicion upon the cleanest police force in the world, I can only state that the jury were remarkably well disciplined, that the general public found the body of the court so densely packed with broad-shouldered men that they were unable to obtain admission. As to the press, the confidential circular had done its work, and the three shining lights of journalism that occupied the reportersвАЩ desk were careful to carry out instructions. + 

The proceedings lasted a very short time, a verdict, вАЬвА¶¬†some person or persons unknown,вАЭ was recorded, and another London mystery was added (I quote from the Evening News) to the already alarming and formidable list of unpunished crimes. + 

Charles Garrett was one of the three journalists admitted to the inquest, and after it was all over he confronted Falmouth. + 

вАЬLook here, Falmouth,вАЭ he said pugnaciously, вАЬwhatвАЩs the racket?вАЭ Falmouth, having reason to know, and to an extent stand in awe of, the little man, waggled his head darkly. + 

вАЬOh, rot!вАЭ said Charles rudely, вАЬdonвАЩt be so disgustingly mysteriousвБ†вАФwhy arenвАЩt we allowed to say these chaps diedвБ†вАФ?вАЭ + 

вАЬHave you seen Jessen?вАЭ asked the detective. + 

вАЬI have,вАЭ said Charles bitterly, вАЬand after what IвАЩve done for that man; after IвАЩve put his big feet on the rungs of cultureвБ†вАФвАЭ + 

вАЬWouldnвАЩt he speak?вАЭ asked Falmouth innocently. + 

вАЬHe was as close,вАЭ said Charles sadly, вАЬas the inside washer of a vacuum pump.вАЭ + 

вАЬHm!вАЭ the detective was considering. Sooner or later the connection must occur to Charles, and he was the only man who would be likely to surprise JessenвАЩs secret. Better that the journalist should know now. + 

вАЬIf I were you,вАЭ said Falmouth quietly, вАЬI shouldnвАЩt worry Jessen; you know what he is, and in what capacity he serves the Government. Come along with me.вАЭ + 

He did not speak a word in reply to the questions Charles put until they passed through the showy portals of Carlby Mansions and a lift had deposited them at the door of the flat. + 

Falmouth opened the door with a key, and Charles went into the flat at his heels. + 

He saw the hole in the floor. + 

вАЬThis wasnвАЩt mentioned at the inquest,вАЭ he said; вАЬbut whatвАЩs this to do with Jessen?вАЭ + 

He looked up at the detective in perplexity, then a light broke upon him and he whistled. + 

вАЬWell, IвАЩmвБ†вАФвАЭ he said, then he added softlyвБ†вАФвАЬBut what does the Government say to this?вАЭ + 

вАЬThe Government,вАЭ said Falmouth in his best official manner, smoothing the nap of his hat the whileвБ†вАФвАЬthe Government regard the circumstances as unusual, but they have accepted the situation with great philosophy.вАЭ + 

That night Mr.¬†Long (or Jessen) reappeared at the Guild as though nothing whatever had happened, and addressed his audience for half an hour on the subject of вАЬDo burglars make good caretakers?вАЭ + 