June 9, 2025 • 27 mins
Imagine pulling over 26 miles outside Bordeaux and having your life transform forever. This is exactly what happens to Seymour Merriman. His ordinary halt spirals him into a whirlwind of mystery, illicit smuggling, chilling murder, and unexpected romance. With the clock ticking, two amateur sleuths scramble to solve the baffling enigma of alternating number plates and the dangerous dealings of the pit prop syndicate. If they fail, the notorious Inspector Willis from Scotland Yard will take over. Dive into this riveting narrative and see where the journey takes you.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter twenty of the Pitt Props Syndicate by Freeman Wills Crofts.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter twenty
the Double Cross Inspector Willis spent the Saturday before the
fateful Tuesday at the telephone in the empty cottage. Nothing
of interest passed over the wire, except that Benson informed
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his chief that he had had a telegram from Beamish
saying that in order to reach Ferby at the pre
arranged hour, he was having to sail without a full
cargo of props, and that the two men went over
again the various trains by which they and their confederates
would travel to London. Both items pleased Willis, as it
showed him that the plans originally made were being adhered to.
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On Monday morning, as the critical hour of his coup approached,
he became restless and even nervous, so far that is,
as an expector of the yard on duty can be nervous.
So much depended on the results of the next day
and a half. His own fate hung in the balance,
as well as that of the men against whom he
had pitted himself, Miss Coburn and Merriman too, would be
profound affected. However, the affair ended while to his department
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and even to the nation at large, his success would
not be without importance. He determined he would, if possible,
see the various members of the gang start traveling himself
in the train, with Archer as the leader and the
man most urgently wanted. Benson, he remembered, was to go first.
Willis therefore haunted the Paragon station, watching the trains leave,
and he was well satisfied when he saw Benson get
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on board the nine ten a m. By means of
a word of explanation and the passing of a couple
of shillings, he induced an official to examine the traveler's ticket,
which proved to be a third return to King's Cross.
Beamish and Bullah were to travel by the four p m,
and Willis, carefully disguised as a deep sea fishermen, watched
them arrive separately, take their tickets, and enter the train.
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Beamish traveled first and Bullah third, and again the inspector
had their tickets examined and found they were for London.
Archer was to leave at five thirty, and Willis intended
as a precautionary measure to travel up with him and
keep him under observation. Still in his fisherman's disguise, he
took his own ticket, got into the rear of the
train and kept his eye on the platform until he
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saw archer pass suit case and rug in hand. Then,
cautiously looking out, he watched the other get into a
through coach for King's Cross. As the train ran past
the depot at Ferraby, Willis observed that the Girondine was
not discharging pit props, but instead was loading casks of
some kind. He had noticed on the previous Friday, when
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he had been in the neighborhood, that some wagons of
those casks had been shunted inside the enclosure and were
being unloaded by the syndicate's men. The casks looked like
those in which the crude oil for the ship's diesel
engines arrived, and the fact that she was loading them unemptied,
he presumed them unemptied, seemed to indicate that the pumping
plant on the wharf was out of order. The five
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thirty p m ran with a stop at Gueld to Doncaster,
where the through carriage was shunted on to one of
the great expresses from the north, more from force of
habit than otherwise. Willis put his head out of the
window at Ghul to watch if any one should leave
Archer's carriage, but no one did. At Doncaster, Willis received
something of a shock as his train drew into the station.
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Another was just coming out, and he idly ran his
eyes along the line of coaches. A figure in the
corner of a third class compartment attracted his attention. It
seemed vaguely familiar, but it was already out of sight
before the inspector realized that it was a likeness to
Benson that had struck him. He had not seen the
man's face, and at once dismissed the matter from his
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mind with the careless thought that every one has his double.
A moment later they pulled up at the platform. Here
again he put out his head, and it was not
long before he saw Archer alight, and evidently leaving his
suitcase and rug to keep his seat, move slowly down
the platform. There was nothing remarkable in this, as no
less than seventeen minutes elapse between the arrival of the
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train from Hull and the departure of that from London,
and through passengers frequently left their carriage while being shunted.
At the same time, Willis unostentatiously followed and presently saw
Archer vanish into the first class refreshment room. He took
up a position where he had a good view of
the door and waited for the other's reappearance. But the
distiller was in no hurry. Ten minutes elapsed, and still
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he made no sign. The express from the north thundered in,
the engine hooked off, and shunting began. The train was
due out at six twenty two, and now the hands
of the great clock pointed to six nineteen. Willis began
to be perturbed. Had he missed his quarry at six twenty.
He could stand it no longer, and at risk of
meeting Archer, should the latter at that moment decide to
leave the refreshment room. He pushed open the door and
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glanced in, and then he breathed freely again. Archer was
sitting at a table, sipping what looked like a whiskey
and soda. As Willis looked, he saw him glance up
at the clock, now pointing to six twenty one. Anne
calmly settled himself more comfortably in his chair. Why the
man would miss the train? Willis, with a sudden feeling
of disappointment, had an impulse to run over and remind
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him of the hour at which it left, but he
controlled himself in time, slipped back to his post of
observation and took up his watch. In a few seconds,
the train whistled and pulled majestically out of the station.
For fifteen minutes, Willis waited, and then he saw the
distiller leave the refreshment room and walk slowly down the platform.
As Willis followed, it was clear to him that the
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other had deliberately allowed his train to start without him,
though what his motive had been the inspector could not imagine.
He now approached the booking office and apparently bought a ticket. Afterwards,
turning back down the platform, Willis slipped into a doorway
until he had passed, then, hurrying to the booking window,
explained who he was and asked to what station the
last comer had booked. He was told Selby, and he retreated,
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exasperated and puzzled beyond words, what could archer be up to?
He bought a timetable and began to study the possibilities
first he made himself clear as to the lie of
the land. The main line of the Great East Coast
Route from London to Scotland ran almost due north and
south through Doncaster. Eighteen miles to the north was Selby.
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The next important station. At Selby, a line running east
and west crossed the other, leading in one direction to
Leeds and the west in the other to Hull. About
half way between Selby and Hall, at a place called Staddlethorpe,
a line branched off and ran southwesterly through gul to Doncaster. Selby,
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Saddlethorpe and Doncaster therefore formed a railway triangle, one of
the sides of which produced led to Hull. From this
it followed as indeed, the Inspector had known that passengers
to and from Hall had two points of connection with
the main line, either direct to Selby or through goul
to Doncaster. He began to study the trains. The first
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northwards was the four pm Dining Car Express from King's
Cross to Newcastle. It left Doncaster at seven fifty six
and reached Selby at eight twenty one. Would Archer travel
by it, and if he did, what would be his
next move? For nearly an hour, Willis sat huddled up
in the corner of a seat, his eye on Archer
in the distance, and his mind rustling with the problem.
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For nearly an hour, he racked his brains without result.
Then suddenly a devastating idea flashed before his consciousness, leaving
him rigid with dismay. For a moment, his mind refused
to accept so disastrous a possibility, But as he continued
to think over it, he found that one puzzling and
unrelated fact after another took on a different complexion from
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that it had formerly borne. That moreover, it dropped into
place and became part of a connected whole. He saw
now why Archer could not discuss Madeline's letter over the telephone,
but was able to arrange in that way for the
interview with Beamish. He understood why Archer, standing at his
study window, had mentioned the call at eleven next morning,
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he realized that Benson's amendment was probably arranged by Archer
on the previous evening. He saw why the Girondine had
left the lesque without her full cargo, and why she
was loading barrels at Ferraby. He knew who it was
he had seen passing in the other train as his
own reached Doncaster, and he grasped for the reason for
Archer's visit to Selby. In a word, he saw he
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had been hoaxed, fooled carefully, systematically, and at every point.
While he had been congratulating himself on the completeness with
which the conspirators had been walking into his net, he
had in reality been caught in theirs. He had been
like a child in their hands. They had evidently been
watching and countering his every step. He saw now that
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his tapping of the secret telephone must have been discovered,
and that his enemies had used their discovery to mislead him.
They must have recognized that Madeline's letter was inspired by
himself and read his motives in making her send it.
They had then used the telephone to make him believe
they were falling into his trap, while their real plans
were settled in Archer's study. What those plans were, he believed.
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He now understood there would be no meetings in London
on the following day. The meetings were designed to bring
him Willis to the metropolis and keep him there by tomorrow.
The gang, convinced that discovery was eminent, would be aboard
the Girondina on the high seas they were, as he
expressed it to himself, doing a bunk. Therefore, of necessity,
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the Girondine would load barreled oil to drive her to
some country where Scotland Yard detectives did not flourish, and
where extradition laws were of no account. Therefore she must
return light or he suspected empty, as there would be
no time to unload. Moreover, a reason for this lightness
must be given him, lest he should notice the ship
sitting high out of the water and suspect. And he
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now knew that it was really Benson that he had
seen returning to Ferby via Ghul, and that Archer was
doing the same via Selby. He looked up the trains
from Selby to Ferby. There was only one. It left
Selby at nine nineteen fifty, eight minutes after the Doncaster
train arrived there, and reached Ferraby at ten ze o seven.
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It was now getting on towards eight. He had nearly
two and a half hours to make his plans. Though
Willis was a little slow in thought, he was prompt
in action, feeling sure that Archer would indeed travel by
the seven fifty six to Selby. He relaxed his watch
and went to the telephone call office. There he rang
up the police station at Selby, asking for a plainclothesman
and two constables to meet him at the train to
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make interest. Also, he asked for a fast car to
be engaged to take him immediately to Ferraby. He then
called up the police in Hall and had a long
talk with the superintendent. Finally, it was arranged that a
sergeant and twelve men were to meet him on the
shore at the back of the signal cabin near the
Ferby depot, with a boat and a grappling ladder for
getting aboard the Girondine. This done, Willis hurried back to
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the platform, reaching it just as the seven fifty six
came in. He watched Archer get on board, and then
himself entered another compartment at Selby the quarry, alighted and
passed along the platform toward the booking office. Willis's police
trained he instantly revealed him to the plainclothes man and
him he instructed to follow Archer and learn to what
station he booked. In a few moments the man returned
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to say it was Ferriby, then calling up the two constables.
The four officers followed the distiller into the first class
waiting room where he had taken cover. Willis walked up
to him, Archibald Charles Archer. He said, impressively, I am
Inspector Willis of Scotland Yard. I have a warrant for
your arrest on a charge of murdering Francis Coburn in
a cab in London on September twelfth last. I have
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to warn you that anything you say may be used
in evidence. For a moment, the distiller seemed so overwhelmed
with surprise as to be incapable of movement, and before
he could pull himself together, there was a click, and
handcuffs gleamed on his wrists. Then his eyes blazed, and
with the inarticulate roar of a wild beast, he flung
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himself wildly on Willis, and manacled as he was attempted
to seize his throat, but the struggle was brief. In
a moment, the other three men had torn him off,
and he stood glaring at his adversary and uttering savage curses.
You look after him, Sergeant Willis directed a little breathlessly
as he tried to straighten the remnants of his tie.
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I must go on to Ferby. A powerful car was
waiting outside the station, and Willis, jumping in, offered the
driver an extra pound if he was at Ferby within
fifty minutes. He reckoned. The distance was about twenty five miles,
and he thought he should maintain at average of thirty
miles an hour. The night was intensely dark. As the
big vehicle swung out of Selby eastward bound, A slight
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wind blew in from the east, bearing a damp, searching cold,
more trying than frost. Willis, who had left his coat
in the London train, shivered as he drew the one
rug the vehicle contained up round his shoulders. The road
to Howden was broad and smooth, and the car made
fine going, but at Howden the main road turned north.
In speed on the comparatively inferior cross roads to Ferby
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had to be reduced, but Willis was not dissatisfied with
their progress when at nine thirty eight, fifty four minutes
after leaving Selby, they pulled up in the Ferriby Lane,
not far from the distillery and opposite the railway. Signal cabin,
having arranged with the driver to run up to the
main road, wait there until he heard four blasts on
the Girondine's horn, and then make for the syndicates depot.
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The inspector dismounted, and forcing his way through the railway fence,
crossed at the rails and descended the low embankment on
the river side. A moment later, just as he reached
the shore, the form of a man loomed up dimly
through the darkness. Who is there, asked Willis softly, Constable Jones, Sir.
The figure answered is that Inspector Willis. Sergeant Hobbs is
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here with the boats. Willis followed the other for fifty
yards along the beach until he came on two boats,
each containing half a dozen policemen. It was still very dark,
and the wind blew cold and raw. The silence was
broken only by the lapping of the waves on the shingle.
Willis felt the night was ideal for his purpose. There
was enough noise from wind and water to muffle any
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sounds that the men might make in getting aboard the Girondine,
but not enough to prevent him overhearing any conversation which
might be in progress. We have just got here this minute, sir,
the sergeant said, I hope we haven't kept you waiting.
Just ride myself. Willis returned. You have twelve picked men, yes, sir, armed, Yes,
sir good. I need not remind you all not to
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fire except as a last resort. What arrangements have you
made for boarding? We have a ladder with hooks at
the top for catching on the taffrail. Your oars muffled, yes, sir,
very well. Now listen and see that you are clear
about what you are to do. When we reach the ship,
get your ladder into position, and I'll go up. You
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and the men follow. Keep beside me, sergeant. We'll overhear
what we can. When I give the signal, rush in
and arrest the whole gang. Do you follow, yes, sir?
Then let us get under way. They pushed off, passing
like phantoms over the dark water. The ship carried a
right light, to which they steered. She was lying. Willis
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knew bow up stream. The tide was flowing, and when
they were close by, they ceased rowing and drifted down
on to her stern. There the leading boat dropped in
beneath her counter and the bowman made a painter fast
to her rudder post. The second boat's painter was attached
to the stern of the first, and the current swung
both alongside. The men fending off allowed their craft to
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come into place without a sound. The ladder was raised
and hooked on, and Willis, climbing up stealthily, raised his
head above the taffrail. The port side of the ship was,
as on previous occasions, in complete darkness, and Willis jerked
the ladder as a signal to the others to follow him.
In a few seconds, the fourteen men stood like shadows
on the lower deck. Then Willis, tiptoeing forward, began to
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climb the ladder to the bridge deck, just as Hilliard
had done some four months earlier. As on that occasion,
the starboard side of the ship, next to the wharf
was dimly lighted up. A light also showed in the
window of the captain's cabin, from which issued the sound
of voices. Willis posted his men in two groups at
either end of the cabin, so that at a given
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signal they could rush round in opposite directions and reach
the door. Then he and the sergeant crept forward and
put their ears to the window. This time, though the
glass was hooked back. As before, the curtain was pulled
fully across the opening, so that the men could see
nothing and only partially hear what was said. Willis therefore
reached in and very gradually pulled it a little aside.
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Fortunately no one noticed the movement, and the talk continued uninterruptedly.
The inspector could now see in five men were squeezed
round the tiny table. Beamish and Bullah sat along one side,
directly facing him. At the end was Fox. The remaining
to head their backs to the window, and were, the
inspector believed, Raymond and Henri. Before each man was a
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long tumbler of whisky and soda, and a box of
cigars lay on the table. All seemed nervous and excited,
indeed as if under an intolerable strain, and kept fidgeting
and looking at their watches. Conversation was evidently maintained with
an effort as a thing necessary to keep them from
a complete breakdown. Raymond was speaking, and you saw him
come out. He was asking yes, Fox answered. He came
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out sort of stealthy and looked around. I didn't know
who it was then, but I knew no one had
any business in the cottage at that hour, so I
followed him to Ferriby station. I saw his face by
the lamps there, and you knew him no, But I
recognized him as having been around with that excise inspector,
and I guessed he was on to something. We we yes,
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The Frenchman interrogated, Well, naturally, I told the chief he
knew who it was, Bien there is not how do
you say? Flies on archer nes seppa? And then the
chief guess who it was from the captain's description. Fox
nodded his head at beamish. You met him, eh, captain,
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he stood me a drink, The big man answered, But
what he did it for I don't know. But how
did he get wise to the telephone? Bullah rumbled, can't
find out, Fox replied, but it showed he was wise
to the whole affair. Then there was that letter for
miss Coburn that gave the show away, because there could
have been no papers, like she said, and she couldn't
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have discovered anything then that she hadn't known it. The
clearing archer put Morton on to it, and he found
that this willis went down to Eastbourne one night, about
two days before the letter came. So that was that.
Then he had me watch for him going to the telephone,
and he has fooled him about proper. I guess he's
in London now, arranging to rest us all tomorrow. Bulah
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chuckled fatly. As you say, he nodded at Raymond. There
ain't no flies on Archer. What I've always thought a
lot of Archer, Beamish remarked. But I never thought so
much of him as that night. We drew lots for
who should put Colburn out of the way. When he
drew the long taper, he never as much as turned
a hair. That's the last time they had a full meeting,
and we never reckoned that this would be the next.
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At this moment, a train passed going towards Hull. There's
his train, Fox cried, he should be here soon. How
long does it take to get from the station? Raymond inquired,
about fifteen minutes. Captain Beamish answered, we're time enough making
a move. The men showed more and more nervousness, but
the talk dragged on for some quarter of an hour. Suddenly,
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from the wharf sounded the approaching footsteps of a running man.
He crossed the gangway and raced up the ladder to
the captain's cabin. The others sprang to their feet as
the door opened and Benson appeared. He hasn't come, he
cried excitedly. I watched at the station and he didn't
get out. Consternation showed on every face, and Beamish swore bitterly.
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There was a variety of comments and conjectures. There's no
other train, only the Express. It doesn't stop here, but
it stops at Hassel. Un notice to the guard he
may have missed the connection at selby Fox suggested. In
that case, he would Beamish spoke authoritatively. I wish, Benson,
you would go and ring up the central and see
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if there has been any message. Willis whispered to the
sergeant too, beckoning to two of his men, crept hurriedly
down the port ladder to the lower deck. In a moment,
Benson followed down the starboard or lighted side. Willis listened
breathlessly above heard what he was expecting, a sudden scuffle,
a muffled cry, a faint click, and then silence. He
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peeped through the port hole. Fox was expounding his theory
about the railway connections, and none of those within had
heard the sounds. Presently, the sergeant returned with his men.
Trust him up to the day pole. He breathed in
the inspector's ear. He won't give no trouble. Willis nodded contentedly.
That was one out of the way of six, and
he had fourteen on his side. Meanwhile, the men in
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the cabin continued anxiously discussing their leader's absence, until after
a few minutes Beamish swore irritably. Curse that full benson.
He growled, what the blazes is keeping him all this time?
I had better go and hurry him up. If they've
got hold of Archer, it's time we were out of this.
Willis's hand closed on the sergeant's arm, same thing again,
but with three men, he whispered. The four had hardly
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disappeared down the port ladder when Beamish left his cabin
and began to descend the starboard. Willis felt that the
crisis was upon him. He whispered to the remaining constables,
who closed in round the cabin door, and then grasped
his revolver and stood tense. Suddenly, a wild commotion arose
on the lower deck. There was a warning shout from Beamish,
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instantly muffled, a tramp of feet, a pistol shot, and
the sounds of a violent struggle. For a moment there
was silence in the cabin, the men gazing at each
other with consternation on their faces. Then Bullah yelled, copped
by Heck, and with an agility hardly credible in a
man of his years, whipped out a revolver and sprang
out of the cabin. Instantly, he was seized by three constables,
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and the four went swinging and lurching across the deck,
Bullah fighting desperately to turn his weapon on his assailants.
At the same moment, Willis leaped to the door and
with his automatic level, shouted, hands up, all of you,
you are covered from every quarter. Henria and Fox, who
were next to the door, obeyed as if in a stupor.
But Raymond's hand flew out and a bullet whistled past
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the inspector's head. Instantly, Willis fired, and with a scream,
the Frenchman staggered back. It was the work of a
few seconds for the remaining constables to dash in under
the Inspector's pistol and handcuffed the two men in the cabin,
and Willis then turned to see how the contests on
the deck were faring, But these also were over. Both
Beamish and bullah Borne down by the weight of numbers
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had been secured. The inspector next turned to examine Raymond.
His shot had been well aimed. The bullet had entered
by the base of the man's right thumb and passed
out through his wrist. His life was not in danger,
but it would be many a long day before he
would again fire a revolver. Four blasts on the Girondine's
horn recalled Willis's car, and when some three hours later
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the last batch of prisoners was safely lodged in the
whole police station, Willis began to feel that the end
of his labors was at last coming in sight. The
arrest supplied the inspector with fresh material on which to work.
As a result of his careful investigation of the movements
of the prisoners during the previous three years, the entire
history of the pit prop syndicate was unraveled, as well
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as the details of Coburn's murder. It seemed that the
original idea of the fraud was Raymond's. He looked round
for a likely English partner. Selected, Archer broached the subject
to him and found him willing to go in. Soon
from his dominating personality, Archer became the leader. Details were
worked out and the necessary confederates carefully chosen. Beamish and
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Bullah went in as partners, the four being bound together
by their joint liability. The other three members were tools
over whom the quartet had obtained some hold. In Cockburn's case,
Archer learned of the defalcations in time to make the
airring cashier his victim. He met the deficit in return
for a signed confession of guilt and an IOU for
a sum that would have enabled the distiller to sell
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the other up and ruin his home in his future.
An incompletely erased address in a pocket diary belonging to
Beamish led Willis to a small shop on the south
side of London, where he discovered an assistant who had
sold a square of black surge to two men about
the time of Coburn's murder. The salesman remembered the transaction
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because his customers had been unable to describe what they wanted.
Otherwise than by the word cloth, which was not the
technical name for any of his commodities. The fabric found
in the cab was identical to that on the role
this man stated he had used. Moreover, he identified Beamish
and Bullah as the purchasers. Willis had a routine search
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made of the restaurants of Soho, and at last found
that in which the conspirators had held their meetings previously
to the murder. There had been two. At the first,
so Willis learned from the description given by the proprietor,
Cockburn had been present, but not at the second. In
spite of all of his efforts, he was unable to
find the shop at which the pistol had been bought,
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but he suspected the transaction had been carried out by
one of the other members of the gang in order
as far as possible, to share the responsibility for the crime.
On the girondine was found the false bulkhead in Bulla's cabin,
behind which was placed the hidden brandy tank. The connection
for the shore pipe was concealed behind the back of
the engineer's hand wash basin, which moved forward by means
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of a secret spring. On the girondine was also found
something over seven hundred thousand pounds, mostly in Brazilian notes,
and Benson admitted later that the plan had been to
scuttle the girondine off the coast of Bahia, take to
the boat, and row ashore at night, remaining in Brazil
at least till the hue and cry had died down.
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But instead all seven men received heavy sentences. Archer paid
for his crimes with his life, the others got terms
from ten to fifteen years each. The managers of the
licensed houses in Hull were believed to have been in
ignorance of the larger fraud and to have dealt privately
and individually with Archer, and they and their accomplices escaped
with lighter penalties. The mysterious Morton proved to be a
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private detective employed by Archer. He swore positively that he
had no knowledge of the real nature of the syndicate's operations,
and though the judge's strictures on his conduct were severe,
no evidence could be found against him, and he was
not brought to trial. Inspector Willis got his desired promotion
out of the case, and there was someone else who
got more About a month after the trial, in the
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Holy Trinity Church, Eastbourne, a wedding was solemnized. Seymour Merriman
and Madeline Coburn were united in the Holy Bonds of matrimony,
and Hilliard, assisting as best man, could not refrain from
whispering in his friend's ear as they turned to leave
the Vestal. Three cheers for the Pit prop Syndicate end
of Chapter twenty. End of the Pit prop Syndicate by
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Freeman Wills Crofts
Chapter twenty of the Pitt Props Syndicate by Freeman Wills Crofts.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter twenty
the Double Cross Inspector Willis spent the Saturday before the
fateful Tuesday at the telephone in the empty cottage. Nothing
of interest passed over the wire, except that Benson informed
(00:20):
his chief that he had had a telegram from Beamish
saying that in order to reach Ferby at the pre
arranged hour, he was having to sail without a full
cargo of props, and that the two men went over
again the various trains by which they and their confederates
would travel to London. Both items pleased Willis, as it
showed him that the plans originally made were being adhered to.
(00:41):
On Monday morning, as the critical hour of his coup approached,
he became restless and even nervous, so far that is,
as an expector of the yard on duty can be nervous.
So much depended on the results of the next day
and a half. His own fate hung in the balance,
as well as that of the men against whom he
had pitted himself, Miss Coburn and Merriman too, would be
profound affected. However, the affair ended while to his department
(01:03):
and even to the nation at large, his success would
not be without importance. He determined he would, if possible,
see the various members of the gang start traveling himself
in the train, with Archer as the leader and the
man most urgently wanted. Benson, he remembered, was to go first.
Willis therefore haunted the Paragon station, watching the trains leave,
and he was well satisfied when he saw Benson get
(01:24):
on board the nine ten a m. By means of
a word of explanation and the passing of a couple
of shillings, he induced an official to examine the traveler's ticket,
which proved to be a third return to King's Cross.
Beamish and Bullah were to travel by the four p m,
and Willis, carefully disguised as a deep sea fishermen, watched
them arrive separately, take their tickets, and enter the train.
(01:47):
Beamish traveled first and Bullah third, and again the inspector
had their tickets examined and found they were for London.
Archer was to leave at five thirty, and Willis intended
as a precautionary measure to travel up with him and
keep him under observation. Still in his fisherman's disguise, he
took his own ticket, got into the rear of the
train and kept his eye on the platform until he
(02:08):
saw archer pass suit case and rug in hand. Then,
cautiously looking out, he watched the other get into a
through coach for King's Cross. As the train ran past
the depot at Ferraby, Willis observed that the Girondine was
not discharging pit props, but instead was loading casks of
some kind. He had noticed on the previous Friday, when
(02:29):
he had been in the neighborhood, that some wagons of
those casks had been shunted inside the enclosure and were
being unloaded by the syndicate's men. The casks looked like
those in which the crude oil for the ship's diesel
engines arrived, and the fact that she was loading them unemptied,
he presumed them unemptied, seemed to indicate that the pumping
plant on the wharf was out of order. The five
(02:51):
thirty p m ran with a stop at Gueld to Doncaster,
where the through carriage was shunted on to one of
the great expresses from the north, more from force of
habit than otherwise. Willis put his head out of the
window at Ghul to watch if any one should leave
Archer's carriage, but no one did. At Doncaster, Willis received
something of a shock as his train drew into the station.
(03:14):
Another was just coming out, and he idly ran his
eyes along the line of coaches. A figure in the
corner of a third class compartment attracted his attention. It
seemed vaguely familiar, but it was already out of sight
before the inspector realized that it was a likeness to
Benson that had struck him. He had not seen the
man's face, and at once dismissed the matter from his
(03:34):
mind with the careless thought that every one has his double.
A moment later they pulled up at the platform. Here
again he put out his head, and it was not
long before he saw Archer alight, and evidently leaving his
suitcase and rug to keep his seat, move slowly down
the platform. There was nothing remarkable in this, as no
less than seventeen minutes elapse between the arrival of the
(03:54):
train from Hull and the departure of that from London,
and through passengers frequently left their carriage while being shunted.
At the same time, Willis unostentatiously followed and presently saw
Archer vanish into the first class refreshment room. He took
up a position where he had a good view of
the door and waited for the other's reappearance. But the
distiller was in no hurry. Ten minutes elapsed, and still
(04:16):
he made no sign. The express from the north thundered in,
the engine hooked off, and shunting began. The train was
due out at six twenty two, and now the hands
of the great clock pointed to six nineteen. Willis began
to be perturbed. Had he missed his quarry at six twenty.
He could stand it no longer, and at risk of
meeting Archer, should the latter at that moment decide to
leave the refreshment room. He pushed open the door and
(04:39):
glanced in, and then he breathed freely again. Archer was
sitting at a table, sipping what looked like a whiskey
and soda. As Willis looked, he saw him glance up
at the clock, now pointing to six twenty one. Anne
calmly settled himself more comfortably in his chair. Why the
man would miss the train? Willis, with a sudden feeling
of disappointment, had an impulse to run over and remind
(05:00):
him of the hour at which it left, but he
controlled himself in time, slipped back to his post of
observation and took up his watch. In a few seconds,
the train whistled and pulled majestically out of the station.
For fifteen minutes, Willis waited, and then he saw the
distiller leave the refreshment room and walk slowly down the platform.
As Willis followed, it was clear to him that the
(05:22):
other had deliberately allowed his train to start without him,
though what his motive had been the inspector could not imagine.
He now approached the booking office and apparently bought a ticket. Afterwards,
turning back down the platform, Willis slipped into a doorway
until he had passed, then, hurrying to the booking window,
explained who he was and asked to what station the
last comer had booked. He was told Selby, and he retreated,
(05:45):
exasperated and puzzled beyond words, what could archer be up to?
He bought a timetable and began to study the possibilities
first he made himself clear as to the lie of
the land. The main line of the Great East Coast
Route from London to Scotland ran almost due north and
south through Doncaster. Eighteen miles to the north was Selby.
(06:05):
The next important station. At Selby, a line running east
and west crossed the other, leading in one direction to
Leeds and the west in the other to Hull. About
half way between Selby and Hall, at a place called Staddlethorpe,
a line branched off and ran southwesterly through gul to Doncaster. Selby,
(06:26):
Saddlethorpe and Doncaster therefore formed a railway triangle, one of
the sides of which produced led to Hull. From this
it followed as indeed, the Inspector had known that passengers
to and from Hall had two points of connection with
the main line, either direct to Selby or through goul
to Doncaster. He began to study the trains. The first
(06:46):
northwards was the four pm Dining Car Express from King's
Cross to Newcastle. It left Doncaster at seven fifty six
and reached Selby at eight twenty one. Would Archer travel
by it, and if he did, what would be his
next move? For nearly an hour, Willis sat huddled up
in the corner of a seat, his eye on Archer
in the distance, and his mind rustling with the problem.
(07:07):
For nearly an hour, he racked his brains without result.
Then suddenly a devastating idea flashed before his consciousness, leaving
him rigid with dismay. For a moment, his mind refused
to accept so disastrous a possibility, But as he continued
to think over it, he found that one puzzling and
unrelated fact after another took on a different complexion from
(07:28):
that it had formerly borne. That moreover, it dropped into
place and became part of a connected whole. He saw
now why Archer could not discuss Madeline's letter over the telephone,
but was able to arrange in that way for the
interview with Beamish. He understood why Archer, standing at his
study window, had mentioned the call at eleven next morning,
(07:48):
he realized that Benson's amendment was probably arranged by Archer
on the previous evening. He saw why the Girondine had
left the lesque without her full cargo, and why she
was loading barrels at Ferraby. He knew who it was
he had seen passing in the other train as his
own reached Doncaster, and he grasped for the reason for
Archer's visit to Selby. In a word, he saw he
(08:11):
had been hoaxed, fooled carefully, systematically, and at every point.
While he had been congratulating himself on the completeness with
which the conspirators had been walking into his net, he
had in reality been caught in theirs. He had been
like a child in their hands. They had evidently been
watching and countering his every step. He saw now that
(08:34):
his tapping of the secret telephone must have been discovered,
and that his enemies had used their discovery to mislead him.
They must have recognized that Madeline's letter was inspired by
himself and read his motives in making her send it.
They had then used the telephone to make him believe
they were falling into his trap, while their real plans
were settled in Archer's study. What those plans were, he believed.
(08:56):
He now understood there would be no meetings in London
on the following day. The meetings were designed to bring
him Willis to the metropolis and keep him there by tomorrow.
The gang, convinced that discovery was eminent, would be aboard
the Girondina on the high seas they were, as he
expressed it to himself, doing a bunk. Therefore, of necessity,
(09:18):
the Girondine would load barreled oil to drive her to
some country where Scotland Yard detectives did not flourish, and
where extradition laws were of no account. Therefore she must
return light or he suspected empty, as there would be
no time to unload. Moreover, a reason for this lightness
must be given him, lest he should notice the ship
sitting high out of the water and suspect. And he
(09:41):
now knew that it was really Benson that he had
seen returning to Ferby via Ghul, and that Archer was
doing the same via Selby. He looked up the trains
from Selby to Ferby. There was only one. It left
Selby at nine nineteen fifty, eight minutes after the Doncaster
train arrived there, and reached Ferraby at ten ze o seven.
(10:01):
It was now getting on towards eight. He had nearly
two and a half hours to make his plans. Though
Willis was a little slow in thought, he was prompt
in action, feeling sure that Archer would indeed travel by
the seven fifty six to Selby. He relaxed his watch
and went to the telephone call office. There he rang
up the police station at Selby, asking for a plainclothesman
and two constables to meet him at the train to
(10:23):
make interest. Also, he asked for a fast car to
be engaged to take him immediately to Ferraby. He then
called up the police in Hall and had a long
talk with the superintendent. Finally, it was arranged that a
sergeant and twelve men were to meet him on the
shore at the back of the signal cabin near the
Ferby depot, with a boat and a grappling ladder for
getting aboard the Girondine. This done, Willis hurried back to
(10:46):
the platform, reaching it just as the seven fifty six
came in. He watched Archer get on board, and then
himself entered another compartment at Selby the quarry, alighted and
passed along the platform toward the booking office. Willis's police
trained he instantly revealed him to the plainclothes man and
him he instructed to follow Archer and learn to what
station he booked. In a few moments the man returned
(11:07):
to say it was Ferriby, then calling up the two constables.
The four officers followed the distiller into the first class
waiting room where he had taken cover. Willis walked up
to him, Archibald Charles Archer. He said, impressively, I am
Inspector Willis of Scotland Yard. I have a warrant for
your arrest on a charge of murdering Francis Coburn in
a cab in London on September twelfth last. I have
(11:30):
to warn you that anything you say may be used
in evidence. For a moment, the distiller seemed so overwhelmed
with surprise as to be incapable of movement, and before
he could pull himself together, there was a click, and
handcuffs gleamed on his wrists. Then his eyes blazed, and
with the inarticulate roar of a wild beast, he flung
(11:50):
himself wildly on Willis, and manacled as he was attempted
to seize his throat, but the struggle was brief. In
a moment, the other three men had torn him off,
and he stood glaring at his adversary and uttering savage curses.
You look after him, Sergeant Willis directed a little breathlessly
as he tried to straighten the remnants of his tie.
(12:10):
I must go on to Ferby. A powerful car was
waiting outside the station, and Willis, jumping in, offered the
driver an extra pound if he was at Ferby within
fifty minutes. He reckoned. The distance was about twenty five miles,
and he thought he should maintain at average of thirty
miles an hour. The night was intensely dark. As the
big vehicle swung out of Selby eastward bound, A slight
(12:31):
wind blew in from the east, bearing a damp, searching cold,
more trying than frost. Willis, who had left his coat
in the London train, shivered as he drew the one
rug the vehicle contained up round his shoulders. The road
to Howden was broad and smooth, and the car made
fine going, but at Howden the main road turned north.
In speed on the comparatively inferior cross roads to Ferby
(12:53):
had to be reduced, but Willis was not dissatisfied with
their progress when at nine thirty eight, fifty four minutes
after leaving Selby, they pulled up in the Ferriby Lane,
not far from the distillery and opposite the railway. Signal cabin,
having arranged with the driver to run up to the
main road, wait there until he heard four blasts on
the Girondine's horn, and then make for the syndicates depot.
(13:16):
The inspector dismounted, and forcing his way through the railway fence,
crossed at the rails and descended the low embankment on
the river side. A moment later, just as he reached
the shore, the form of a man loomed up dimly
through the darkness. Who is there, asked Willis softly, Constable Jones, Sir.
The figure answered is that Inspector Willis. Sergeant Hobbs is
(13:37):
here with the boats. Willis followed the other for fifty
yards along the beach until he came on two boats,
each containing half a dozen policemen. It was still very dark,
and the wind blew cold and raw. The silence was
broken only by the lapping of the waves on the shingle.
Willis felt the night was ideal for his purpose. There
was enough noise from wind and water to muffle any
(13:59):
sounds that the men might make in getting aboard the Girondine,
but not enough to prevent him overhearing any conversation which
might be in progress. We have just got here this minute, sir,
the sergeant said, I hope we haven't kept you waiting.
Just ride myself. Willis returned. You have twelve picked men, yes, sir, armed, Yes,
sir good. I need not remind you all not to
(14:21):
fire except as a last resort. What arrangements have you
made for boarding? We have a ladder with hooks at
the top for catching on the taffrail. Your oars muffled, yes, sir,
very well. Now listen and see that you are clear
about what you are to do. When we reach the ship,
get your ladder into position, and I'll go up. You
(14:42):
and the men follow. Keep beside me, sergeant. We'll overhear
what we can. When I give the signal, rush in
and arrest the whole gang. Do you follow, yes, sir?
Then let us get under way. They pushed off, passing
like phantoms over the dark water. The ship carried a
right light, to which they steered. She was lying. Willis
(15:03):
knew bow up stream. The tide was flowing, and when
they were close by, they ceased rowing and drifted down
on to her stern. There the leading boat dropped in
beneath her counter and the bowman made a painter fast
to her rudder post. The second boat's painter was attached
to the stern of the first, and the current swung
both alongside. The men fending off allowed their craft to
(15:24):
come into place without a sound. The ladder was raised
and hooked on, and Willis, climbing up stealthily, raised his
head above the taffrail. The port side of the ship was,
as on previous occasions, in complete darkness, and Willis jerked
the ladder as a signal to the others to follow him.
In a few seconds, the fourteen men stood like shadows
on the lower deck. Then Willis, tiptoeing forward, began to
(15:47):
climb the ladder to the bridge deck, just as Hilliard
had done some four months earlier. As on that occasion,
the starboard side of the ship, next to the wharf
was dimly lighted up. A light also showed in the
window of the captain's cabin, from which issued the sound
of voices. Willis posted his men in two groups at
either end of the cabin, so that at a given
(16:08):
signal they could rush round in opposite directions and reach
the door. Then he and the sergeant crept forward and
put their ears to the window. This time, though the
glass was hooked back. As before, the curtain was pulled
fully across the opening, so that the men could see
nothing and only partially hear what was said. Willis therefore
reached in and very gradually pulled it a little aside.
(16:31):
Fortunately no one noticed the movement, and the talk continued uninterruptedly.
The inspector could now see in five men were squeezed
round the tiny table. Beamish and Bullah sat along one side,
directly facing him. At the end was Fox. The remaining
to head their backs to the window, and were, the
inspector believed, Raymond and Henri. Before each man was a
(16:53):
long tumbler of whisky and soda, and a box of
cigars lay on the table. All seemed nervous and excited,
indeed as if under an intolerable strain, and kept fidgeting
and looking at their watches. Conversation was evidently maintained with
an effort as a thing necessary to keep them from
a complete breakdown. Raymond was speaking, and you saw him
come out. He was asking yes, Fox answered. He came
(17:16):
out sort of stealthy and looked around. I didn't know
who it was then, but I knew no one had
any business in the cottage at that hour, so I
followed him to Ferriby station. I saw his face by
the lamps there, and you knew him no, But I
recognized him as having been around with that excise inspector,
and I guessed he was on to something. We we yes,
(17:38):
The Frenchman interrogated, Well, naturally, I told the chief he
knew who it was, Bien there is not how do
you say? Flies on archer nes seppa? And then the
chief guess who it was from the captain's description. Fox
nodded his head at beamish. You met him, eh, captain,
(18:00):
he stood me a drink, The big man answered, But
what he did it for I don't know. But how
did he get wise to the telephone? Bullah rumbled, can't
find out, Fox replied, but it showed he was wise
to the whole affair. Then there was that letter for
miss Coburn that gave the show away, because there could
have been no papers, like she said, and she couldn't
(18:20):
have discovered anything then that she hadn't known it. The
clearing archer put Morton on to it, and he found
that this willis went down to Eastbourne one night, about
two days before the letter came. So that was that.
Then he had me watch for him going to the telephone,
and he has fooled him about proper. I guess he's
in London now, arranging to rest us all tomorrow. Bulah
(18:41):
chuckled fatly. As you say, he nodded at Raymond. There
ain't no flies on Archer. What I've always thought a
lot of Archer, Beamish remarked. But I never thought so
much of him as that night. We drew lots for
who should put Colburn out of the way. When he
drew the long taper, he never as much as turned
a hair. That's the last time they had a full meeting,
and we never reckoned that this would be the next.
(19:04):
At this moment, a train passed going towards Hull. There's
his train, Fox cried, he should be here soon. How
long does it take to get from the station? Raymond inquired,
about fifteen minutes. Captain Beamish answered, we're time enough making
a move. The men showed more and more nervousness, but
the talk dragged on for some quarter of an hour. Suddenly,
(19:25):
from the wharf sounded the approaching footsteps of a running man.
He crossed the gangway and raced up the ladder to
the captain's cabin. The others sprang to their feet as
the door opened and Benson appeared. He hasn't come, he
cried excitedly. I watched at the station and he didn't
get out. Consternation showed on every face, and Beamish swore bitterly.
(19:45):
There was a variety of comments and conjectures. There's no
other train, only the Express. It doesn't stop here, but
it stops at Hassel. Un notice to the guard he
may have missed the connection at selby Fox suggested. In
that case, he would Beamish spoke authoritatively. I wish, Benson,
you would go and ring up the central and see
(20:06):
if there has been any message. Willis whispered to the
sergeant too, beckoning to two of his men, crept hurriedly
down the port ladder to the lower deck. In a moment,
Benson followed down the starboard or lighted side. Willis listened
breathlessly above heard what he was expecting, a sudden scuffle,
a muffled cry, a faint click, and then silence. He
(20:29):
peeped through the port hole. Fox was expounding his theory
about the railway connections, and none of those within had
heard the sounds. Presently, the sergeant returned with his men.
Trust him up to the day pole. He breathed in
the inspector's ear. He won't give no trouble. Willis nodded contentedly.
That was one out of the way of six, and
he had fourteen on his side. Meanwhile, the men in
(20:52):
the cabin continued anxiously discussing their leader's absence, until after
a few minutes Beamish swore irritably. Curse that full benson.
He growled, what the blazes is keeping him all this time?
I had better go and hurry him up. If they've
got hold of Archer, it's time we were out of this.
Willis's hand closed on the sergeant's arm, same thing again,
but with three men, he whispered. The four had hardly
(21:15):
disappeared down the port ladder when Beamish left his cabin
and began to descend the starboard. Willis felt that the
crisis was upon him. He whispered to the remaining constables,
who closed in round the cabin door, and then grasped
his revolver and stood tense. Suddenly, a wild commotion arose
on the lower deck. There was a warning shout from Beamish,
(21:36):
instantly muffled, a tramp of feet, a pistol shot, and
the sounds of a violent struggle. For a moment there
was silence in the cabin, the men gazing at each
other with consternation on their faces. Then Bullah yelled, copped
by Heck, and with an agility hardly credible in a
man of his years, whipped out a revolver and sprang
out of the cabin. Instantly, he was seized by three constables,
(21:59):
and the four went swinging and lurching across the deck,
Bullah fighting desperately to turn his weapon on his assailants.
At the same moment, Willis leaped to the door and
with his automatic level, shouted, hands up, all of you,
you are covered from every quarter. Henria and Fox, who
were next to the door, obeyed as if in a stupor.
But Raymond's hand flew out and a bullet whistled past
(22:21):
the inspector's head. Instantly, Willis fired, and with a scream,
the Frenchman staggered back. It was the work of a
few seconds for the remaining constables to dash in under
the Inspector's pistol and handcuffed the two men in the cabin,
and Willis then turned to see how the contests on
the deck were faring, But these also were over. Both
Beamish and bullah Borne down by the weight of numbers
(22:43):
had been secured. The inspector next turned to examine Raymond.
His shot had been well aimed. The bullet had entered
by the base of the man's right thumb and passed
out through his wrist. His life was not in danger,
but it would be many a long day before he
would again fire a revolver. Four blasts on the Girondine's
horn recalled Willis's car, and when some three hours later
(23:06):
the last batch of prisoners was safely lodged in the
whole police station, Willis began to feel that the end
of his labors was at last coming in sight. The
arrest supplied the inspector with fresh material on which to work.
As a result of his careful investigation of the movements
of the prisoners during the previous three years, the entire
history of the pit prop syndicate was unraveled, as well
(23:27):
as the details of Coburn's murder. It seemed that the
original idea of the fraud was Raymond's. He looked round
for a likely English partner. Selected, Archer broached the subject
to him and found him willing to go in. Soon
from his dominating personality, Archer became the leader. Details were
worked out and the necessary confederates carefully chosen. Beamish and
(23:49):
Bullah went in as partners, the four being bound together
by their joint liability. The other three members were tools
over whom the quartet had obtained some hold. In Cockburn's case,
Archer learned of the defalcations in time to make the
airring cashier his victim. He met the deficit in return
for a signed confession of guilt and an IOU for
a sum that would have enabled the distiller to sell
(24:11):
the other up and ruin his home in his future.
An incompletely erased address in a pocket diary belonging to
Beamish led Willis to a small shop on the south
side of London, where he discovered an assistant who had
sold a square of black surge to two men about
the time of Coburn's murder. The salesman remembered the transaction
(24:33):
because his customers had been unable to describe what they wanted.
Otherwise than by the word cloth, which was not the
technical name for any of his commodities. The fabric found
in the cab was identical to that on the role
this man stated he had used. Moreover, he identified Beamish
and Bullah as the purchasers. Willis had a routine search
(24:54):
made of the restaurants of Soho, and at last found
that in which the conspirators had held their meetings previously
to the murder. There had been two. At the first,
so Willis learned from the description given by the proprietor,
Cockburn had been present, but not at the second. In
spite of all of his efforts, he was unable to
find the shop at which the pistol had been bought,
(25:15):
but he suspected the transaction had been carried out by
one of the other members of the gang in order
as far as possible, to share the responsibility for the crime.
On the girondine was found the false bulkhead in Bulla's cabin,
behind which was placed the hidden brandy tank. The connection
for the shore pipe was concealed behind the back of
the engineer's hand wash basin, which moved forward by means
(25:38):
of a secret spring. On the girondine was also found
something over seven hundred thousand pounds, mostly in Brazilian notes,
and Benson admitted later that the plan had been to
scuttle the girondine off the coast of Bahia, take to
the boat, and row ashore at night, remaining in Brazil
at least till the hue and cry had died down.
(25:59):
But instead all seven men received heavy sentences. Archer paid
for his crimes with his life, the others got terms
from ten to fifteen years each. The managers of the
licensed houses in Hull were believed to have been in
ignorance of the larger fraud and to have dealt privately
and individually with Archer, and they and their accomplices escaped
with lighter penalties. The mysterious Morton proved to be a
(26:22):
private detective employed by Archer. He swore positively that he
had no knowledge of the real nature of the syndicate's operations,
and though the judge's strictures on his conduct were severe,
no evidence could be found against him, and he was
not brought to trial. Inspector Willis got his desired promotion
out of the case, and there was someone else who
got more About a month after the trial, in the
(26:45):
Holy Trinity Church, Eastbourne, a wedding was solemnized. Seymour Merriman
and Madeline Coburn were united in the Holy Bonds of matrimony,
and Hilliard, assisting as best man, could not refrain from
whispering in his friend's ear as they turned to leave
the Vestal. Three cheers for the Pit prop Syndicate end
of Chapter twenty. End of the Pit prop Syndicate by
(27:10):
Freeman Wills Crofts
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