FROM "THE LITTLE BUSY BEE."
"The sensational incidents in the Bishop Street Police Court to-day,
where two innocent men were charged with the murder of Samuel Boyd of
Catchpole Square, were in keeping with the startling developments of
this monstrous crime which we have recorded from day to day. A full
report of the proceedings appears in our columns, and we challenge the
masters of sensational fiction to produce a story so remarkable and
extraordinary. Writing at high pressure, we have neither the time nor
the space for a careful consideration of all the features of this
Mystery-murder--no longer a mystery, thanks to the doings of the
child-heroine, Gracie Death, and of Richard Remington, who, with the
son of the murdered man, almost fell a victim to one of the vilest
conspiracies in the history of crime. To-morrow we shall go fully into
all the details; to-day we must content ourselves with supplementing
the report of the police court proceedings and incidents by such
further particulars as have come to our knowledge.
"Mr. Ezra Lynn is in custody, and will be brought before the
magistrate on Monday. There are rumours that he intends to make
confession, with the view of showing that he was not the actual
perpetrator of the horrible crime. We make no comment upon this
rumour, confident that justice will be done.
"Dr. Pye, otherwise Louis Lorenz, is dead. Upon his body were found
the brands mentioned by Pitou, proving him to be the notorious
criminal, Louis Lorenz. Of this monster's character it is difficult to
speak; from the little that is known of it a strange study is
presented to the psychologist. Undoubtedly a man of high attainments,
it seems to be certain that he was an earnest student in the science
of alchemy, which, vague and imaginative as it has been proved to be,
is the parent of that higher and positive science of chemistry, to
which mankind owes so much. The times are past when astrology, magic,
and alchemy were seriously considered. Religion and philosophy once
acknowledged them, but does so no longer. But there are still in the
world dreamers with diseased imaginations, and one of these appears to
have been Louis Lorenz, who, with his love for ancient art, regarded
even the most horrible crimes as but a means to further his visionary
ends. We shall at present say no more of him except that it is to be
deplored that he has escaped justice, and does not live to expiate his
crimes on the scaffold.
"What shall we say of little Gracie Death? History supplies no sweeter
and more touching example of courage and devotion. In saying this we
but echo the public voice, for so great was the enthusiasm when she
issued from the police court that the people would have carried her
through the streets on their shoulders. This was sensibly avoided, and
she and her parents were taken to their humble home in Lady Wharton's
carriage. All honour to this brave child, at whose feet we lay our
tribute of admiration. Let some recognition of the noble qualities she
displayed be made in our modern manner. Let us lift her family from
poverty. We are already in the receipt of letters anticipating our
wishes in this direction. The correspondence will appear in our
to-morrow's issues, but we append a list of the donors, their
contributions ranging from the modest sixpence to the regal sovereign.
We esteem it a privilege to head the list with a contribution of five
pounds."