The Man with the Watches

           Therearemanywhowillstillbearinmindthesingularcircumstanceswhich,undertheheadingoftheRugbyMystery,filledmanycolumnsofthedailyPressinthespringoftheyear1892.Comingasitdidataperiodofexceptionaldullness,itattractedperhapsrathermoreattentionthanitdeserved,butitofferedtothepublicthatmixtureofthewhimsicalandthetragicwhichismoststimulatingtothepopularimagination.Interestdrooped,however,when,afterweeksoffruitlessinvestigation,itwasfoundthatnofinalexplanationofthefactswasforthcoming,andthetragedyseemedfromthattimetothepresenttohavefinallytakenitsplaceinthedarkcatalogueofinexplicableandunexpiatedcrimes.Arecentcommunication(theauthenticityofwhichappearstobeabovequestion)has,however,thrownsomenewandclearlightuponthematter.Beforelayingitbeforethepublicitwouldbeaswell,perhaps,thatIshouldrefreshtheirmemoriesastothesingularfactsuponwhichthiscommentaryisfounded.Thesefactswerebrieflyasfollows:

           Atfiveo’clockontheeveningofthe18thofMarchintheyearalreadymentionedatrainleftEustonStationforManchester.Itwasarainy,squallyday,whichgrewwilderasitprogressed,soitwasbynomeanstheweatherinwhichanyonewouldtravelwhowasnotdriventodosobynecessity.Thetrain,however,isafavouriteoneamongManchesterbusinessmenwhoarereturningfromtown,foritdoesthejourneyinfourhoursandtwentyminutes,withonlythreestoppagesupontheway.