Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/516

ioned that a year ago the youth was arrested in consequence of public prostitution, and has Jived by such a device for part of his life. The fact that Dr. M— tolerated some equivocal associates has been unfavourable commented on, in the past. The commission of the crime by young Morelli seems to have been that partly in cupidity and partly in a fit of passionate hatred to his benefactor, he took advantage of the sleep of Dr. M—, or of other circumstances, to cut his patron's throat with fatal address, by a common razor. He slipped into the room in his stocking-feet, ready to escape after putting his victim to death and pocketing has valuables; evidently a plan long premeditated. He tells a story not in consonance however with this plain account, as indicated by the facts in the case."

In Vienna, a murder came to light, awhile ago (the victim being a citizen of respectable business connections) presenting typically uranian circumstances. The account here is abbreviated from the press:

"The mysterious murder of Herr H. K— lately noted in our columns, appears explained, although the, assassin of the merchant is still unknown positively and in at large. For two or three months, Herr K— whose habits of life and acquaintances have pointed him out as given to the class of offences referred to in Paragr. 129, of the Criminal St. B., has been especially intimate with two or three young men, all of them members of a certain well-known clique, and associated with the patrons of the notorious X— Bath establishment. One of them, not a great while ago, figured as defendant in a blackmailing case here The room of Herr H. K— was on the ground-floor, and opened directly on the street mentioned; and several times lately the police or neighbour have suspected that persons—visitors to Herr K— went in or out from the lodging at curious hours, the guests being always male. The motive of the crime appears to have been robbery, and the escape of the murderer by the window (which we have mentioned in reporting the affair a week ago) was easy enough. As the body of Herr K—: was not discovered until nearly a fortnight after he must have been knocked down, when nude, in or near his bed, as narrated—owing to the little notice fastened to his door "Gone to Brünn—will return on the 20th"—by this time the whole group of individuals suspected seems to have fled the city, to avoid examination. The arrests are not yet in sight. On Sunday—" etc. etc.

Or a brutal assault stops just at murder's threshold. As here:

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