Beck Center English Dept. University Libraries Emory University
Emory Women Writers Resource Project Collections:
Women's Genre Fiction Project

The Adventures of Tyler Tatlock, an electronic edition

by Dick Donovan [Muddock, J.E. (Joyce Emmerson), 1843-1934]

date: 1900
source publisher: Chatto & Windus
collection: Genre Fiction

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| | 191

THE NEW TENANT

STANDING back from the high road that runs between Edinburgh and Berwick, and within a mile or so of the latter town, there stood up to a few years ago an old house known as 'Scotter's Farm.' There is a story in connection with that farm; which for ghastly weirdness would be hard to beat. It will be necessary at a later stage of the narrative to enter into some description of the house and its surroundings. But now it is meet that we should record the truly remarkable and even appalling circumstance that brought a curse, as it were, upon Scotter's Farm, until, being shunned by all men as a ghost-haunted spot, it was razed to the ground and the land knew it no more. Years before that came about a young Scot named David Robb went forth from his native country to seek his fortune, as many thousands have done before him. We are not concerned with the early history of this young man, who was destined to become the central figure of a tragic drama.

Briefly, he went first to New Zealand. He did not remain very long there, and seems to have shifted his ground to Australia, and is known to have worked for some time on the Ballarat gold diggings. For a good many years afterwards he appears to have led a nomadic life, shifting his ground and turning up unexpectedly in out-of-the-way quarters. But what we are now interested with is his doings in his later stages. He comes into prominence in Birmingham, England, after long drifting about the world and leading a strange life of adventurous ups and | | 192 downs. At this period he was in partnership with a Jew named Israel Behrens, and nominally their business was that of electro-platers and needle manufacturers. Indeed, they seem to have gone in for all sorts of things, and amongst others they engaged in the disreputable trade of producing spurious antiquities. Notwithstanding the very miscellaneous character of their enterprise, it is extremely doubtful if they were as successful pecuniarily as they no doubt desired to be.

It is evident that both men were somewhat eccentric, and of miserly habits. They did not, as far as was known, associate themselves with womankind, but lived together in a small house in a somewhat lonely situation in the suburbs. Three times a week an old woman went to their place to clean up and put things in order, but with that exception no stranger ever entered their dwelling. They generally went out together in the morning to their place of business in the town. They took a mid-day meal together in a cheap eating-house, and returned together to their lonely miserable home in the evening.

In the conduct of their business they seem to have been shrewd and even clever; hard bargain-drivers, keen traders. They had a small manufactory in rather a squalid part of the town, and they gave employment to about fifty workpeople of both sexes. They treated their employees fairly, although somewhat hard taskmasters, for they insisted on having their pound of flesh. They went on in this manner for years. No one actually knew whether they were making money or not, though there was a general belief that they were doing well and hoarding their gold. They kept a banking account in their joint names purely for trading purposes. Their business liabilities were always promptly met, and, as was subsequently disclosed, their banking transactions were only arranged to embrace the affairs of their trade. The margin over and beyond these requirements was very narrow indeed. Of course, this state of matters could not long be kept secret, and in business centres where Robb and Behrens were known | | 193 much wonder and curiosity were expressed by the hard-headed Birmingham money-spinners.

One morning David Robb appeared at his place of business alone. The clerks and workpeople marvelled, because week in and week out for years Robb and Behrens had arrived together and departed together, so that it had come to be said secretly amongst the toilers that the two heads were suspicious of each other, and one was afraid to trust the other out of his sight.

The unusual circumstance of Robb appearing first on the occasion in question so affected the curiosity of the chief clerk that he could not resist the temptation to inquire of Robb if Mr. Behrens was ill.

'No,' answered Robb. 'He came into the town with me as usual, but had to make a call.'

Noon came, bringing the dinner-hour, and the workpeople suspended their labours. Robb, as was his wont, went to his cheap eating-house and fed. And there again surprise was expressed that he was alone. He returned to his factory with the rigid punctuality that marked his coming and going. The bell that recalled the workpeople to their toil was still ringing.

'Hasn't Mr. Behrens turned up?' he asked of his clerk.

'No,' was the answer.

'It's very strange,' muttered Robb, with seeming concern.

The day wore itself out. The toil ceased. Robb locked up and went home.

The following day on his way to the factory he called in at the head police station, and to the superintendent he made the following statement:

'My partner, Mr. Israel Behrens, left home with me yesterday morning. We parted in the town, as he said he wanted to make a call. On getting back to my house last night I found that he had returned during my absence, cleared out all the money that he could lay his hands on, and has disappeared, leaving no trace behind him. You must capture him ; return my money or I am ruined.'

| | 194

The superintendent asked numerous questions, as he was bound to do, and he got a full and detailed description of the absconder. Twenty-four hours later all Birmingham knew of the disappearance of Behrens, for placards were freely posted about offering a reward of fifty pounds for the capture of the Jew, while particulars were sent to every police station in the kingdom.

A week went by. Behrens had not been heard of. He had carried off, according to Robb, upwards of ten thousand pounds and some valuable business papers. Robb manifested great distress, and became moody and sullen. He called frequently at the police station to know if his missing partner had been heard of. The same answer met him each time: 'No.'

Then he went down to his factory, transacted his affairs, and returned at night to his lonely abode. Those who knew him noted a marvellous change in the few days. His iron-grey hair seemed to grow whiter, the wrinkles in his face deepened, his whole appearance was suggestive of one who was bowed and broken beneath an insupportable burden. This did not cause any great surprise, for it was taken as a matter of course that the loss of such a large sum was bound to very seriously affect a man of his penurious and miserly habits.

The chief superintendent of the police of Birmingham, having failed to get any clue, placed himself in communication with Tyler Tatlock, whom he knew very well, and requested him, in the interest of justice, and with a view to upholding the majesty of the law, to try and strike Behrens' spoor. So Tatlock went down to the great Midland town and took up the running. It was in the order of things that he should seek an interview with Robb. When he made himself known and stated his errand, Robb, as Tatlock records, seemed by no means pleased.

'I was content,' he growled, 'to leave this matter in the hands of the Birmingham police. I don't know what they wanted to go outside of their own province for. It seems | | 195 to me in the nature of a confession of incompetency and incapacity to bring you on the scene.'

Tatlock suggested that his presence did not indicate either incompetency or incapacity on the part of the Birmingham authorities, and that it was quite in accordance with custom for an expert to be called in in cases which presented more than ordinary difficulties.

Robb seemed to give an unwilling assent to this, and after a time showed more disposition to discuss the matter and supply the detective with the information he asked for. Tatlock probed deeply, as was his wont. A knowledge of the habits and character of a man enabled him to form some idea of what that man would be likely to do in certain circumstances. From what he was told on this occasion he came to the conclusion that Behrens was hardly likely to betray his whereabouts by lavish expenditure. Needless to say, Robb did not endeavour to find any extenuating circumstances for his late partner. Indeed, he spoke with such bitter invective, such ill-concealed contempt and hatred, that Tatlock was surprised, and came to the conclusion that there was some long-standing feud between them.

'It seems to me,' he remarked, 'that you and your partner did not get on very well together.'

'No, we did not,' Robb answered, with a touch of fierceness in his tone.

'Why?'

'Because he was selfish, grasping, and deceptive.'

'And yet you lived under the same roof, and walked very closely in the same path. In fact, you were companions held together by a common interest, a common desire.'

'Not quite,' growled Robb. 'That is only what outsiders thought.'

'In what way did you differ?'

'He was untrustworthy.'

'Why, then, did you not take greater precautions to insure yourself against becoming his victim?'

Robb displayed much irritation under this questioning, | | 196 and said angrily: 'Look here, I don't know that it is part of your business to lay bare the whole of my dealings with my late partner. You've been asked, not with my consent, to find him. All I've got to say is, find him, and get my money back if you can.'

Tatlock did not enter into any further argument. He saw the futility of it, but he formed an opinion of Robb by no means favourable to him. For some time he devoted his energies to trying to get trace of Behrens, but failed. Of course the quest was rendered harder by the isolated life the Jew had led. He had formed no friendships. He had few acquaintances, and those few could tell but little about him, beyond saying he was very quiet, very reserved, very secretive.

In the course of a few weeks the disappearance of Behrens had passed out of public memory. Tatlock had failed to find him, and when six months had gone David Robb had gone too, and Birmingham knew him no more. He was at pains to let it be known that the loss he had sustained through his partner's rascality had ruined him. So he sold the business and his household effects.

About three years from this time the disappearance of Israel Behrens became a subject of conversation once more in the needle town, owing to the arrival of a man named Samuel Behrens. He was the brother of Israel, but had not seen him for a very long period. Occasionally at long intervals letters had passed between them. Samuel had been in Australia. He had made some money, and resolved to visit England and find out why his brother had remained silent for such an unusually long time. When he heard the story of his brother vanishing, he was shocked, and he repudiated with passionate vehemence the charge of theft preferred against Israel, and even of his being a miser. He said that he and his brother were born in Russia. Their mother was a gentlewoman of good birth. Their father was a trader in furs, and was very outspoken against the barbarities practised against the Jews in the name of the Czar. One day Behrens the elder was seized, and, under | | 197 the infamous Russian laws, was thrown into that living tomb, the prison of Peter and Paul at St. Petersburg. When his wife moved on his behoof, she too was arrested, and a lying charge formulated, so as to bring her under the iniquitous law too. She was scourged and persecuted until her heart broke, and she died.

At last Behrens was put on trial—a hideous mockery, as all such trials are in Russia—and, of course, he was sentenced for life to Siberia. Samuel and Israel were then youths. Samuel was the elder. They had been cared for by an aunt, and after a time were sent to England, the land of liberty. They both made a solemn vow that they would labour, toil, and save in order to get money to effect the liberation of their unhappy father. It was true he had been sentenced for life, but every official, whether high or low, in Russia is open to bribery and corruption, and if there is money enough even a Siberian life-prisoner may be set free. In pursuance of their object Samuel went to Australia, while Israel elected to remain in England, and, making the acquaintance of David Robb somewhere or other, he subsequently entered into partnership with him in Birmingham.

Such was Samuel's strange story, and when people spoke of the serious charge that hung over his brother's head he was furious, and expressed a firm belief that his brother was dead. Naturally he was anxious to come face to face with David Robb, but he also had vanished, leaving no trace behind. Of course, Samuel learnt of Tatlock's efforts, and he resolved to go to him and ask him to try again to clear up the mystery surrounding his brother. The story appealed to Tatlock, and, knowing what he did of Robb, he began to think that Robb himself was responsible for his partner's disappearance, consequently it was necessary that Robb should be traced.

The quest began. Tatlock found himself once more in Birmingham, taking up the old threads in the hope of finding a clue. From the fact of Robb having led such a nomadic life, the belief was justified that he would go abroad again, but somehow Tatlock did not hold to that belief. | | 198 His argument was that, as Robb was growing old—he was much older than Behrens—a longing for his native land might restrain him from wandering farther afield. It was remembered in Birmingham that when he left the town he took many packages with him, including a large wooden case. These things were supposed to be such remnants of his household effects as he wished to preserve. They were sent by goods train to Liverpool. This fact was disclosed by the railway company's records.

To Liverpool Tatlock went. There he discovered that the goods had been claimed and a receipt given for them by Robb himself. And he discovered more than that. A poor man named John Saunders, who owned a horse and cart, had been hired by Robb to remove the things from the railway station to a lodging-house in a street in Toxteth Park, where Robb had hired two rooms. When the job was finished the man wanted his payment. Robb raised some pettifogging quibble, and offered half the amount agreed upon. The man refused to accept it. Robb swore he would not pay more, so Saunders issued a summons against him in the County Court, and obtained judgment. Even then he tried to shirk payment, and the bailiff was sent to seize his goods. Then, and not till then, did he pay.

Tatlock learned that Robb remained nearly two months in the lodging-house, earning the reputation of being a skinflint and half-mad. At last he took himself off, and he and his belongings were conveyed to Glasgow by steamer. In Glasgow he stayed for a short time in a house situated in the Broomielaw, and finally removed from there to Scotter's Farm, near Berwick.

This farm was a very tumble-down, ramshackle place. It had at one time been an important holding, and in its palmy days had comprised upwards of two thousand acres of land. But first the railway cut the estate up. Then a factory was built on the land, and finally a family dispute arose about the ownership. The lawyers, as they always do, sucked the juice away. And when, after years of litigation—and, of course, as long as there was anything to be got | | 199 the lawyers hung on—the case was settled, there was only a wretched wreck for the victor. The house, as might be supposed, had fallen into decay, and, as there was no land to farm, it was a farm only in name. The owner was too poor to renovate it. He would have got nothing by pulling it down, and so his only hope was that he might find somebody who would become a tenant. That somebody came along at last in the person of David Robb, who took the place on a three years' agreement at a low rental.

Nothing was known in the neighbourhood of the new tenant at this time, and much curiosity was manifested to learn what manner of man he was who was coming to the miserable 'hovel,' as it was termed, and what he intended to do with it.

At last the 'new tenant' came himself, an old, haggard-faced, grey-haired man, with white cheeks, and a vacant expression in his eyes. There were no bairns or wife, only a cart laden with packages. Curiosity was aroused still more. Kindly-disposed neighbours asked if they could be of any service.

They were rebuffed with a grumpy 'No.'

The new tenant, having got his packages in, bolted and barred the place, and went down to Berwick, where he sought out a second-hand huckster's shop, and haggled and bargained and haggled again about some odd articles of rubbish of furniture. He bought a little coal and some wood, and he secured the services of an old woman older than himself to act as housekeeper. She did not remain with him long. She asserted that he was a terrible old man, so mean and stingy that he begrudged every mouthful of food she ate, and from morning till night was nagging at her on the importance of practising economy. So the new tenant was left to himself, and, though some sympathised with him, the majority of those round about regarded him with horror and loathing. Thus things went on for a little while, and the neighbourhood ceased to take any concern in the new tenant.

One day a visitor called upon him. It was Samuel | | 200 Behrens. The two men had never met before. Samuel went there at the suggestion of Tyler Tatlock. When Samuel made himself known Robb was strangely perturbed, and was particularly anxious to know how he had been discovered. He vehemently protested that it was shameful to disturb him in his old age and misery, and he poured out a torrent of violent abuse on his late partner, who, he averred, had ruined him.

Naturally, Samuel asked many questions, but to all of them Robb either returned evasive answers or would not answer at all. When Samuel declared his unshaken belief in his brother's integrity and unsullied honour, Robb grew more and more excited. He gave way to incoherent ravings, and repeated again and again that Israel Behrens had ruined him. Samuel's endeavours to elicit some plain and definite explanation as to his brother's faults and failings only served to increase Robb's anger, and from abuse he fell to threats, and displayed so much violence that Samuel became frightened, and moved towards the door with the intention of taking his departure. Then Robb's manner changed. From a violent, threatening, passionate madman, he became a pleading, fawning, cringing creature. He threw his arms about his visitor's neck. He moaned, sighed, and sobbed. He declared that he was a lonely, broken, miserable old man, and it was all through his late partner, who had wrecked him. But he was willing to forget it all, he said, and bestow his confidence and affection upon Samuel. He used every art and wile he was capable of to persuade him to remain.

'Make this your home,' he cried. 'Live with me. I have a few pounds, and all, all shall be yours.'

Samuel was not impressed by this sudden display of regard. On the contrary, his fear of the strange old man increased. There was something in Robb's manner which made Samuel desire to get out of the house as speedily as possible. But when he would have gone Robb barred his way, and pleaded to him to remain.

'The world thinks bad of me,' he exclaimed, 'but you | | 201 need not. We will be friends, eh; friends, very good friends. You shall protect me, and when evil things are said, you shall give the lie to them. You will stay, won't you?'

Samuel by this time had come to the conclusion that he was face to face with a very cunning and very dangerous madman, and, thinking it was better to humour him for a little while until a more favourable moment occurred for him to get away, he said he would remain for a time at any rate. At this a cunning expression spread itself over the haggard face of Robb, who invited his guest to seat himself by the hearth, on which burned a handful of wood. Suddenly, and without any preliminary warning, Robb sprang at the other, and with a knife he had concealed hacked at Samuel's throat. Then ensued a fierce, terrible struggle. Although wounded and bleeding profusely, Samuel fought desperately for his life. He was much inferior in strength to his opponent, but he made a bold bid for victory. He succeeded by extreme exertion in wrenching the knife from the hand of the other and flinging it away, though he was terribly cut and gashed about the fingers. Not to be easily denied in his fell purpose, which unquestionably was to murder the other, Robb renewed his exertions, striving with all the strength which the passion of madness gave him to slay his victim ; but in the end the staying powers of the younger man told. Robb showed symptoms of exhaustion, and taking advantage of this Samuel made a supreme effort, which enabled him to fling his opponent off. Then, smothered in blood, his clothes hanging in rags, faint, half-blind, and terrified, he escaped and sought shelter in the nearest house, where the services of a doctor were secured as speedily as possible.

When Samuel had recovered his presence of mind, he sent an urgent message to Tatlock, who was staying at an inn in the town, waiting to hear the result of the interview, but never for a moment anticipating anything of this kind. No time was lost in acquainting the police with what had happened at Scotter's Farm, and in less than a couple of | | 202 hours Tatlock, accompanied by two policemen, went up to the farm. They experienced no difficulty in obtaining entrance, for the door was open. All was silent. They entered the kitchen. Blood seemed to be everywhere. There was a pool of it on the floor, and doubled up in a corner was Robb. They spoke to him, but he answered not. They touched him, but he gave no sign, and when they attempted to lift him up they found he was dead.

From the kitchen they went to other parts of the house, and in one of the rooms they made a horrible discovery. In a large wooden case was a body, the withered, mummified body of a man. Subsequent investigation left not the shadow of a doubt that it was the body of Israel Behrens, and his partner had murdered him. How, it was not easy to say. Since the crime the murderer had kept the ghastly evidence of his deed by him, possibly under the impression that it was the surest way of preventing the crime being discovered.

Hoards of money were also found in a box, mostly in notes and gold, and there was every reason to suppose that Robb had killed his partner in order to possess himself of his money, the perpetration of the crime being rendered comparatively easy by the isolated lives the two men led, and the unusual way in which they conducted their business. Robb's own death was due to excitement acting on a weak heart. That he was mad admitted of no questioning, but it was the madness of the miser, combined with peculiar and clever cunning.

It was some time before Samuel Behrens recovered from the shock and the wounds he had received. But he ultimately did so, and he succeeded, as his brother's heir, after some trouble, in obtaining possession of the bulk of the money found in Robb, the madman's, house. Scotter's Farm no longer exists, but the curious who may find themselves in the neighbourhood may still hear the story of the strange old man and his awful crime, which is not likely to be ever forgotten by the good folk of Berwick. David Robb and Scotter's Farm have been indelibly woven into the traditions of the countryside.

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