Excerpts from the diary of

Mrs. Ruth Frazer



Notes re: Interrogation: Proctor Xanthus 10 Jan 1871

Xanthus and his confederates were responsible for these murders:
1) Mr Charles Wroth (exact method of administering the poison is not yet clear)
2) Mr Enoch Jokking (using an etheric pulse weapon built by one of his associates)
3) Mr Earwig's footman, Albert Collins (killed by Tandu)

Conspirators accounted for in Xanthus' group:
-Xanthus: responsible for murder of Jokking. (motive: revenge and some profit)
In custody of Moody
-Tandu: responsible for several incidents of "possession", using a chemical derived from the tanna plant found in Sir Charles's hothouse. (motive: revenge esp against Salmalin)
Confirmed deceased.
-Mr Percival St Simon: responsible for several magical transpositions of personality, including putting Xanthus into Inspector MacGregor's body and Iota into Sir Charles Fernly's body. (Motive: revenge against Sir C for thwarting the plot of ‘53, wherein Mr Percival would become heir to the Duke of Balmoral after the elimination of the Duke's sons)
Confirmed deceased.
-Major Gray: serving as a conduit for orders and information from a highly-placed person in the Foreign Office. (See notes on "Mysterious Malefactor")
Confirmed deceased.
-Iota: presumably brought into this plot for his ability of hypnogogic suggestion, which has perhaps been used to induce the poisoning of Mr Wroth, and perhaps also to create false memories among witnesses to the Wroth and the Jokking murders. Besides, what complicated evil plot is complete without a maniacal monkey? (Motive: revenge and looking for a human body to take over permanently?)
Confirmed deceased.
-Saratheen (?) possibly the name of the cult warrior we fought at the seaside.
Confirmed deceased.
-several additional cult warriors:
8 deceased at Goxhill Grange, 4 captured at seaside house
-a "messenger" who delivered documents by throwing them off the train.
Still at large.
(Thu pm —identity probable Thomas Mannering see "SpyGlassMan" -- disabled)

 

Notes re: Other persons of interest:
Claude Smith: this name came up in discussion of enemies potentially involved in this plot, and his fate could not be determined by Home Office-- interference by Malefactor?
Per Xanthus, Smith is dead, killed by a thuggee. Not entirely convinced of this, as several enemies presumed dead have returned recently. Await more conclusive evidence.

Mr Thomas Dower: This disappearance has come to light while Lady Ffolkes has been reviewing Sir Cosmo's records in search of enemies who might be involved in this conspiracy. Dower is an inventor who was used by Xanthus in his previous plot against Sir Cosmo. Dower was able to reconstruct one of Sir Cosmo's more closely-guarded inventions, a document copier. Sir Cosmo rescued him from servitude on that previous occasion, and had placed him in the custody of the late Sir Robert Blakeny (Sir Anthony's and Lady Ffolkes' father). He has since disappeared and records of his existence have apparently been removed from the Foreign Office's files.
Per Xanthus, Dower has been in the keeping of Malefactor. Dower was recently on a boat offshore of Hornsea, but X does not know current whereabouts.
Was he building an etheric pulse weapon? With the metals provided by Xanthus?

Unnamed Xanthus Ally: Xanthus expects this person to attempt a rescue.
Height is approximately 5 feet 5 inches, eyes are hazel-brown (conveniently indeterminate), skin is "coffee with cream" colour. Very skilled in disguise. At large, based in North Africa?

Notes re: Further Conspirators:
a child posing as Wilhelmina? (per Hornsea tradesmen)
1) Hornsea witnesses describe child very much like Wilhelmina
2) Ink foot print at Murder scene very similar to Wilhelmina's but slightly larger
3) From Inquest: Patrick Neligan positively identified Wihelmina. He testified to seeing the child remove her veil at the scene of Jokking Murder.
4) per Neligan, this child actually fired the weapon to kill Mr Jokking. (Thu am-- corroborated by Mrs C scrying)
5) per Xanthus at Inquest: Nottesh? Natesh
6) per Mrs C mystical tracing—also posing as Edward (?) also mechanically inclined. Based in York? seems to be a boy. (confirmed thu pm)
seen with: Madam Brody, Hindu "Widow", unidentifiable ("veiled") man
7) thu pm: captured during attempt to substitute for our Edward.
8) stubborn and annoying

per Mrs Cuthbert's visions:
"Spyglass Man" (Thomas Mannering-thu pm)
1) plotting with Edward(?) to explode stone building (?)
2) Thu pm: confirmed identity T. Mannering per Mrs C.
Working on wedding interruption scheme with Madam Brody
now in custody, mental faculties destroyed
3) Could Sir Robert Mannering be implicated?

"Clockwork Man"
1) could be T. Dower.
2) seems to be working on analysis engine or on big cannon
See notes on Dower in "other persons of interest" notes

Madam Brody (Miss Maeve Brody)
1) per Mrs C: seen in vision or dream reported Wednesday. Working on a blue satin dress. Dress Traceable?
2) working with "Spyglass Man"
3) (thu am) Sir Anthony's network found dressmaker in York. Paid in cash, no further trail.
4) (thu pm) per Mrs C vision planned to interrupt wedding ceremony with claim of previous marriage to Sir Cosmo.
5) In custody. Conspiracy with Thomas Mannering, Richard Hawkesworth, and Natesh confirmed but thwarted.

"Widow" Hindu sorceress–1 or more
(thu am) per Mrs C scrying to trace false Wilhelmina, seen in meeting with False Edward in a carriage.

Unknown "veiled" person –male?
(thu am) per Mrs C scrying to trace false Wilhelmina, seen in meeting with False Edward in carriage.

 

Notes re: Xanthus's "Mysterious Benefactor," or for our purposes a mysterious Malefactor:
When asked to identify this person, Xanthus did not know, but when pressed told us whom he suspected:
-Sir Anthony
(this seems doubtful, as Sir Anthony could have harmed us all far worse already had he wished to)
-Mr Willoughby (also seems unlikely, mostly for the same reason as above)
-the Earl of Dover ( I cannot venture an opinion, as I know little about him)
-Sir Phillip Bond (certainly a favorite, but only because several of our League have found him personally detestable–hardly sufficient evidence of this particular treason)
-Sir Edward Mannering (a member of the Board of Trade, and reputed to be bitter at being passed over for a position in the Foreign Office)(again, I know little about him). His father Sir Robert Mannering killed at Letchworth) also his younger brother
Mr Thomas Mannering, still employed at the Foreign Office.
(Thu pm–Thomas Mannering involved, but was directed by another, one who was willing to kill him to maintain secrecy)

What did Xanthus do for the Mysterious Malefactor?
-Xanthus provided opium and laudanum, black powder, and quantities of brass and copper, all smuggled in by his network, especially his North African connexions
-Now apparent that Xanthus will serve as a scapegoat for the Malefactor, albeit unwillingly, unless we can find the Malefactor himself.

What did the Malefactor do for Xanthus?
-Provided information about friends and enemies of Sir Cosmo in order to make incrimination efforts more effective.
-Possibly introduced misinformation into Foreign Office and Home Office files (such as the reports planned to incriminate Inspector MacGregor)
-Removed records and confused trails of accountability, such as the whereabouts of Mr Thomas Dower and the fate of Claude Smith–though this does not appear to connect directly to Xanthus activities and suggests a plan of greater scope.

What is this all about?
Someone (the Malefactor) has gone to a great deal of effort and expense to create this series of plots. It seems improbable that a person capable of such organisation would devote himself (or herself) to destroying Sir Cosmo's reputation just for revenge or some similar personal motive.

Could all these hostilities be orchestrated to divert and distract us? Perhaps the Malefactor is doing something that the League would interfere with, likely something regarding the interests of the Foreign Office. He (or she) could have planned the culmination of the plots to coincide with the Cowperthwaite wedding so that we would be occupied already, and focused on our personal affairs rather than those of the Crown or the world.

Could it be some dangerous weaponry devised by T Dower? To be used in England or sold abroad?
Some Mystical plot for domination such as Herr Bopp's?

 

Notes re: Interviews and testimony of Hornsea Citizens: (Tu Jan 10 apx 11:00-1:30)
1) Mr MacPhail: proprietor, chips stand.
At 3:00 Saturday, 7 Jan saw carriage with Greyminster arms stop near Hornsea Post's offices and General Goods shop. Saw Sir Cosmo (known by appearance and name) disembark and turn to help another person, unseen, perhaps small person like a child. Carriage driven not by red-headed boy, but by darker boy (description may indicate George)
Did not see where Sir C went, thought it must have been either the dry goods store or the Hornsea Post.
Asked about woman in mourning. Brow furrowed. Yes, saw a woman in deep mourning in an unmarked carriage. Confused about day and time.
Miss W reports: "aura looks normal, no magical tampering evident."
-- 4:00 pm Inquest testimony: Sir Cosmo must have come another day, because on Saturday, it was the woman in mourning, the young girl in an unmarked carriage.

2) Mr Dodd: Baker
At 3:00 Saturday, saw carriage with Greyminster Arms, Sir Cosmo disembarking, seemed to be alone. Saw him go to Hornsea Post offices–expressed surprise at this.
Asked by Mr Frazer to recall the sounds of the street and the carriage; Dodd exclaims that he had heard and seen a woman in heavy mourning costume with the young girl, and that he must have seen Sir C at another time. Seems now positive about the widow and the child going into the Post's offices at 3:00 on Saturday, not Sir C at all. Appears to be speaking in good faith.
Miss Whitnell reports: Aura had a "knot," not magical in origin. Knot has now come undone. Hypnogogic suggestion?
-- at Inquest : testifies did not see Sir C on Saturday.
3) Jimmy Bromley: Baker's apprentice, aged apx 14
Saw Greyminster carriage, Sir C, and girl. Then, distracted by neighbourhood drunkard, who came to the back door, very agitated, with a story about seeing "something unnerving."
4) Patrick Nelligan, interviewed while incarcerated in Hornsea Gaol:
Claims to have witnessed the actual murder from the attic of an adjacent building.
He described the Widow and the little girl. He described a discussion between Mr Jokking and his two visitors, wherein the visitors were pressing Mr Jokking to write another story about Sir Cosmo, but Mr Jokking was refusing because of lack of evidence.
Child drew back her veil and spoke sharply to Jokking, drew a large object from among her skirts and pointed it at Mr Jokking-- description matches etheric pulse weapon-- Mr Jokking was electrocuted. Mr Neligan then described the two murderers doing typesetting and running the press. Neligan fled when the noise of the press would cover his departure.
-at Inquest: Positively identified Wilhelmina as the child seen at the Hornsea Post.
This testimony can probably be discredited if necessary, as Neligan is notoriously intoxicated.

5) Mr Emmsworth, proprietor of Dry Goods store
Describes unmarked carriage. Woman and child in mourning clothes going in to Hornsea Post offices. Noted sound of press running, thought it odd to run the press while female visitor present.
-at Inquest: repeated above story. DCC Bland indicated that this was a different story than Emmsworth told constables.

6) Mrs Nesbitt,Confectioner. (Also Millie, her assistant)
-did not see/notice anything of interest on Saturday
-makes tasty petit-fours but indifferent marzipan

7) Mrs Neeson, Dressmaker
did not see/notice anything of interest on Saturday
-at Inquest: was called to testify regarding unusual deep pockets requested for Wilhelmina's flower-girl dress. Coroner and DCC Bland implied that this was relevant to the large strange weapon used by young girl to kill Jokking, as it was pulled out of concealment in skirts.
Drat, pockets no longer secret.


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