When John and I reached the top of the reservoiráæs walls, we heard the high-pitched, desperate and somehow muffled sobbing. It was very dark on the promenade, and as we turned onto the Fortieth Street side of the pathway a one-story stone structure that had been built atop the walls to house the reservoiráæs control mechanisms loomed up spectrally in the distance. The sobs seemed to be coming from somewhere near it. As we walked further more, I saw a naked young boy brought to his knees, and his hands and feet were tied. A gag had been wrapped around his head, holding his painted mouth. His face was glistening with tears. At the same time, I looked up toward the top of the control house. Unsurprisingly, I saw the familiar balding head. Suddenly, John took a quick step and intended to help that boy. I stopped him immediately and showed him what I saw.
John Hay Residence
John_Deere_4630_Tractor.jpg
English: Japheth is one of the sons of Noah in the...At this moment, I was not sure whether Japheth saw us or not. As I was thinking, the head disappeared rapidly. The atmosphere became very intense, and I was afraid that Beecham would trap us. Therefore, I forced John to stay quiet without any movement. A few minutes later, nothing happened and I started to doubt if he ran away. Finally, I decided to make some careful approach. The first few steps we took down that stretch of the promenade were tense and hard. However, as we went further, we lost our high vigilance. Unexpectedly, I heard a loud blow, simultaneously, I saw John falling down.
Beecham walked out with a revolver in his hand. I realized that both John and I were in danger at this moment and what I could do was follow what Beecham asked me to do. Beecham tied John and I to the iron fence on the inner side of the promenade. After a while, John woke up and I was glad to see he was all right. Then we looked towards the control house. A huge figure in black clothing stood in front of that bound boy, whose back was to John and me. The man slowly moved his cloth and placed them neatly to one side of the promenade. I thought the reason for him to take off all of his clothes was that he didnáæt want to leave blood on his clothes. As he naked, he turned to face John and me. He bent down and took his large knife out of his clothes, then walked over to where we were hanging. He leaned down and looked at us, and told us that we were really stupid to go there only by two persons. Beecham lifted the knife against my right cheek. I was scared, but I tried to calm down myself. At this moment, a name that might motivate him jumped into my mind. I watched his hand move, and then said cautiously, áçJapheth áV áè As what I expected, Beecham got mad and he brought the back of his left hand hard across my head and asked me not to say that name. Then he pressed the knife on my cheek and I felt that my skin was broken.
Suddenly, Beecham stopped and he drew himself up and took a deep breath. He told me that he already noticed that I tried to watch him and he would show me how to kill that boy this time. Honestly, I was exciting after hearing what he said, because this was a really good chance for me to observe Beechamáæs external and internal actions. After putting his knife aside, Beecham started to caress the young boyáæs body. I began to doubt whether blood was the only reason for Beecham to be naked. It seemed that Beecham wanted to rape that boy. However, I thought he felt an obsessive force pushing him toward it, as toward the killing áV but it wasnáæt desire. And while he can force himself to kill, he canáæt force himself to rape. As what I thought, Beecham suddenly howled in deep-seated frustration, raising his arms to the heavens and shaking throughout his body. Then he looked down and tried to choke that boy.
At this instant, Connor with two people came. He forced Beecham to release the boy. Very slowly, Beecham released his grip on the boy. His face became an absolute blank, and then it changed dramatically: for the first time an emotion áV terrible fear áV became apparent in the widening of the eyes. Just when it seemed that those organs could open no further, they began to blink, rapidly and uncontrollably. Connoráæs appearance destroyed my observation, and I was very angry with him and his fellows. As Connor shouted at Beecham, Beechamáæs expression became more fearful. He huddled closer to the wall, and then the spasming began. Connor and his friends released John and I. Once we got released, I started an argument with Connor purposely. For the first time, Beecham seemed to fix his attention on what was happening around him. In a sudden flurry, he scurried over near my legs. He strongly denied that he killed young boys to Connor. Connor and his friends were laughing at him loudly.
While they were laugh, I was looking at my helper -- McManus, who hid in the dark and was waiting for my signal for action. Immediately, McManus beat Connor and his fellows and tied them up. I freed that bound boy and sent him into the control house. After coming back, I put all my attention on Japheth Dury. I persuaded Japheth to answer my questions. As Beecham answered these questions, all the while confirming more and more of the hypotheses that weáæd formulated during our investigation. His tone became increasingly weak and helpless. As sudden, John burst and shot the murderer. I was shocked and worried about my unfinished queries. I was trying to make my last shot. Therefore, I brought Japhetháæs head up and asked my friends to rub his hands. Unfortunately, the murderer died and I didnáæt finish my queries and observation.
HS125-3B, G-AVVB
Beecham's son, the composer Adrian Beecham
Thomas Beecham in 1910
Sir Thomas Beecham
caricature of Thomas Beecham, dated 1910
English: caricature of Thomas Beecham, dated 1910