Murder in the Railway Train
Listen to my song, and I will not detain you long,
And then I will tell you of what I’ve heard.
Of a murder that’s been done, by some wicked one,
And the place where it all occurred;
Between Stepney and Bow they struck the fatal blow,
To resist he tried all in vain,
Murdered by some prigs was poor Mr Briggs
Whilst riding in a railway train.
Muller is accused, at present we cannot refuse
To believe that he is the very one,
But all his actions, you see, have been so very free,
Ever since the murder it was done;
From his home he never went, but such a happy time he spent,
He never looked troubled on the brain,
If he’d been the guilty man, he would have hid all he can,
From the murder in the railway train.
Muller he did state that he was going to emigrate
Long before this dreadful tragedy;
He often used to talk, about travelling to New York,
In the Victoria, that was going to sea.
Mr. Death, the jeweller, said, he was very much afraid,
He might not know the same man again,
When he heard of the reward, he started out abroad,
About the murder in the railway train.
If it’s Muller, we can’t deny, on the Cabman keep your eye,
Remember what he said the other day,
That Muller a ticket sold for money, which seems so very funny,
When he had no expenses for to pay.
They say his money he took, and his name entered on the book,
Long before this tragedy he came;
Like Muller’s, the Cabman had a hat, and it may be his, perhaps
That was found in the railway train.
Would a murderer have forgot, to have destroyed the jeweller’s box,
Or burnt up the sleeve of his coat,
Would he the chain ticket have sold, and himself exposed so bold,
And to all his friends a letter wrote,
Before Muller went away, why did not the cabman say,
And not give him so much start on the main
If the cabman knew—it’s very wrong—to keep the secret up so long,
About the murder in the railway train.
When Muller does arrive, we shall not be much surprised,
To hear that that’s him on the trial;
Give him time to repent, though he is not innocent,
To hear the evidence give no denial.
Muller’s got the watch, you see, so it proves that he is guilty,
But like Townley don’t prove that he’s insane
For if it should be him, on the gallows let him swing,
For the murder on the railway train.
Now Muller’s caught at last, tho’ he’s been so very fast,
And on him they found the watch and hat,
Tho’ across the ocean he did roam, he had better stayed at home,
And hid himself in some little crack,
Tho’ he pleads his innocence, but that is all nonsense,
For they’ll hang him as sure as he’s a man,
For he got up to his rigs, and murdered Mr. Briggs
While riding in a railway train.
London: Printed for the Vendors.