Notwithstanding every effort there was no indication of the whereabout of the man.
The houses of some of his relatives in Sheffield were searched almost nightly; nocturnal visits were made to the domiciles of other friends, but yet there were no tidings of “Peace,” and the closest scrutiny failed to show that he was having the slightest communication with any of those who in Sheffield had been regarded as attached to him, and with whom he had been in the habit of associating.
One Sheffield detective watched the Manchester Railway station for almost a month, but, of course, unsuccessfully.
The almost universally accepted version of the murderer’s escape was this—that Peace took train to Hull within a couple of hours after shooting Mr. Dyson.
Indeed, an officer who went to that town afterwards and who knew the “crimping places,” as he himself, graphically describes them, said he had no doubt that Peace had been there, and had remained a week or two, but after that there was no trace of him.
There was but one other theory left, and that was that the fellow had taken ship and gone to Hamburg—he being well versed as to the thieves’ haunts there.
It should here be stated, however, that before committing the murder Peace went to “a friend” and said he was short of cash. He borrowed £15—and forgot to return it.
Thus it will be seen that he was not short of funds when he set out with the intention of committing the murder—for that he intended to commit one there can be no doubt, although his particular reasons for doing so are, for the present, a complete mystery.
The authorities took care to circulate throughout the police districts of the United Kingdom a complete description of the man who was “wanted,” together with photographs of him, showing his visage when shaven, when wearing a beard, and, indeed, under all the appearances he had worn whilst in the hands of the police.
The authorities on the Continent and in the United States received similar advices, but still there was no trace of the man, and this only led the incredulous to be more firmly of opinion that Peace had committed suicide, and would no longer be heard of amongst the living.