This article was written after British detectives solved a murder that would become one of Britain’s most famous criminal cases. The murder was solved with the help of the latest technology: radio communication.

This prompted the New York Times Sunday Magazine to look back at a case in the 1860s that was solved without any of these fancy luxuries. It just took old fashioned footwork and a bit of luck. The story starts on a train, where a first class compartment showed signs of a deadly struggle. Hours later, a body was found. The only clue was a hat that did not belong to the victim.

Read the article to find out how the case was solved.

A TRANSATLANTIC CHASE WITHOUT THE WIRELESS OR CABLE (PDF)

From August 7, 1910