The Silent Murders: Tormented Hero: Fonthill Complete A. G. Macdonell

It begins with murder of an elderly tramp. To his gentlemen-of-the-road peers he was known as ‘Stuck-up Sam’. The only unusual aspect of the crime was a square of cardboard tied to the last surviving button of the tramp’s ragged overcoat and on which was written the word ‘Three.’ death after death followed, the perpetrator being clear about his targets.