Beadle's New York Dime Library, Vol. XVIII, No. 232

This serial, "Orson Oxx, the Man of Iron; or, The River Mystery," by Isaac Hawks (ex-detective), concerns a detective of exceptional physical prowess who witnesses a dramatic incident aboard a Jersey ferry. A young woman in mourning, Eva Hildreth from Philadelphia, apparently leaps overboard, though rescue efforts fail. Oxx observes her uncle Ward Hildreth conversing with two known criminals, Hank Wagstaff and Luff Swank, overhearing suspicious dialogue suggesting the suicide was staged and the woman is a strong swimmer. Convinced of conspiracy, Oxx abandons his social plans, disguises himself with false mustache and spectacles, and boards the return ferry to follow the suspects. The narrative emphasizes Oxx's detective acumen, physical perfection, and surveillance techniques.