Introduction
Victims
Suspects
Witnesses
Ripper Letters
Police Officials
Official Documents
Press Reports
Victorian London
Message Boards
Ripper Media
Authors
Dissertations
Timelines
Games & Diversions
Photo Archive
Ripper Wiki
Casebook Examiner
Ripper Podcast
About the Casebook


Most Recent Posts:
General Discussion: Robert Mann - by Herlock Sholmes 6 minutes ago.
Kosminski, Aaron: AI Kosminski? - by John Wheat 29 minutes ago.
General Discussion: Robert Mann - by John Wheat 34 minutes ago.
Lechmere/Cross, Charles: Why Cross Was Almost Certainly Innocent - by John Wheat 41 minutes ago.
Pub Talk: For the 503rd time...some person thinks THEY'VE solved the case! - by John Wheat 45 minutes ago.
Elizabeth Stride: Berner Street: No Plot, No Mystery - by Herlock Sholmes 1 hour ago.
Rippercast: Who Is He? What Is He? Where Is He? A Suspectology Roundtable - by Lombro2 1 hour ago.
Elizabeth Stride: Berner Street: No Plot, No Mystery - by c.d. 1 hour ago.

Most Popular Threads:
Elizabeth Stride: Berner Street: No Plot, No Mystery - (34 posts)
General Police Discussion: Ask Monty…… - (16 posts)
Pub Talk: For the 503rd time...some person thinks THEY'VE solved the case! - (14 posts)
Swanson, Chief Inspector Donald: Veracity - (13 posts)
Witnesses: Schwartz v. Lawende - (12 posts)
Motive, Method and Madness: Older Then Younger Victims - (7 posts)


New York Herald
23 December 1888

INSPECTOR ANDREWS TALKS.
Alleged Indiscretion of an English Detective with Regard to His Doings.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.]

Montreal, Que., Dec. 22, 1888.-Prominent Irish nationalists of this city are much excited over an avowal of Inspector Andrews, of Scotland Yard, who brought Roland Gideon Is[r]ael Barnete [Barnett], the wrecker of the Central Bank, of Toronto, that he has also occupied his time, both here and in Toronto, in working up evidence for the London Times with the object of associating the Parnellite party with outrages and murders in Ireland.

Ever since his arrival in the country and his subsequent lengthy stay in Toronto rumors have been current to the effect that he was one of many men in the employ of the British government, arrayed against the representatives of the Irish people in the search for the least evidence that will seemingly injure the Parnellites, but until now Andrews has flatly denied it.

HE ACKNOWLEDGES HIS MISSION.

This morning, however, on the eve of his departure for home the emissary of Scotland Yard admitted that he could not deny the charge, and practically acknowledged that that was his mission. He had, however, to admit that he had not been very successful, many of the men whom he had interviewed declining to become informers on their trusted leaders. Some evidence of an unimportant character may have been gathered, but it is the gen[e]ral belief here that it will not affect the proceedings before the Parnellite Commission to any material extent. Mr. Andrews distinctly said he had not been looking after Fenians and Invincibles, confining his attention to members of the National League, especially recent arrivals from Ireland, though he had had communications with the English police agents in the United States and from this latter source he hoped much.

A STARTLING REVELATION.

Though he could not divulge the secrets of his profession, he could say that there was an organized detective system in behalf of the British government both th[e] Canada and the United States, and that if the names of these detectives were made public Irishmen all over the world would receive a shock that would cause a sensation beside which the Phoenix Park tragedies would pale into insignificance.

These men were in the inner circles, in many cases occupied high positions in Irish societies, and every important move was instantly reported to the London authorities by either a secret cable cypher or by mail. Many of these men received annual allowances from the British government, but in all cases the payments were made through some private persons so as to avoid suspicion and detection.

The chiefs of this detective service were Fred Jarvis and Chief Inspector Shore, and he (Andrews) had had a conference with them at Niagra which he hoped would be fruitful. Other members of this British service were employed by the Pinkertons, while still others occupied high positions in mercantile life.

INFORMATION FROM THE UNITED STATES.

Andrews further said that the greater portion of the Times evidence has been secured in the United States, and he hinted that they had secured some correspondence between the Irish leaders in Britain and the extremists on this side of the Atlantic.

Irish Leaguers here are very indignant at these statements, and unhesitatingly denounce them as the fabrications of a seeker after notoriety. Henry J. Cloran, president of the National League, declared that Andrews' avowals were nothing new to him. Long before he left London the leading Irishmen here were notified that he was coming, and ever since Andrews landed at Halifax he had been watched by men in his own business, so that his every move was known. They feared nothing from Andrews' mission, for he had not been able to persuade even one poor wretch to offer to perjure himself and curse his country; this notwithstanding the fact that several Leaguers offered to go to London and tell what they knew on payment of a lump sum, which would have been handed over to the Parnell fund.

IRISH CANADIANS NOT ALARMED.

Already several cases of this kind have occurred, and in this way the Times has helped to pay Parnell's expenses. Members of the League in Canada did not care if Scotland Yard sent all its officers wandering through the country. It would create no alarm if it was learned that English detectives had been in the habit of attending their meetings.

Judging by the experience of the Times with some of its witnesses, Inspector Andrews was so dubious of the material offered to him that he concluded to make his return journey alone. Immigrants recently from Ireland could probably tell many strange things, but their evidence might not be of a character suited to the purpose of the Times.


Related pages:
  Walter Andrews
       Message Boards: Walter Andrews 
       Police Officials: Inspector Walter Andrews 
       Press Reports: Thanet Advertiser - 5 January 1889 
       Press Reports: Wandsworth and Battersea District Times - 15 September 18...