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AP Wolf
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Apwolf
Post Number: 1320
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 30, 2004 - 6:10 pm: | 
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I'd like to know more about this case, as it led to a defeat in Parliament and Henry Matthews was connected to that defeat:
'5th July 1887 153-148 Motion that this House do now adjourn (debate on the subject of the circumstances connected with the Arrest of Miss Cass in Regent Street*). '
From the HP official site, lots of brown sauce. |
Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert
Post Number: 2912
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 30, 2004 - 6:18 pm: |
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Hi AP
I do remember that a Cutbush (I think Supt Charles) did play a role in this case. It received quite a lot of coverage in the "Times", but I didn't save it!
Robert |
AP Wolf
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Apwolf
Post Number: 1321
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 30, 2004 - 6:20 pm: |
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Found it myself after after another brandy.
Now this is a real arrow into the heart of 1888 and all things Jacko:
'The arrest of Miss Cass was a minor late Victorian cause célèbre which has received no interest recently. As the defeat of the government on the motion for the adjournment on 5th July 1887 was central to future developments in the matter, it may be as well to recount the story in outline here.
Miss Elizabeth Cass was born in Summer 1863 in Grantham, and grew up in Stockton, County Durham. She was employed first as a seamstress and then moved to London to be a dress designer early in 1887. She was employed by Mrs. Mary Ann Bowman and lived on her premises at 19 Southampton Row. On 28th June 1887, she went out in the late evening to do some shopping in the West End at Jay’s Shop at 243-253 Regent Street (the premises on the south-west side of Oxford Circus are now occupied by Benetton and French Connection). Jay’s were a respected retailer of silk and millinery, holding a Royal Warrant. The week had seen Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, celebrations of which were continuing, and London was thronged with people enjoying a month of record sunshine.
Miss Cass found that Jay’s were closed, and the pavement full of people. As she pushed her way through the crowd on Oxford Street to go home, she was suddenly arrested by PC DR 42 Endacott, of Tottenham Court Road Police Station. She was taken to the police station and charged with solicitation and prostitution, and the next morning she appeared at Great Marlborough Street Police Court before Robert Milnes Newton, one of two Stipendiary Magistrates. Newton (1821-1900) was an irritable man who had been Chief Magistrate at the court since 1866. PC Endacott gave evidence of the arrest and testified that he had seen her three times before in Regent Street late at night soliciting for prostitution.
Miss Cass’ employer, Mrs. Bowman, was called in her defence and testified that she had been in London only a few months, and had never before been out late at night. Further, she was a respectable woman of perfect character in a good job. Mrs. Bowman was unshakeable in her evidence. Faced with this, the Magistrate had no option but to find Miss Cass not guilty. However, he then added the following piece of advice:
Just take my advice: if you are a respectable girl, as you say you are, don’t walk in Regent Street at night, for if you do you will either be fined or sent to prison after the caution I have given you.
It was clear from this sentence that the Magistrate believed Miss Cass was really guilty, but had persuaded Mrs. Bowman to perjure herself to secure her acquittal.
The next day, 30th June 1887, Mrs. Bowman wrote to the Metropolitan Police headquarters to complain about the police’s action in the case. The day after, Llewellyn Atherley-Jones, Liberal MP for North-Western Durham, first raised the case in Parliament. Atherley-Jones was then aged 36 and a rising star on the radical wing of the Liberal Party; he was a Barrister by profession. Atherley-Jones enthusiastically took up the case of Miss Cass. On 5th July at question time he asked the Secretary of State for Home Affairs, Rt. Hon. Henry Matthews, to order an inquiry into the case. Matthews, noting that no conviction resulted, gave what seemed to Atherley-Jones to be a flippant answer and Atherley-Jones then decided he would seek to raise the matter on the adjournment. By securing the support of forty MPs rising in their places, he won the right to hold the debate that evening.
Atherley-Jones was delighted (and we may suppose, surprised) to receive the support during the debate of Lord Randolph Churchill and Joseph Chamberlain. The last-named may have been partially influenced by malicious feelings towards Henry Matthews, who was a Roman Catholic and had earlier in his career been favourable towards Irish Home Rule. Atherley-Jones was again disatisfied with the Home Secretary’s reply and pressed the motion to the vote, defeating the government by five votes.
The Home Secretary accepted his defeat. He ordered the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis, Sir Charles Warren, to undertake an inquiry. PC Endacott was suspended on 6th July, it was claimed as a result of Mrs. Bowman’s letter. A few days later the Lord Chancellor began an inquiry into the conduct of Mr. Newton. The Metropolitan Police inquiry opened on 11th July and after six days of hearings concluded on 26th July; the report was completed immediately and sent to the Home Secretary the following day.
The report was not published though it can be consulted in the Public Record Office. It was inconclusive in that it failed to make any findings as to whether the arrest was justified (calling for the evidence to be tested in a court under oath), but Sir Charles Warren did conclude “I am not prepared to say that I can see any grounds for accusing PC Endacott of wilful Perjury. However, that is a matter on which I think the Public Prosecutors should decide”. Mrs. Bowman and Miss Cass had already begun a private prosecution of PC Endacott for perjury, and after due consideration the Law Officers wrote to their solicitors offering to take over the case, or permitting the case to go ahead under their direction. They chose the second option. Colleagues within the Metropolitan Police raised a subscription to pay for Endacott’s defence.
Meanwhile the informal inquiry into the Magistrate had concluded in secret, with the decision to give Mr. Newton a formal reprimand. The Magistrate had relied for justification of his warning to Miss Cass on a statute which allowed a Magistrate to issue such a warning to a defendant who had been found guilty but whom the Magistrate felt was undeserving of any sentence, and the Lord Chancellor’s letter highlighted the severe mistake in law.
The Grand Jury found a true bill against PC Endacott for perjury on 13th September but the trial was postponed to the Michaelmas Term, eventually beginning on 31st October. On the second day, 1st November 1887, Miss Cass was called to give evidence; by this time she had celebrated her marriage, becoming Mrs. Langley. After her evidence Mr. Justice Stephen heard a submission (in the absence of the jury) from the prosecution and ruled that the case was confined to whether PC Endacott committed perjury in saying that he had seen Miss Cass three times before in Regent Street. The Judge further said that in his own view, there was no evidence that Endacott had been wilfully mis-stating the truth: the most likely explanation was that he had been making an honest mistake. The Solicitor-General accepted that view and withdrew the prosecution.
The defenders of Miss Cass were not pleased by this outcome. The inquiry and the trial had given the opportunity to PC Endacott’s legal representatives to make further assaults on her character, and Llewellyn Atherley-Jones insisted his original objection had been to the actions of the Magistrate. In his autobiography he claims he gave in to pressure from the Home Secretary not to press for Mr. Newton’s dismissal. Atherley-Jones made a name for himself with the case; he acquired the nickname “the Member for Miss Cass”. Many years later the Liberal Pall Mall Gazette’s Guide to the House of Commons was still referring to the fact that the nickname had once been applied.
A Bowden Endacott of 17 Gower Street had his electoral registration objected to in that year (see Times, 16th September 1887), though he was said to be a caretaker. This must be the same man. There is no record of what became of Elizabeth Langley - perhaps some of her descendants may remember?
The surviving papers on the case are in the Public Record Office in file HO 144/472/X15239 (relating to the Police inquiry) and HO 144/472/X15239B (relating to the prosecution of PC Endacott). The former contains the most important papers, including some of the public representations made - most expressing sympathy with Miss Cass, but one letter from Stockton in which allegations against her are made. This letter has endorsed on an attached Home Office memorandum the comment “Illegible and unintelligible”. Letters from PC Endacott’s solicitors making dark hints of evidence due to come from Stockton relating to Miss Cass are there. The most interesting document in the file is number 28, a Home Office memorandum attached to a letter requesting payment of the legal expenses of Miss Cass and Mrs. Bowman. On this, the Permanent Secretary (chief civil servant) of the Home Office, Godfrey Lushington, has written “I see no ground for giving compensation either to Miss Cass or Mad. Bowman. My own belief is that Miss Cass did solicit & that Endacott made no mistake.” This attitude from the Home Office, flying in the face of all the credible evidence, explains a great deal of the official reaction to the case from the start.'
Errr... what other case am I reminded of?
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Christopher T George
Chief Inspector
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 875
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 11:45 am: |
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Hi, AP
Again, could you give us the reference where you obtained this information? Website? Book? Thanks in advance.
All my best
Chris
Christopher T. George
North American Editor
Ripperologist
http://www.ripperologist.info
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Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris
Post Number: 1346
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 12:12 pm: |
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Hi Chris
The article posted by AP can be found at:
http://www.election.demon.co.uk/defeatsc19.html
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Christopher T George
Chief Inspector
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 876
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 2:07 pm: |
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Thanks, Chris, you are a goldmine of essential information. 
Chris
Christopher T. George
North American Editor
Ripperologist
http://www.ripperologist.info
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AP Wolf
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Apwolf
Post Number: 1323
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 2:19 pm: |
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Sorry Chris
and I am a goldmine of unessential information.
In my defence I did mention that I came across the article on an official government website, I know I called it a 'HP' sauce but I guess you gotta be one of us accursed Brits to understand the reference.
I shall attempt to sauce all my references in future, pardon me most graciously. |
Christopher T George
Chief Inspector
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 878
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 2:54 pm: |
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Hi, AP
You can be as saucy as you like, AP. Thanks for being mindful of the proper refs. in future. Don't want to have to get the ref on you. 
All my best
Chris
Christopher T. George
North American Editor
Ripperologist
http://www.ripperologist.info
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AP Wolf
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Apwolf
Post Number: 1325
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 3:27 pm: |
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Sorry Robert
missed that Cutbush connection, I'll see if I can't dig something up, besides an early grave that is.
No worries Chris
I shall ensure that I supply plenty of sauce in the future. |
AP Wolf
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Apwolf
Post Number: 1326
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 3:55 pm: |
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Sorry about the transcription.
From:
http://www.ripperologist.info/pdf/commissioner.pdf.
'As for the public, Warren sufferedfrom a long public relations problem.He was a military man, who neverseemed to consider that he was incharge of civilian police, not an army.‘Bloody Sunday’ was not his only publicrelations disaster. On June 28, 1887,during the public celebrations of theGolden Jubilee, a Miss Cass wasarrested for soliciting by one PCEndacott. The problem was she was shewas not a prostitute. Miss Cass suedEndacott and the Police. Wa r r e nsupported Endacott, and thus forcedthe Home Secretary to support theofficer too. On July 5, 1887 thegovernment of Lord Salisbury wasdefeated by five votes on theirhandling of the Cass Case. Matthewsoffered his resignation, but LordSalisbury declined to accept it. Thetrial of Endacott led to his acquittal onperjury charges, butthe damage to theYa r d ’s image (aswell as the newstrain on Wa r r e n ’srelations withMatthews) wasdone. A few daysafter the Cass Affairbegan, a mannamed W S Cainebrought chargesthat the police werecommiting acts ofblackmail. Wa r r e ninvestigated thesecharges, anddeclared themunproved inFebruary 1888.4With all hisblunders, Wa r r e ndid restore a senseof training into the constables. Thiswas not unusual, for his position as theScotland Yard Commissioner wasnot totally removed frombeing a troopcommander. The policeappreciated hiscontinual supportfor their actions, inthe face of publicdisapproval. Theywere alsograteful for hisexpanding thenumber ofinspectors andsergeants in theforce.5Perhaps hadthere been noWhitechapel Case, hemight have outlasted theearlier controversies, andleft a record similar toSir Richard Mayne.Still, there aresufficient mistakes inhis career to make uswonder how Sir Charlesended up chosen for thepost of Commissioner ofScotland Yard. Thequestion has not beenthoroughly probed,most likely because it would meanexpanding Warren’s role in studying theWhitechapel Murders. Indeed, it mightactually lead the student of the case tolook at the Whitechapel Murders asonly another incident in a distinguishedcareer. For Sir Charles Warren’s careerwas distinguished, if (at the end) ratherpitiful. He was ahighly successfulofficer in the RoyalEngineers: Hebecame a skillfularchaeologist inPalestine. Hisservices in the ZuluWars led to asuccession ofmilitary poststhroughout theBritish Empire.H o w e v e r, healways displayedan autocratic self-assurance thatclashed with localcivilian control. Ifhe resented HenryM a t t h e w s ’attempts tocontrol hisactivities at Scotland Yard, he similarlyclashed for five years with the RoyalGovernor of Singapore, while hewas commander of thetroops there. Wa r r e n ’smilitary superior, SirRedvers Buller, wouldfinally tell Warrento stop pesteringthe governor.6Inthe light ofhistory, Warren’sactions at SpionKop weredisastrous. Buthe was not senthome in disgrace.The newC o m m a n d e r - i n -Chief, Lord Ro b e r t s ,sent Warren to theNorthwestern Cape Colonyto quell some rebels.7After he returned fromSouth Africa, he spentthe rest of his lifepromoting Masonry,P y r a m i d o l o g y, andChristianity.Despite hissubsequent fame orinfamy, Sir Charles hasbeen the subject, todate, of one biography. This is The Lifeof General Sir Charles Warren, GCMG,KCB, FRS, Colonel Commandant RoyalEngineers, by Watkin W Williams. Thisis hardly an unbiased account. Itsauthor was the grandson of its subject.Yet it does give certain details usuallyoverlooked in discussing Warren. Forinstance, the usual picture of Warren isthat of a pompous military man with amonocle.8Apparently, Warren’s rigiditywas due more to training and disciplinethan to a love of parading andposturing. In truth, he liked wearingloose, shabby clothing. He once wentto a studio in Regent’s Street to bephotographed, bringing his uniform in asuitcase. An assistant who saw thisshabby man, ordered him to carry thebag to the third floor. Only after theassistant learned he was talking to theCommissioner of Scotland Yard did heapologize. The portrait was notconsidered a good likeness.9Warren’s archaeological career hasbeen re-evaluated once in recentyears. Neil Asher Silberman’s Diggingfor God and Countryc h r o n i c l e sWa r r e n ’s career in the late 1860s,working for the Palestine ExplorationFund, on leave from his post with theIt is doubtful thatAnderson would havedone anythingconstructive in theinvestigation, but hispresence would havereassured the public.'
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AP Wolf
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Apwolf
Post Number: 1327
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 4:16 pm: |
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Worth a look on our own much loved website:
in which he handled the case of Miss Cass and the ... is doing his best to manufacture another Cass case, so ... opinion as to the weakness of the metropolitan Radicals ...
casebook.org/press_reports/star/s880922.html |
Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert
Post Number: 2917
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 4:22 pm: |
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Thanks for that, AP. It's funny, because Chris Scott published a surreal item about police harassment of a man who sold false noses, also at the time of the Jubilee. Maybe the police got excessively jumpy around that time.
Robert |
L McMurdo
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 11:35 am: |
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Hi
i was just wondering i'm doing a jack the ripper project and i would like to know what was the role of the vigliance group, the home secretary and the C.I.D.
I hope you can help. Please could you get back 2 me before 16th March.
Thank You |
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