Times (London)
Friday, 16 November 1888
THE WHITECHAPEL MURDERS.
The police received another letter from "Jack the Ripper" yesterday. It began "Dear Boss" and went on to explain that the writer always addressed his cousin in those terms. He threatened to commit another murder in the locality on Wednesday next, on which occasion he would inflict injuries on his victim identical with those inflicted on the last.
LAW AND ORDER IN WHITECHAPEL.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir, - Will you permit me, through your columns, to offer to the friends of law and order an opportunity of maintaining and extending those principles in the part of London that has become so notorious of late? Some two or thee years back a small Volunteer Cadet Corps was formed in Whitechapel for the boys of the neighbourhood. It's headquarters are the Whittington Club in Leman-street, and it is attached to the 1st Tower Hamlets Rifle Volunteer Brigade. In spite of the serious difficulties which necessarily attend a new experiment of this kind, it has hitherto held its own with good success and is very popular among the boys themselves, to some hundreds of whom it could now afford the means of physical exercise and discipline, greatly wanting among our city populations. Some of its members have passed into the Regular Forces, and it was inspected last July by Colonel Stracey, commanding the Scots Guards, who gave a most satisfactory report on the present condition of the corps. The working cost of the undertaking is not very great, consisting chiefly of expenses for drill instructors and bandmaster, purchase of uniforms, hire of drill-hall, and marches out; but considering the class of boys for whom the corps is intended it is impossible that it should be self-supporting. The officers, therefore, are obliged to ask for the co-operation of others in extending the influence of the movement, and securing the moral and physical advantages of regular training for a district where the history of the last few months and years has proved them to be so much needed.
Subscriptions may be sent to the Commanding Officer, 86, Leman-street, Whitechapel; or to the Hon. C. W. Fremantle, C.B., the Royal Mint; or to the E.L.V.C. Fund, Messrs. Cox & Co.'s, 16 and 17, Charing-cross.
I am, Sir, &c.,
PAUL METHUEN, Colonel.
Toynbee-hall, Commercial-street, Whitechapel,
Nov. 13.
WHAT IS TO BE DONE?
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir, - With Mr. Rogers, I am appalled more "by the disorderly and depraved lives" of our neighbours than by the actual murders. The acts of a madman are not matters for horror, and his escape is not sufficient reason for wholesale condemnation of the police. A series of courts such as Miller's-court, where rooms unfit for stables are let at 4s. a week, where the cries of murder are too common to arouse notice, where vice is the staple trade and drunkenness the chief resource - this fact should arouse horror, and ought to be remedied.
We may agree that elevation of character is the only radical remedy, and many will be willing to endure the sight of much suffering while Christian people rescue men and women one by one from selfishness and impurity. For my part, I believe that even order in the streets would be obtained at too great a cost if, by the adoption of one of Mr. Rogers' remedies, public opinion did less to educate the self-control which is the basis of character. He that believeth shall not make haste.
At the same time there is something which can be done. These houses are managed by agents; the landlords are ladies and gentlemen, and the rents ultimately reach their pockets. These landlords could enforce order, they could see that the rooms are fit for habitation, provided with locks and means of privacy, they could have a night watchman to prevent rows and the intrusions of the viscous, they could see that the tenants lived respectable lives, and they could prove themselves their friends in hours of need. You, Sir, in an article, expressed the wish that the names of the owners of the houses in this criminal quarter might be published. My hope is that, as they realize that the rents are the profits of vice, they will either themselves take direct action to improve this disgraceful condition of things, or sell their property to those who will undertake its responsibility.
I am truly yours,
SAMUEL A. BARNETT.
St. Jude's Vicarage, Commercial-street,
Whitechapel, E., Nov 13.
SIR C. WARREN and the METROPOLITAN POLICE.
A deputation representing the whole of the Metropolitan Police Force waited on Sir Charles Warren at his private residence, St. George's-road, yesterday, for the purpose of expressing their regret at his resignation. The deputation was composed of the superintendents of the various divisions. The only absentees were Superintendents Shore and Steel, who are on sick leave, and Superintendent Butt, who is out of London at present. Superintendent Draper, of the D Division, was deputed to act as spokesman. He paid a high tribute to Sir Charles Warren's thoughtfulness and care for those under his command, and, while admitting the perfection to which discipline had now been brought, repudiated the idea that such discipline was in any degree distasteful to the force so long as the regulations were administered with the fairness and equity which had characterized Sir Charles Warren's tenure of office. Speaking more especially of the superintendents, he might say that since Sir Charles Warren had been Commissioner they had been able to do their work not only much more efficiently, but with much more comfort to themselves. They felt that he was always prepared to take the responsibility for and to uphold them in what they did, and they consequently never lost that confidence without which their arduous duties could not be satisfactorily discharged. As for the men, there were only two matters which had given rise to any feeling at all since Sir Charles Warren took office. One of these was the new set of regulations in regard to drunkenness, and the other was the question of pensions for injury received while on duty. The superintendents knew perfectly well that the Commissioner was not responsible for these decisions, but the constables were not so well informed. In conclusion Mr. Draper expressed the deep regret which he and his coadjutors felt at the severance of their connexion with Sir Charles Warren. Superintendent Fisher, of the A Division, having spoken,
SIR CHARLES WARREN thanked the deputation warmly for their assurances of esteem and consideration. He said it had always been his endeavour to combine discipline with justice to every member of the force, and it was gratifying to know that his efforts had not been altogether without success. With regard to the first point touched upon by Mr. Draper (the new regulations respecting drunkenness in the force), he explained that, although he had very strong views on the subject of intemperance, he was not responsible for the order which had been recently promulgated. The order emanated from the Home Secretary, who on several occasions called attention to the fact that the punishments for drunkenness were merely nominal, and ultimately instructed him to issue most stringent orders in reference to the offence. On the second point he was equally free from reproach. He had recommended several men on the chief surgeon's certificate for pensions, on the ground of injury while on duty; but the Home Secretary had taken a different view of the matter. In conclusion Sir Charles Warren said he had been greatly disappointed at having found no opportunity to visit the various divisions during his tenure of office. The work of consolidating the orders, on which he had been steadily engaged, had occupied so much of his time that he had seldom been able to leave Whitehall-place. During the past few weeks, however, he had at last succeeded in clearing the decks, and he had hoped now to see the men in their respective divisions. He again thanked them for their kindness, and assured them that their willing and cordial co-operation in such reforms as he had ventured to propose would be one of his pleasantest recollections of his Commissionership.
At LAMBETH, JOHN BENJAMIN PERRIMAN, 40 hairdresser, living in Pennethorne-road, Peckham, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Old Kent-road. On Wednesday night detectives Leek and Reed were in the Old Kent-road, and hearing a disturbance, went to the spot. They found the prisoner surrounded by a crowd, and it was feared he would be roughly handled as he had declared himself to be "Jack the Ripper," and had acted in a very violent manner. He flourished his arms about, and exhibited a black leather bag, about which he made some remarks. He caught hold of several women, and caused much alarm. The officers, after much difficulty, got the prisoner to the station, being followed by an excited mob. At the station the bag carried by the prisoner was searched, and in it were found two pairs of scissors, a dagger and sheath, and a life preserver. Mr. Partridge asked whether the prisoner wished to account for carrying these things about, and the prisoner said he was going to have them ground. It was further stated that the prisoner was known as the "Mad barber of Peckham." A sister of the prisoner said he had been intoxicated for a long time. She knew he had a dagger, but for what purpose he kept it she did not know. Mr. Partridge said he should remand the prisoner, and if he was not right in his mind it would, perhaps, be necessary to send him to an asylum. The prisoner, who seemed to treat the matter as a joke, asked to be allowed out on bail, but Mr. Partridge declined to accede to his request.
