Who is the amateur detective who nearly caught Jack?

[Chris Scott]

I was interested by the extract below. This comes from a longer article and the opinions are credited to an unnamed "astute detective" but I wondered if it rang any bells with anyone or if anyone had any opinion as to who this dedicated amateur detective might have been...
The mention of disguises and the complete wardrobe called to mind, I must admit, Sherlock himself...


The Bruce Herald
13 Nov 1900

From an article entitled: "Playing the Detective"

"A mysterious murder generally brings forward a lot of these amateur detectives. The Whitechapel murders, for instance, prompted a great number of persons to set out in search of Jack the Ripper.
I could name a certain gentleman who has played the detective in the case of nearly every mysterious murder in London during the last twenty years; and frankly I confess that he is not half bad at the work. He has plenty of money to help him - not that money goes very far in such matters, but he must have spent a considerable sum over his hobby. He is one of the best hands at a disguise I know, and has a most extraordinary complete wardrobe for the purpose. During the Whitechapel scare he was so determined to capture the murderer that he temporarily threw up his business and devoted his whole time and energy to the case. And I honestly believe he was very near effecting a capture one night, only missing his quarry by a mere chance."

[Adam Went]

If there's any truth to it, sounds like it could be someone who was part of the Mile End Vigilance Committee or another such group who took it upon themselves to prowl the streets at night in search of Jack.....perhaps, just throwing a name out there, it could have been George Lusk himself? Although i'm not sure about his being particularly rich....

Cheers,
Adam.

[Phil Carter]

Hello Chris,

If true, the thing that caught my eye were the dates.."the last twenty years" meaning from 1880-1900. Eight years before and eleven years after the crimes in Whitechapel, yet encompassing "....nearly every mysterious murder in London." One would have thought that with this time span, he would almost certainly be known to local police forces and perhaps other sources such as local newspapers? Would he have developed a reputation as an amateur sleuth?
Interestingly, one also wonders whether this "hobby" led to him having written anything down? I would imagine that a man doing things to this degree kept notes and records, as to keep all the details of each murder in 20 years as they happened in his head would be, I suggest, near impossible.

best wishes

Phil

[DirectorDave]

A man of means and facinated by the Ripper?

Walter Sickert.

[Monty]

Holt springs to mind.

Monty

[The Grave Maurice]

Walter Sickert.

Unlikely. During most of his life Sickert was usually strapped for cash. And he never really had a "business" that he could give up, even temporarily.

[Phil Carter]

Dr Lyttleton Forbes Winslow was my first thought.

best wishes

Phil

[Chris Scott]

Thanks for the suggestions guys (and the PM Phil:-))
When the writer said the amateur detective temporarily gave up his business, I just wish he'd said what kind of business he was in.
The bit which I thought most unusual was the 'tec being an expert at disguise and having an extensive wardrobe for the purpose
There can't be too many that were THAT dedicated!

[Monty]

Thats why I mentioned Holt Chris, as he is the only one I can recall who wore a disguise.

Monty

[The Good Michael]

I first thought of Winslow, but it also seems like some BS that LeGrand might try to affect.

Mike

[smezenen]

Sherlock Holmes I my first guess I'm disapointed that Watson isnt mentioned. of course this assumes that Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle wrote the artical.

[j.r-ahde]

Hello Smezenen!

Yes, sounds like the good old Conan Doyle...

All the best
Jukka

[jerryd]

Thanks for the suggestions guys (and the PM Phil:-))
When the writer said the amateur detective temporarily gave up his business, I just wish he'd said what kind of business he was in.
The bit which I thought most unusual was the 'tec being an expert at disguise and having an extensive wardrobe for the purpose
There can't be too many that were THAT dedicated!

Hello Chris,

This is an interesting discussion for me, as I am currently researching a couple of news reporters that disguised themselves as women, and threw themselves into the heart of Whitechapel during the time of the Ripper murders. One man was a well known reporter and former newspaper editor with Parliamentary ties.

The interesting thing about both accounts is that these men, disguised as women, were able to spend a good amount of time wandering the streets before being recognized. Here is one example from the Morning Advertiser, 2 Oct, 1888:

Yesterday morning a newspaper reporter, who had been on the look out for the murderer, thinking it quite possible that he might commit further atrocities yesterday morning shaved off his whiskers and moustache, and, dressing himself as a woman, walked from his home in Leytonstone to Whitechapel, and made the tour of the streets frequented by the assassin, passing several detectives and constables on the way. He was unmolested until after he had covered a good deal of ground. Upon getting into the Whitechapel-road again, however, he was pounced upon by Police-constable Ludwig, 278 H, who said, "Stop, you are a man." Seeing that it was useless to deny it, the reporter admitted the fact, upon which he was asked, "Are you one of us?" and was answered in the negative; and it was explained why the disguise had been adopted. The constable, however, said he must take the reporter to the station, and he was accordingly conveyed to Leman-street, where the inspector on duty, after several questions, said, "I must detain you until inquiries are made." After a delay of an hour and a half, the officer was satisfied of the reporter's bona fides, and he was liberated.



Also an interesting side note to all of this, off topic. A few years ago I was looking up badge numbers for PC's at the time. I know this is coincidental but PC 278H, according to my research, was the badge number in 1888 of PC James Harvey. I could not find any information on a PC Ludwig.

[Chris Scott]

Hi Jerry
Thanks for the post which was very interesting
I am also reminded of a press story from a few years later (which I cannot lay my hand on at the moment) which was, as far as I remember, the story of man who was a famous wig maker who was convinced that he had done a wig/make up job on the Ripper!
If I find it I'll post it