Help me find the source of this story

[Pinkerton]

I specifically remember reading a story on the Casebook (don't know if it was from a newspaper, snippet from a book, or what) where a policeman was relating the story of investigating a Ripper crime. At the scene of the investigation the officer suddenly spotted one George Squibb out of the corner of his eye, who was wanted for some previous crime. The officer gave chase to Squibb and cornered him in a house. Thinking that the policeman was actually chasing the Ripper a mob of people surrounded the house and were trying to get to George Squibb (presumably to lynch him). Many officers had to protect Squibb from the mob and eventually got him out of the area and to the police station.

When I search the Casebook for "Squibb" it only brings up a single newspaper article the relates a previous arrest of George Squibb, and not the story I've just related. Does anyone know where this story came from? Was it from the biography of a former police official? I can't seem to locate the source. Thanks.

[The Grave Maurice]

Pinkerton,

I think the incident is related by B. Leeson in his Lost London: The Memoirs of an East End Detective, but I'll have to check when I get home this evening.

[Chris Scott]

Lloyd's News
9 September 1888

ASSAULTING AND THREATENING A CONSTABLE. - George Cullen, alias Squibby, 25, was charged with assaulting Betsy Goldstein. - Police-constable Bates, 166 H, said that on the 1st inst. the prisoner accosted him in Commercial-street, and threatened that the next time he was interfered with he would "do for him" (the constable). The constable explained that the prisoner was a notorious street gambler, and had been chased the previous Sunday. After this threat he took up a stone and flung it at the constable. It missed him and struck the young girl he was now charged with assaulting. On Saturday morning the prisoner was seen in Commercial-street, and chased by Detective Dew, H division. He dodged under market carts and horses' legs, and presently other constables took up the chase, the prisoner giving them a smart run through Spitalfields, where the cry was raised that it was "the murderer," and some thousands of persons gathered in a state of the greatest excitement. - Previous convictions for assault on the police were proved, and Mr. Bushby sentenced the prisoner to three months' hard labour.

[The Grave Maurice]

Yep, Dew it is. See part IV of this.

[Dan Norder]

The Squibby incident was recounted in Walter Dew's autobiography, I Caught Crippen in the section related to the Ripper murders. Stephen Ryder later found a news report that confirmed some of the details and identified Squibby's real name. An archive of the old message board thread where Stephen announced this (which includes a link to the appropriate section of Dew's memoir) and it was discussed, can be found here.

[Dan Norder]

Looks like three of us were responding around the same time...

[Pinkerton]

Thanks guys. Is this not the same person?

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/brows...quib#highlight

If so you can chalk up yet ANOTHER alias--George Collins, which sounds like "Cullen". Note that his girlfriend lived on Duke Street near Mitre Square. Perhaps "Squibby" had a GENUINE reason to fear the mob after all...

Or perhaps just wishful thinking on my part...The guy definitely operates in the East End and has a record a mile long. Not to mention that if this IS the same guy in this court case he got locked up for 5 years in 1893.

[Pinkerton]

And here....This SURELY is him as well.

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/brows...llen#highlight

[Pinkerton]

Note the date of this last case. And note him being seen on "Flower and Dean" and "Fashion" street. The place he may have robbed was on Brick Lane. Unfortunately he was found "Not Guilty" in this case.

[Captain Hook]

Pinkerton,

An article entitled "Stephen Ryder Nabs Squibby" appeared in Ripperologist No. 57, January 2005. The article was also included in Ripperology: The Best of Ripperologist Magazine, edited by Paul Begg.

Cheers
Hook