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I found this article today which contains the most extraordinary claim that one of the Tussaud family of waxworks fame - Louis Tussaud - accompanied detectives around Whitechapel and took casts of the victims.
Chris
New York Sun
16 January 1910
From an article entitled
Latest Achievement of the Tussauds in London
about Louis Tussaud
Mr. Tussaud is full of interesting stories concerning Madame Tussaud's Waxworks and his own connection therewith.
"There are many collections in the establishment that the average visitor never sees; for example, the knives with which people have been killed, the pillows on which they have slept the sleep of death, bits of hangmen's ropes and other gruesome material. The trouble and expense of acquiring these articles have been great, requiring patience in unearthing them, skill in determining their authenticity, and money to back endeavor.
"For ten years I was connected with Scotland Yard, and before the Bertillon system was established I copied the heads and hands of criminals. Once I was nearly stabbed to death in the cell of a notorious thief who had concealed a weapon and resisted my artistic endeavors. Possibly he did not approve of the likeness. At any rate his criticism was emphatic if not kindly.
"You probably do not remember the Carroll murder, which a number of years
ago created a great excitement in England. I made a wax figure of Carroll from the only photograph which we could find in existence, and this was placed in the Chamber of Horrors. It was by means of this that the criminal was arrested, a woman who had been to Mme. Tussaud's recognizing him and putting the police officers on his trail. I received for this work a compliment from the Judge on the bench, who called the attention of the officials to the help my figure had been in running the murderer to earth.
"I trailed about with the Scotland Yard detectives for many months among the dens of Whitechapel and the worse slums of London, trying to run the famous Jack the Ripper to earth. The adventures of that time would fill a volume by themselves. I succeeded in getting casts and masks of his victims, but the murderer himself eluded our vigilance and I never had the pleasure - shall I say so? - of a vis a vis with him. The most satisfactory account of his absence was the explanation that he had gone to America. I may find him yet."
Chris
New York Sun
16 January 1910
From an article entitled
Latest Achievement of the Tussauds in London
about Louis Tussaud
Mr. Tussaud is full of interesting stories concerning Madame Tussaud's Waxworks and his own connection therewith.
"There are many collections in the establishment that the average visitor never sees; for example, the knives with which people have been killed, the pillows on which they have slept the sleep of death, bits of hangmen's ropes and other gruesome material. The trouble and expense of acquiring these articles have been great, requiring patience in unearthing them, skill in determining their authenticity, and money to back endeavor.
"For ten years I was connected with Scotland Yard, and before the Bertillon system was established I copied the heads and hands of criminals. Once I was nearly stabbed to death in the cell of a notorious thief who had concealed a weapon and resisted my artistic endeavors. Possibly he did not approve of the likeness. At any rate his criticism was emphatic if not kindly.
"You probably do not remember the Carroll murder, which a number of years
ago created a great excitement in England. I made a wax figure of Carroll from the only photograph which we could find in existence, and this was placed in the Chamber of Horrors. It was by means of this that the criminal was arrested, a woman who had been to Mme. Tussaud's recognizing him and putting the police officers on his trail. I received for this work a compliment from the Judge on the bench, who called the attention of the officials to the help my figure had been in running the murderer to earth.
"I trailed about with the Scotland Yard detectives for many months among the dens of Whitechapel and the worse slums of London, trying to run the famous Jack the Ripper to earth. The adventures of that time would fill a volume by themselves. I succeeded in getting casts and masks of his victims, but the murderer himself eluded our vigilance and I never had the pleasure - shall I say so? - of a vis a vis with him. The most satisfactory account of his absence was the explanation that he had gone to America. I may find him yet."
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