Dear Boss

[TradeName]

An article on the situation at Scotland Yard which claims that Littlechild was the only remaining detective "who commands public confidence."

Birmingham Daily Post (Birmingham, England), Monday, October 1, 1888



Links to other versions of the Central News "Disputes" article found here at Casebook (might have to scroll):

Daily News
United Kingdom
5 September 1888

THE HOME OFFICE AND SCOTLAND YARD

link


The Star
Largest Circulation of Any Evening Paper in the Kingdom.
LONDON. WEDNESDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER, 1888.

THE WARREN-MONRO FEUD.
Matthews and the Chief - "A Gentleman of Large Indian Experience" for the London Police!


link

Echo
London, U.K.
5 September 1888

QUARRELS AT SCOTLAND-YARD
SIR C. WARREN AND MR. MATTHEWS.
WHY MR. MONRO RESIGNED.

link


Evening News
London, U.K.
5 September 1888

THE HOME OFFICE AND SCOTLAND YARD.

WHY MR. MONRO RESIGNED.

link


The "gentleman of large Indian experience" is Macnaghten, right?

[Cogidubnus]

But is that simply contemporary and fashionable anti-Warren sentiment or a more genuine and learned assessment of Littlechild's worth? In all honesty I would have to say neither...

All the best

Dave

[Cogidubnus]

Who are we really discussing here? Littlechild, Warren, Monro, Anderson, McNaghten or who? I think we may have (seriously!) naturally got to the end of a thread...

No?

Dave

[TradeName]

I'd like to know which, if any, then current, former or future members of Scotland Yard were giving inside information to journalists in order to stir up public sentiment against Warren.

[Cogidubnus]

breathing fresh air into....

Now then, Trade that is indeed a very interesting question...quite whether or how we're going to achieve an answer, however, is a separate issue...

All the best

Dave

[Bridewell]

The Source

Just how would a journalist on the Birmingham Daily Post know which London detectives inspired confidence and which didn't? Even if it is presumed that the source was a Metropolitan police officer, how would such a journalist know that the informant's view was representative of those of his colleagues?

Why is Littlechild uniquely considered worthy of praise, especially when his rank is given (incorrectly) as Inspector?

'The consequence is that, with the exception of Inspector Littlechild, there is not a detective who inspires public confidence, and that all the best men are drifting out of it to become "private investigators"'.

Either the journalist showed remarkable prescience or the source (directly or indirectly) was Littlechild himself. Littlechild retired in 1893 and became - a private investigator.

Regards, Bridewell.

[TradeName]

Not sure this answers any questions, but this might identify the London correspondent for the Post at that time:

To-day, Volume 2, April 21, 1894, Page 331

Mr. A. F. Robbins, whose "Early Public Life of the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, Four Times Prime Minister,” is announced by Methuen and Co., is a Cornishman by birth, though he has long been the London representative of the great organ of the Midlands, the Birmingham Post. Mr. Robbins is a tall, genial-looking man, with dark hair and eyes. Like so many authors, he suffers from weak sight.

--end

Library and Museum of Freemasonry, link

Sir Alfred Robbins (1856 – 1931)

"London Correspondent for the Birmingham Daily Post from 1888."