Hiding in the Vigilance Committee

[Monty]

Tom,

And damn you for not catching 'stationary'!

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. On the other hand, should I post a list of all the ones I did catch?

Don.

No.......no Don, you shouldnt.

Monty

[Monty]

Has anyone tried compiling a list of the members of the Vigilance committee from press reports, etc.? I for one would be interested in seeing such a list.

Closest we have so far.


Evening News
London, U.K.
17 September 1888


WHITECHAPEL MURDERS.
MEETING LAST NIGHT.
MEMORIAL TO THE HOME OFFICE.

Last night a large meeting of the Mile End Vigilance Committee took place at the Crown Tavern, Mile End-road, for the purpose of considering the best means for preventing a repetition of the late dreadful outrages, and securing the detection of the murderers.

The chair was taken by Mr. George Lusk, the well-known contractor, who was supported by Messrs. Cohen (vice-president) Aarons, Houghton, H. A. Harris, Laughton, Lord, Isaacs, Rogers, Mitchell, Barnett, Hodgins, Lindsay, Burgess, Jacobs, Reeves, B. Harris (hon. sec.), and others.

In the course of the proceedings, a long list of subscriptions towards a reward fund for the apprehension of the murderer was read, including £5 from Mr. Spencer Charrington, the well known brewer, and the chairman said that so soon as £100 had been subscribed the reward bills would be sent out. It was stated on all hands, and especially by Mr. Aarons and Mr. Rogers, that there was a consensus of opinion amongst the donees and others that the Home Office authorities were very unwise in withholding a Government reward for the detection of the murderers. A golden key usually opened all doors, and as no means should be left untried to discover and bring to justice escaped murderers, such rewards should always be offered. The Press and the public had over and over again expressed their views on the subject, and the Home Office were bound to give effect to those views in the interests of possible individual victims and of the community at large.

A resolution was put and carried that it was advisable to memorialise the Government in the matter, and in the course of the sitting a letter was drawn out, signed, and there and then despatched to the Home Secretary, embodying the views of the Committee and the meeting, and asking what Her Majesty's Government intended doing for the further protection of defenceless people from the knife of the murderer. Letters were also sent to Mr. W. Isaacson and others on the subject, and the proceedings were adjourned until Wednesday next, when sufficient money will probably be in hand for the offer of the reward.

It was stated that in the event of the definite escape of the murderer, the funds would be given to the London Hospital or some other charitable institution.

And here is a small bio of Committee member Charles Reeves.

http://www.casebook.org/notable_people/charles-reeves.html

Cheers
Monty

[Tom_Wescott]

Aye that. But you'll enjoy this--I was talking to Gavin just a couple of days ago and one thing he asked was "Is Tom Wescott trying to break my record for article length?" I assured him he still was number one. LOL

Oh, is Gavin receiving Examiner? That's great. I'd love to get his thoughts. And yes, his 'Mrs. Kuer's Lodger' was definitely longer than mine, and what a great read it was!

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott