Sir Charles Warren

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Sir Charles Warren lived at 44 St. George's Road, Pimlico [a district at the rear of Buckingham Palace].

The morning of the double-event.

NY Times, 1st October 1888—

"As soon as news was received at Police headquarters a messenger was dispatched for Sir Charles Warren, Chief Commissioner of Police, who was called out of bed and at once visited the scene of the murders."

Who gave the order to rouse the Commissioner from his bed? And why did they think he could possibly lend anything to the proceedings?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Regards,

Simon

[Lechmere]

Didn't Warren give instructions that he should be told immediately there was another murder so he could intervene directly - as he effectively took personal charge of the case? (Sorry DSS, it's not you).
That's why he turned up when the graffiti was being argued over. That's why he took charge of the bloodhounds and was hunted by them as a trial. Isn't that why they waited before entering Miller's Court?

[Simon Wood]

Hi Lechmere,

I'm not doubting you for a moment, but I would like to know when Warren might have issued these instructions.

Was Warren awoken from his bed simply because the Mitre Square murder, together with its attendant apron "evidence" found in Goulston Street, crossed jurisdictional boundaries?

Regards,

Simon

[Mr Lucky]

Hi Simon

Wasn't Major Smith woken up that night too, and hurried to the scene, just in time to see the blood stained water in a sink drain away?

[Bridewell]

Who gave the order to rouse the Commissioner from his bed?

I imagine that he did.

And why did they think he could possibly lend anything to the proceedings?

If Sir Charles had issued an order that he was to be woken in such circumstances, this question wouldn't be addressed.

[vol_cat]

"Major (later Lieutenant Colonel Sir) Henry Smith, Acting Commissioner of the City Police, was spending the night at Cloak Lane Police Station near Southwark Bridge. He was informed of the discovery at Aldgate and immediately dressed and rushed to the scene in a hansom with three detectives clinging to the outside of the vehicle"

Source:Jack the Ripper: Summing up and Verdict;Colin Wilson and Robin Odell,p.55 1988.

"Detectives searching Dorset Street found blood in a public sink which stood in a recess where the murderer had, in all probability, washed his hands. Traces of the bloodstained water were still present in the sink when Major Smith was called to the scene"

Source: Jack the Ripper: Summing up and Verdict; Colin Wilson and Robin Odell, p. 58, 1988

[vol_cat]

I did find a possible reason that Warren was called to the scene of the graffiti in the Wilson & Odell book,

"Arnold was not, however, prepared to give the order to remove the words until directed by higher authority. This came from Sir Charles Warren, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, when he arrived on the scene at about 5 a.m."

Source:Jack the Ripper, Summing up and Verdict; Colin Wilson and Robin Odell, p. 58, 1988.

So is it possible that Arnold called Warren to the scene because he did not wish to make such an important decision himself?? Certainly, whatever decision Arnold made would be criticized by some, so he skirted the issue by calling Warren and having him make the choice?? Not stating this as fact, just a possibility???