New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-21
SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET.
THE EXTENT TO WHICH BLACKMAIL
FIGURES IN EUROPEAN LIFE.
A 'SOCIKTY OF REFORMERS" IN LONDON FOR
sELF-PROTEC-rIoN-ENGILs POLICE METH
obs OF SAVING GREAT FAMILIES FROM
DIsGRACE-BRoADMOoR AND
rTB INMATES.

uB INMATES.
In London the existence Of strange assocIa-
don has been brought to light by mere chance.
1t bears the name Of the Society Of Reform
ers." owns clubhouse In New Kent Road. and
Is composed entirely and exclusively Of gentle
men Of birth and Of breeding who have had the
misfortune at one or another time Of their lives
to offend against the law of the land in such
Q manner as to be brought within It's clutches,
and who having sinned on that one and only
occasion, have since endeavored to live down
their criminal record and to obliterate entirely
the terrible past. One would naturally imagine
that men Of this condition, whose one aim in
life Is oblivion with regard to their antecedents,
would be disposed to avoid rather than to seek
the society and companionship Of those who
had suffered like themselves. That is true:
and II they seek one anothers society It is
not for the sake Of companionship but with the
object OF protection-of protection against the
hlackmailer. who is the most cruel and relent-
less foe Of every one who has any shameful
secret to conceal. either concerning his own
past relating to that Of some near and dear
member Of his family a foe. therefore. who is
particularly dangerous to men such as the
members Of the Society Of Reformers." How
mailers Is shown by the fact that during the
hast twelve months the membership Of the club
has been diminished by no less than fourteen.
every one Of whom has died by his own hand,
unable to bear any longer the bounding to
which he was subjected by men who had become
possessed Of the secret Of his past.
1t must be borne in mind that in Europe, as
elsewhere. there are few great families which
are not burdened with one or more black sheep.
sometimes the dusky member Of the flock Is
constitutionay bad while in other instances
be Is merely reckless and thoughtess. two de-
fects Of character which, while not very serious
In themselves are likely to place men in such
embarrassing positions that they extricate
themselves only by means OF infraction OF
the laws Of the land. 1t may be a solitary
offence; indeed, ii generally is; but, neverthe-
less. II Is sure to- be brought to light sooner or
later, and TO call Cor punishment. Sometimes
this is evaded by flight, but not often. In the
majority Of cases the wrongdoer is caught. and
then his one object Is usually to preserve the
name Of his family from disgrace, an object in
which he Is assisted by his relatives and not
infrequently by the authorities themselves. Oc-
casionally he will be consigned without trial. but
merely on a warrant from the Secretary OF State
for the Home Department. to the great Broad
moor Asylum for the criminal insane there to
be detained according to what is styled in offi-
cial phraseOogy during Her Majcsty's pleas
ure." and where he is known merely by num-
ber Behind the walls Of that British modern
counterpart OF the French Bastile TO which. a
In the case Of the latter, many Of the inmates
are consigned by "lettres de cachet') are hid
den many Of the grandest names Of the United
Kingdom. and terrible secrets affecting old
houses Of the nobility. which are known to few
save to the officials of the Home Department
In London. and perhaps to some OF the superior
officers Of the London police.
SPIRITED AWAY TO BROADMooR.
incidentally II may be mentioned that 1t was
ut Broadmoor that the blue blooded perpetrator
Of the Whitechapel murders Is now admitted by
the authorities to have breathed his last, and 1t
Is likewise to BroadmOor that will be consigned
without trial the wel-born and hitherto sue
cessful member OF the bar whose homcidal
mania has now been ascertained by the police
to have led him to perpetrate the mysterious
murder OF Miss Camp on the Suburban London
Railroad last spring, and likewise to put to
death In an equally unaccountable fashion q
young woman whose body was found some SIX
weeks ago at Windsor 1t IL probable that MS
true name will be kept from the public precisely
IN the game way as that OF the author of the
slack the Ripper" series Of murders.
HIDDEN UNDER ASSUMED NAMES.
In other instances. where for one reason or
another confinement in Broadmoor Is out OF
the question the authorities connve with the
criminals to secure the conviction and punish
ment OF the latter under an assumed name.
This Is far more frequently done than people
realize. and 1t enables men who have erred once
eventually to resume their position In society.