The Washington herald., 1910-12-28
OF
A FAMOUS SLEUTH

lice in 1901 As far back as fifty years
ago he was thoroughly acquainted with
the West End. and in his interesting
"reminiscences, entitled From Constable
to Commissioner he cOnfesses that he
was familiar with every might house
in Haymarket and its neighbUrhood.
Twenty-Five years later he was equally
well acquainted with the East End
slums. He has come in contact with the
highest personages Of the land and he
has rubbed shoulders with the vilest
criminals, and the bright, chatty manner
In which his "reminiscences are written
ADDS additional interest to the story of
his varied experiences
His stories of London life after enter
ing the ranks OF the London city police
IN 1855 are. perhaps, the most interesting
IN the book Sir Henry is not a little
proud OF the fact that within six years
ne had risen TO the position Of commits
sioner
one of the first men Sir Henry be-
came acquainted with when he joined the
police In 1855 was Capt. Shaw, chief Of
the London fire brigade. He mentions
that the late King Edward ana the late
Duke Of Sutherland also were on terms
OF great friendship with Shaw, and often
in Southwark Bridge road
"Of all the things the late Duke of
Sutherland liked was a NIGHT wi
Burns, says Sir Henry. He was a
great ally Of Shaw's; was, like HIM, a
first rate mechanic; understood fire en-
gines and locomotives: and. If all tales
are true. many a time acted as fireman
and assisted to drive the express from
Edinburgh to London
1t was Shaw's habit" continued Sir
Henry, 10 see every engine stabbed be-
fore he went to bed-eyery engine. I
mean, that should have finished its work
and been home again. on one occa-
sion, about midnight, an engine long
overdue had not arrived, and Shaw went
10 the main door TO see if there was any
sign Of the truant- Just as he put his
hand on the door handle, the bell rang,
and opening the door, he saw the King.
then Prince Of Wales, and the Shah OF
I Persia, Nassred- Din The foreign poten-
/ tate was greatly pleased. and left for his
| own dominiOns fully impressed with the
I belief that the chief Of the London fire
| brigade was always to be found. twenty
/ four hours In the day, standing ready
4 behind the door 10 face any emergency
/ 1t was the wife of the third Duke Of
/ Sutherland who, together with Queen
Victoria, figured in an amusing episode
/ at Guildhall shortly after her majesty
/ assembled the throne splendid re-
/ cepuon was given in her honor. among
! the decorations" being four stalwart
/ officers OF the city police in coats OF
lmaiL supposed TO represent statues Of
/ gallant knights OF old. Passing them
] rr-FHH l.. Il. e.
/ Duchess Of Sutherland, the Queen sud
/ denly became Interested in the armor OF
/ one Of those knights. a policeman named
! Tillcock. Suddenly the duchess stood
back, and, pointing TO him. said THAT
/ knight is alive. ] saw him move"
/ Don't talk nonsense" said the
/ Queen. Come away; it is not non
! sense, replied the duchess, with a
/ laugh My dear knight, you are not
alive after all these years. are you?"
And. patung his cheek with her hand,
she followed the Queen upstairs.
Il think another second would have
finished me." said Tincock afterward. Il
/ never was so frightened in my life
thought il ] moved the Queen would
take a nj, and the duchess. too"
Three years after Sir Henry became
/ chief superintendent of the city police,
London was startled with the first rip
per" murders, and his "reminiscences
throw a new light on those dastardly
crimes There Is no man living who
knows as much OF these Jack the Ripper
murders as I do" he says, and before
going further / must admit that though
within I'VE minutes of the preparation
one night, and with a very fair descrip-
uon Of him beside, he beat me and every
- I
more idea now where ne lives than ]
had twenty years ago
Sir Henry is convinced that had his
orders been properly carried out he
would have caught the murderer red
handed He ordered the police 10 ac-
count for every man and woman seen
together about Houndsditch and Bishops
gate Catherine Eddowes the Mitre
Square victim, was in Sir Henry's GUS
tody at Bishopsgate police station only
twenty minutes before she was muir
dered
1T may be" he says. that the man
and woman, having made an appoint
ment. went separately and met in the
square. That does not exonerate the
officers of the city police Had she been
followed and men called 10 guard the
approaches, the murderer, 10 a certainty,
would have been taken red-handed. The
square, ever yinch of 1t, was carefully
Examined. but not one mark or drop OF
blood did We discover 20 indicate where
he had made his exit"
Sir-Henry's pluck Is well illustrated by
an snfident which occurred only three or
four days after the Mitre square murder
He received q. letter in which the writer
] a ticket-of-leave man, said he had a
lot TO tell about the murders. He was
afraid OF the detectives. and Sir Henry
therefore made an appointment with him
for 10 O'Clock at night in one of the
quietest squares Of the West End and
assured the writer of the letter that not
a single detective would accompany him
shortly before the hour named says
Sir Henry. Il took up my position or
the pavement opposite Punctual almost
to the minute 7 saw a man advance from
the north and stop under the street lamp
Crossing the road at once. I walked
quickly up 10 him and looked him over
steadily The man confronting me could
not have been more than five feet two OF
three inches in height He was stout
black bearded, and OF an ugly and for
: bidding cOuntenance.
Have you come 10 see any one, m,
man. / said.
&" No: I have not he replied in a civil
enough tone
Wen, I have 7 said. and mean t,
wait a bit longer 20 see II he keeps nj
appointment
There we stood, facing one another 70
five or six minutes when the man turne,
and walked leisureiy away"
After this meeting Sir Henry had a not
from the man. Now ne wrote, Z"
know that I can trust you l shall be a
: the old Jewry as soon as / can"
5 But he never came, and Sir Henry grim
( " remarks in his hook. 'sThe RinDer Ia,