Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1888-10-13 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

AMATEUR DETECTIVES AT WORK.  Should the murderer again attempt to give effect to his infamous designs in the Whitechapel district he will require, in the interests of his own personal security, net only to avoid the uniformed and plainclothed members of the Metropolitan Police Force, buc.to reckon with a small, enthusiastic body of amateur detectives. Convinced that the regular force affords inadequate protection to life and property in this densely populated neighbourhood, a number of local tradesmen decided a few weeks ago to appoint a Vigilance Committee. The duties of the newly-formed band were twofold. In the first place, they were to publish far and wide their disagreement with the Home Secretary by offering a substantial reward to "anyone—citizen or otherwise," who should give such information as would bring the murderer or murderers to justice: and, in the second place, they were themselves to patrol the most secluded parts of the district in the dead of night with a view to running the criminal to earth. So worthy a motive they felt confident would at once command the sympathy and support of "the tradesmen, ratepayers, and inhabitants generally." Unfortunately, however, for the realisation of their hopes, experience has proved that those to whom they appealed were more ready to commend than to co-operate. Excluding one or two subscriptions of considerable amounts they have been compelled to admit that funds have not ' rolled" in. Nor has the auggestion to hold a large public meeting in furtherance of the objects of the Vigilants been responded to with alacrity. Yet, undaunted by these disappointments, the committee have worked persistently on. Night after night, at 9 o'clock, meetings have been held in the upper room of a public-house in the Mile End-road, placed at the disposal of the committee by the landlord, who occupies the poet of treasiner. The leaders of the movement are drawn principally from the trading class, and include a builder, a cigar manufacturer, a tailor, and a picture-frame maker, a licensed victualler, and "an actor." Inexperienced in practical police duty, the committee decided to call in professional assistance rather than rely solely upon their own resources. For this purpose they engaged the services of two private detectives—men who, though unattached to either metropolitan or city police forces, hold themselves out as experts in the unravelling of mysteries. At the disposal of these executive officers are placed about a dozen stalwart men possessing an intimate acquaintance with the highways and by-ways of Whitechapel. Only those have been selected who are "physically and morally" equal to the task they may any night be called upon to perform. As they were previously numbered among the unemployed, it became unnecessary to fix a high scale of remuneration. Shortly before 12 o'clock these assassin-hunters are despatched upon their mission. Their foot-fall is silenced by the use of goloshes, and their own safety is assured by the carrying of police. whistles and stout stick!: 'The' area over which this additional protection lii liffditled ili'diVided into beats, each man being assigned his raspective round. Nor is this all. At half an hour after midnight the Om mittee-rooms close by Act of Parlianlerit, and then& emerge those members of the committee who h*Prh td be on duty for the night. Like sergeants. of ,po ide i they make their twine of inseo ction; anti while seeing that their men are fiiithfurfy eforming their onerous duties, themselves Visit th most sequestered and ill-lighted spots. The volunteer policemen leave their beats between 4 and 5 o'clock in the morning, It should be aided that supervision in this way by the members of the committee is not forthcoming every night. The fact that most of them are engaged from early in the morning until late at night in the transaction of their own businesses obvionsly renders such constant effort physically impossible. Although the work of the committee has not yet been crowned with success, it is claimed on their behalf that they have gained much information that may be of service hereafter. By the regular police, it is satisfactory to add, they have not been thwarted in their endeavour to bring the criminal to justice. Suspicions, surmises, and possible clues are notified to the nearest policestations from time to time, and one member of the committee at least honestly believes that he is on the right track.  "