The Warwickshire Herald. — 1888-10-11 (Birmingham, West Midlands, 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, not only to avoid the uniformed and plain. clothed members of the Metropolitan Police Force, but 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 I confident would at once command the sympathy ' and Ei u Dor t ef" thE. tradesmen. ratepayers,  ana innamtanta generaliv.- untortunately, 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 suggestion to hold a large public meeting in furtherance of the objects of the Vigilante 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 post of treasmer. Tile leaders of the movement are drawn principally from the trading class, and include a builder, a cigar manufacturer, a tailor, and a picture-frame n taker, a licensed victualler, and "an actor." Inexperietmed in practical police duty, the committee derided 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 miravelling of mysteries. At the dispieal of tliette I•Nocutive officers are placed about a dozen stalwart 111111 possessing an intimate aequaintance with tho h:gliways and by-ways of Whitechapel. Only those have been selected who are "physivally and netrally" espial to the task they may any iii.ht be cal htd upon te perform. As they were previously toinibertel anenig the unemployed, it became mineeessary tiite a high scale of remuneration. Slexily !•t fere 1 c. .these assassin-hunters are dt-s• • • e poet their ini,:sion. Their foot-fall is silenced by the use of goloshes, and their own safety is assnred by the carrying of policewhistles and stout sticks. The area over which this additional protection is afforded is divided into beats, each man being assigned his reipeetive round. Nor is this all. At half an hour after midnight the com• mittee-rooms close by Act of Parliament, and thence emerge those members ot the committee who happen to been duty for the night. Like sergeants of police they make their tours of inspection, and while seeing that their men are faithfully performing their onerous duties, themselves visit the most sequestered and ill-lighted spots. The volunteer policemen leave their beats between 4 and 5 o'clock in the n,orning. 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 thin are engaged from early in the morning until late at night in the transaction of their own businesses obviously renders such constant effort physically impossible. Although the work of the committee has not yt:t been crowned with success, it is claimed en their behalf that they have gained much informatit tit that play be of service hereafter. By the regular i•olice, it is satatictoty 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 tnember of the committt, at least honestly believes that he is on the right track.  THE WHITE; lALL .