"GREATEST DETECTIVE"

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 169, 19 August 1929, Page 5

"GREATEST DETECTIVE"

A REGRETTED RETIREMEM. CH1EF CONSTABLE WENSLEY. CROOKS' SPECIAL TEREOR. Wlien Chicf Constable Eredcrick Wensley retired last 111011th from his position as head ot the C'riminal Jnvestigation Departmont ftlie C.I.D.) of the London Metropolitan Police, tlie puhiic lost tlie. the scrviccs of oue ot tlie most brilJiant detectives of modern tiines. Ylr Wensley had conipleted 42 years' servic-e with tlie Metropolitan Police Force — a hrilliant record which is probablv unparalleled in the history of the police forces in the world. Everyone in the foree regrets iis departnre, for he is lield in nffec-tionate esteem not only by the officer.s w-ho c-orne into daily eontact with him. liut also by tlie young men in the service, whoin he has always been readv to help

with his sage counsel and advice. It is not surpa'ising tliat, according to a rec-ent cahle message, Chicago was reported to have engaged liim to assist in setting its police system in order. "JACK THE RIPPER." Forty-two years ago Frederick Wensley .came np from Somerset to join the .Metropolitan Police and received his baptism of 'fire" in the East End, shelter of scoundrels of all kinds, including the infamous Jack the Ripper. He joined the force in 1887 and the Ripper murders occurred in the following year. It is difficult for modern Londoners, blessed with well-lighted streets, and a police organisation of first-class efficiency, to realise the conditions 1111dei whicli. in those daysof crime flpurislied and spread like a fungus in the dark. -Tlie streets were ill-lighted and ili-patrolled ; a constahle's heat covered several square miles ; crime detection as a science was rudimentary. It was little wonder that the Ripper murders threw the whole district of Whitecliapple into a panic. Through those narrow, dark thoroughfares Wensley walked ln's beat for the two years before he graduated into the detective service. His personal rcputation grew rapidly, and bis fearlessness was respected even by tbieves, burglars aud coiners wlio were liis "clientele.'' He was among tbem at all times of the day and night, aloue, unarmed, but ever watchful

SYDNEY STREET BATTLE. His personal bravery, has always distiuguished him. He arrested Stinie Alorrison — he was a detective inspector then — in the cool ahnost casual way of a man whose everyday business is the arrest of clangerous iiersons. Stenie Morrison was wanted for the murder of Leo Beroti. . The detective walked into a restaurant where Morrison was dliiing, and casually remarked, "1 want to see you. when you've linished your meal." Fifteen minutes later the two men walked towards Coinmercial street Pclice Station chatting as if the murder charge was the least thing m their minds. Thirty years ago in the East End, Wensley took part in a fierce fight witli a murderer brought to bay 011 the roof of a house, and brought off an arrest al'ter liis man had jumped to tlie pavement . below. He was the Divisional Detective Inspector at Whitecliapel when he located "Peter tlie Painter" aud the Sidney street assassins. He carried one of his wounded men to slielter under the liail of hullets whic-h starfed tlie famous siege during wliich the Scots Guards and a hattery of artillery were called out. For this act of gallantry he received the King's Medal

MURDERERS TRAC'KED DOWN. Coming to Scotland Yard as a chief inspector, Wensley liandled every big murder case which came along. One of his hest cases was the murder of Madame Gerard hy Louis Voisin, the Frencli butcher. A laundry mark and the words, "Blodie Belgium" were the two clues whicli- brought this mystery to a successful solution. Then he tracked down Frederick Tveeling for the murder of Miss Emily Hai'ding at Tottenham, and a few months later was engaged 011 tlie case of the mystery house in Regent's Park, where Maitby, the tailor, had been living for weeks beliind barricaded doors, alone in the liouse with the body of a woman he liad killed. Wensley was responsihle lor the conviction of Armstrong, the poisoner, and Superintendent Garrett, of Bournemoutli, lias acknowledged tliat it was due to the assistance from Wensley that he was able to fix tbe responsibility for tbe murder of Miss Irene Wilkins 011 Thomas Allaway. FROM HIS OFFICE CHAIR. Many otlier examples could be given to illustrate what the late Sir Richard Muir said of Wensley — "the greatest detective of all time." At 64 years oi age Wensley retains all the astuteness which brought him fame. _ Slow of speecli, alert of mind and swift of action, he has solved many -a perplexing problera from liis armchair. Many a man lias walked into Scotland Yard with a "water-tight alibi, sir," only to lind it shattered after a few minutes nith Wensley. It is said tliat in rcoent years Wensky hiis cauglit more criminals from tliat room whieh overlooks the Thames than tlie wbole of tlie Flying Squad. Cn many a morning when one of 1ns chief inspectors lias been investigating i* murder in the country he has directjd tlie course of justice from Scotland Yard. A flaw in one of the statements before him — a question to a euspect, based 011 it — and tlie mystery was _a uijstery 110 longer. Tliis lmppened in ihe Field and Grey case; it also belped to bring Norman Tborne, tlie Crowborough murderer, to justice. Wensley was a good friend to many a criminal, and enc-ouraged numbers ot fchem to forsake dishonest ways and. become respectable citizens. His retirement had liotliing whatever to do with receiit happeiiings in the force — . he could have gone 011 for another five years if- be had wished to— but, as be said, "I feel I want a rest, and besides, my wife would like to see 6 0111 ething of ihe oecasionallv." And wlien it is recalled tliat during the inves'tigation of the Gutteridge murder case and otber similar crimes Wensley has been at tbe Yard da_y after day for 18 bours of a stretcb, it ts easy to believe liirn.