Ich weiß nicht, ob das hier im Forum schon mal gepostet wurde, aber ich habe diesen Artikel gerade bei casebook.org gefunden, und finde den letzten Abschnitt doch höchst interessant. Wenn das stimmt, ist es ein echter Nugget, wenn nicht, mal wieder nur Katzengold:
Seattle Daily Times
4 February 1905
NOTED DETECTIVE RETIRES
Robert Sager[sic] Quits Force After Twenty-Five Years' Service
The Times Special Service
LONDON, Saturday, Feb. 4. - One of London's best known and most successful detectives, Inspector Robert Sagar, of the city police, has just retired on pension after twenty-five years spent in tracking some of the most noted criminals of the day. A unique circumstance is attached to Inspector Sagar's career. So far as is known, he is the only police detective in the kingdom who has never worn the familiar blue uniform. A Lancashire man, and educated at a grammar school in his native county, he first saw life and London as a St. Bart's medical student.
It happened that in the house near Smithfield in which young Sagar took lodgings there dwelt a sergeant detective in the city police. The detective and the student made friends. The thrill and excitement of the former's work infected the younger man. Crime investigation became his hobby, and during his five years at St. Bartholomew's Hospital he enjoyed the extraordinary experience of helping to arrest over a hundred wrongdoers.
Sees Many Daring Exploits
To this day in those secret dens of the East End, where plots are planned and crimes coolly contemplated, Inspector Sagar is known as the “Doctor.”
An exploit in which, while pursuing a burglar, he stumbled upon a pickaxe and injured his leg, brought young Sagar directly under the notice of Sir James Fraser, chief commissioner of the city police. Astonished at the young man's remarkable record, Sir James invited him to give up his idea of becoming a doctor, and in 1880 he joined the city detective force. Inspector Sagar has achieved most of his fame by his successful breaking up of gangs of forgers operating in London.
The Devonports, of “forges fivers” fame; the Barmashes, the group of men who circulated false Spanish bonds in the city - one of them was paralyzed and heard himself sentenced at the Old Bailey while lying on an ambulance - have all had cause to regret his skill as a detective. The inspector was also engaged in the “great pearl robbery” case, and brought the beautiful Mrs Osborne from Dover to the Buildhall dock. “The notorious Schmidt,” who figured in the last Barmash case two years ago, is held by many to be the cleverest forger in the world. “For my part, says Inspector Sagar, “I would give the palm to the American, George Johnson, who, with another man, named Phillips, was in 1900 sentenced to seven years for forging letters of credit on a well known city firm.”
Has a Charmed Life
Inspector Sagar was the chief officer appointed to confer with the metropolitan police in the search for the terrible Whitechapel murderer.
“We believe,” he said, “that he came nearest to being captured after the Mitre Square murder in which the woman Kelly was the victim. She had been detained in Bishopgate police station until 1 a.m. At 1:45 a.m. she was dead. A police officer met a well dressed man of Jewish appearance coming out of the court. Continuing on his patrol he came across the woman's body. He blew his whistle, and sent the other officers who rushed up in pursuit, the only thing to guide them being the sound of retreating footsteps. The sounds were followed to King's Block in the model dwellings in Stoney Lane, but the search got no further. On the wall was found scrawled in chalk, 'The Jews shall not be blamed for this.'”
The theory of the city police is that “Jack the Ripper” was a butcher who worked in “Butchers' row,” Aldgate, and was partly insane. It is believed that he made his way to Australia and there died. “The police are satisfied as to the identity of the man, “remarked the inspector, “but what became of him we don't know.”
Also ich muss das erst mal verdauen. Mal sehen, ob ich heute Nacht von Blekinsop, Watkins, St.James Square und dem "City P.C. who was a beat near Mitre Square" träume.
Gute Nacht,
Shadow Ghost