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July 9, 2012 8:58 pm  #1


Murder Most Foul: Homicide in Early America

The (beautiful) William L. Clements Library at the University of Michigan is showing a fascinating, if disturbing, exhibit right now about murder in early America. It starts out in the 1700's, but works its way up to Sherlock Holmes's time with the serial murders in Chicago around the time of the World's Fair in 1893. If you have read The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, you know this horrible story. I don't know if it was a coincidence that the serial killer used the alias "Holmes." (Now, I'll say it before someone else does: We know what Sherlock thinks of serial killers.)

As I was going through the exhibit today, when I should have been pitying the victims, I couldn't help thinking what excellent Sherlock Holmes stories some of the cases would make. Some of them may have, in fact, been an inspiration to ACD. Of course, I'm already writing new stories in my head.

By the way, this is as tasteful an exhibit as it can be -- no wax models of severed heads or the like.

Last edited by veecee (July 9, 2012 9:23 pm)

 

July 9, 2012 11:05 pm  #2


Re: Murder Most Foul: Homicide in Early America

are there pics?  I didn't see them,  vc!!   But I have often wondered how the local law enforcement of that time period dealt with murders  such as the Jack the Ripper ones.  No  I've not read the book  but I have heard of it.   If you care to share your stories,  the fanfic  section would LOVE them.


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SHERLOCK!!!!!!
 

July 9, 2012 11:23 pm  #3


Re: Murder Most Foul: Homicide in Early America

Stories are all in my head so far, but thank you for the idea.

That book was interesting, but I almose wanted to skip the chapters about the murderer and just read the ones about the World's Fair. The murders were gruesome.

You could try googling the library to see if they have put any up of the exhibit. It's very understated.

     Thread Starter
 

July 10, 2012 9:28 pm  #4


Re: Murder Most Foul: Homicide in Early America

I have researched quite a bit about law enforcement in Victorian and Edwardian London. I will post some stuff here tomorrow. Just too tired to do it tonight as have done tons of vile driving today and I'm knackered!


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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
 

July 11, 2012 2:41 pm  #5


Re: Murder Most Foul: Homicide in Early America

Okie dokie. Part one of the research folks. I hope it is of interest to a few of you as it sets the original Sherlock Holmes stories into their historical context, with regards to the police and detection. I have centred my research upon London.

The Metropolitan Police - often nowadays shortened to 'The Met'- was formed in 1829 by Sir Robert Peel. It is thought that this is where the term 'Bobbies' came from; 'Peelers' was another nickname popular in Victorian times.

Officers wore navy blue uniforms (as they do today), tailcoats, top hats. They were armed with a truncheon. From 1840 Inspectors were occasionally armed with a firearm, mainly revolvers. In 1870 police officers had to be 5'8" (except the Thames Division-5'7").

By the mid-1800s police patrolled a 'beat'. 1887 Black Maria's or secure vehicles were used to transport prisoners.

In 1875 Great Scotland Yard police offices were opened.

1877 The Turf Fraud Scandal hit the Met with police corruption hitting the headlines and police being imprisoned as a result. The result of thei was the establishment of the CID (Criminal Investigations Department) For a long time detective police officers, plain clothes, wee seen as symptomatic of an I trustee system of surveillance, considered the hallmark of continental, especially French, police forces and something that had no place in England.

1879 Initial rules for dealing with murder cases were established 'the body must not be moved, nor anything about it or in the room or place interfered with, and the public must be excluded.'

(In 1887 the first Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes story ' A Study in Scarlet' appeared in print.

1890 New Scotland Yard was opened. 1892 dismissals, rank and pay reductions were common and used to keep the men in order.

1894 The Alphonse Bertillon System of identification was adopted, this partially relied upon fingerprinting to identify culprits.

1899 High rates of suicides amongst officers. Their harsh treatment was cited as a reason.

1900 The Belper Report into the best system of identification of possible criminals was published.  As a result of this report the Fingerprint Bureau commences in 1901.



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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
 

July 12, 2012 3:49 am  #6


Re: Murder Most Foul: Homicide in Early America

Nice, Davina.
And there is a YouTube video from the library exhibit. Remember, I said it is very understated. I wish the video showed more of the gorgeous library. Picture me walking up the front steps if you watch the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxePSDgPCXU&feature=youtu.be

     Thread Starter
 

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