Whitechapel by Lightbody Bryan

Author:Lightbody, Bryan [Lightbody, Bryan]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781467015011
Publisher: AuthorHouseUK
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Friday 11th October 8.p.m; the Masonic Hall, Great Queen Street, West Central London and a gathering of a group of unusually linked freemasons had been called by the Grand Inspector General, The Duke of Kent. They had one purpose; to discuss the Jack the Ripper murders. The gathering was not large but highly significant and took place away from any Temples within the halls in a private committee room, away from the earshot of those it did not concern. The Duke chaired the meeting with the following individuals present: the Prime Minister Mr William Gladstone, Sir Charles Warren, Major Henry Smith, the Home Secretary Mr Henry Matthews, the Queens Physician Sir William Gull, Dr Wynne Baxter the London Coroner and George Lusk. The Duke stood up at the head of the table addressing everyone and began the meeting.

“Gentlemen, we gather here today in advance of an impending constitutional crisis the like of which we have never seen potentially rising from some isolated area and its people. We know that the Queen has been concerned with slum conditions for many years and the potential for social unrest it can harbour. Now we have concentrated in one part of the Metropolis not only slum conditions but civil unrest brewing as a result of series of grisly murders with little apparent motivation or sign of abating with two occurring in one night. You all have your role in resolving this and all have responsibility for the failings within society that fuel this. Lusk, I shall start with you. What was this foolish notion to try to take the law into the hands of a group of thugs and undermine the natural authority of the police?” All eyes focused on Lusk and he moved uncomfortably in his seat and took a deep breath before rising to speak.

“I can only apologise for my conduct. I was wrong to do such a thing forming effectively a mob and should have offered simple vigilance by the local community to assist the police.”

“So, what are you going to do now to resolve this mess you have created, this divide that some must see within the East End that you have driven between police and community,” demanded the Duke.

“I shall call a meeting of the Vigilance Committee and offer a new approach supporting the police, a process that I have in fact already touched upon and further enforcing it I hope will reduce tension.”

“Good,” said the Duke. “All right, before we talk about police resources I wish to call upon Sir William to speak about what may motivate these murders and how that may effect the policing of this matter.”

Sir William Gull unsteadily and slowly got to his feet as Lusk sat back down. A man of seventy-two, he had suffered a stroke the year before which had left him partially paralysed along his right side; but his mind was as sharp as it ever had been and he had some strong views on these crimes.

“Brethren,” addressing the

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