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Article THE ATROCITIES OF WAR ← Page 2 of 2 Article THE DETECTIVE SYSTEM Page 1 of 1 Article THE DETECTIVE SYSTEM Page 1 of 1 Article THE DETECTIVE SYSTEM Page 1 of 1 Article THE ALBERT MEDAL. Page 1 of 1 Article BRO. DR. MORRIS. Page 1 of 1 Article Original Correspondence. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Atrocities Of War
ce her clothes all torn away at the waist , ° nd the body half burnt . Dogs and pigs were devouring the bodies , while donkeys and cattle trayed throug h the roads ownerless . The school had not been burnt , and had evidently been the Blood the floors and
cene of a terrible fray . on doorposts . and all kinds of household gear , schoolhooks and other things in the greatest confusion , told the same dreadful tale . The spelling-books and childish copy-books _ appealed powerfully . every human instinct within one . This affair
of Kara-atli , however , sinks into insignificance before the appalling horror of the massacre at GeuIa-IVlahilisse . It appears that on the 26 th a strong force , under Raouf Pasha , made a reconnaissance from Yeni-Saghra , and spent a night near the village above named , which is situated
a little off the line of rail between Yeni-Saghra and Tirnova . After the force had left , a large body of Circassians returned to the village , and in the first place carried off an immense number of young girls , whose fate can only be guessed at . They then returned to the village , and found that the remainder of the women and children
had fled for protection to the church . There they slaug htered them all , and from that church Col . Lennox and Lieutenant Chermside , R . E ., mili tary attaches , and Messrs . Leslie and Meyrick , of the Aid to the Sick and Wounded Society , brought out and buried 17 j bodies of women and children . Besides these there were many others
killed in different places about the village , and 3 6 wounded had their wounds dressed by the above-named medical officers . These eye-witnesses describe the scene in the church as something indescribably awful . The dead and the dy ing were piled in suffocating heaps , little
children crawling about looking for their mothers , wounded mothers trying to move those g hastly heaps to find their children , and when found hardly able to recognize them with the fearful sword cuts about their little heads . Many women had been violated and subjected to
fearful barbantes , pregnant women ripped open , while ' others had their breasts cut off , or their hands chopped off at the wrist . A mother lay stone dead and her baby was vainly endeavouring to get the food for which it was starving , while
an older child was calling and pushing the dead woman to try and make her awake . Even while these gentlemen were in the village the murdering was going on at another part , and so threatening were these ferocious ruffians that their lives
stood in very great danger . A Circassian from behind a hedge took a deliberate shot at Mr . Meyrick , but missed him . " Now we do not insert this from any love of the "dreadful , " or any tendency to sensationalism , but simply in the interests of that common
Humanity so dear to our Masonic Order . Without entering into affairs of State or political complications , we cannot , but as Freemasons and lovers of humanity help expressing fervently the hope , that the day may not be far distant , ( if the Turkish Government continues to allow the
excesses as The Times correspondent says , of such " vermin , " ) when Lord Derby will think well to protest against such unmitigated atrocities , by the withdrawal of their representative at Constantinople of that great and generous
Country , which has ever been foremost in the roarch of civilization , and in zealous endeavours 'n the holy cause of philanthropy and benevolence , and has no wish to participate , even by •^ p lication in deeds which are a dishonour to Rod and a horror to man .
The Detective System
THE DETECTIVE SYSTEM
We quite agree with our contemporary Thc limes , alike in the need of enquiry , and in the general tenour of its leader . But we wish to Point out a few considerations to day which ™ ay be lost . si ght of in the general excitement « -d ' scare " on the subject . We must be on < # ** r guard against exaggeration and the deliberate 111
un * " ^ S" ° * " lose c ' b" and intimatelv mixed p , Wlth the criminal population . The great diffi-•ty which the police of the metropolis have evid ° nt -. -, ' th is the " Fence System , " and it is m ° ' as many receivers of stolen property , sJ . " ders and abettors of the swindler and the washer , and | the burglar , and the common thief , ¦ n apparentl y reputable positions , and live on
The Detective System
the " per centages , " which necessarily are enormous , the business being properly considered " hazardous , " the obstacles in the way of necessful detection are increased a hundred fold . We do not then join in the public outcry , because we feel persuaded that it is essentially in the
interest of those who do not object to spend money for the purpose of circulating any sort of report tending to the depravation ofthe Police Force in order that in the confusion they may "improve the occasion . " But we confess that we think there are one or two points to which
enquiry should be directed , and to which attention should be paid . We have long been among those who have thought that our detective force never would be what it ought to be , for the mere purpose , mind , of criminal detection , so long as a great change did not take place in the
system under which it is formed , and the remuneration which is offered to the skilled detective . We hold it to be a radical mistake , at the bottom of much of the present dilemma , that all detectives should have served as efficient members of the divisional police , bound to be active policemen
previous-to bsing placed on the list of officers in " p lain clothes . " There are many men , born detectives , so to say , who will not go through the drudgery of day and night work ; there are many men , per contra , whom you may call detectives if you like , but nothing will
ever render them really detectives . Detection is , per se , a great art . It requires coolness of head and clearness of vision , a good character and sound judgment * a resolution to attend carefull y to evidence , not to listen to prejudice , and above all , a thorough understanding of the
constitutional position of a policeman , on the one hand , and of an English citizen on the other . Such men as these are to be found , and when found they are to be valued and made much of . For the real great defect is the insufficiency of pay . To ensure the services of such " skilled detectives" as we
have hinted at , the rate of pay must be considerably increased , in order to enable them to be entirely independent of all external influences , and especially that " squaring " process , which , owing to other circumstances to which we will subsequently allude , is rather fashionable just
now . Of course it is true that those " who will be squared , " assomeonehas said , will be " squared , " whatever their income may be , but as a general rule , we apprehend , when this regrettable state of things exists , it arises from circumstances over which detective officer Jones has no control , or
rather from circumstances which control detective officer Jones whether he will or no . We think , therefore , tbat to a superior class of men , with a higher rate of pay , the detection of crime should at any rate be committed , and that the whole of our detective system requires re-organization and
re-adjustment , especially on the two points we have mentioned . But there is , as The Times most justly reminds us , another system which has cropped up of late years , namely that of counterfeit police work , amateur detection , secret or special agency . That distinguished judge , Sir
Cresswell Cresswell , originally pointed out the evil and degrading tendency of this pernicious system , and each year since he spoke has onl y served to show how true were his words , and how dangerous the profession in itself is to both the liberties of Englishmen and
the administration of justice . We have no doubt of its absolute illegality . We feel sure , for instance , that we are laying down the law on the subject correctl y when we say , that no one has a right to follow about an English citizen professing to be a
policeofficer , except on duty legally as a police-officer , and that any such conduct is " tending to excite a breach of the peace , " and would be restrained by any of our police magistrates when properly stated to them . For the law happily assumes a citizen to be innocent until he is found to be
guilty , and it is most unconstitutional for any special agent to assume as an amateur the functions alone belonging to the police , and to subject any Englishman whatever to the pain of " surveillance , " the appearance of police observation .
Sheriff ' s officers , and police officers have alone the power of carrying on such a process by the law of England . Many of the special agents are old police officers , naturally on terms of familiar acquaintance with the force , and as they are not
The Detective System
particular as to what they spend if only they compass their ends , it is not to be wondered at that many a zealous police officer , many an able detective is unable to refuse the offers of bowls of " swiftly flowing champagne , " or seasonable offerings of shinins * - sovereigns and comfortable
offers of crisp if slippery " flimsies . " Owing to the mistaken " camaraderie , " ( for some of these " amateur policemen" biar the worst oi characters—enquire at Scotland Yard ) tbe line of demarcation between the police officer and the special agent is easily obliterated ,
and many deeds of wrong and robbery are constantly committed by those , who for the nonce assuming "leave and licence " pass themselves off as respectable detective offi * ers , when they are nothing more and nothing less than disreputable special agents . We have written
all this , in the best of feeling towards our Metropolitan Police Force , whether divisional or detective . We hope and believe that when this temporary cloud has passed away , it will resume its normal character , of energy , of zeal , of
skill , of uprightness , and of steadiness , and retain , as we feel sure it can do , the good opinion of all classes in this great metropolis , to which it has rendered such signal services in times past , and of which it is alike both the watchful guardian and the effective protection .
The Albert Medal.
THE ALBERT MEDAL .
We are glad to think that the Albert Medal has been most properly conferred by Royal authority on those gallant Welsh miners who so nobly laboured to extricate their comrades from a living grave . We are among those who have often thought that it would be well if there
was some decoration by which civil merit might be recognised , and which , somewhat different from military rewards might well appeal to a chivalrous sense , both of honour and patriotic duty . We are therefore glad to record
the grant of the Albert Medal to Welsh Colliers , and we call attention to a characteristic letter of one of the recipients . We do not see why the Albert Medal may not be more extensively utilized , and receive a wider application .
Bro. Dr. Morris.
BRO . DR . MORRIS .
Weareglad to hear that the Canadian author ! - ties have made the Engish Grammars of Bro . Dr . Morris ( Head Master of the Royal Misonic Institution for Boys ) the standard works on
that subject in Canadian schools . We learn , to that Dr . Morris' " Primer of English Grammar ' has had a very extensive sale in India . De Morris has in the press an exercise book , to lv used with the " Primer . "
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even aa approving of ihe opinions expressed by our correspondents , but wc wish , in 1 spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain n * cessary limits—free discussion . —Eo . l
OUR GREAT METROPOLITAN HOSPITALS . To the Editor oj the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I quite concur , for one , in the opinions you have , as Editor , expressed on this subject , and also with the general sketch you have given of the question . Archaeologically , it may interest your readers to kn-nv
what the media > val provision for hospitals , & c , was . Some of them seem to have been founded at " places of pilgrimage , " others along the high roads , for the entertainment of pilgrims and travellers , while a large portion seem to have been conjoined with the monastic institutions .
Thus at St . Edmundsbury a hospital existed at tht four gates of the town . At Reading there was thc hospital at St . Mary Magdalene for leprous persons , and lazar houses existed at all the ports of emb * rkation , and there were many famous like hcuses , as at Sherburn , in Durham , and elsewhere .
There was a hospital at Fountains Abbey for poor persons and pilgrims , and a well-known one at Glastonbury for the same purpose . At one time there were 370 of these receptacles for the poor , suffering , and wayfaring , scattered up and down England . The earliest actual hospital , purely for certain brethren and sisters , the si-k and infirm poor , and lying-in hospital for women , is St . Bartholomew's , which was founded in the 12 th century , by " Rahere , first Canon and Prior . "
It was not , however , as you have said , until the last century that the infirmary and hospital movement took firm foundation and actual development in England . Abroad , as some of us may know , the hospitals for the sick poor are of early date and long continuance . The whole theory of the hospital and infirmary is of gratuitous
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Atrocities Of War
ce her clothes all torn away at the waist , ° nd the body half burnt . Dogs and pigs were devouring the bodies , while donkeys and cattle trayed throug h the roads ownerless . The school had not been burnt , and had evidently been the Blood the floors and
cene of a terrible fray . on doorposts . and all kinds of household gear , schoolhooks and other things in the greatest confusion , told the same dreadful tale . The spelling-books and childish copy-books _ appealed powerfully . every human instinct within one . This affair
of Kara-atli , however , sinks into insignificance before the appalling horror of the massacre at GeuIa-IVlahilisse . It appears that on the 26 th a strong force , under Raouf Pasha , made a reconnaissance from Yeni-Saghra , and spent a night near the village above named , which is situated
a little off the line of rail between Yeni-Saghra and Tirnova . After the force had left , a large body of Circassians returned to the village , and in the first place carried off an immense number of young girls , whose fate can only be guessed at . They then returned to the village , and found that the remainder of the women and children
had fled for protection to the church . There they slaug htered them all , and from that church Col . Lennox and Lieutenant Chermside , R . E ., mili tary attaches , and Messrs . Leslie and Meyrick , of the Aid to the Sick and Wounded Society , brought out and buried 17 j bodies of women and children . Besides these there were many others
killed in different places about the village , and 3 6 wounded had their wounds dressed by the above-named medical officers . These eye-witnesses describe the scene in the church as something indescribably awful . The dead and the dy ing were piled in suffocating heaps , little
children crawling about looking for their mothers , wounded mothers trying to move those g hastly heaps to find their children , and when found hardly able to recognize them with the fearful sword cuts about their little heads . Many women had been violated and subjected to
fearful barbantes , pregnant women ripped open , while ' others had their breasts cut off , or their hands chopped off at the wrist . A mother lay stone dead and her baby was vainly endeavouring to get the food for which it was starving , while
an older child was calling and pushing the dead woman to try and make her awake . Even while these gentlemen were in the village the murdering was going on at another part , and so threatening were these ferocious ruffians that their lives
stood in very great danger . A Circassian from behind a hedge took a deliberate shot at Mr . Meyrick , but missed him . " Now we do not insert this from any love of the "dreadful , " or any tendency to sensationalism , but simply in the interests of that common
Humanity so dear to our Masonic Order . Without entering into affairs of State or political complications , we cannot , but as Freemasons and lovers of humanity help expressing fervently the hope , that the day may not be far distant , ( if the Turkish Government continues to allow the
excesses as The Times correspondent says , of such " vermin , " ) when Lord Derby will think well to protest against such unmitigated atrocities , by the withdrawal of their representative at Constantinople of that great and generous
Country , which has ever been foremost in the roarch of civilization , and in zealous endeavours 'n the holy cause of philanthropy and benevolence , and has no wish to participate , even by •^ p lication in deeds which are a dishonour to Rod and a horror to man .
The Detective System
THE DETECTIVE SYSTEM
We quite agree with our contemporary Thc limes , alike in the need of enquiry , and in the general tenour of its leader . But we wish to Point out a few considerations to day which ™ ay be lost . si ght of in the general excitement « -d ' scare " on the subject . We must be on < # ** r guard against exaggeration and the deliberate 111
un * " ^ S" ° * " lose c ' b" and intimatelv mixed p , Wlth the criminal population . The great diffi-•ty which the police of the metropolis have evid ° nt -. -, ' th is the " Fence System , " and it is m ° ' as many receivers of stolen property , sJ . " ders and abettors of the swindler and the washer , and | the burglar , and the common thief , ¦ n apparentl y reputable positions , and live on
The Detective System
the " per centages , " which necessarily are enormous , the business being properly considered " hazardous , " the obstacles in the way of necessful detection are increased a hundred fold . We do not then join in the public outcry , because we feel persuaded that it is essentially in the
interest of those who do not object to spend money for the purpose of circulating any sort of report tending to the depravation ofthe Police Force in order that in the confusion they may "improve the occasion . " But we confess that we think there are one or two points to which
enquiry should be directed , and to which attention should be paid . We have long been among those who have thought that our detective force never would be what it ought to be , for the mere purpose , mind , of criminal detection , so long as a great change did not take place in the
system under which it is formed , and the remuneration which is offered to the skilled detective . We hold it to be a radical mistake , at the bottom of much of the present dilemma , that all detectives should have served as efficient members of the divisional police , bound to be active policemen
previous-to bsing placed on the list of officers in " p lain clothes . " There are many men , born detectives , so to say , who will not go through the drudgery of day and night work ; there are many men , per contra , whom you may call detectives if you like , but nothing will
ever render them really detectives . Detection is , per se , a great art . It requires coolness of head and clearness of vision , a good character and sound judgment * a resolution to attend carefull y to evidence , not to listen to prejudice , and above all , a thorough understanding of the
constitutional position of a policeman , on the one hand , and of an English citizen on the other . Such men as these are to be found , and when found they are to be valued and made much of . For the real great defect is the insufficiency of pay . To ensure the services of such " skilled detectives" as we
have hinted at , the rate of pay must be considerably increased , in order to enable them to be entirely independent of all external influences , and especially that " squaring " process , which , owing to other circumstances to which we will subsequently allude , is rather fashionable just
now . Of course it is true that those " who will be squared , " assomeonehas said , will be " squared , " whatever their income may be , but as a general rule , we apprehend , when this regrettable state of things exists , it arises from circumstances over which detective officer Jones has no control , or
rather from circumstances which control detective officer Jones whether he will or no . We think , therefore , tbat to a superior class of men , with a higher rate of pay , the detection of crime should at any rate be committed , and that the whole of our detective system requires re-organization and
re-adjustment , especially on the two points we have mentioned . But there is , as The Times most justly reminds us , another system which has cropped up of late years , namely that of counterfeit police work , amateur detection , secret or special agency . That distinguished judge , Sir
Cresswell Cresswell , originally pointed out the evil and degrading tendency of this pernicious system , and each year since he spoke has onl y served to show how true were his words , and how dangerous the profession in itself is to both the liberties of Englishmen and
the administration of justice . We have no doubt of its absolute illegality . We feel sure , for instance , that we are laying down the law on the subject correctl y when we say , that no one has a right to follow about an English citizen professing to be a
policeofficer , except on duty legally as a police-officer , and that any such conduct is " tending to excite a breach of the peace , " and would be restrained by any of our police magistrates when properly stated to them . For the law happily assumes a citizen to be innocent until he is found to be
guilty , and it is most unconstitutional for any special agent to assume as an amateur the functions alone belonging to the police , and to subject any Englishman whatever to the pain of " surveillance , " the appearance of police observation .
Sheriff ' s officers , and police officers have alone the power of carrying on such a process by the law of England . Many of the special agents are old police officers , naturally on terms of familiar acquaintance with the force , and as they are not
The Detective System
particular as to what they spend if only they compass their ends , it is not to be wondered at that many a zealous police officer , many an able detective is unable to refuse the offers of bowls of " swiftly flowing champagne , " or seasonable offerings of shinins * - sovereigns and comfortable
offers of crisp if slippery " flimsies . " Owing to the mistaken " camaraderie , " ( for some of these " amateur policemen" biar the worst oi characters—enquire at Scotland Yard ) tbe line of demarcation between the police officer and the special agent is easily obliterated ,
and many deeds of wrong and robbery are constantly committed by those , who for the nonce assuming "leave and licence " pass themselves off as respectable detective offi * ers , when they are nothing more and nothing less than disreputable special agents . We have written
all this , in the best of feeling towards our Metropolitan Police Force , whether divisional or detective . We hope and believe that when this temporary cloud has passed away , it will resume its normal character , of energy , of zeal , of
skill , of uprightness , and of steadiness , and retain , as we feel sure it can do , the good opinion of all classes in this great metropolis , to which it has rendered such signal services in times past , and of which it is alike both the watchful guardian and the effective protection .
The Albert Medal.
THE ALBERT MEDAL .
We are glad to think that the Albert Medal has been most properly conferred by Royal authority on those gallant Welsh miners who so nobly laboured to extricate their comrades from a living grave . We are among those who have often thought that it would be well if there
was some decoration by which civil merit might be recognised , and which , somewhat different from military rewards might well appeal to a chivalrous sense , both of honour and patriotic duty . We are therefore glad to record
the grant of the Albert Medal to Welsh Colliers , and we call attention to a characteristic letter of one of the recipients . We do not see why the Albert Medal may not be more extensively utilized , and receive a wider application .
Bro. Dr. Morris.
BRO . DR . MORRIS .
Weareglad to hear that the Canadian author ! - ties have made the Engish Grammars of Bro . Dr . Morris ( Head Master of the Royal Misonic Institution for Boys ) the standard works on
that subject in Canadian schools . We learn , to that Dr . Morris' " Primer of English Grammar ' has had a very extensive sale in India . De Morris has in the press an exercise book , to lv used with the " Primer . "
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even aa approving of ihe opinions expressed by our correspondents , but wc wish , in 1 spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain n * cessary limits—free discussion . —Eo . l
OUR GREAT METROPOLITAN HOSPITALS . To the Editor oj the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I quite concur , for one , in the opinions you have , as Editor , expressed on this subject , and also with the general sketch you have given of the question . Archaeologically , it may interest your readers to kn-nv
what the media > val provision for hospitals , & c , was . Some of them seem to have been founded at " places of pilgrimage , " others along the high roads , for the entertainment of pilgrims and travellers , while a large portion seem to have been conjoined with the monastic institutions .
Thus at St . Edmundsbury a hospital existed at tht four gates of the town . At Reading there was thc hospital at St . Mary Magdalene for leprous persons , and lazar houses existed at all the ports of emb * rkation , and there were many famous like hcuses , as at Sherburn , in Durham , and elsewhere .
There was a hospital at Fountains Abbey for poor persons and pilgrims , and a well-known one at Glastonbury for the same purpose . At one time there were 370 of these receptacles for the poor , suffering , and wayfaring , scattered up and down England . The earliest actual hospital , purely for certain brethren and sisters , the si-k and infirm poor , and lying-in hospital for women , is St . Bartholomew's , which was founded in the 12 th century , by " Rahere , first Canon and Prior . "
It was not , however , as you have said , until the last century that the infirmary and hospital movement took firm foundation and actual development in England . Abroad , as some of us may know , the hospitals for the sick poor are of early date and long continuance . The whole theory of the hospital and infirmary is of gratuitous