Inspector William Nixon Race

Inspector William Nixon Race, who is mentioned on page 129 of the book "Jack the Ripper: An Encyclopedia."

A RATCLIFF BURGLARY.
SOME DROLL INCIDENTS.

On Wednesday, at the Old Bailey, four promising ruffians were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment for burglary in Shadwell. They were respectively, John Cary, 21; William Anderson, 22; Arthur Thompson, 20; and James Cronin, 22. The story of their capture is an amusing one, and also one which reflects credit on the shrewdness of Inspector Race and the other police engaged. At three o'clock in the morning, Edward Sole, a small bootmaker, living at 66, Brook-street, Ratcliff Highway, was disturbed by a slight noise which apparently came from the cellar under the shop. On giving an alarm four men - one of whom was Cary, a suspect of the police - were observed to disappear up a narrow alley on the opposite side of the road. At this juncture the inspector appeared, and, accompanied by two policemen, commenced the pursuit. Caroline-court, the alley in question, consists of a number of miserable dens, already condemned, but nevertheless affording shelter for some

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of the most dangerous characters in the neighbourhood. From a window of one of the houses the head of a woman appeared, and the intruders were challenged with many oaths. The inspector replied, at a venture, "Good morning, Mrs. Cary, where's your son?" The lady admitted that he was in bed, but from the scampering upstairs it seemed probable that the idea had only just suggested itself to the inmates. After repeated demands Cary appeared at the door half dressed, and was given to understand that he was under arrest. He expressed his willingness to accompany the police on the spot, but his alacrity arousing their suspicion they resolved to search the premises first. The procedure did not meet with the approval of Cary, who became violent, but was pacified by the introduction of Inspector Race's truncheon into his mouth. On entering the sitting-room, and the lantern being turned on, the first thing that caught the eye was a pair of feet protruding from the chimney. The owner of the feet proved to be Thompson, who was extricated in a sorry plight, smothered in soot and dust. On further search the coal receptacle by the fireplace yielded a third accomplice in the person of Anderson. The three suspects were conducted to the police-station and a constable was left in charge of the house. Meanwhile a chest of drawers had become an object of solicitude to the father, and mother of Cary; in fact, when asked to open it, they declared that the lock was broken. This difficulty was overcome by the inspector's jemmy - found on the window-sill of the house - and the press revealed Cronin, doubled up in an extraordinary position. After having been extricated he was sent to join his friends in durance. On looking over the records of the different prisoners it was evident that four unscrupulous ruffians had been captured.
Cary had not long been out of gaol, after a sentence of 18 months' for robbery with violence, and Anderson had just served a term of 12 months. Cronin was the most dangerous of the gang, commencing with four years at a reformatory. He had received sentence for about a dozen different offences, including garrotting and robbery with violence. Thompson, although known to the police for three years, had hitherto escaped conviction.
These four men are members of a gang of some ten, who are the terror of the small tradespeople of the neighbourhood. Acts of robbery are of common occurrence, but the victims are afraid to prosecute for fear of vengeance. People are robbed in broad daylight, but are induced by threats to hold their tongues. On one occasion they were known to have entered the shop of a large tea-grocer and stolen a canister from the window. The sequel is rather amusing, as the unfortunate "fence" who purchased the plunder as a bargain found that the tin was a show one, and only contained sawdust instead of tea.

Source: Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, June 28, 1896, Page 11

"The champion burglar-catcher" of the Metropolitan Police has just retired through ill-health. Inspector Race joined the police about eighteen years ago, and started as a clerk at the Brixton station. In seven years' time he reached the top of the ladder, and had become an inspector. In 1894 he nearly lost his life, when single-handed he arrested Connor and Hurlston, two notorious burglars, on the glass roofs at the back of Messrs. Hurlocks' premises near the Elephant and Castle. His first big case was the capture of the South London burglary gang, and later he played a prominent part in bringing to justice the guilty in connection with the Hinton cheque and bill frauds.

Source: The Echo, Tuesday July 5, 1898

FOUR MONTHS FOR KILLING A MAN.

Walter Barnard, a rough-looking fellow, was indicted for assaulting Harry Harrington. - The case was somewhat peculiar, the latter having since died, and prisoner escaping the consequences of his crime through a series of mistakes. It would appear that he had so constantly made himself objectionable at the house of Mr. Ainsley, the Freemasons' Arms, Hill-street, Walworth, that orders had been given that he was not to be served. The head barman, being a new hand, supplied prisoner with half-a-pint of ale, and on the landlord finding him in the house he ordered him to leave, and Harrington proceeded to eject him, when prisoner struck him in the chest, causing him to roll over on to a form, where the accused knelt upon him and beat him about the face and head till he was almost unrecognisable. The noise attracted the attention of the landlord, who jumped over the bar and turned prisoner out. Harrington's face and head were bathed, and he lay down all day, taking his usual place in the bar next day, till he came over ill, was sent home, became delirious, and was taken to the Lambeth infirmary, where he died three days after the occurrence. The medical superintendent, knowing nothing of the history of the case, treated him for delirium tremens, and certified that he died of effusion on the brain produced therefrom, and on this evidence the coroner's jury returned a verdict of "Death from natural causes." Prisoner had been meanwhile apprehended by Inspector Race for causing Harrington's death, when he said he was very sorry, and must take the consequences, but on finding of the coroner's jury the charge seemed to have been altered, and he was now only arraigned for a common assault. - He was sentenced to four months' hard labour.

Source: Lloyd's Weekly London Newspaper, October 25, 1891, Page 4

A CONSTABLE'S ADVENTURES.
TERRIBLY BEATEN IN CAMBERWELL.

John Lineham, of Crown-street, Camberwell, scaffolder, Daniel Sheehan, of Sultan-street, Camberwell, bricklayer, and John Chappell, of Crown-street, labourer, were charged at Lambeth Police-court today with being concerned together in violently assaulting Police-constable Weatherley.
Inspector Race informed his Worship that the constable was too ill to be able to attend.
Police-constable Tolman said he was called to Sultan-street, where he found Lineham and the injured constable struggling together on the ground. He took Lineham into custody. He saw nothing of the other prisoners at the time, but about two hours afterwards, from what he was told, he arrested Sheehan, who denied that he took any part in the assault.

THE INJURIES.

Dr. Frank Reid said he saw the injured constable at the station. His face and clothing were covered with blood. On the head there was an incised wound and several swellings. Both ears were swollen and battered, both lips were cut through, the eyes were swollen and inflamed, and the nasal bone was broken. On the right leg, over the shin, there was an incised wound about an inch long, and another wound of a similar description under the right knee. The wounds must have been caused by some sharp instrument. Witness could not say whether the constable would be able to attend in a week or not.
Mr. Hopkins directed a remand, but agreed to admit Sheehan to bail - one surety in 20 pounds.

Source: The Echo, Monday March 19, 1894