The Mysteries of Modern LondonSims, George R. (George Robert)
History
The Mysteries of Modern London
Sims, George R. (George Robert)
Criminals -- England -- London; London (England) -- History
Some day there will be a terrible crime committed in that court, or
Caliban will wander away to do his deed, and there will be a shocking
story in the newspapers. Then everyone will wonder why Caliban was not
put in an asylum where he could be properly guarded and restrained. He
is a monster, likely to commit a brutal crime at any moment. But as he
has not, so far, done anything criminal, no one thinks it worth while to
limit the bounds of his freedom.
Some of the mysterious crimes which baffle the police, because they can
find no "motive" to give them a clue, are the deeds of homicidal maniacs
at large. The crimes are often committed without provocation. The victim
is unknown to them. The opportunity of killing occurs, and it is eagerly
seized. Then the maniac, if he has escaped observation, goes quietly
home, and thinks no more of his deed. In some cases he has no further
knowledge of it.
I spent an afternoon in his private apartment at Broadmoor some time ago
with a highly-cultured gentleman who left his chambers late one night,
went out on to the Embankment, sat down on a seat on which a tramp
was sleeping, and deliberately murdered the tramp. He shot him with a
revolver. People hearing the shot ran up, and the murderer was arrested.
But if he had throttled the man or stabbed him he would have gone
quietly home again, and the murder would have remained a mystery.
When the prisoner was questioned the next day he had no recollection
of what had occurred. He couldn't understand why he was detained. This
unfortunate gentleman had a large circle of friends and acquaintances,
many of whom had been his guests at the pleasant little dinner-parties
he used to give in his luxurious chambers. None of them had the
slightest suspicion that he was insane.
Nor would anyone suspect it who conversed with him to-day at Broadmoor.
As a matter of fact, he is perfectly sane until midnight. But at
midnight his entire nature changes, and he has to be approached with
the greatest caution. From midnight till the break of day he is a
maniac with a desire to kill. After that he is an amiable and cultured
gentleman with whom it is a pleasure to associate.
One of the most charming men I ever met, a man so benevolent in
appearance, so gentle in manner, that it seems to me even now impossible
to think of him as a murderer, waited with a revolver night after night
to kill a young fellow against whom he had an imaginary grievance. He
succeeded at last. He shot his "enemy" dead at the corner of a street,
and then walked quietly away. When he was seized he explained that he
had only performed an act of justice, and he requested his captors
to release him. He was anxious to get home at once, as he had friends
coming to supper.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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