Backert attacks a butcher - July 1891

[Chris Scott]

Here is a report that had passed me by- probably because Backert is referred to as Alfred:

Lloyd's Weekly
5 July 1891

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
THAMES.

Disorderly Conduct - Alfred (sic) Backert, the chairman of the so called Whitechapel Murder Vigilance Committee, and who described himself as an engraver and "reporter," of 13 Newnham Street, Whitechapel, was charged with disorderly conduct and causing a crowd to assemble in High Street, Whitechapel.
Constable 325H said on Monday evening he saw the defendant fighting in High Street, Whitechapel. He had been ejected four times from a butcher's shop, and as he refused to go away he was taken into custody. Defendant said he knew the law better than witness did and would stay there as long as he liked.
Thomas Davis, a butcher, of 4 High Street, Whitechapel, said defendant often came to his shop after he had been drinking. On Monday he would not go away and shoved witness, who struck him.
Mr. Montagu Williams - Does he often get drunk?
Witness - Very often; mostly on Mondays and Tuesdays as a rule.
Defendant said he got a blow. He asked the constable to take the man who struck him into custody, but the officer took him instead.
Mr. Montagu Williams - What is he?
The Constable - He is a compositor and reporter and chairman of the Whitechapel Murder Vigilance Committee.
Mr. M. Williams - Chairman of what?
The Constable - The Vigilance Committee, your worship; a body that was formed to assist the police when the Whitechapel murders were on.
Mr. M. Williams - Then I wonder that the police did not find out his ways, if he always got drunk on Mondays and Tuesdays. (Laughter.) He will have to pay 5s. or five days.

[Chris Scott]

The plaintiff in this one is not named but must be Backert:-

Reynold's Newspaper
19 January 1890
Jack the Ripper.
At the Thames Police Court a young man who stated he was chairman of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee applied to Mr. Saunders for a warrant or a summons against the editor of the New York Herald for libel. In two issues there was a statement headed "Jack the Ripper Expected." This went on to say that the man who the police suspected of being the writer of the letters purporting to have been written by "Jack the Ripper" had come into their hands in connection with another matter. As the chairman of the Vigilance Committee, he was the only person who had obtained notoriety in the matter, and he believed the remarks in the newspaper were intended to refer to himself.
Mr. Saunders told the applicant to take his newspapers (which he offered to hand up to the magistrate) into the office for the chief clerk to peruse, and the latter would tell him (the magistrate) what he thought of the statement.

[Chris G.]

Thanks, Chris


Mr. Montagu Williams - What is he?
The Constable - He is a compositor and reporter and chairman of the Whitechapel Murder Vigilance Committee.
Mr. M. Williams - Chairman of what?
The Constable - The Vigilance Committee, your worship; a body that was formed to assist the police when the Whitechapel murders were on.


More evidence that the Upper Class Twits of the day were "out of it" in terms of knowing what was going on. Groan. Unbelievable.

Chris

[Mike Covell]

I found this from a few days earlier,
The North-Eastern Daily Gazette, Sunday, June 30, 1891

[Howard Brown]

Chris:

I believe Debs mentioned something along the lines of the threadstarter a couple of weeks ago. I remember Montagu Williams' comment about him getting loaded on Mondays & Tuesdays.

I'll bet there are still more interesting articles,Chris, on Bachert. I don't know if you saw the post I put up last night, but we're now up to 13 or 14 different variations of the surname.