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HAIR-RAISING THEMES.

THE CRIMES CLUB SINES. <By GEORGE GODWIN.) \ One day, some years ago, Mr. Ingleby Oddie, tbe coroner for Westminster, and Mr. Arthur Lam-ton, the well-known authority ea Turf matters, were talking crime ln a Naples cafe. Oddie claimed that the study of the criminal's psychology was a legitimate subject for the student of human nature —that it need not be morbid or merely Idly curious. Arthur Lambton took the same view, bat observed that nearly everything believed about the criminal and his ways was wrong, founded on superficial observation, Information, understanding. Some time later the two men met again ln London. In their circle were the late H. B. Irving, Professor Chnrton Collins, the 1 great pyschlc expert, H. Crosse and George R. Sims, the novelist and writer of melodramas. The subject of crime cropped np again, and the Naples discussion was carried further. Then It was that the Idea of Our Society came Into being. Most people know very little of Our Society, popularly called the Crimes Club. It Is, perhaps, the most extraordinary club ln the world. Among Its sixty members are famous criminal lawyers, tUstir.gi.iFi.ed medico-legal experts, professional ' nloglsts, and journalists who h.i. c a special study of crime. Our Society Is a dining club. It meets at Irregular Intervals. i It is famous for two things—the excellence of Its cuisine and wines, and the luridness of Its informal debates. Wealth of Expert Knowledge. Every man sitting round the table can bring to the particular crime under discussion a wealth of expert knowledge. Very likely the man Is present who defeneded the notorious murderer whose psychology 1b being dissected. He talks In Our Society as he would talk . nowhere else —without restraint, telling his true opinion, shedding light on much that has been a perpetual puzzle to the public. . Many of the Crimes Club's debates on famous crimes take on a medical aspect, in many recent murder cases, for example,' the expert pathological aspects of the crime have been very prominent. The members of the Crimes Club hear the expert explain the true significance of those strange little slides which were produced to the Jury and those dark, horrible stains. Among the famous members of the club are Sir Edward Marshall-Hall, Sir .Henry Curtis Bennett, Sir Bernard Spllsbury :(whose evidence has hanged more men than - any other expert witness), and Dr. Bronte— second only to Dr. Spllsbury ln his experience of medical Jurisprudence. Generally one case is selected for a altting. The discussion will deal with every aspect .ef the case from the point of view of the Crown evidence and the points made by the defence. But the real interest of the evening w_ll-"centre /about *the ; personality of "the man ebneerned; [..,.' It is seldom that! the estimate 'of a criminal, seen through the clear eyes of members of the Crimes Club, tallies with the popular conception of him. These men have all, or nearly all, the facts. They are experts, each ln his own. line, the biggest -grains at the game in the country; and this .stray of special knowledge Is pooled. The later H. B. Irving, known to the world as a great actor, was one of the most brilliant members of the Crimes Clnb. .Many of the cases debated over the nuts and wine and cigars in that exclusive lltt'e coterie, he later put into book form ln his fascinating Essay on Crime. He was, incidentally, not only an actor, he was also a barrister, and therefore knew something about weighing evidence. • Sir Ernest Wild Enthusiastic Member. Another Crimes Club enthusiast, was the present Recorder of London, Sir Ernest. Wild, but Wild like Oddie, "retired when he took on an official Job, for it; is one of the unwritten rules of Our. Society that every member must be perfectly free to talk to the limit. .'.'_••.. The membership of the club Is limited to sixty members. The waiting list is very long. Some men have waited ten years-r----and distinguished men at that ! What, it may be asked, is the good of such a club ? As a matter of fact, the clnb was started without any thought of doing anythihng more' than advance the study of the abnormal, citizen, and the legal and medical aspects of 'famous trials. But a certain incident changed that aspect of the club and made it a factor for advancing justice. -It: happened ln this way. i One evening, \ttex the port had been set npon the board and the blue smoke of coronas was coiling | celllng-warti, the strange case of Edaljl, convicted cnttlemalmer and Parsee solicitor, came up for debate. The evidence at the trial of this myoptlc young solicitor,- was pretty overwhelming. But carefully, .logically, with minute thoroughness, that trial was reviewed by these experts. Suddenly Sir Arthur Conan Doyle . suggested that no man could believe but that this young Parseo was a victim of a miscarriage of justice. " -The same ' thought had gradually been taking shape ln the minds of the other members. The rase, under the microscope of the Crimes Club, was a .weak one. The story of how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle thereupon devoted himself to getting Edaljl liberated is too well-known to be more than recalled. But It Is not so wellknown tbat It was George R. Sims, a man with an• amazing knowledge of the ways of the criminal world who worked for the release of Adolf Beck—another case which came up for review at the Crimes Club. Sims got' Conan Doyle to work with him and between them they won their point. Becky was released and his innocence proved up to the hilt. " We take up the cudgels for any man whom we believe to have beeji wrongfully convicted," said Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. And no man has put ln so many strenuous hours of disinterested work for men doubtfully convicted as the great creator of Sherlock Holmes, who is, perhaps, the most notable figure in this distinguished gathering of criminologists. - -g-B-BCS-Bapgg

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19250711.2.185

Bibliographic details

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 162, 11 July 1925, Page 31

Word Count
1,001

HAIR-RAISING THEMES. Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 162, 11 July 1925, Page 31

HAIR-RAISING THEMES. Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 162, 11 July 1925, Page 31

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