NEW MAN IN THE BIG FIVE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17905, 22 July 1926, Page 12

NEW MAN IN THE BIG FIVE.

INSPECTOR WHO ARRESTED MONTE CARLO WELLS. (Special to the “Star.”) LONDON, June 3. Chief-Inspector George Nicholls, it has been decided, is to succeed Superintendent Carlin, who retired yesterday from his post at Scotland Yard, after 35 -years in the police force. Inspector Nicholls thus becomes one of the “big five.” He is an expert on police administration, and is said to know the regulations—with their innumerable clauses and sub-sections—-by heart. , lie was in charge of the “poison pen’* case at Littlchampton, and it was as a result of his inquiries that Mrs Gooding. who had been convicted of writing the letters, was released from prison and compensated. During the war he was chiefly engaged in combating the activities of German spies in this country, when liis knowledge of French and German was of great service to him. It was Inspector Nicholls who arrested Monte Carlo Wells on board his yacht at Falmouth. % “Cross Keys” Murder. Inspector Charles Cooper is to fill the place of Chief Inspector Nicholls. He assisted the late Chief Inspector Ward in the investigations which led to the execution of Seddon for poisoning Miss Barrow. lie was also engaged in the case of Nellie Rault, a girl in the Q.M.A.A.C. who was murdered near Tlavnes Park Military Camp, Bedford just after the war. Recently he has done valuable work against safebreakers. The departure of Superintendent Carlin removes a well-known figure from the.force. Beginning his career at VineStreet. the first spectacular case of which he was in charge was the “Cross Keys” murder, in which an elderly woman was killed in the cellar of a. public-house at Chelsea. “Dope Gang.*’ For several weeks Superintendent Carlin gave unremitting attention to the mystery, but no arrest was made. It is said that he was personally saVsfied as to the true story of tha murder, but was unable to provide the requisite evidence to enable justice to be done. Possessing an unrivalled knowledge of the West End underworld, he has Been instrumental in the arrest of over 200 criminals of the type which frequents it. He was largely responsible lor stamping out the “dope gang,” one of the heads of which was Brilliant Chang. During the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley, Superintendent Carlin succeeded in preventing scores of skilled American and Continental swindlers from landing in England to prey upon the visitors. Mr Carlin, after a short holiday at Margate, is to set up in business as a private detective.