Not all private detectives are nice
Sleuths could be complex characters - but Wendel Scherer was more so than most
When researching a private detective, you might get an impression of what sort of man or woman he/she was. This might be from census information: did they have a pet? A cute name for their child? Or it might be from a newspaper article about a nice gesture they made, or volunteer work they did.
But equally often, you might find out something more unpleasant about your case study. There are several instances of detectives behaving unethically in the workplace, or committing assaults on those they are being paid to investigate - but in the case of Wendel Scherer, the surviving information about him points to him being a thoroughly unpleasant character.
Scherer was, as his name might suggest, originally from Germany. He was born in Trier in May 1836, and although his early life is in the shadows, he emerges in 1871 as a ‘travelling agent’ living in Paddington. He would live in Paddington for the rest of his life.
Trier Cathedral, by Berthold Werner. London private detective Wendel Scherer was born in Trier in 1836
On 15 November 1879, the 43-year-old Scherer married 19-year-old Marianne Charlotte Rowe. They were two very disparate individuals: the middle-aged Scherer was, to this point, a confirmed bachelor, working as a private detective, and spending his leisure hours in local pubs with his friends. Marianne was a young woman from a good family, the daughter of Charles Rowe, variously described as a vicar, school proprietor, and music professor. Unsurprisingly, the marriage soon faltered. From the start, Scherer neglected young Marianne, and when he bothered to give her attention, he was rude, insulting her, and swearing at her both in private and in public. During the first couple of weeks of their marriage, Marianne left him several times, seeking solace with friends. She then returned to her parents’ home.
Scherer went to her and apologised for his conduct, persuading her to return to the marital home at 11 Blomfield Terrace, Paddington - from where he ran his private inquiry office. He immediately resumed his violence. The couple then went to Paris, and whilst there, Scherer assaulted her, leaving her cut and shaken. She came home and filed for a judicial separation, the couple then agreeing to draw up a deed whereby Scherer would leave her alone, and pay her maintenance. The marriage had lasted barely a month.
In March 1880, Scherer appeared in court charged with assaulting Marianne’s father, his father-in-law. The details aren’t clear, but it seems that Rowe wanted to complain to Scherer about his treatment of his daughter, and in response, Scherer had hit him in the face. He was duly bound over to hold the peace. Then, two months later, Marianne was enjoying a holiday in Folkestone with her mother. She was having a pleasant walk there one afternoon when suddenly, Wendel Scherer ran up to her, put his arms around her neck and forcibly kissed her. An argument ensued, drawing a crowd of people, some of whom dragged Scherer off his estranged wife. Again, Scherer was taken to court, and again, he was bound over to keep the peace.
Five months later, in August 1880, Marianne sought a divorce. She gave evidence about the assault on her at Folkestone, and her father also gave evidence. Another private detective, Mr Mulvaney, also gave evidence to prove that Scherer had also committed adultery - he had proof that he had taken another woman to the Norfolk Hotel in Paddington, at around the same time as Marianne’s trip to Folkestone. Both Scherer and the unknown woman had referred to her as ‘Mrs Scherer’. In court, it was then realised that Marianne could not seek a divorce herself, as she was a minor - so then her father had to be accepted as her legal guardian, and apply on her behalf.
Marianne eventually moving to Birmingham where she took in boarders. Wendel remained in Paddington working. He appeared in court a few more times - not as a perpetrator of crime, but, in 1884, as a witness in a case of attempted suicide (he had been drinking in a Paddington pub late one night, and on leaving, saw a man covered in blood; the man was then charged with trying to kill himself). Then, in 1892, he prosecuted George Chapman, a pub manager, for assault. Scherer had got Chapman into trouble by suggesting to his boss that he had stolen from him. Chapman found out, and got Scherer to visit him under false pretences. When he turned up, Chapman shouted, “Now I have got you, Mr Scherer!” and hit him with a stick.
In court, Scherer’s own reputation was queried. He was asked if he had had his letters of naturalisation refused; whether he had been ‘thrashed’ by a man for insulting his daughter; whether a woman had filed a police complaint against him for following her and using bad language; and whether he had been charged with stealing letters during involvement with an infamous divorce case.* He denied all the accusations, but it seems he was certainly known for bad behaviour, aggression towards women, and unethical behaviour on work cases. This bad reputation may have had an impact when he accused George Chapman of assault; it was queried whether he had actually fallen and hit his head accidentally, and the case was later dismissed.
Wendel Scherer died in 1910, in Paddington. He had a long career as a private detective, and used his contacts within the German community in London to work on cases. Yet his personal life was something of a mess, and he stands out to me as a rather unpleasant man. In my next article, though, I will look at a significant 19th century case of a missing person - one that Scherer was involved in.
* This divorce case was that brought by Major Robert Tarver Firebrace against his wife Isabella in 1869, charging her with adultery with numerous men, including his own brother. The case rumbled on and one for years, involved his wife suing for conjugal rights, and only ended in 1878. This was when the suit was finally dismissed and Isabella Firebrace awarded costs.