Commissioner
Worn out by constant criticism, Warren resigned in November 1888, and Matthews appointed Monro to replace him as Commissioner. Monro was extremely popular within the force, and his appointment was welcomed. However, with a tenure of only eighteen months, he was to be the shortest-serving Commissioner in the Met's history.
Monro immediately clashed with the Home Office and the Receiver, the force's chief financial officer. He complained that he had a shortage of men and that the uniform boots and trousers were of extremely inferior quality. In 1890, Assistant Commissioner Richard Pearson died suddenly. Monro wanted to replace him with Chief Constable Charles Howard, but the Home Office preferred Evelyn Ruggles-Brise, one of its own high-flyers. Monro refused, saying that his force had been promised promotions from below. This was compounded by Monro's backing of his men's grievances over pay and pensions. Matthews announced a bill to improve them, but Monro said it was too little. When Matthews refused to budge, Monro offered his resignation, which was accepted on 12 June 1890, to take effect on 21 June. On 17 June, the bill was published, and met Monro's demands. Howard was also appointed Assistant Commissioner. There was speculation in the press that Matthews had been playing dirty tricks on Monro. Monro got some sort of revenge on 18 July by chairing a meeting of all his superintendents which rejected all of the proposals which he himself had demanded! He left the Met as a hero to both the police and the press.
In 1995 Monro's grandson, Christopher Monro, disclosed that Monro had been convinced that Montague Druitt had been Jack the Ripper but was prevented from saying so. William Druitt, brother of Montague, had threatened that if his brother was named, he would reveal that there were homosexuals in high positions in Parliament, the Bar, the Army and the Church. Christopher Monro was told this by his father Douglas Monro, who had examined Monro's papers after his death.
Read more about this topic: James Monro