# Superintendent Wilson — The Brooklyn Murders character guide

> Superintendent Wilson in The Brooklyn Murders by G. D. H. Cole.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Wilson, Superintendent Wilson

**First appearance:** 0000-i-a-family-celebration

## Snapshot

The senior policeman who recalls Walter Brooklyn to the inquest not merely to trap him but to give him a chance to clear himself.

## Who they are

Superintendent Wilson's motives are more careful than the newspapers suppose: he wants Walter Brooklyn to incriminate himself, yes, but he also wants to offer him a fair opportunity to explain his presence in the house. He works alongside Inspector Blaikie, weighs the telephone evidence and the locked stable yard, and refuses to simplify the puzzle by assuming Walter's guilt. His willingness to entertain the whole population of London as suspects marks him as a detective who prefers uncomfortable uncertainty to convenient certainty.

## Relationships

### [Charis Lang](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/charis_lang)

_professional_

Superintendent Wilson oversees Charis's safety and questions her as a person of interest.

### [Charis Lang](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/charis_lang)

_professional_

Superintendent Wilson oversees Charis's safety and questions her as a person of interest.

### [Charis Lang](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/charis_lang)

_professional_

Superintendent Wilson oversees Charis's safety and questions her as a person of interest.

## In the story

### [Plain as a Pikestaff](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/v-plain-as-a-pikestaff)

Listens to Blaikie's report, analyzes the clues, and suggests the possibility of a third party.

### [A Review of the Case](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/viii-a-review-of-the-case)

Critically reviews the evidence, demolishing the case against Walter Brooklyn and suggesting a more complex scenario involving a meeting of three men.

### [An Arrest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xiii-an-arrest)

Devises the strategy to recall Walter Brooklyn at the inquest; aims to give Walter a chance to clear himself or incriminate himself; orders the arrest after Walter's testimony.

### [XV: To and Fro](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xv-to-and-fro)

Receives Ellery at Scotland Yard; confirms Ellery's alibi is satisfactory; lifts police surveillance; wishes Ellery luck in clearing Walter Brooklyn.

### [XIX: The Police Have Their Doubts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xix-the-police-have-their-doubts)

Grows dissatisfied with the case, warns against assuming guilt, and suggests the defense might exploit weaknesses in the evidence.

### [XX: Superintendent Wilson Thinks It Out](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xx-superintendent-wilson-thinks-it-out)

The central thinker of the chapter; he works through the case by talking to his wife and deduces that both sets of clues are false.

### [Walter Brooklyn Goes Free](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxiii-walter-brooklyn-goes-free)

Listens to the alibi evidence and notes the testimonies, later informed of Winter's motive.

### [A Fresh Start](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxiv-a-fresh-start)

Leads the investigation, deduces the false clues were planted by the murderer, and instructs Blaikie on new lines of inquiry.

### [The Superintendent’s Theory](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxviii-the-superintendent-s-theory)

Develops the theory that Woodman is the murderer, using divination and reasoning about the planted evidence.

### [On the Tiles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxxiii-on-the-tiles)

Takes over key aspects of the investigation; uses disguise as Mr. Amos Porter to trick Moorman; discovers the murder weapon on the roof.

### [An Order for Bulbs](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxxv-an-order-for-bulbs)

Examines the bag of shot, finds a handwritten scrap of paper, and later spies on the meeting in Woodman's office from a rear window.

### [An Afternoon Call](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxxvi-an-afternoon-call)

Bursts through the window to assist in subduing Woodman.

### [A Happy Ending](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxxvii-a-happy-ending)

Presents his evidence against Carter Woodman, including the weapon and handwriting analysis; insists the full story must be told at the inquest.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/superintendent_wilson
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters