# George Manfred — The Four Just Men character guide > George Manfred in The Four Just Men by Edgar Wallace. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Manfred **First appearance:** 0000-i-thery-s-trade ## Snapshot The grey-bearded, single-eyeglassed leader of the Four Just Men, who can coolly debate assassination and then flinch at being compared to a common murderer. ## Who they are Manfred is the mind of the Four Just Men—cultivated, ironic, at ease in evening dress and expensive restaurants while orchestrating a killing that has all London talking. He can quote Brutus and De Quincey in defense of his cause, yet the comparison to the East-End murders genuinely distresses him, exposing a conscience he would rather not examine. His blend of fastidious intelligence and uneasy moral self-justification gives the conspiracy its voice, and makes the reader weigh the justice of the Four Just Men's mission rather than simply condemn it. ## Relationships ### [Miguel Thery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters/miguel_thery) _friendship_ Manfred and Thery are close members of the Four Just Men, working together on their vigilante missions. ### [Poiccart](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters/poiccart) _friendship_ Manfred and Poiccart are core members of the Four Just Men, sharing a deep bond of loyalty and purpose. ### [Leon Gonsalez](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters/leon_gonsalez) _friendship_ Manfred and Gonsalez are fellow members of the Four Just Men, collaborating closely on their plans. ### [Billy Marks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters/billy_marks) _rivalry_ Billy Marks is a petty criminal who becomes entangled in the Four Just Men's plot, opposing Manfred. ### [Detective Superintendent Falmouth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters/detective_superintendent_falmouth) _rivalry_ Falmouth is the detective hunting Manfred, the leader of the Four Just Men, creating a cat-and-mouse dynamic. ### [Sir Philip Ramon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters/sir_philip_ramon) _rivalry_ Manfred is the leader of the Four Just Men who have condemned Sir Philip to death. ### [Welby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters/welby) _professional_ Welby is a contact or employee who assists Manfred in carrying out the group's plans. ### [Judge Anderson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters/judge_anderson) _rivalry_ Judge Anderson is a legal authority who opposes the Four Just Men's extrajudicial methods. ### [Miguel Thery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters/miguel_thery) _friendship_ Manfred and Thery are close members of the Four Just Men, working together on their vigilante missions. ### [Poiccart](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters/poiccart) _friendship_ Manfred and Poiccart are core members of the Four Just Men, sharing a deep bond of loyalty and purpose. ### [Leon Gonsalez](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters/leon_gonsalez) _friendship_ Manfred and Gonsalez are fellow members of the Four Just Men, collaborating closely on their plans. ### [Poiccart](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters/poiccart) _friendship_ Manfred and Poiccart are core members of the Four Just Men, sharing a deep bond of loyalty and purpose. ## In the story ### [I: Thery's Trade](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/chapters/i-thery-s-trade) Leader of the Four Just Men; articulates their philosophy of killing for justice. ### [A Newspaper Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/chapters/ii-a-newspaper-story) Mentioned as reading extracts about the Four Just Men to three men in a café in Madrid, including one with fear of death in his eyes. ### [The Faithful Commons](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/chapters/iii-the-faithful-commons) Arrives at the Star Music Hall at half-past seven, one of the Four Just Men. ### [One Thousand Pounds Reward](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/chapters/iv-one-thousand-pounds-reward) One of the Four Just Men; referenced as part of the wanted group but not appearing in the chapter. ### [Preparations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/chapters/v-preparations) Leads the group, arranges the purchase of the engraving business as a cover, and calmly manages Thery's outbursts with a mix of kindness and threat. ### [VI: The Outrage at the Megaphone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/chapters/vi-the-outrage-at-the-megaphone) Plans the outrage at the Megaphone, later confronts the editor and retrieves Thery, demonstrating leadership and resolve. ### [VII: The Clues](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/chapters/vii-the-clues) Leads the group, reassures Thery, and outlines the plan for a swift and sure execution; briefly shows enthusiasm for the method before regaining composure. ### [The Pocketbook](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/chapters/ix-the-pocketbook) Walks with Poiccart near Whitehall, discussing public sensation and the comparison of their actions to the East-End murders. He is distressed by the comparison. ### [The Cupidity of Marks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/chapters/x-the-cupidity-of-marks) Spends the night at the Carnaby Street workshop, watches dawn from the roof, and discusses the case with Gonsalez and Poiccart. ### [A Newspaper Cutting](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/chapters/xii-a-newspaper-cutting) Revealed at the end of the chapter as the foreman of the jury, discussed by the coroner and Carson. ### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/chapters/xiii-conclusion) One of the Four Just Men; mentioned in the farewell letter as scattering across Europe. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters/george_manfred - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_four_just_men_se/characters