# Constable Wiseman — The Man Who Knew character guide

> Constable Wiseman in The Man Who Knew by Edgar Wallace.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Wiseman, P.C. Wiseman, Mr. Wiseman

**First appearance:** 0000-i-the-man-in-the-laboratory

## Snapshot

Eastbourne's most self-satisfied policeman, forever rehearsing his triumphs to his wife while hinting darkly at scandals brewing up at the big house.

## Who they are

Wiseman holds court at his own supper table, cataloguing the thieves he has caught and the summonses he has served, convinced Eastbourne stays orderly mainly through his tireless effort. He wants no promotion, he insists, only the pleasure of knowing more than he lets on — and he does know something about the trouble between young Merrill and old Minute. His smug, half-vague gossip plants the first seeds of suspicion in the reader's mind, making him a small but useful weathervane for the storm gathering around the Minute household.

## Relationships

### [Jasper Cole](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/characters/jasper_cole)

_professional_

Constable Wiseman investigates Jasper Cole, suspecting his involvement in criminal activities.

### [Frank Merrill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/characters/frank_merrill)

_professional_

Constable Wiseman interacts with Frank as part of his police investigation into the mysterious events.

### [John Minute](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/characters/john_minute)

_professional_

Constable Wiseman questions John Minute regarding the crimes and his mysterious past.

### [Jasper Cole](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/characters/jasper_cole)

_professional_

Constable Wiseman investigates Jasper Cole, suspecting his involvement in criminal activities.

### [John Minute](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/characters/john_minute)

_professional_

Constable Wiseman questions John Minute regarding the crimes and his mysterious past.

### [John Minute](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/characters/john_minute)

_professional_

Constable Wiseman questions John Minute regarding the crimes and his mysterious past.

### [Frank Merrill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/characters/frank_merrill)

_professional_

Constable Wiseman interacts with Frank as part of his police investigation into the mysterious events.

### [Jasper Cole](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/characters/jasper_cole)

_professional_

Constable Wiseman investigates Jasper Cole, suspecting his involvement in criminal activities.

### [Frank Merrill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/characters/frank_merrill)

_professional_

Constable Wiseman interacts with Frank as part of his police investigation into the mysterious events.

## In the story

### [The Man in the Laboratory](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/chapters/i-the-man-in-the-laboratory)

Mentioned as a foolish policeman who has summoned John Minute three times.

### [III: Four Important Characters](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/chapters/iii-four-important-characters)

A Sussex constable who joins the crowd around the dead man in Gray Square and offers assistance to the London constable.

### [Sergeant Smith Calls](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/chapters/viii-sergeant-smith-calls)

Reports John Minute's open windows to Sergeant Smith and discusses the sergeant's views on Minute.

### [X: A Murder](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/chapters/x-a-murder)

The central figure of the chapter; a proud, self-satisfied policeman who discovers the murder and arrests Frank Merrill.

### [XIV: The Man Who Looked Like Frank](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/chapters/xiv-the-man-who-looked-like-frank)

Provides information about Sergeant Smith's daughter, a pretty dark girl who lived with him briefly after his arrival in Eastbourne.

### [A Letter in the Grate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/chapters/xv-a-letter-in-the-grate)

Sent a photograph of the girl to Saul Arthur Mann, aiding the identification.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/characters/constable_wiseman
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_knew_se/characters