William Melville

William Melville was a notable British police officer and the first head of the Special Branch, known for his role in intelligence and espionage. A native of Sneem, County Kerry, Ireland, Melville gained fame for thwarting an assassination attempt on Kaiser Wilhelm II. He is rumored to have recruited the escapologist Harry Houdini into intelligence work after being impressed by Houdini's lock-picking skills during a meeting in London.