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[Link to original at Newspapers.com] – Page 2, Columns 6
THE EAST-END MURDERS
Five days have now elapsed since the discovery of the murdered bodies of the women Stride and Eddowes, and the police are as far from a clue as ever. An inquest was opened on the last-named woman yesterday, the only feature of which was the confirmation by the doctor of the general impression that the case tallied with that of Chapman as regards the absence of certain organs. This almost puts it beyond doubt that the four murders are the work of one man, but the theory tentatively put forward by Mr. Wynne Baxter, the coroner, in summing up the evidence in Chapman’s case, is now practically abandoned on all hands. On this point some remarks of the British Medical Journal may be reproduced. It observed that that theory – propounded by the coroner, not without justification on the information conveyed to him – that the work of the assassin was carried out under the impulse of pseudo-scientific mania, is exploded by the first attempt at serious investigation.
“It is true,” says the journal, “that inquiries were made at one or two medical schools early last year by a foreign physician, who was spending some time in London, as to the possibility of securing certain parts of the body for the purpose of scientific investigation. No large sum, however, was offered. The person in question was a physician of the highest respectability and exceedingly well accredited to this country by the best authorities in his own, and he left London fully 18 months ago. There was never any real foundation for the hypothesis, and the information communicated – which was not at all of the nature which the public has been led to believe – was due to the erroneous interpretation of a minor official of a question which he had overheard, and to which a negative reply was given. This theory may be at once dismissed, and is, we believe, no longer entertained even by its author.”
There were the usual number of arrests during Wednesday night, followed by an equal number of releases yesterday morning. One man confessed to being the murderer, but when he gained sobriety disclaimed – and with justice, as inquiries proved – any connection whatever with the crime. The second man was being followed in Ratcliffe-highway by a crowd of excited females, and by a boy who said he believed the man was the assassin, because he had seen him changing his clothes on the morning of the murders. The person was arrested, proved to be intoxicated, and was discharged after a few hours’ detention. The third man came out of the Three Nuns Hotel at Aldgate late on Wednesday night, followed by a woman, who charged him with having threatened her. She was joined by others, and the man, to escape their cries, hailed a cab, which was soon followed by a howling and excited crowd. The vehicle was stopped by a constable, who ordered the driver to go to Leman-street Police-station. The woman who had been the cause of the disturbance also went to the station and repeated her charge; and as the man was in a sullen humour, and refused to give any account of himself, he was detained for the night. In the morning, however, he was more communicative, and as nothing of a suspicious nature could be discovered concerning him, he was, of course, liberated.
THE INQUEST
Yesterday morning, in the City Coroner’s Court, Golden-lane, Mr. Langham opened in inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Catherine Eddowes, an unmarried woman, also known as Kate Kelly, who was murdered and mutilated in the early morning of Sunday last in Mitre-square, Aldgate. The City police were represented by Colonel Sri J. Fraser, Major Smith, assistance-commissioner, Superintendent Foster, and Detective-inspector M’William. Mr. Crawford, the solicitor to the Corporation, represented the City police authorities.
Eliza Gold, 6, Thrawl-street, Spitalfields, a widow, was the first witness called. She said :- I recognise the body as that of my poor sister, Catherine Eddowes. She was a single woman, about 43 years of age. She had been living with John Kelly for some years. She got a living by hawking, and was a woman of sober habits. Before she went to live with Kelly she lived with a man named Conway for some years, and had two children by him. I do not know whether Conway is still living. He was an army pensioner and used to go out hawking things. I cannot say whether they parted on good or bad terms, or whether she has ever seen him since.
By Mr. Crawford – I have not seen Conway for seven or eight years, and then my sister was living with him on friendly terms. I saw the man Kelly and my sister together three or four weeks ago on amicable terms.
John Kelly, 55, Flower and Dean-street, a labourer, had seen the body, and recognised it was that of Catherine Conway, with whom he had been living for seven years. She used to sell a few things about the streets. He was last in her company at two o’clock on Saturday afternoon in Houndsditch, when they parted on very good terms. The last words she said were to the effect that she was going over to try to find her daughter Annie who lived in Bermondsey. She promised to return by four o’clock, but did not do so. He heard later on that she had been locked up at Bishopsgate-street Police-station, but he made no inquiries, feeling sure that she would be out on Sunday morning. He was told she was taken in charge for having had “a drop of drink.” He never knew her to go out for improper purposes. She was not in the habit of drinking to excess. When the witness left her she had no money, her object being to see her daughter, with a view to obtaining some, to prevent them walking the streets.
The Coroner – What do you mean by that? – Well, sir, many a time we have not had the money to pay for shelter, and have had to tramp about. The witness knew no one with whom the woman was at variance. He had never seen Conway in his life, and did not know where he was living.
By the jury – Kate usually returned to the lodgings about eight or nine o’clock.
By Mr. Crawford – The witness did not know with whom she had been drinking on the Saturday afternoon. There had been no angry words about money before they parted. He had heard that the daughter lived in King-street, Bermondsey. On Friday night last, as she had no money, she slept in the casual ward in Mile-end, while he remained at the lodging-house. The whole of last week they did not live together in the house, as until Thursday last they had been hopping in Kent. On that night they went into the Shoe-lane casual ward. He only earned 6d. on the Friday, and she insisted upon going to the casual ward to allow him to pay for his own lodging. He arranged to see her the next morning, but was surprised to meet her accidentally as early as 8 a.m. The tea and sugar found in a tin were bought out of the money be obtained by pawning a pair of boots on Saturday morning. For them he received 2s. 6d. which they spent in drink and food. When she left to find her daughter she was sober. His boots might have been pawned on the Friday. The “missus” took them in while he stood outside the door with his bare feet.
Frederick Wilkinson, the deputy of the lodging-house in Flower and Dean-street, deposed to having known the woman and Kelly for the last seven or eight years. They lived on very good terms, never having more than a few words, and then only when the woman was in drink. He believed she got her living by hawking about the streets and cleaning for the Jews. He had never seen her husband drunk, nor did she stay out late at night.
By Mr. Crawford – He saw her on Saturday morning, when he believed she was wearing an apron. The distance from the lodging-house to Mitre-square was about half a mile. He did not remember any one taking a bed about two o’clock on Sunday morning. The further examination of the witness was postponed for the production of his book.
Police-constable Watkins, of the City Police Force, stated that on Saturday night he went on duty at a quarter to ten. The beat extended from the corner of Duke-street, Aldgate, into Leadenhall-street, then into Mitre-street, Mitre-square, and around it into Mitre-square again, along King-street and back to Duke-street. The whole could be traversed in 12 or 14 minutes. He had been continually patrolling that beat from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m., during which time no person excited his attention. Passing through Mitre-square at 1.30 a.m. with his lantern shining from his belt, he, according to practice, inspected passages and warehouses. He saw no one about, and no person could have been there without his having seen them. About 1.44 he again entered the square, turned to the right, and saw a woman lying on her back with her feet facing the square. Her clothes were disarranged. He saw her throat was cut and her stomach ripped up. She was lying in a pool of blood. He did not touch the body, but ran across the road to the warehouse of Messrs. Kearley and Tonge and called Morris, the watchman, who went for assistance. The witness remained in the square until the arrival of Police-constable Holland. There was no one else there. Dr. Sequeira followed the constable, and Inspector Collard and Dr. Gordon Brown, the police surgeon, arrived. When the witness first entered the square he heard no sound of a person running away. When he called the watchman he found him working inside.
Frederick William Foster, of the Chief Office, produced plans of Mitre-square, with the route from Berner-street to Mitre-strett, a distance of three-quarters of a mile.
In examination by Mr. Crawford, he said the direct route from Mitre-square to Flower and Dean-street would be through Goulston-street.
Mr. Crawford said evidence would be given that a portion of the woman’s apron was afterwards found in Goulston-street, and the jury would at once see the importance of the evidence just given.
Wilkinson, the lodging-house deputy, recalled, after referring to his book, said that Kelly slept in No. 52 room on Friday and Saturday.
Mr. Crawford – Does your book enable you to tell us whether any person came into your lodgings about two o’clock on Sunday morning?
The witness – I cannot exactly say about the time.
Can you give me any information about it? – Not as to the time they came in.
You have nothing whatever to refresh your memory as to anybody coming in about two o’clock in the morning? – No.
Does your book show you had any strangers in? – We had six strange men in on Saturday evening sleeping.
Can you tell me whether any of these men came in about two o’clock on Sunday morning? – I cannot tell.
Do you remember any strangers going out soon after twelve o’clock on Sunday morning? – At twelve o’clock I would be very busy in the kitchen or at the door. I cannot say whether or not any stranger went out. The police came about three o’clock. I saw nothing to excite my suspicion. The house is usually shut up at half-past two o’clock. Sometimes more than 100 persons slept in the house.
Inspector Edward Collard said at five minutes before two on Sunday morning last he received information at Bishopsgate Police-station that a woman had been murdered in Mitre-square. Information was telegraphed to head-quarters, and a constable was despatched for a doctor. On proceeding himself to Mitre-square, he found there Dr. Sequeira, several police-officers, and the body lying in the south-west corner of the square. The body was not touched till the arrival of Dr. Brown, who came to the square shortly after the witness. The medical men examined the body, and Sergeant Jones picked up some small buttons and other articles, including a small mustard tin, which
[Link to original at Newspapers.com] – Page 2, Columns 7
contained two pawntickets. The body was conveyed to the mortuary. No money was found about it, but of it was a portion of an apron corresponding to the piece found in Goulston-street. Search was immediately made in all directions for the murderer, and several men were stopped and searched in the street without any result. House to house inquiries were made in the vicinity of Mitre-square, but nothing could be found or heard that related to the murder. In the square there was no appearance of a struggle, and from what he saw he inferred that the body had not been there more than a quarter of an hour. He could find no trace of footsteps, although a search was made at the back of the empty house.
Dr. Gordon Brown, 17, Finsbury-circus, surgeon to the City of London Police, said – I was called shortly after two o’clock on Sunday morning, and reached Mitre-square about 2.18. My attention was called to the body of a woman lying in the position described by Police-constable Watkins. The woman was lying on her back with her head turned to the left shoulder, with the arms lying at the side of the body. The fingers were slightly bent, and a thimble was lying on the ground near the right hand. The bonnet was at the back of the head. There was a great disfigurement of the face, and the throat was cut across, below the wound being a neckerchief. The upper part of the dress was pulled open. The intestines were drawn out to a large extent, and placed over the right shoulder, and a piece of them about two feet in length was placed between the left arm and the body, apparently by design. The lobe of the left ear was cut completely through. There was a quantity of clotted blood on the pavement near the left side of the neck. The body was quite warm, no death stiffening having set in, and death had certainly taken place within 30 or 40 minutes before I saw the body. We looked for superficial bruises, but found none.
By Mr. Crawford – There was no blood on the front of the clothes.
Continuing, the witness said – I sent for Dr. Phillips, as he had seen some of the recent cases. When the body arrived at the mortuary in Golden-lane the clothes were carefully removed, and the piece of the ear dropped from them. The post-mortem examination was made on Sunday afternoon, and on washing the left hand carefully I found a recent bruise the size of a sixpence on the back of the hand between the thumb and first finger. The bands and arms appeared sunburnt. There were no bruises on the scalp, the back of the body, or the elbows. The face was very much mutilated. There was a cut about a quarter of an inch in length through the lower left eyelid, dividing the structures completely. The upper eyelid on that side was scratched near the angle of the nose. The right eyelid was cut through for about half an inch. There was a deep cut over the bridge of the nose, extending from the left border, of the nasal bone, down nearly to the angle of the jaw on the right side. The knife had gone into the nasal bone, and divided all the structures of the cheek, except the mucous membrane of the mouth. The tip of the nose was quite detached by an oblique cut from the bottom of the nasal bones to where the wings of the nose or corners of the nostrils join on to the face. A cut from this divided the upper lip and extended through the substance of the gum, over the right upper lateral incisor tooth. About half an inch from the tip of the nose was another oblique cut, also one of the right angle of the mouth, as if made with the point of a knife, which penetrated the mucous membrane, and extended about an inch and a half parallel with the lower lip. There was on each cheek a cut, which peeled up the skin, forming a triangular flap. On the left cheek there was two abrasions on the outer skin, also two slight abrasions under the left ear. The throat was cut across to the extent of about seven inches. The larynx was severed below the vocal cords, and all the deep structures were severed to the bone, the knife marking the vertebral cartilage. The carotid artery had a pin-hole opening, the internal jugular vein being open to the extent of one inch and a half. The anterior fibres of the muscles which cross the front of the throat were severed. The wounds must have been inflicted by some very sharp instrument. The cause of death was hemorrhage from the left carotid artery. Death must have been immediate. Most of the injuries were inflicted after death. With regard to the injuries to the abdomen the front wall was laid open from the breast downwards. There were two incisions into the liver, and the left lobe of the liver was slit right through for three or four inches by a vertical cut. The witness then explained in detail the other injuries inflicted, showing that the same organs had been removed as in former cases.
By Mr. Crawford – My opinion is that when the throat was cut the woman was lying on the ground.
Mr. Crawford – Would you consider the person who inflicted the wounds had great anatomical skill? – Well, a good deal of knowledge of the position of the abdominal organs and the way of removing them. It requires a great deal of knowledge to abstract the left kidney, which might easily be overlooked. That knowledge would be likely to be possessed by one accustomed to cutting up animals. The organ taken away would be of no use to medical science.
Do you think the murderer was disturbed? – I think he had sufficient time; he would not have cut the lower eyelids if he had been in a great hurry. The wounds could not have been inflicted in less than five minutes. The bladder was in no way injured in the body; and I may mention that a man accustomed to remove the portions removed was asked by me to do so as quickly as possible. He accomplished the task in three minutes, but not without injuring the bladder. I should think no struggle took place between the parties. The fact that there were no cries heard is easily understood, as the throat would be cut so suddenly as to allow of no time to make any noise. There was a piece of apron found in Goulston-street, with finger marks of blood upon it, which fits on to the piece left round the body. I think the face was mutilated simply to disfigure the corpse.
The inquest was then adjourned until Thursday next.
On the paper of business brought before the meeting of the Court of Common Council yesterday afternoon was a notice of motion by Mr. John Pound authorising the Corporation to offer a reward of £500 for the apprehension of the Aldgate murderer. Immediately after the reading of the minutes, however, the Lord Mayor rose and said :- The court is aware of the course I was advised, and thought it right to take, as to the prompt offer in the name of the Corporation of a substantial reward for the apprehension of the Mitre-square murderer, and I am glad to see that not only is public opinion satisfied, but, judging from the paper of business, the court is also satisfied. I have now only to ask the court to endorse that which I have done in its name, and I am sure we all join in the earnest hope that the perpetrator of perpetrators of these hideous crimes will be speedily detected. – Mr. F. Green said he was sure the court desired to endorse the action which had been taken by his lordship. All England had for days past been horrified by particulars of the terrible crimes that had been committed, and they had but one object in view, and that was to leave no stone unturned in their endeavour to lead to the arrest of the murderer. He, therefore, moved a resolution endorsing the action of the Lord Mayor in offering the reward. – Mr. Alderman Cowan seconded the motion, remarking that it would be unnecessary for him, in doing so, to offer a single observation in support of it. – The resolution was adopted unanimously.
The man Pizer who was arrested on suspicion of being connected with the murder of Annie Chapman in Hanbury-street, and who after giving a satisfactory account of himself complained to Mr. Lushington at Thames Police-court yesterday that since he was released from custody he had been subjected to great annoyance, and that morning a woman accosted him in the street, and after calling him “Old Leather Apron” and other insulting expressions, struck him three blows in the face. Mr. Lushington told Pizer he could have a summons against the person who had assaulted him.
A telegram from Armagh says that last night a tramp, whose name is unknown, but who describes himself as “Leather Apron,” was arrested by the police there on a charge of drunkenness and disorderly conduct. When taken into the police barrack, he violently assaulted a constable. In his possession were found 1 1/2 d., a knife covered with blood, and a letter, also stained with blood addressed to the Roman Catholic Primate.
At the close of the morning service in the City Temple yesterday, Dr. Parker referred at length to the East-end murders. Replying to the question, how far the pulpit was responsible for such crimes, the rev. gentleman said the pulpit had undertaken instrumentally to convert society, and the pulpit had signally failed. Always allowing for exceptions, the pulpit was the paid slave of respectable society. It loved respectability and had lost its hold on the tragic and impetuous life of the world. The outcasts of society turned away from the preacher as from a man who talked in an unknown tongue, and troubled himself about antiquities and metaphysics, for which the sad and maddened heart of the world cared nothing. What the Home Secretary was doing or thinking of doing passed his (Dr. Parker’s) comprehension. If offering a reward for the discovery of the criminal did not detect the perpetrator of the crime what harm was done? But if offering a reward should end in the detection of the criminal great good was done.
The Bishop of Liverpool last night addressing the Curates’ Society said he knew East London intimately, and clergy-men in that district, and could quite understand such tragedies as had horrified the Christian world taking place., Men were there living little better than beasts and the state of that district illustrated the opinion of an old divine, that if man was left to himself he was half evil, half beast. Whilst such tragedies aroused people, it brought them to a sense of what should be done for the neglected classes, so that no room and no house should be left unvisited by the clergy.
