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THE EAST-END MURDERS
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LETTER FROM SIR. C. WARREN
The most important circumstances that have transpired during the last 24 hours are the evidence at the inquest yesterday, which seems to place the identity of the woman murdered at Berner-street beyond doubt, and the recognition of the Mitre-street victim. The latter is the result of a visit paid to the City Mortuary by a labouring man named Kelly, who lives at 55, Flower and Dean-street—a common lodging-house—and who declares that the body is that of a woman with whom he has been living for seven years. Kelly’s statement, which was given to the police not without some emotion, is, to some extent, borne out by the pawntickets discovered near the scene of the City murder. The man is positive as to the identity and is corroborated on this point by Wilkinson, the deputy of the lodging-house, who knew the woman well. Her sister, Eliza Gold, has also seen the body and has confirmed the identification of the two men. From their statements, it would appear that the dead woman, Catherine Eddowes, otherwise Conway, or Kelly, bore a generally good character and was at all events not a member of the class from which the other victims have been selected. Kelly, Wilkinson, and Mrs. Gold agree in saying that she worked hard charing among the Jews in “the lane” during four or five months in the winter, and throughout the greater part of the summer tramping the country, always with Kelly, hopping, fruit-picking, or hay-making. She was born, it appears, in Wolverhampton, rather more than 40 years ago, but soon after her birth, her parents moved to London (where she was educated at the Dowgate Charity School), and where she has since lived. When she was about 20 years of age she became acquainted with a soldier named Thomas Conway—whose initials, “T. C.” are tattooed on her arm—and lived with him. Ten years ago, however, Conway deserted the woman, and neither she nor her relatives have heard anything of him since that time. On finding herself alone Eddowes—or Mrs. Conway, as she was generally called—went to live at a common lodging-house at 55, Flower and Dean-street, and there, seven years ago, she got to know John Kelly, with whom she has cohabited ever since. At the lodging-house, both Kelly and the woman bear a good character as hard-working and well-conducted people. Eddowes was last seen by Kelly on Saturday afternoon when he told her to go and see her daughter and get the price of a bed for the night. He felt no alarm when she did not return in the evening, as he had heard a rumour that she had been locked up for drunkenness, but on Tuesday night he learned that some pawntickets which he knew were in the woman’s possession had been found in Mitre-square, and then he went hastily to the police station, with the result already stated. Eddowes has had several children, and these the police are now endeavouring to find. One of them, a daughter, is married to a gunmaker named Phillips, and lives, it is believed, somewhere in Bermondsey, and a son is thought to reside in the same district. The man and the lodging-house deputy have both been summoned to give evidence at the inquest which will open today. The “confession” by the medical student, who is in custody in the City, will probably prove to have as little foundation as the many other recriminatory statements which have been made by more or less drunken or excited individuals.
The suggestion of a house-to-house visitation, which has been made in several quarters, has been adopted by the police to this extent: they have delivered the following handbill throughout the district:
“Police Notice.—To the occupier,—On the mornings of Friday, 31st August, Saturday, 8th, and Sunday, 30th Sept., 1888, women were murdered in Whitechapel, it is supposed by someone residing in the immediate neighborhood. Should you know of any person to whom suspicion is attached, you are earnestly requested to communicate at once with the nearest police station.—Metropolitan Police Station, 30th Sept., 1888.”
It will be observed that nothing is said in this notice about a reward, though the walls of the neighborhood are posted with bills offering rewards through the agencies of the City of London and private subscriptions. There is still a feeling in the East-end that the Home Office has been remiss in this matter, and this view finds expression in many quarters. Mr. Matthews was engaged for several hours yesterday at the Home Office on the subject of these murders and had prolonged interviews with Sir Charles Warren and others on the subject, during which the course of action already taken by the police was fully considered, as well as the steps to be taken in the future with a view to discovering the criminal. Mr. Matthews is understood to have directed that no power in the hands of the police should be left untried, and no clue, however apparently unpromising, should be neglected. The understanding between the Metropolitan and City Police is most cordial. However, as to a definite clue, or anything approaching it, the authorities remain as much in the dark as ever.
At a recent meeting of the Whitechapel District Board of Works, the following resolution was passed: – “That this board regards with horror and alarm the several atrocious murders recently perpetrated within the district of Whitechapel and its vicinity, and calls upon Sir Charles Warren to regulate and strengthen the police force in the neighborhood to guard against any repetition of such atrocities.” In reply thereto, Sir Charles Warren has sent the following reply :-
“Sir,—In reply to a letter of the 2nd inst., from the clerk to the Board of Works for the Whitechapel District, transmitting a resolution of the board with regard to the recent atrocious murders perpetrated in and about Whitechapel, I have to point out that the carrying out of your proposals as to regulating and strengthening the police force in your district cannot possibly do more than guard or take precautions against any repetition of such atrocities so long as the victims actually but unwittingly connive at their own destruction. Statistics show that London, in comparison to its population, is the safest city in the world to live in. The prevention of murder directly cannot be effected by any strength of the police force, but it is reduced and brought to a minimum by rendering it most difficult to escape detection. In the particular class of murders now confronting us, however, the unfortunate victims appear to take the murderer to some retired spot and place themselves in such a position that they can be slaughtered without a sound being heard. The murder, therefore, takes place without any clue to the criminal being left. I have to request and call upon your board, as popular representatives, to do all in your power to dissuade the unfortunate women about Whitechapel from going into lonely places in the dark with any persons, whether acquaintances or strangers. I have also to point out that the purlious about Whitechapel are most imperfectly lighted, and the darkness is an important assistant to crime. I can assure you, for the information of your board, that every nerve has been strained to detect the criminal or criminals, and to render more difficult further atrocities. You will agree with me that it is not desirable that I should enter into particulars as to what the police are doing in the matter. It is most important for good results that our proceedings should not be published, and the very fact that you may be unaware of what the Detective Department is doing is only the stronger proof that it is doing its work with secrecy and efficiency. A large force of police has been drafted into the Whitechapel district to assist those already there to the full extent necessary to meet the requirements; but I have to observe that the Metropolitan Police have not large reserves doing nothing and ready to meet emergencies, but every man has his duty assigned to him, and I can only strengthen the Whitechapel district by drawing men from duty in the other parts of the metropolis. You will be aware that the whole of the police work of the metropolis has to be done as usual while this extra work is going on, and that at such times as this extra precautions have to be taken to prevent the commission of other classes of crime being facilitated through the attention of the police being diverted to one special place and object. I trust that your board will assist the police by persuading the inhabitants to give them every information in their power concerning any suspicious characters in the various dwellings, for which object 10,000 handbills, a copy of which I enclose, have been distributed. I have read the reported proceedings of your meeting, and I regret to see that the greatest misconceptions appear to have arisen in the public mind as to recent action in the administration of the police. I beg you will dismiss from your minds as utterly fallacious the numerous anonymous statements as to recent changes stated to have been made in the police force of a character not conducive to efficiency. It is stated that the Rev. D. Greatorex announced to you that one great cause of police inefficiency was a new system of police whereby constables were constantly changed from one district to another, keeping them ignorant of their beats. I have seen this statement made frequently in the newspapers lately, but it is entirely without foundation. The system at present in use has existed for the last 20 years, and constables are seldom or never drafted from their districts except for promotion or for some particular cause. Notwithstanding the many good reasons why constables should be changed on their beats, I have considered the reasons on the other side to be more cogent, and I have felt that they should be thoroughly acquainted with the districts in which they serve. And with regard to the Detective Department, a department relative to which reticence is always most desirable, I may say that a short time ago I made arrangements which still further reduced the necessity for transferring officers from districts which they know thoroughly. I have to call attention to the statement of one of your members, that in consequence of the change in the condition of Whitechapel in recent years, a thorough revision of the police arrangements is necessary, and I shall be very glad to ascertain from you what changes your board consider advisable, and I may assure you that your proposals will receive from me every consideration.
– I am, sir, your obedient servant,
CHARLES WARREN. Metropolitan Police Office, 4, Whitehall-place, Oct. 3.”
Last evening, at a meeting of the Whitechapel vestry, Mr. F. W. Wragg presiding, a letter was read from the rector of St. Mary’s, Whitechapel (the Rev. J. W. Robinson), calling the attention of the vestry to the late atrocities, and urging the members to at once urge the authorities to adopt a better system for the protection of life and property. He suggested, first, that better supervision should be exercised, and a stricter watch kept over uninhabited dwellings and empty houses, also that vacant spaces should be closely watched, and second, that the police should be urged to obtain the assistance of bloodhounds
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immediately upon the discovery of a murder in order to trace the criminal. – Mr. George Isley moved that the letter be forwarded to the District Board of Works officially from the vestry, requesting them to give effect to the same. – Mr. J. A. Tefler moved as an amendment, “That this vestry expresses its sorrow at the dreadful, diabolical crimes committed in East London, and would urge her Majesty’s Government to spare no effort, but to use its utmost endeavors to secure the speedy arrest of the criminal.” – The amendment was carried by a large majority. – Upon the motion of Mr. Telfer, seconded by Mr. Morris Abrahams, it was resolved to forward a copy of the foregoing resolution to the Home Secretary. – It was also resolved to reply to the letter of the rector, acknowledging the same, and stating the steps the vestry had determined to take.
A representative meeting of working men delegates from trade and labour organisations of East and South-East London was held yesterday afternoon at the Three Nuns Hotel, Aldgate, for the purpose of discussing what action the organised bodies of working men should take in view of the murders recently committed in the district. Mr. F. Wigington, general secretary of the Watermen’s Society, presided, and said the working men were now arranging to form themselves into a vigilance committee, of which Mr. L. H. Phillips, Common Councilman of the district, had promised to become chairman. – On the motion of Mr. Chandler, seconded by Mr. John M’Lean, the following resolution was unanimously adopted :- “That the best thanks of the working men of the East-end of London are due, and are hereby tendered, to Mr. L. H. Phillips, C.C., and to the Corporation of the City, for their very prompt action in offering a substantial reward for the apprehension of the murderer, and this meeting resolves itself into a Workmen’s Vigilance Committee, to assist the police in their present arduous duties.” – A number of men volunteered to patrol the streets, and their services were accepted. – The meeting then adjourned.
THE INQUEST
Yesterday afternoon Mr. Wynne Baxter resumed the inquest at the Vestry-hall, Cable-street, St. George’s-in-the-East, on the body of the woman found with her throat cut in Berner-street on Sunday morning last. At the previous sitting evidence was given to show that the name of the woman was Elizabeth Watts, aged 37.
Mrs. Elizabeth Tanner, of 32, Flower and Dean-street, said she was the deputy keeper of a common lodging-house, and she had seen the body in the mortuary. She recognized the face as that of a woman who lodged at that house off and on for the last six years, and who was known by the name of “Long Liz”. She did not know her right name. She told witness that she was a Swedish woman, and that she was married, but that her husband and children went down in the Princess Alice steamer. The witness last saw her alive on Saturday afternoon, at half-past six, when they were together in the Queen’s Head, in Commercial-street. They walked back to the lodging-house together. At that time Liz had no bonnet or cloak on. After leaving her in the kitchen she never saw her again till she saw the body in the mortuary that afternoon. She told the witness that she lost the roof of her mouth when the Princess Alice went down, as she was on board at the time. The witness only knew one male acquaintance of the woman, but not by name. She left the man she was living with on Thursday last to come and stay at the lodging-house. The witness saw the man on Sunday. She was a very quiet and sober woman, but sometimes stopped out late at night. She cleaned two rooms for the witness on Saturday, for which she received 6d., but the witness did not know whether she had any other money. The clothes on the body were those she usually wore. She had never told the witness that she was afraid of anyone or that anyone had threatened to injure her. The fact of her not coming home on Saturday did not attract any notice. No other person of the name of “Long Liz” had stayed at the lodging-house; and the witness had never heard the name Stride mentioned in reference to the woman, who had been away from the lodging house for three months till Thursday last. She told the witness that she was at work among the Jews, and was living with a man in Fashion-street. She could speak English well, also Swedish.
Catherine Lane, wife of a dock labourer, said she had been living at the lodging-house since the 11th of February, and, having seen the body in the mortuary, recognised it as that of “Long Liz,” who had also lived in the lodging-house. She had known her for six or seven months, having seen her frequently. She spoke on Thursday to her, she said that she had had a few words with the man she lived with, and that she was leaving him. She last saw her in the kitchen of the lodging-house on Saturday evening, between seven and eight o’clock, when she had a long cloak and black bonnet on. When leaving on Saturday evening she gave the witness a piece of velvet, and asked her to keep it till she came back. She did not appear to have been drinking. The witness could tell by her accent that she was a foreigner, and had heard her speak to women in the street in a foreign language, but she never heard her speak of a sister.
Charles Preston, a barber, who had lived at 32, Flower and Dean-street for 18 months, knew the woman, and identified her body on Sunday afternoon. He was quite sure she was “Long Liz”. He last saw her on Saturday evening, between six and seven o’clock, in the kitchen of the lodging-house. She was then preparing to go out, in the clothes seen in the mortuary. He always understood from her that she was a Swede by birth, born at Stockholm, and came to England in a foreign gentleman’s service. She told him she was about 35 years of age, and that her husband went down in the Princess Alice, she being saved, while her husband, whom she spoke of as a seafaring man, was drowned. He heard her say that she once had a coffee house in Chrisp-street, Poplar. He once knew of her being in custody, four or five months ago, for being drunk and disorderly in Commercial-street. She had always given him to understand that her name was Elizabeth Stride, and that her mother was still alive in Sweden.
Michael Kidney, of 38, Dorset-street, Spitalfields, said he was a waterside labourer, and recognised the body in the mortuary as that of the woman he had been living with. Her name was Elizabeth Stride, and he had known her for three years, during most of which time she lived with him. She was between 36 and 38 years of age. She was a Swede and was born at Stockholm. She said that her father was a farmer, that she came to England in the service of a family, that she was a widow, and that her husband had been a ship’s carpenter, of Sheerness, who once kept a coffee-house at Chrisp-street, Poplar, and who was drowned in the Princess Alice. He last saw her alive on Tuesday week, and then left her on friendly terms. She was in the habit of going away when she thought she would. During the three years he had known her she had been absent different times amounting to some five months. He treated her as a wife, and on each occasion she returned to him without his going after her. He then proceeded to complain that on Monday last he went to the Leman-street Police-station and asked for a detective with the view of getting or giving some information, but the inspector refused to give him a detective.
The coroner questioned him as to what he meant, and in the course of his examination he admitted that he was drunk when he went to the station, but he still persisted in saying that if he had had police assistance he believed he should have caught the murderer.
The coroner said he had received over 100 letters making suggestions about the police force.
Inspector Reid (to witness) – But you have no information to give?
The Witness – No.
By a Juror – The witness who yesterday stated that she was the sister of the woman very much resembled her. Stride had told him that before she was married, a policeman courted her. She had nine children, two of whom were drowned in the Princess Alice with the husband. She had also told him that two of the children were in a school connected with a Swedish church on the other side of the Thames, and that two other of her children were taken care of by a friend of her husband’s.
Edward Johnston, of 100, Commerical-road, assistant to Dr. Blackwell, stated that on Sunday morning last, at a few minutes past one o’clock, he was called to Berner-street by a constable. In the yard adjoining No. 40 he was shown the body lying on the ground, with a crowd of people around it. He then described the position in which he found the body.
Thomas Coram, a youth, living at 67, Plumber’s-road, Commercial-road, said he was at 16, Bath-gardens, on Sunday night about 12.30 (after midnight), and as he walked past 253, Whitechapel-road, was a laundry, entered by two steps, and the knife was on the bottom step. (The knife was produced. It looked like a carving knife, with a long narrow blade and black bone handle.) He saw a handkerchief with blood stains wrapped round the handle. Seeing a policeman coming towards him, he waited till his arrival at the step, and then pointed out the knife to him. He (the witness) never touched the knife. There were few people about. The knife could easily be seen on the door-step.
Police-constable Drage gave evidence as to finding the knife at 12.30 on Monday morning, when the last witness pointed it out. He found it was smothered with blood, which was dry, and there was a white handkerchief tied round it with a string. The handkerchief was also blood-stained. The last witness told him that when he saw the knife it made his blood run cold. He (the constable) passed the door-step a quarter of an hour previously, but he could not be positive that it was not there then. About an hour previously he stood near the door, and saw a lady let out a female friend. The knife was no there then.
Mr. George B. Phillips, the divisional surgeon, deposed to having been called to the yard in Berner-street, where he saw the body. There was a deep gash in the throat and an abrasion an inch and a quarter in diameter, apparently slightly stained with blood, under the left clavicle. On October 1 the witness and Dr. Blackwell, in the presence of Dr. Reigate and Mr. Johnston, made a post-mortem examination. They found the body fairly nourished. Over both shoulders, especially on the right, under the collar-bone and in front of the chest, there was a bluish discolouration which he had examined on two occasions since. The injury to the throat was a clean cut of six inches in length. All the arteries were severed, except the posterior portion of the right carotid artery. The hemorrhage, which was no doubt the cause of death, was brought about through the partial severance of the left carotid artery. There were no recent external injuries save that to the neck. On Tuesday he went to the mortuary to observe the discolourations accompanied by a constable. In the pocket of the underskirt of the woman he found a key as if belonging to a padlock, a small piece of lead pencil, a pocket comb, a metal spoon, some buttons, and a hook. There was a small mark on the left leg, which might have been an adder bite, as stated by a witness the previous day.
The doctor had not concluded his evidence when the inquiry was adjourned until Friday.
At the Guildehall Police-court yesterday, before Mr. Alderman Stone, William Bull, describing himself as a medical student, was charged on his own confession with having committed the Aldgate murder. He appeard to have been drinking heavily. – Inspector Izzard said : Last night at 20 minutes to eleven the prisoner came into the room at Bishopsgate-street Station and made the following statement, which I took down, after cautioning him. He said : “My name is William Bull, and I live at Dalston. I am a medical student at the London Hospital, and I wish to give myself up for the murder in Aldgate. On Saturday night or Sunday morning, about two o’clock I think, I met the woman in Aldgate. I went with her up a narrow street, not far from the main road. I promised to give her half-a-crown, which I did. While walking along together there
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was a second man, who came up and took the half-crown from her. I cannot endure this any longer. My poor head! (He put his hands to his head and cried, or pretended to cry.) I shall go mad. I have done it, and I must put up with it.” The inspector asked what had become of the clothing he had on when the murder was committed. The prisoner said, “If you wish to know they are in the Lea, and the knife I threw away.” At this point the prisoner declined to say any more. He was drunk, and apparently had been drinking heavily. Part of the statement was made in the presence of Major Smith. The prisoner gave a correct address, but is not known at the London Hospital. His parents are very respectable, and he has been out of employment. The inspector asked for a remand for a few days to make inquiries. – The prisoner, in answer to the alderman, said he was mad drunk when he made the statement. As for the murder, it was impossible that he could have committed it – Inspector Izzard said that when he searched the man he had on him a very small knife, a halfpenny, and a wheel from a watch. – He was remanded, the alderman refusing to grant bail.
Nathaniel Baker, 20, labourer, giving an address in Eagle-place, Whitechapel, was charged, on remand, at the the Woship-street Police-court yesterday with having been concerned with two other men not in custody in stealing from the person of John Mogent a gold watch, value £6. – The prosecutor, a commissioner of control, of Dublin Castle, said that he went to see the scene of the recent murders in Whitechapel. He had viewed the spot in Hanbury-street, and was going on, when at the corner of Berner-street three or four men got round him and hustled him. The prisoner, putting his hand over his shoulder, snatched his watch. He ran away, but was pursued and caught. – The magistrate said that he thought it would be wiser if persons who went to inspect such a scene left their gold watched behind them. – The prisoner said he did not take the watch. He was only a “simple lad.” who was standing near the place where the woman was murdered. – The police stated, however, that the accused was a “lad” who had been several times convicted. – He was remanded for the convictions to be proved prior to committal for trial.
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THE DISCOVERY AT WESTMINSTER
There have been no further discoveries in connection with the portion of a woman’s body found on Monday at the site of the new Police-station on the Thames-embankment. Some detectives and policemen had a narrow escape from serious accident at the spot yesterday morning. They were searching the vaults and their vicinity, when the back-stay of a steam crane, which was unloading iron, broke, and some seven or eight tons of metal went crashing into the vaults. The boiler burst, and the scalding water was scattered in all direction, but nobody was seriously hurt, thanks mainly to rush out between the breaking of the crane and its fall. The post-mortem examination of the remains was made yesterday morning by Mr. Bond, the divisional police surgeon, and Mr. Hibbert, his assistant, at the Westminster Mortuary. The autopsy, which lasted about an hour and a half, was necessarily of a limited character, owing to the advanced state of decomposition in which the trunk was found. The doctors are preparing an elaborate report to be presented to the coroner at the inquest, which is to be held on Monday, and decline to give any detailed information until then. It has, however, been ascertained that the body is that of a well-nourished woman, that the arm found in the Thames at Pimplico was beyond doubt cut from the trunk, that the cord tied round the limb is similar to that by which the parcel was tied, and that death – from what cause cannot be ascertained – must have taken place about three weeks ago, decomposition having been hastened by exposure. The clothing in which the body was wrapped has been disinfected and cleaned, and is now proved to have been a rich broché silk underskirt. This is looked upon as proving that the woman did not belong to the poorest class of society.
