Читать книгу The Hunt of a pipsqueak Jack the Ripper - C. Cranston Neil - Страница 6

There have been many visitors to George-yard-buildings with the rather morbid purpose of seeing the place where the deceased was discovered. Here there is still a large surface of the stone flags crimson stained. It is at the spot where the blood oozed from the poor creatures heart. The police authorities regard as little short of marvelous the fact that no dweller in this model block heard any disturbance. Thinking this point ought to be cleared up, our reported again visited to-day Mr. Francis Hewitt, the superintendent of the dwellings, who, with his wife, occupies a sleeping apartment at nearly right angles with the place where the dead body lay. Mr. Hewitt produced a foot-rule, and measured the distance of his sleeping place from the stone step in question; it was exactly 12 ft. "And we never heard a cry," remarked Mr. Hewitt. Mrs. Hewitt remarked that early in the evening she had heard a single cry of "Murder!" It echoed through the building, but did not emanate from there. "But," explained Mr. and Mrs. Hewitt in a breath, "the district round here is rather rough, and cries of "Murder!" are of frequent, if not nightly, occurrence in the district.

The Echo 13. August 1888

THE OCCUPANTS OF THE DWELLINGS.

The model dwellings at George-yard-buildings were erected about thirteen years ago, and Princess Alice, but a short time before her death, visited the poor residents there, and extolled the ingenious method of housing them. The structure was erected more as a philanthropic than as a commercial venture by Mr. Crowther, a gentleman well known in the district. The occupants are of the poorest class - described by the superintendent's wife as "the poorest of the poor, but very honest."

ANN MORRIS, Witness at Martha Tabram's inquest. Widowed sister-in-law of Martha Tabram and resident of 23 Lisbon Street, Mile End. She stated in her testimony that she saw Tabram about to enter the White Swan public house on Whitechapel High Street at 11.00pm, 6th August 1888. Tabram appeared to be sober at this time. Further information was given in the local press: The next evidence was that of Mrs. Ann Morris, a very respectable woman, dressed quietly in black. She lived at 23, Fisher-street [sic], Mile End, and said she was a widow, and the sister of Mr. Tabram, the husband of deceased. She last saw deceased alive at 11 o'clock on Bank Holiday. She was then going into a public-house, the sign of which witness thought was the White Swan in the Whitechapel-road. Nothing more was seen of her after that. Deceased drank very heavily. As far as witness' judgment went she considered deceased was on the streets. They were only on speaking terms, and she had seen very little of her lately. Witness had heard she was a hawker, but had never seen her doing anything for a living. Witness knew nothing of the circumstances of her death. It was also discovered at the inquest that Martha Tabram had been charged several times with 'annoying' Mrs. Morris and was sent before the magistrate where she "was sentenced to seven days".

ELIZABETH MAHONEY, Witness at Martha Tabram's inquest. dweller of 47 George Yard Buildings with her husband Joseph. Described as "a young woman of some 25 or 26 years, plainly clad in a rusty-black dress, with a black woolen shawl pinned round her shoulders. Her evidence was neither very much to the point or distinctly uttered - indeed, so low was her voice as to elicit a complaint from the jurymen which was remedied by the witness being made to stand immediately next to the jury". I live at 37 [sic] George-yard-buildings, Whitechapel - a block of model dwellings - and am a married woman, my husband, Joseph, being a Carmen, while I work at a match factory at Stratford, where I work from nine in the morning, usually, till about seven o'clock at night. So far as I can remember, I have occupied rooms in the present house for about eight months. Monday was Bank Holiday, and my husband and I were out all day, and did not return until twenty minutes to two on Tuesday morning. We went straight up to our room, and after taking off my hat and cloak, I came down again and went to a chandler's shop in Thrawl-street to buy some provisions for supper. I came back having been gone about five minutes; and after having supper we went to bed. On neither occasion, either in coming up or going down the stairs, did I see the body of a woman lying there. It is quite possible that a body might have been there, and that I did not notice it, because the stairs are very wide and were completely dark, all the lights having, as usual, been turned out at eleven o'clock. I did not get up till half-past eight in the morning, and during the night my attention was not attracted by a noise or disturbance of any kind. I did not know of the body of the deceased having been found on the stairs till about ten o'clock on Tuesday morning.

JOHN REEVES, Witness at Martha Tabram's inquest. Born John Saunders Reeves, 1855, Whitechapel. Married Louisa Parsons, father of 6 children.

A waterside worker residing at 37 George Yard Buildings, described as having a slight dark beard and moustache and wearing earrings. He left home at 4.45am on the morning of 7th August 1888 to seek work at the docks and discovered Tabram's body on the first floor landing, lying in a pool of blood. Alarmed by what he saw, he did not examine the body, but ran to fetch a policeman and returned to the scene with PC Thomas Barrett. He stated that Tabram's clothes were disarranged, as though a struggle had taken place, though there were no footprints on the stairs or any weapon lying nearby. Later press reports mentioned that Reeves and his wife had heard disturbances during the night: ...as a result of persistent inquiries a Mr. and Mrs. Reeves now state that on the evening and towards midnight on Bank Holiday a NUMBER OF FIGHTS TOOK PLACE in Wentworth Street and George Street, which thoroughfares can be seen from George Yard Buildings. These streets contain a number of common lodging-houses, and are not far from a house which the woman "Pearly Poll" states that she and the deceased visited that night. Both Mr. and Mrs. Reeves have pointed out the spot where they allege these disturbances commenced, which they state to be the dead wall of Leterworth Buildings, in George Street. The first row commenced about 11:30, followed by another at 12:20 when both Mr. and Mrs. Reeves assert they heard cries of "Police!" "Help!" and terrible screaming. Shortly after one o'clock in the morning they were again disturbed with terrible screams, apparently coming from the same neighborhood. They went on to the balcony of their dwelling, and found that there was not only one, but two separate rows going on. That in George Street this time was not many doors from the house where the murdered woman and her companion, "Pearly Poll," sometimes lodged, whilst the row in Wentworth Street was not from a house in Angel Alley, which the woman "Pearly Poll" is said to have admitted that she visited that evening. These two rows, Mr. and Mrs. Reeves say, were of a very noisy and querulous character. The crowds round surged backwards and forwards a great deal. At last the police came and dispersed the crowd. This did not conclude the riotous proceedings of the night. About 2 o'clock Mr. and Mrs. Reeves heard more screams, they were this time very piercing. Only a few roughs seemed to constitute this crowd, which seemed to be moving in the direction of George Yard. However, the noise soon lessened in volume, and Mr. and Mrs. Reeves then retired for the night.

A woman giving the name of Connolly - known amongst her class as "Pearly Poll" - has come forward stating that she and deceased were in company with soldiers on the night of Bank Holiday, but it appears she has failed to identify any individual soldier to the satisfaction of the authorities. Other residents, strange to say, have now offered testimony to the effect that they heard screams from George-street about the time it is supposed the crime must have been committed, and this would support the belief that the woman was not murdered where she was found lying dead. The position of the matter now is this, that the police have no one in custody but they are very reticent upon the matter generally, and are not disposed to assist in the publication of details. The police state that they should not be at all surprised to find that the murder was not entirely the work of soldiers, or that soldiers had a hand in the crime at all. George-street is one of the most dangerous streets in the locality, and that street, together with others, has for years been a regular rendezvous and hiding place for deserters. Old bayonets, they assert, can at any time be bought in Petticoat-lane, and at the old iron stalls there, for about a penny each, and they have frequently been seen as playthings in the hands of the children. No conclusion can be come to at present as to the ultimate success of the detective force in elucidating the truth about this terrible deed, but it is sincerely to be hoped that justice will be meted out to the inhuman villain who could so foully maltreat a fellow creature - let alone a woman - and we trust that this Whitechapel murder will not have be placed upon the records of the police as one of those undiscovered crimes of which there have been far too many within the last decade.

MARY BOUSFIELD, Witness at Martha Tabram's inquest. Also known as Mary Luckhurst. Born c.1856 in St George in the East. Martha's former landlady at 4 Star Place, off Star Street, Commercial Road. Mrs. Bousfield lived with her husband, William Bousfield, a woodcutter and their six children. She stated that Martha sold matches for a living, but suspected that she may also have been earning by prostitution. She testified that Martha and Henry Turner left her establishment three weeks prior to her death, owing a considerable sum in unpaid rent, although Martha apparently crept back later to return her key. She also described Martha as a person who would "rather have a glass of ale than a cup of tea." She also said, however, that she was not a perpetual drunk. Mrs Bousfield died in St George in the East in 1902.

MARY ANN CONNELLY, Witness at Martha Tabram's inquest. aka 'Pearly Poll' Born c.1838 Described as a big woman with a low voice and a drink reddened face, Mary Ann Connelly was an unmarried prostitute of about 50 years of age who had known Tabram for four or five months, although under the name of 'Emma Turner'. She had been living at Crossingham's Lodging House at 35 Dorset Street for two months. On the night of 6th August 1888, Connelly and Tabram met a guardsman and a corporal in the Two Brewers on Brick Lane at approximately 10.00pm. They proceeded to spend the rest of the evening in the company of the soldiers, visiting several pubs. They were seen by Tabram's sister-in-law, Ann Morris, entering the White Swan on Whitechapel High Street at about 11pm. At approx. 11.45pm, Connelly took the corporal into Angel Alley and Tabram took the guardsman into George Yard, undoubtedly for sex, which was the last time Mary Ann saw Martha alive. On 9th August 1888, Connelly went to Commercial Street Police Station to tell officers that she had been drinking with 'Emma Turner' on the night of the 6th. After the inquest and police questioning, authorities believed their best hope of catching the killer was through 'Pearly Poll', so naturally they were quite taken aback when she disappeared shortly thereafter. Some time later, however, Sergeant Eli Caunter located her staying with her cousin at 4 Fuller's Court, Drury Lane. Confident that they had their star witness, the authorities staged a parade of Scots Guards at the Tower of London. Either unwilling or unable to pick out her suspect, she added that the soldiers she was with had white cap bands, the mark of the Cold stream Guards. Another parade was held for Connelly, this time at Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, where she picked out two guardsmen. They provided unshakeable alibis, however, and were soon after released. The entire incident was quite embarrassing for the police, who finally concluded that Connelly was not going to help them. Connelly was also believed to have known Annie Chapman, according to a brief account in The Echo: Strangely enough, "Pearly Poll," who was with Martha Turner on the night of that poor creature's barbarous murder in George Yard buildings, knew Annie Chapman, and had actually lodged with her at 35 Dorset street, Spitalfields. "Pearly Poll" has been questioned as to her knowledge of "Dark Annie," but her answers on the subject have served little to elucidate the mystery. "Inspector Reid, Detective Sergeant Enright, Sergeant Goadby and other officers then worked on a slight clue given them by 'Pearly Poll.' It was not thought much of at the time; but what was gleaned from her and other statements given by Elizabeth Allen and Eliza Cooper of 35 Dorset Street, Spitalfields, certain of the authorities have had cause to suspect a man actually living not far from Buck's Row. At present, however, there is only suspicion against him.

Angel Alley: A slim passageway passing from Whitechapel High Street to Wentworth Street and next to George Yard on its eastern side where Martha Tabram was murdered. This seems to have been the most respectable street in this drab area in the mid 1800s, and was dominated by "bad houses". John Hollingshead reports in the first of 10 articles he wrote for the Morning Post, under the overall title of London Horrors, starting on 21st January 1861 (and thereafter daily, except Sunday) that they were "the cleanest looking houses in the district" and that the "windows have tolerably neat green blinds, the doors have brass plates, and inside the houses there is comparative comfort, if not plenty". This relatively high standard was evidently afforded mainly by the custom of farmers' men who supplied the Whitechapel Hay Market twice weekly. At the left-hand side of the entrance to this alley stood the Angel Public House!, whose owner was one Henry Burgess in 1888.

THOMAS BARRETT, Police Constable Thomas Barrett, 226H Witness at Martha Tabram's inquest. Born c.1857 in Sherborne, Dorset. Joined Metropolitan Police (H-division, Whitechapel) in 1883. Married to Ellen (b.1854) with three children, Albert (b.1885), Helena (b.1889) and Tom (b.1892) At 2.00am on the morning of 7th August 1888, Barrett was patrolling Wentworth Street when he came across a soldier loitering near the entrance to George Yard. Barrett described him as being a Private in the Grenadier Guards, aged between 22-26, 5ft 9ins tall, with a fair complexion, dark hair, a small brown moustache turned up at the ends and sporting a good conduct badge (but no medals). The soldier told Barrett that he was 'waiting for a chum who had gone with a girl'. PC Barrett was later summoned to George Yard Buildings by John Reeves who had just found the body of Martha Tabram, from where he sent for Dr Timothy Killeen. Barrett stated at the inquest that the deceased's clothes "were turned up as far as the center of the body, leaving the lower part of the body exposed; the legs were open, and altogether her position was such as to suggest in my mind that recent intimacy had taken place." Barrett also claimed that he would be able to recognize the soldier again and attended an identity parade at the Tower of London where he first picked out a private wearing medals. He then picked out a second man, stating that it was he and not the first man. Both soldiers were questioned and gave a good account of their movements on the night of the 6th-7th August.

TIMOTHY KILLEEN,

Dr. Timothy Robert Killeen Witness at Martha Tabram's inquest. Living at 68 Brick Lane in 1888, Dr. Killeen was called to the scene of Tabram's murder at George Yard Buildings, arriving at at about 5.30am on 7th August 1888. In his witness testimony, Dr. Killeen stated that Martha Tabram had 39 stabs on the body. She had been dead some three hours. Her age was about 36 and the body was very well nourished. Dr. Killeen had since made a post-mortem examination of the body. The left lung was penetrated in five places, and the right lung was penetrated in two places. The heart, which was rather fatty, was penetrated in one place, and that would be sufficient to cause death. The liver was healthy, but was penetrated in five places, the spleen was penetrated in two places, and the stomach, which was perfectly healthy, was penetrated in six places. Dr. Killeen did not think all the wounds were inflicted with the same instrument. The wounds generally might have been inflicted by a knife, but such an instrument could not have inflicted one of the wounds, which went through the chest-bone. His opinion was that one of the wounds was inflicted by some kind of dagger, and that all of them were caused during life. Further coverage of the inquest revealed more medical evidence: He had since made a post mortem examination, and on opening the head found there was an effusion of blood between the scalp and the bone. The brain was pale but healthy... There was food in the process of digestion in the stomach. Dr. Keeling then described where the wounds had been made, and in answer to questions stated positively that there were no signs of there having been recent connation. In his opinion the wounds were caused by a knife, or some such instrument, but there was a wound on the chest bone which could not have been caused by a knife. An ordinary penknife could have made most of the wounds, but the puncture in the chest must have been made with a sword bayonet or a dagger. The wounds, he was of the opinion, were inflicted during life, and it was impossible for them all to have been self-inflicted, though some of them might have been. Then in reply to questions from the coroner as to whether he could tell whether the wounds were made by a right or left-handed person, the doctor said one of the wounds might have been made by a left-handed man, but not the others. Dr. Killeen's tenure in East London appears short; from 1891 his address is listed as Clonfeigh, Ennis, Co. Clare