Читать книгу Murder Maps - Drew Gray - Страница 43

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PART ONE — EUROPE.

Domestic murder was all too common in late 19th-century London. Thomas Cripps (1867–unknown) and his common-law wife Elizabeth Biles (unknown–1896) quarrelled all the time according to neighbours. So when one argument ended tragically, with Biles lying outside her door with blood draining from a wound in her throat, the police knew where to look. Cripps had been fined for hitting her previously and was quick to confess. ‘I done it,’ he told police, ‘I’ll take a bit of rope for her.’ He was spared that fate because an Old Bailey jury only found him guilty of manslaughter, not murder. He got seven years. •

When a prostitute was found dead, her throat horribly cut, it revived memories of the Jack the Ripper murders five years earlier. The victim was Jane Thompson (unknown–1893), also known as Jenny Hinks. Witnesses told police they had seen Jane drinking earlier that evening with a man whose appearance suggested he might be a sailor, so detectives targeted their inquiries to the local Surrey Commercial Docks. Two sailors were arrested: Paolo Cammarola (dates unknown) and Andrea Scotti Di Carlo (1873–unknown). Cammarola had an alibi but Di Carlo did not. He was convicted at the Old Bailey and sentenced to death, but reprieved and imprisoned for life. •

Above. illustrated police news, 8 july 1893. police discover the body of prostitute jane thompson

in rotherhithe, whose throat had been cut.

Above. illustrated police news, 8 february 1896. a heavily stylized press recreation of the discovery

of elizabeth biles’s body by neighbours in notting hill.

51 silverlock street, rotherhithe.william street, notting hill.

 une .0 anuary .

englandlondon.

englandlondon.

ANDREA SCOTTI DI CARLO.× Jane Tompson.

THOMAS WILLIAM CRIPPS.× Elizabeth Biles.

weapon.knife.

weapon.knife.

typology.reckless act.

typology. domestic.

policing.n/a.

policing.n/a.