East London Advertiser
Saturday, 7 March 1891.
LATEST FROM WHITECHAPEL.
VERDICT OF THE CORONER'S JURY.
At the Working Lads' Institute, Whitechapel, on Friday morning, Mr. Wynne E. Baxter resumed the inquiry relative to the death of Frances Cole, who was found with her throat cut under an archway in Swallow-gardens, Whitechapel, early on the morning of the 13th inst. James Thomas Sadler is now under remand at the Thames Police-court, charged with the murder of Cole. - Mr. Charles Mathews again appeared for the Treasury, and Mr. H. H. Lawless represented Sadler. Superintendent Arnold and Inspectors Moore and Flanaghan watched the case for the police.
Police-sergeant George Butcher put in plans of the neighbourhood of the murder, shewing the distances between various given points and the scene of the crime. There were eight ways of getting away from Swallow-gardens.
Inspector Moore deposed that on February 15th he went to Leman-street Police-station and saw the prisoner, and told him he was going to prefer a charge against him of wilfully causing the death of Frances Cole. He replied in an undertone, "Yes, yes, yes, yes." The witness then searched Sadler, who remarked that "the old man had made a mistake about the knife. He never saw me." The witness found a purse on Sadler containing £2 17s. 4d. and 28 seaman's discharges, eight lottery tickets, a quantity of loose tobacco and a postal order for £2.
Ellen Callana said she was acquainted with the deceased woman, whom she had known for five years. On Thursday, the 12th inst., the deceased was in the company of the man Sadler. Later on the witness again saw the deceased, who was still with Sadler. The next time she saw the woman was at 1.30 a.m. on the 13th. She was standing close to the Princess Alice public-house, in Commercial-street. The witness asked her where she was going, and she made no reply to that question. They walked together down Commercial-street towards the City. A man spoke to the witness before she (the witness) left the deceased. He was a very short man, with a dark moustache, wearing shiny boots and blue trousers, "Just like a sailor."
By Mr. Lawless: The witness had seen Sadler, and this was not the man.
William Friday, a Great Northern carman, known by the nickname of "Jumbo", said he remembered the early morning of Friday, February 13th. He left his home at about 12.15. Joe Napton and another were with him. They went to Royal Mint-street, where they remained about 10 minutes. Subsequently he lost his mates and was left alone. After losing his companions, he came back to Royal Mint-street by way of Sparrow corner, arriving at the station at about a quarter to 2. As he was passing along Royal Mint-street he saw a man and a woman on the opposite side of the road. He went to the station and "booked on," and returned along Royal Mint-street, on the side where he had seen the couple standing. This was about 10 minutes to 2, and they were still there. He walked close to them, and noticed them particularly. The woman was dressed entirely in black, with a round black hat with crape on it. The man I saw had a hard felt hat with a broad brim. He looked like an ordinary working-man to me. His overcoat was dark brown with a velvet collar. He and the woman were standing at the doorway of the house where McCarthy lives. He passed them and saw them no more. He went back to the station, arriving there at about 20 minutes past 2, and went on to work as usual.
Kate McCarthy, of 42, Royal Mint-street, deposed to the circumstances under which on Thursday night at about 12.30, she and her young man, Fowles, walked about together. They came from the United Brothers, and they got home at about 1.15. They stood in the doorway of her house talking for a long time. She was wearing a black hat without beads. She saw "Jumbo" go by on the opposite side of the road. She did not see him again.
Thomas Fowles, doorkeeper at the United Brothers' Club, confirmed the evidence of the last witness. He was not wearing an overcoat at the time he stood outside Kate's house, but he was wearing a hard felt hat. "Jumbo" passed on the opposite side of the road while they were standing there. He did not pass them subsequently on their side of the way. He was wearing a watch, by which he fixed the time. The Coroner then asked the jury whether they desired to hear any further evidence, and they said that they did not.
The Coroner having summed up, the jury retired. After an absence of a quarter of an hour they returned into court with the following verdict: "That the deceased was murdered by some person or persons unknown." The foreman intimated that the jury appended the following rider to their verdict: "We are of the opinion that the police had done their duty in detaining Sadler." He added that the jury were very satisfied with the plans that had been laid before them.
RELEASE OF SADLER.
Before Mr. Mead, at the Thames Police-court, on Tuesday, James Thomas Sadler, 53, a marine fireman, was again brought up on remand charged with causing the death of Frances Cole. As soon as the accused man was placed in the dock Mr. Mathews said: In this case, appearing for the solicitor to the Treasury, and having had the advantage of a consultation with the learned Attorney-General, who has carefully considered the evidence given in the course of the inquiry before the coroner, as well as the most able summing-up to the jury empanelled before him: and having regard to the verdict returned by that jury after a patient and exhaustive inquiry, I do not propose, upon the materials at present in our possession, to proceed further with this prosecution. And, sir, if it should meet with your sanction, it will have the sanction both of the learned Attorney-General and of the Treasury authorities that no further evidence should be offered against the accused. - Mr. Lawless: I need hardly say, on behalf of the prisoner, that I have no objection to that course. - Mr. Mead: Of course, I acquiesce in that course being taken. You are discharged. - Sergeant Baker, the gaoler, to the prisoner: Go away. - Sadler then left the dock and went into the gaoler's room, accompanied by his solicitor. He did not leave the court for some time after, in order to avoid any demonstration on the part of the crowd outside.
A GERMAN "JACK THE RIPPER."
The Public Prosecutor at Küstrin, near Frankfurt, has offered a reward for the capture of a German who, since September last, is believed to have made five attempts to murder five different women, after the fashion attributed in England to "Jack the Ripper." His last victim, a woman named Wilden, who was attacked on February 21st, and received a wound measuring about 8in. across the stomach, died on Saturday. Her assailant is described as a man about 30 years of age, with a blonde moustache. He wore sailors' clothes.
