John Lock
The Morning Advertiser Thursday 4 October 1888, reported the following story, Last evening, around six o'clock , considerable excitement was caused in the neighbourhood of Ratcliff Highway by the report that a man was seen roaming about there in a suspicious manner, with bloodstains on his coat. the man was described as respectably dressed and had somewhat the appearance of an American. A crowd had gathered and followed the individual around, uttering threatening cries of Leather Apron and Jack the Ripper. The man, fearing for his safety, took shelter in the Victory public house, but the angry and restless crowd remained outside, until a policeman arrived and advised the man to accompany him to the King David Place police station. Upon arriving at the police station the man was questioned, and said his name was John Lock, his age was 32 and that he was a Naval Reserve sailor who had come to England with his wife from Australia on 28 April 1887. He said he had left a friend's house at 85 Balcombe Street, Dorset Square, that morning and was making his way to the docks at Wapping with the intention of finding a ship, when a crowd noticed the stains on his coat and began to follow him. His coat was carefully examined and the stains were found not to be blood but paint and grease. After the crowd had eventually dispersed he was subsequently allowed to leave the station without charge.
