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Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris
Post Number: 1359
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 12:30 pm: |       |
From the Daily News:
16 October 1888
THE EAST END ATROCITIES
According to a Correspondent, the police are watching with great anxiety a house at the East end which is strongly suspected to have been the actual lodging, or a house made use of by some one connected with the East end murders. Statements made by the neighbours in the district point to the fact that the landlady had a lodger, who since the Sunday morning of the last Whitechapel murders has been missing. The lodger, it is stated, returned home early on the Sunday morning, and the landlady was disturbed by his moving about. She got up very early, and noticed that her lodger had changed some of his clothes. He told her he was going away for a little time, and he asked her to wash the shirt which he had taken off, and ger it ready for him by the time he came back. As he had been in the habit of going away now and then, she did not think much at the time, and soon afterwards he went out. On looking at his shirt she was astonished to find the wristbands and part of the sleeves saturated with wet blood. The appearance struck her as very strange, and when she heard of the murders her suspicions were aroused. Acting on the advice of some of her neighbours, she gave information to the police and showed them the bloodstained shirt. They took possession of it, and obtained from her a full description of her missing lodger. During the last fortnight she has been under the impression that he would return, and was sanguine that he would probably come back in Saturday or Sunday night, ot perhaps Monday evening. The general opinion, however, among the neighbours is that he will never return. On finding out the house and visiting it, a reporter found it tenanted by a stout, middle aged German woman, who speaks very bad English, and who was not inclined to give much information further than the fact that her lodger had not returned yet, and she could not say where he had gone or when he would be back. The neighbours state that ever since the information has been given two detectives and two policemen have been in the house day and night. The house is approached by a court, and as there are alleys running through it into different streets, there are different ways of approach and exit. It is believed from the information obtained concerning the lodger's former movements and his general appearance, together with the fact that numbers of people have seen the same man about the neighbourhood, that the police have in their possession a series of most important clues, and that his ultimate capture is only a question of time.
(Message edited by Chris on September 07, 2004) |
Malta Joe
Sergeant
Username: Malta
Post Number: 13
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 2:18 pm: | |
Thanks for posting that last item, Chris. Those of us who keep a scrapbook of these old news articles appreciate it. I had only read that last item once before in Stewart Evans' book ten years ago, and I always felt it was a significant news story.
I've heard that The East Anglican Times of 10-17-88 goes into more details, and the Central News Agency on the same Oct 17th date printed out a bogus story as a follow up to this Batty Street occurrence. Those papers aren't accessible to most of us though! Good going, I enjoy your work a lot. |
Alan Sharp
Chief Inspector
Username: Ash
Post Number: 654
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 2:46 pm: | |
Dublin Evening Mail, October 16th 1888, from "LONDON LETTER"
The statement circulated this afternoon, and published in several of the London evening papers, to the effect that the supposed Whitechapel murderer had suddenly left his lodgings, leaving a blood stained garment behind him, turns out to have been an exaggeration of an incident, which though it excited some suspicion a week or so ago, proves on inquiry to have been capable of satisfactory explanation. Apparently the police are little, if any, further forward than they were the day that the last murders were committed. They are following up some hundreds of “supposed clues,” but have little faith in any of them putting the detectives on the true scent.
October 17th (same column)
In spite of the doubt thrown on the story of the bloodstained shirt I hear, on good authority, that the police are watching a certain East End house with cat-like pertinacity, in the hope of something or somebody connected with it throwing a light on the perpetration of the Whitechapel murders. What the something is, it is impossible to get at, the police naturally remaining strictly silent on the subject. There is an idea abroad that a man still lodging at a particular house in question has been observed to act in a manner that leads certain people to imagine that he is in communication with the murderer. This, however, is of course merely rumour, and may, like so many other reports that are abroad, be totally devoid of fact.
"Everyone else my age is an adult, whereas I am merely in disguise." |
David O'Flaherty
Inspector
Username: Oberlin
Post Number: 404
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 3:41 pm: | |
Daily News, 17 October 1888, "The Batty-Street Clue":
The startling story published yesterday with reference to the finding of a blood-stained shirt and the disappearance of a man from a lodging-house in the East-end proves upon investigation to be of some importance. On Monday afternoon the truth of the statement was given an unqualified denial by the detective officers immediately after its publication, and this presumably because they were anxious to avoid a premature disclosure of facts of which they had been for some time cognizant. From the very morning of the murders, the police, it is stated, have had in their possession a shirt saturated with blood. Though they say nothing they are evidently convinced that it was left in a house in Batty-street by the assassin after he had finished his work. Having regard to the position of this particular house, its close proximity to the yard in Berner-street, where the crime was committed, and to the many intricate passages and alleys adjacent, the police theory has, in all probability, a basis of fact. An examination of the surroundings leads to the conclusion that probably in the whole of Whitechapel there is no quarter in which a criminal would be more likely to evade police detection, or observation of any kind, than he would be in this particular one. At the inquest on Mrs. Stride one of the witnesses deposed to having seen a man and woman standing at the junction of Fairclough and Berner streets early on the morning of the murder. Assuming that the man now sought was the murderer, he would have gained instant access to the house in Batty-street by rapidly crossing over from the yard and traversing a passage, the entrance of which is almost immediately opposite to the spot where the victim was subsequently discovered. The statement has been made that the landlady of the lodging-house, 22, Batty-street—the house in which the shirt was left—was at an early hour disturbed by the movements of the lodger who changed some of his apparel and went away; first, however, instructing her to wash the cast-off shirt by the time he returned. But in relation to this latter theory, the question is how far the result of the inquiries made yesterday is affected by a recent arrest. Although, for reasons known to themselves, the police during Saturday, Sunday, and Monday answered negatively all questions as to whether any person had been arrested or was then in their charge, there is no doubt that a man was taken into custody on suspicion of being the missing lodger from 22, Batty-street, and that he was afterwards set at liberty.
(Message edited by oberlin on September 07, 2004) |
Christopher T George
Chief Inspector
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 895
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 08, 2004 - 1:11 pm: | |
Hi, all
Below is a map of the East End showing the closeness of Batty Street to Berner Street, now known as Henriques Street after a local Jewish philanthropist, Sir Basil Henriques. They are in fact parallel streets, Batty Street being the next street to the east, so the notion that the killer could have had an easy get-away if he was staying in Batty Street makes sense. The Stride murder took place on the west side of Berner Street in Dutfield's Yard, just north of Fairclough Street.
If in fact the lodger was Dr. Francis J. Tumblety as Paul Gainey and Stewart Evans believe, the other clues that are hinted at might have included Tumblety's handwriting, for which Scotland Yard sent a communication to Tumblety's bank in San Francisco to get a sample.
Best regards
Chris George
Christopher T. George
North American Editor
Ripperologist
http://www.ripperologist.info
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Malta Joe
Sergeant
Username: Malta
Post Number: 15
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, September 16, 2004 - 7:20 pm: | |
Good looking map, Chris. I've been searching for a street map myself of the Mitre Square area in the 1888 period which designates two specific streets. Leman Street and Royal Mint Street. I've seen a few Mitre Square maps of that time period, but none of them are particular enough to include those two streets. If anyone has a map that has these two streets, please share it!
Those roads were mentioned in the Fri Oct 19, 1888 Daily News in an article entitled "Remarkable Story." On Wenesday night Oct 17th, a police informant named John Lardy had tailed a "funny-looking man" who had been talking with prostitutes to "Duke Street and through Leman Street. When he reached Royal Mint Street, he walked down King Street." The strange man then went into a house in King Street. (I believe King St. was just north of Mitre Square.)
The "funny-looking man" didn't seem to be doing anything wrong, yet the press and the police treated John Lardy very seriously. They even arrested somebody in Bermondsey later that night who bore a resemblance to this King St. dweller. The Evans-Gainey book disclosed that according to Lardy, this stranger was 6 feet high, with an awry moustache, and had the appearance as an American. They went on to say that the police were most likely interested in him because he matched the description of the missing Batty Street Lodger.
I'd sure like to pin-point where this house in King Street was, but the only reference guide I have is that it is in close proximity to Royal Mint Street + accessible via Leman Street. And I can't find any of those roads on any Mitre Square map!! |
Angel
Sergeant
Username: Angel
Post Number: 16
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, September 16, 2004 - 10:40 pm: | |
Hi Malta Joe,
Leman Street and Royal Mint Street are both south of Whitechapel Rd. The Duke Street connection listed in the article is a stretch of the imagination - if I'm looking at the right map.
Where Commercial Street crosses Whitechapel Road and becomes Commercial Road, Leman Street begins; running south, terminating at the corner of Royal Mint Street and Cable Street.
I have maps of the area. They are incredible large (need to be to make sense of some of the names). I could cut out the relevant sections - these would still be too big to post on Casebook, I imagine.
Please let me know if I can be of any help.
There is no such thing as right or wrong - only places to stand. |
Malta Joe
Sergeant
Username: Malta
Post Number: 16
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 3:12 pm: | |
Hey thanks, Angel. It now sounds like Lardy had tailed his man all over the Mitre Square area on that Wednesday Oct 17th evening before it ended on King Street. What I am very curious about is the location of this house on King Street. Was King Street a long street that covered many blocks?
In the "Police Officials" section of this casebook, we can click on PC Watkins and his walking beat on King Street gets displayed. I'm just wondering if King Street extends further than what was shown on that walking beat route. The whole point of this is that I'm trying to determine if Watkins' beat took him by this King Street house or not.
At least I don't have to bother with Royal Mint or Leman Street anymore thanks to you! I appreciate your help. Please let me know if your map of King Street shows a further extension than this casebook's map shows. Have a terrific weekend! |
Angel
Sergeant
Username: Angel
Post Number: 20
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 7:20 pm: | |
Hi Malta Joe,
No luck. What you see on the Casebook map is what you get. Sorry I couldn't be more help.
Have a good one yourself.
There is no such thing as right or wrong - only places to stand. |
Malta Joe
Sergeant
Username: Malta
Post Number: 17
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2004 - 12:37 pm: | |
I'm inclined to believe that the Casebook map displays King Street in its entirety, and that this street is very short. The Eddowes' murder was very thought provoking. The act of committing this crime within the confines of a policeman's 14 minute walking beat couldn't have been done without preparation. The killer probably had previously timed the duration of this walk upon each constable who conducted this beat. The Ripper possibly could have clocked the slowest constable and even noted the time of night when he'd come on duty. A problem with this is that it would attact way too much attention to stand around vagrantly in public every evening while clocking these men. But that problem gets solved if the murderer had an indoor dwelling place on King Street. From here he can time this beat inconspicuously from a window. So in the days proceeding the Mitre Square murder, did the constable conveniently make his rounds in front of the possible killer's rented King Street home?
The attention given to Lardy by the police + Daily News was rather peculiar. Lardy really had nothing to report. "We saw a man briefly talk with prostitutes, and we followed him home." Come on, that's nothing. Yet his story was showcased and a conference was set up between Lardy and the head detective at the Old Jewry. Evans + Gainey had speculated that the City Police's big interest was because Lardy's description of the King Street dweller was close to the likeness of the missing Batty Street lodger. Add to this the possible idea that this "Funny-looking, 6 foot American with the awry moustache" had a place where he can secretly observe and time the movements of constables, and one can see why Lardy was popular with the press + police.
I always felt that Eddowes' murderer knew in advance how much time he had to work with while inside Mitre Square. The Ripper probably had a pocket watch on him which he referred to as to when to vacate the Square and head to Batty St. via Goulston. But a constant mystery to me was how Jack was able to reconnaissance the Mitre Square area without detection. An indoor King Street observation point may be the answer.
Thanks for the King Street map, Casebook! |
R.J. Palmer
Inspector
Username: Rjpalmer
Post Number: 459
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2004 - 1:50 pm: | |
Malta Joe-- London geography is pretty confusing. Unfortunately, every little street in London has it's own name, and, as there were literally thousands of streets in London, there were dozens of "King Streets"----quite a number of them in the East End alone. I believe the King Street you're referring to north of Mitre Square is Kings Street (Aldgate). This can't be the one described by Lardy. There was also King Street (St. George in the East--which was next to Batty); King Street (Brick Lane); King Street (St. Paul, Whitechapel), etc. The King Street in question, I believe, is King Street, Little Tower Hill, Whitechapel, which was south of of Whitechapel Road, somewhere near the junction of Minories and Royal Mint Street. If you're confused, I don't blame you, but somehow, it's more palatable to me than the large American cities with their 234th Streets, and 188th Avenues.
Here's a link to Snow's 1859 Map of London that’s fun to play around with. You won't find King Street, but you'll be able to find Royal Mint and the basic location.
http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/snow/1859map/map1859.html |
Robert Clack
Inspector
Username: Rclack
Post Number: 317
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2004 - 4:35 pm: | |
Hi Malta Joe
Not sure if this map will reproduce very clearly for you. It may be just clear enough for you to get a general idea. If it doesn't send me an e-mail and I will send you back a higher resolution copy.
This one should be okay it is King Street. The "Royal" to the right is the beginning of Royal Mint Street.
Rob |
R.J. Palmer
Inspector
Username: Rjpalmer
Post Number: 461
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2004 - 4:49 pm: | |
Excellent visuals, Mr. Clack. Well done. |
Robert Clack
Inspector
Username: Rclack
Post Number: 318
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2004 - 5:02 pm: | |
Thanks R.J.
And please call me Rob.
I should also point out that both maps are from 1894.
All the best
Rob |
Malta Joe
Sergeant
Username: Malta
Post Number: 18
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 20, 2004 - 1:22 pm: | |
Hello R.J. + Rob,
You both got on top of this really well. Fine job. You've clearly shown that the King Street which Lardy spoke of was definitely well south of Mitre Square, and that it couldn't have come within the borders of Watkins' beat. I still think it's probable that Jack privately observed + timed the movements of Mitre Square constables beforehand, but Snow's London map and Rob's maps obviously prove that I'd be barking up the wrong tree by linking any of that with the Royal Mint St. account.
I do feel sorry for the mail deliverers in those days. I'd hate to have to deliver a letter to King Street back then. With my luck, I would have gone to ten different King Streets before I stumbled across the right one! I think I'll spend the rest of the day learning these maps. Thanks for putting me wise to them. Bye.
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Tiddley boyar
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Monday, September 20, 2004 - 6:55 am: | |
Excellent quality and scale of map. Do you have one covering Batty Street and also Mitre Square and surrounding area? Would be of great interest to me. Regards T.B. |
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