London was horrified yesterday morning by the report of another murder and mutilation case, and under circumstances that unhappily lend much probability to the thought that it is a repetition of the tragedies of last year. The locality is within the quarter of a mile radius common to the previous murders, and within a stone’s throw of, and between the scene of the death place of Catherine Eddows [sic] in Mitre-square and that of the Miller’s-court murder. It is stated that the police and a gentleman called Backert, who took a leading part in the Vigilance proceedings last year, have recently received letters from "Jack the Ripper," stating that he would recommence his work in July. I suppose we shall witness a revival of the terror which convulsed Whitechapel last autumn. And can we wonder at it or blame the people, who will feel how entirely helpless they are in the presence of such a danger.
LATEST NEWS.
London, Thursday.
[CENTRAL NEWS AND OTHER TELEGRAMS.]
ANOTHER EAST END TRAGEDY.
"JACK THE RIPPER" AGAIN AT WORK.
There seems to be little doubt that the murder which took place in Castle Alley, Whitechapel, early yesterday morning was the work of the miscreant who last year perpetrated the series of horrible crimes which made the district so notorious. The victim in this tragedy has been identified as a woman named Alice Mackenzie [McKenzie]. The mutilation of the body was not so extensive as in previous cases, but the theory is that this was because the murderer was disturbed before he had time to complete his ghastly task. Several arrests were made yesterday, but after a short detention the men were discharged. The inquest was opened last evening and was adjourned till to-day.
LATEST DETAILS
This morning, at the Working Lads’ Institute, Whitechapel, Mr Wynne Baxter, coroner for South-East London [sic], resumed the inquiry into the death of Alice Mackenzie, who was found murdered in Castle Alley, yesterday morning. - The first witness called was detective-Inspector Reid. He said: I received a call about five minutes past one o’clock and went to Castle Alley at once. I found the alley was guarded by policemen at the Wentworth-street end. I saw the body of the deceased lying on the pavement, I saw the cut in the left side of the throat and a quantity of blood had run into the gutter towards Wentworth-street. Her clothes were up and she was lying on her back. I felt her face and legs and found they were warm. Dr Phillips then arrived. Search was made in the neighbourhood. Underneath the body of the deceased was found this clay pipe, which I now produce. It was covered with blood, and had some unburnt tobacco in it. I also found a bronze farthing, which I also produce. There was blood on it. The fence on the other side of the alley to where the body was found is about 10 feet high. Close to where the body was found were some barrows chained together. There are altogether five lamps in Castle Alley. I do not think a stranger would go down Castle Alley unless he was taken down. Two Police constables are constantly passing through Castle Alley all night. It is hardly ever left alone for five minutes. Although it is called an alley, it is a narrow court leading into a broad turning, there being also another narrow entrance. Any stranger looking at it from Wentworth-street would look upon it as a blind street. It was raining when the body was removed. The spot where deceased was lying was dry, except where there was blood. I searched deceased at the mortuary. Her clothing was in a filthy condition, and I should think she was one of the lowest type of unfortunates. There is no doubt the deed was committed on the spot where the woman was found. No person unless they went along the path could have seen the body. It was necessary to use the constable’s lamp in order to see the cut in the woman’s throat. - By the Jury: The pipe had not been smoked, and was what they termed in a lodging house a "nose warmer." - Mrs Smith, recalled, said the laundry closed at eight o’clock, and the baths at ten o’clock, but it was usually 11 o’clock before all the men were gone. - Dr George Baxter Phillips, divisional surgeon of police to the H Division, spoke to being summoned at one o’clock to Castle Alley and seeing the body under the gas lamp. - Yesterday he made a post mortem examination. Rigor Mortis was well marked, especially in the limbs, the body was still warm. On one of the legs was a well defined bruise about the size of a shilling, and on the right side, an inch below the junction of the collar bone, with the breast bone was a large well defined bruise. Seven inches below the right nipple, in a line continuous with it, commenced an external wound seven inches long, and deepest at its middle part. It only divided the skin and subcutaneous tissues, but did not divide any muscular structure, and did not communicate with the internal cavity of the abdomen. There were seven scored wounds, and from the middle of the larger wound were nine other scored wounds, reaching only through the skin. - The wound in the neck was four inches long, reaching from the top of the neck into the muscles, which were almost entirely divided. It reached from the fore part of the neck to a point four inches below the chin. It must have taken a somewhat upward direction, and judging by various smaller wounds, the first incision seemed to have been interrupted by the prominence of the lower jaw. There was a second incision, which he took it was commenced from behind, immediately below the first described incision. The second incision joined the first incision in its deepest part, which was immediately over the carotid vessels, which were entirely severed down to the spinal column. The second wound was about four inches below the angle of the mouth. He had not the slightest doubt the cause of death was syncope, arising from loss of blood, and that such death probably was almost instantaneous. There was not any division of the upper portion or any portion of the air passages. - The Coroner, addressing the jury, said the doctor desired to preserve certain points, and he, therefore, proposed the further examination of Phillips should be postponed until after the adjournment, which was fixed for August 14th, at 10 a.m.
There are no persons in custody at present in connection with the murder.
IS THE MURDERER LEFT HANDED?
Having described the nature and position of the wound on the neck, the New York Herald (London Edition) says:- This shows clearly two things - the first being that the man stood behind her. The second is a bit of evidence that may turn out to be very important. It is that the murderer is left-handed; no right-handed man could, by any possibility, have made the wound that appeared.
The theory that most generally prevails is that the murderer is a religious crank, who imagines he has a mission to perform, and like the fanatics of Mahomet’s time, the more atrocious the butcheries he performs the greater the saint he thinks himself.
A WOMAN’S STORY.
Telegraphing at nine p.m., the Central News says:- The murderer still remains undiscovered, and the police have as far as is known no clue to work upon. Early this morning a woman reported at a police station in Walworth, South London, that she was accosted last night in Bishopsgate by a man who said he lived in Walworth, and persuaded her to accompany him there. As they passed along an unfrequented thoroughfare he attempted to force her down on the ground, and when she screamed drew a long-bladed knife and threatened to rip her up. She, however, continued to call for help, and as footsteps were heard approaching her assailant decamped. He was pursued by a passer-by, but succeeded in escaping. The woman described the man as of dark complexion, about 5 feet 9 inches in height, and wearing black clothes. The description has been circulated throughout the Metropolitan police district. The police authorities decline to state whether they consider the incident may afford any help in elucidating the Whitechapel mystery. The Peterborough police said that Alice MacKenzie, who was murdered in Castle Alley, was not a native of that city. Six months ago she was arrested there on a charge of vagrancy, being intoxicated when arrested. Nothing was previously known of her. She said she came from Scotland.
LIST OF THE EAST-END MURDERS.
Since Christmas week in 1887 eight women have been murdered in the East End under mysterious circumstances, five of them within a period of eight weeks. The following are the dates of the crimes and names of the victims so far as known:-
DR BARNARDO SENT TO GAOL.
In the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, Dr Barnardo appealed against the decision of Queen’s Bench granting attachment for contempt of court in not producing a child called Martha Tigh, who had been taken from her mother’s home at Bristol, and placed in one of the appellants homes. Dr. Barnardo made arrangements for sending the child to Canada, and when the mother demanded its return he handed it over to a lady who took it to France. Steps having been taken in the English Courts to obtain the return of the child, Dr. Barnardo wrote to the lady, who refused to return it because she believed that it had been ill-treated by its natural guardians. - The Master of the Rolls in delivering judgement said Dr. Barnardo, in his zeal for his own benevolent objects, had overlooked the rights of the people and the law of the country. Having done so he must take the consequences, and he was accordingly committed to prison.
