The City Press (London)
Wednesday, 3 October 1888.
Two more frightful tragedies have been added to the list of those brutal murders which have sent a thrill of horror through the whole of London, and this time one of the unhappy victims met her untimely fate within the precincts of the City. Shortly before two o'clock on Sunday morning it was discovered that a woman had been murdered and horribly mutilated in Mitre-square, Aldgate. It appears that Police-constable Watkins, 881, was going round his beat, when he saw the body of a woman, apparently lifeless, lying in a pool of blood. Upon the arrival of Dr. Gordon Brown, the divisional police doctor, it was discovered that the woman was quite dead. Her throat was cut half-way round, and blood had flowed out in great quantities from the wound, staining the pavement for some distance. Inspector Collard, who was in command at the Bishopsgate Police-station at the time the body was discovered, arrived quickly upon the scene, which was afterwards visited by Major Smith and Superintendent Foster. The City detectives have now the matter in hand. The Lord Mayor (representing the Corporation) has offered a reward of £500 to any person who will give such information as shall lead to the apprehension of the murderer. This fact alone has probably allayed the fears of the Eastenders, and the City authorities have been thanked for their prompt action in the matter. Motions to the effect that the Corporation should offer rewards had been placed upon to-morrow's paper of business by Mr. L. H. Phillips and Mr. S. Price, but these have, of course, been withdrawn, as a result of the Lord Mayor's action. Other rewards have been offered by Mr. H. Marks, of the Financial News, and Colonel Sir Alfred Kirby, on behalf of the Tower Hamlets Engineers. Sir Alfred has also expressed his willingness to place the services of 50 members of his corps at the disposal of the authorities, to be utilized in any way they may consider desirable at this juncture, either for the protection of the public or the detection of the criminals.
The inquest on the body of the unfortunate woman will be opened at the Golden-lane mortuary to-morrow.
WHEN the Post Office in High-street, Aldgate, was opened on Monday morning, only a few yards from where the murder was committed, it was discovered that it had been entered by burglars, and the safe forced. £370 was locked in one draw of the safe, and there was about £70 in a bowl just inside one of the compartments. Stamps to the amount of £350 were also in the safe. The burglars carried off the money in the bowl and the stamps, but could not force the draw in which the larger amount of money was locked. £3 belonging to the postmaster was also taken from an upper room in the house. The post office was entered from an adjoining empty house. No clue to the thief has been obtained up to the present.
