Daily News
United Kingdom
18 October 1888
THE EAST-END MURDERS.
A HOUSE-TO-HOUSE SEARCH.
Sir Charles Warren announces that the marked desire evinced by the inhabitants of the Whitechapel district to aid the police in the pursuit of the author of the recent crimes has enabled him to direct that, subject to the consent of the occupiers, a thorough house-to-house search should be made within a defined area. With few exceptions the inhabitants-of all classes and creeds-have freely fallen in with the proposal, and have materially assisted the officers engaged in carrying it out. Sir Charles Warren feels that some acknowledgment is due for the cordial co-operation of the inhabitants, and he is much gratified that the police officers have carried out so delicate a duty with the marked goodwill of all those with whom they have come in contact. Sir Charles also acknowledges the receipt of an immense volume of correspondence of a semi-private character on the subject of the Whitechapel murders which he has been quite unable to respond to in a great number of instances, and he trusts that the writers will accept this acknowledgment in lieu of individual replies. They may be assured that their letters have received every consideration.
From more than one source the police authorities have, it is said, received information tending to show that the East-end murderer is a foreigner who was known as having lived within a radius of a few hundred yards from the scene of the Berner-street tragedy. The very place where he lodges is asserted to be within official cognizance. If the man be the real culprit, he lived some time ago with a woman, by whom he has been accused. Her statements are, it is stated, now being inquired into. In the meantime the suspected assassin is "shadowed." Incriminating evidence of a certain character has already been obtained, and, should implicit credence be placed upon the story of the woman already referred to, whose name will not transpire under any circumstances until after his guilt is prima facie established, a confession of the crimes may, it is said, be looked for at any moment. The accused is himself aware, it is believed, of the suspicions entertained against him. With regard to the statements current as to finding a blood-stained shirt at a lodging-house in Whitechapel, it appears the story is founded on some matters which occurred more than a fortnight ago. A man, apparently a foreigner, visited the house of a German laundress, at 22, Batty-street, and left four shirts, tied in a bundle, to be washed. The bundle was not opened at the time, but when the shirts were afterwards taken out one was found considerably blood-stained. The woman communicated with the police, who placed the house under observation, detectives at the same time being lodged there to arrest the man should he return. This he did last Saturday, and was taken to the Leman-street Police-station, where he was questioned, and within an hour or two released, his statement being proved correct. Some strange statements have been made with reference to a foreigner, residing in the Leman-street district, who has already been in custody on suspicion of being concerned in the murders, and who was released after an exhaustive inquiry. It has been reported to the authorities that this man has again been seen flourishing a knife, and acting in a suspicious manner in the neighbourhood. The police are keeping him under surveillance at present, as there are some doubts as to his state of mind. It should be mentioned, however, that while the man was previously in custody a doctor declined to pronounce him insane. The additional police and detectives are still on night duty over the greater portion of the eastern police district.
At the Thames Police-court yesterday morning, the divisional surgeon of police and the relieving officer asked the magistrates to sign the necessary papers for the removal to an asylum of a woman whose mind appeared to have been affected by the recent murders. The doctor's certificate stated that the woman, whose name is Sarah Goody, aged 40, a needlewoman, living at Wild-street, Stepney, had told him (the doctor) that she was followed about by a man who watched her movements, and who intended to do her harm. She was in such a terrified condition that she could neither eat nor sleep.-The lunatic attendant stated that the woman declared that she was followed about by murderers, who intended catching her. On one occasion she asked her landlady to see if there was any writing on the shutters.-Mr. Lushington signed the necessary papers.
THE WHITEHALL MYSTERY.
ANOTHER DISCOVERY OF REMAINS.
One of the missing legs belonging to the human trunk found a fortnight ago in a vault at the new police offices on the Thames Embankment was discovered yesterday afternoon in the same vault, and within a few feet of the spot upon which the trunk had rested. The discovery was made by a Spitzbergen dog belonging to a gentleman whose faith in its scenting powers induced him to offer its services to the police. The animal was taken to the site of the new police buildings between 11 and 12 o'clock yesterday morning, and was placed in the vault where the former discovery was made. Only a short time elapsed before the dog commenced sniffing suspiciously at a mound of earth, and at the suggestion of a reporter who was present some tools were obtained, and the earth was thrown over. As the work proceeded the dog became excitable, and at length, after a considerable quantity of the earth had been dug up, the animal seized upon a strange-looking object, to which adhered a quantity of the damp soil. An examination of this was made, and the object was found to be a portion of a human leg that had been severed at the knee-joint. Upon the leg was a portion of a stocking, or of some other woolen substance. Immediately upon this important discovery being made, several special detectives were sent for, and a medical man was also summoned to the spot. The latter took charge of the limb, with the view of making a detailed examination of it. It was generally supposed that the police had searched the whole of the ground surrounding the spot where the trunk was discovered. This, of course, could not have been the case, unless the leg had been placed within the past few days under the mound of earth where it was found yesterday morning, and this is not believed to have been possible, the ground having been strictly guarded during the past fortnight. The case so far bears some resemblance to the Wainwright murder. The authorities do not in any way connect it with the Whitechapel crimes.-During the afternoon search was made by the police who are in charge of the works for the other missing parts of the body, but when they gave up their search, shortly before five o'clock, nothing further had been discovered. Dr. Bond has pronounced the limb to be the left leg of a well-developed woman, and there is no doubt that it belonged to the trunk which was discovered a fortnight ago. The leg, together with a quantity of the earth in which it was embedded, was made into a parcel by Inspector Peters, who is [in] charge of the case, and sealed. It is stated that the police have received important information in connection with the case, and are sanguine that the mystery will be solved. The owner of the dog is Mr. Jasper T.C. Wariug.
It is reported that Sir Charles Warren has decided upon a house-to-house search in a prescribed area at Whitechapel for the perpetrator of the recent murders.
A portion of a human leg was found at the site of the new police offices, Whitehall, yesterday, near the spot where the trunk of an unknown woman was discovered a fortnight since. In the present instance the discovery was made by the aid of a dog. Dr. Bond has examined the leg, and expressed the opinion that it is part of the remains of a finely-developed woman and that it must have been deposited at least six weeks ago.
THE COURT.
BALMORAL, Oct. 17.
The Queen went out yesterday morning, attending by the Hon. Evylyn Moore.
In the afternoon Her Majesty, with their Royal Highnesses the Princess of Wales, Prince and Princess Henry of Battenberg, and Princess Maud of Wales, attended by Miss Minnie Cochrane, drove to the Gelder Shiel.
The Dowager Marchioness of Ely, Lady Ampthill, the Very Rev. James Cameron Lees, D.D., and Dr. James Reid, have left; and the Countess of Erroll, Miss McNeill, and the Marquis of Landsdowne, G.C.M.G., have arrived at the Castle.
The Countess of Erroll has succeeded Lady Ampthill as Lady-in-Waiting to the Queen.
Their Royal Highnesses the Princess of Wales, Prince Albert Victor, Princesses Louise, Victoria and Maud of Wales, and Princess Frederica with Baron von Pawel Rammingen, dined with her Majesty.
Miss Knollys, in attendance on the Princess of Wales, the Marquis of Lansdowne, and Viscount Cross had the honour of being invited.
