Freeman's Journal and Daily Commercial Advertiser
Dublin, Ireland
Wednesday, 10th October 1888
THE LONDON MURDERS
A DETECTIVE STABBED
EXPERIMENTS WITH BLOODHOUNDS
London, Tuesday
The man who left the three knives at the Bull's Head Tavern, Oxford street, called for them last night, and a detective being in waiting, he was arrested. He was taken to Bow street; but after satisfactorily accounting for himself, was discharged.
The Press Association says that last evening the police at Eyre street hill, Clerkenwell, were informed early this morning that a man had assaulted a woman in the neighbourhood. Detective-sergeant John Robinson, of the G Division, having been informed that the man had entered a cab yard in Phoenix lace, borrowed a cloak and hat, secreted himself behind some cabs. Some Italians afterwards entered the yard to see if he had been successful in capturing the man, when men employed in the yard went up to the sergeant and demanded to know what he wanted there. He told them he was a police officer, and they went away, but afterwards two other men came up and told the officer to clear out, as they were going to protect their master's property. One of them struck him a violent blow in the face, and taking from his pocket a knife stabbed the officer in the face, while the other man kicked him. The officer called out that he was stabbed, and a young man named Henry Doncaster came to his assistance. Doncaster was also assaulted and stabbed. Police assistance arriving, the two men were arrested and taken to King's Cross road Police Station, where the injuries of Robinson and Doncaster were dressed by the police surgeon.
Another arrest on suspicion was made in Clerkenwell last night in connection with the Whitechapel murder, but that man was afterwards liberated.
At Clerkenwell Police Court to-day James Phillips, aged thirty-seven, and William Jarvis, aged forty, cab-washers, were charged with being concerned together in cutting and wounding Police Sergeant Robinson at Phoenix-place, Clerkenwell, and further, with cutting and wounding Henry Doncaster at the same time and place. Both prisoners had blood-stained bandages on their heads, and Robinson had cuts on the nose and forehead.
Robinson detailed the circumstances under which he followed a suspected man into the cab-yard, Phoenix-place. Witness was dressed in a woman's hat and mantle. The prisoners came into the yard and he explained his presence there, whereupon Jarvis drew a pocket knife and stabbed him in the face, and the other prisoner kicked him.
Henry Doncaster, who had his hand bandaged, said he also was watching a suspected person in the cab-yard. He pursued Jarvis after the latter had stabbed Robinson, but Jarvis attacked him with some weapon.
Both prisoners said they were protecting their master's property.
Dr Mallon described the wounds received, and said those of Robinson and Doncaster could not have been caused by a sharp instrument. They might have been caused by the blunt point of a knife.
Both prisoners were remanded for a week. Bail was asked, but the magistrate declined to grant it.
Other arrests were made and the prisoners subsequently liberated.
A man was arrested in Covent-garden this morning on suspicion of being concerned in the East End murders. He was released after inquiries were made. Another man was arrested in Whitechapel, but he also was speedily released.
Sir Charles Warren witnessed a private trial of bloodhounds in Hyde park this morning, two famous stud hounds, Barnaby and Burgho, belonging to Mr Brough, of Scarborough, being employed. Six runs were made, Sir Charles himself twice acting as the hunted man. The trail was sometimes crossed, and the dogs were temporarily checked, but on the whole, considering the coldness of the scent, the experiments cannot be considered altogether disappointing. The Chief Commissioner appeared pleased with the result of the trials.
Another account of the trials says:- Two hounds belonging to Mr Edwin Brough were obtained, and at seven a m Sir Charles met them and their keeper at Albert Gate. Sir Charles offered to act as the hunted man, and set off towards Bayswater. After he went out of sight the dogs were released, and after making one or two faults where the track had been crossed, they winded their man. Another of the party next gave a run of seven hundred yards, and the hounds successfully found it. These hounds will be kept ready where they can be summoned instantly, and reach Whitechapel in less than half an hour.
The Press Association states that an arrest took place this evening in the East End district of Haggerston. A man was noticed making inquiries at lodginghouses, and acting generally, it was thought, in a suspicious way. The attention of a policeman was called to him, and he was taken into custody and brought to Commercial street Police Station at nine o'clock, where he was detained pending inquiries. These having been made, the police considered there was no reason for keeping the man in custody, and he was liberated after an hour and a half. There has been no other arrest to-day.
A letter was received by the police authorities at the Castle yesterday afternoon, purporting to have been forwarded by "Jack the Ripper," and stating that he intends visiting Dublin this week for the purpose of committing a murder. The letter, which was signed "Leather Apron" and "Jack the Ripper" is believed to have been written by some silly person who has been reading communications recently published in connection with the Whitechapel murders. The letter stated that a murder of a woman would be committed either in the east or west of Dublin; that the writer was determined to do away with unfortunates, and his reason for doing so was because his sister had joined them. He defied Mr. Malton and all his detectives to discover him.
