Morning Advertiser (London)
16 October 1888
THE WHITEHALL MYSTERY.
The police are said to be in possession of an important piece of evidence in connexion with the discovery of the mutilated body under the new police buildings at Westminster. An inhabitant of Llanelly, in South Wales, happened to be in Cannon-row on the Saturday before the body was found, and at an hour when the place was practically deserted. His attention was directed to a man who climbed over a hoarding into the ground whereon the new police office is being erected, and where afterwards the body was discovered. Two other men were with him who had a barrow on which was a bundle. The whole proceeding seemed curious, and afterwards, when the remains were found, the Welshman handing in his information and a description of the man. A workman has since been interviewed in the vicinity, and he is said to have admitted having been on the spot on the day in question, though his business there is not very clear.
ATTEMPTED MURDER IN CAMBERWELL.
Great excitement was caused in the neighbourhood of Camberwell last night by the report that a woman with her throat cut had been found in the gutter of Hornsby-road. The woman, who is named Brett, and is about 40 years old, had been living for some time past with a carman named Olney, aged 64. About two weeks ago a sailor named Frank Hall, aged 19, came to live with them. Last night they were together, and shortly before ten o'clock a discussion ensued, in which the woman said, "We'll give Frank 10s. if he'll get rid of me." No sooner had the words been uttered than Hall, it is alleged, took up a large carving-knife and cut the unfortunate woman's throat. She rushed into the street, where she staggered and fell. Inspector Taylor, of the B division, with several constables, put in an appearance with great promptitude. On being asked by the inspector who committed the deed, the woman replied, "Frank did it." Dr. Munyard was called, and stated that the wound was a dangerous one, extending from ear to ear. A search was at once made, and the two men were discovered in bed. On the way to the station in High-street, Peckham, the youth said he was "Jack the Ripper," and wanted to know if they thought he was the "Whitechapel bloke."
Michael M'Carthy, 19, respectably dressed, was charged, before Mr. Slade, with assaulting Mrs. Poole by striking her on the face with his clenched fist.-The prosecutrix was walking towards her home early on Sunday morning in company with her husband when she alleged that she saw the defendant walk across the Neckinger-road, Bermondsey, and strike a woman, knocking her down. The prosecutrix went to her assistance, and the defendant, who had walked on some distance, when he saw her helping the woman to rise, returned to the spot and struck her on the face with his clenched fist. She fell with great violence, and was injured severely on the left side. As soon as the defendant committed the assault he ran away, but he was caught and given into the custody of Police-constable 282 M. When told the charge he said he did not care, as he was "Jack the Ripper" for the night.-The defendant now declared that he was not the person who knocked the first woman down, and that, in fact, he went to her assistance after she had been assaulted by a number of young men. The prosecutrix then came up and interfered, and he merely pushed her and she fell down.-Mrs. Elizabeth Rudkin, the woman referred to, was called, and said the defendant was not the man who assaulted her, but she admitted that she went to the police-station with the prosecutrix and complained to the inspector that she had been assaulted by the defendant.-Mr. Slade sentenced the accused to two months' hard labour.
THREATENING WITH A KNIFE.-At the Portsmouth Police Court, yesterday, a man named Birchin, aged 50, was sentenced to three months' hard labour for assaulting his wife. Since the Whitechapel murders the prisoner had frequently rushed about the house at night with an open knife threatening to repeat the Whitechapel atrocities upon his wife and three daughters. He was kneeling upon his wife and flourishing a knife when seized by a neighbour.
George Sullivan, 30, a man of peculiar appearance, was charged, on remand, with disorderly conduct and with threatening to stab Mrs. Ellen Jansen, of 42, St. George's-street, E.-The evidence of the prosecutrix showed that between ten and eleven o'clock on the night of Saturday week the prisoner came into her mother's beer-house and asked to be served. He behaved in such a suspicious manner that the witness would not serve him. The accused walked up and down the bar, and Mrs. Jansen told him not to annoy the customers. He had a long knife in his hand, and with it made an upward motion, saying, "Look here; I'll do this to you." The prisoner went out and she followed him, but lost him. She, however, found him in a public-house, and he then said "You can't lock me up. I've only just come out of Colney-hatch. I was there two years." The witness gave him into custody. She was very much frightened by the conduct of the prisoner.-On the last occasion Mr. G. Stacey, relieving officer, said the accused was insane, and had been in several lunatic asylums.-Sullivan denied that he threatened to stab the prosecutrix.-He was sent to the workhouse as a lunatic.
