Morning Advertiser (London)
19 October 1888
THE WHITEHALL DISCOVERY
Contrary to expectation the search at the new police buildings in Whitehall was resumed late on Wednesday night by the light of candles. A bloodhound, one of those which had been used in the Hyde Park experiment, was brought from King-street police-station, and a staff of constables, with Inspectors Peters and Marshall, were engaged for an hour and a half in turning over earth, but when the work was suspended no new discovery had been made. The search was not continued yesterday, except so far as concerns the pumping out of the well on the premises, but the operation was not attended by any important results.
It has transpired that some time ago a carman saw two men and a boy with a cart, conveying a large bundle, stop outside the works. The boy scaled the hoarding and opened the wicket gate, through which the men carried the bundle.
Dr. Bond, divisional surgeon of the A division, made a careful examination yesterday morning at Millbank-street, of the portion of the leg found on Wednesday, and, on comparing it with the trunk already in the mortuary, he is of the opinion that it belongs to the same body. It is, however, in a better state of preservation, and this is accounted for by the fact that it had been sufficiently covered with earth to exclude the air, whereas the trunk was only wrapped up in a skirt. Dr. Bond is also of opinion that both portions of the body had been lying where they were found for more than six weeks, notwithstanding the statements made by people at the works that they were not there on the Friday or Saturday previous to their discovery, and the fact of the leg being in such good preservation is one point in his argument for holding this opinion. The examination lasted for some time, but no marks which might lead to identification were discernible. The foot and leg are exquisitely moulded, and the foot has been well cared for, the nails being well trimmed, while corns or bunions, which would probably have distinguished a woman of the working class, are absent. There is no doubt that these remains belong to the trunk and arm previously found, although, of course, it is impossible to fit them to the trunk, the upper portion of the leg not having been found. All the parts which have been found are now at the mortuary.
Speaking at Tynemouth last night, the president of the Local Government Board said that, notwithstanding that threats had been held out at the opening of the last session that nothing would be done until the Irish question had been settled, the Government were able to pass several useful measures, including the Local Government Act, the Railway Rates Act, and the Merchandise Marks Act.
Mr. Lusk, the president of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, has received by parcel post a cardboard box containing what has been pronounced by a competent medical authority to be half of the left kideny of an adult human being, and a letter stating, with illiterate brutality, that the half-kidney was a moiety of that taken from Catherine Eddowes, and that the other half had been fried and eaten by the writer. The box, with its contents, has been handed over to the detectives at the Leman-street police-station.
A meeting of the Middlesex magistrates was held yesterday at the Sessions-house, Clerkenwell, for the purpose of transacting county business. A report was received from a committee appointed last August, recommending that, for the purpose of electing county councillors, the county should be divided into 54 divisons. The report was adopted.
Benjamin Graham was charged on his own confession, at the Guildhall Police Court yesterday, with having committed the Whitechapel murders. The prisoner was brought to the Snow-hill police-station by a man to whom he had made the alleged confession. In answer to the police officer who took the charge, the prisoner said "I killed the woman and I shall have to suffer for it with the rope." He was remanded.
At the Stratford Police Court yesterday, Fredk. Bass was committed for trial on the charge of having attempted to poison his wife and three children. The prisoner recently surrendered himself to the police, and stated that he had put oxalic acid in some tea for the purpose of poisoning his wife and family. On inquiry the police (text missing).
THE LORD MAYOR AND THE PRESS. - The Lord Mayor requests us to say that he is not responsible for the ridiculous statements attributed to him in the foreign Press, and now reproduced in England, in regard to the character of the population and the detection of crime in the metropolis, and that he utterly disclaims having made such statements or entertaining any such absurd and contemptible opinions.
THE WHITECHAPEL MURDERS.
REVOLTING DISCLOSURE
From inquiries made at Mile-end last night we are enabled to give particulars, on the most trustworthy authority, concerning the receipt of certain letters and a parcel at the house of a member of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee. Mr. George Lusk, builder, of Alderney-road, Globe-road, Mile-end, has received several letters purporting to be from the perpetrator of the Whitechapel murders, but believing them to have been the production of some practical joker, he has regarded them as of no consequence. A letter delivered shortly after five o'clock on Tuesday evening, however, was accompanied by a cardboard box containing what appeared to be a portion of a kidney. The letter was in the following terms :- "From Hell. Mr. Lusk, - Sir, I send you half the kidne I took from one woman, prasarved it for you ; tother piece I fried and ate, it was very nice. I may send you the bloody knif that took it out if you only wate whil longer. Signed, 'Catch me when you can,' Mr. Lusk." The receiver was at first disposed to think that another hoax had been perpetrated, but eventually decided to take the opinion of the Vigilance Committee. Mr. Harris, the hon. secretary, accordingly convened a meeting at the "Crown" public-house, and the members met on Wednesday evening, there being present: Messrs. Lusk, Harris, Aarons, Lawton, and Reeves. The members could, of course, give no opinion as to whether the kidney was human or not, but they decided that on the following (yesterday) morning they would take the contents of the cardboard box to a medical man, whose surgery is next door to the "Crown." Mr. F. S. Reed, who is assistant to Dr. Wiles, examined the contents of the box in the presence of Mr. Aarons and several members of the committee. Mr. Reed declared the substance to be the half of a human kidney which had been divided longitudinally ; but in order to remove any reason for doubt he conveyed it to Dr. Openshaw, who is pathological curator of the London Hospital Museum. The doctor examined it, and pronounced it to be a portion of a human kidney - a "ginny" kidney, that is to say, one that had belonged to a person who had drunk heavily. He was further of the opinion that it was the organ of a woman of about 45 years of age, and that it had been taken from the body within the last three weeks. It will be within public recollection that the left kidney was missing from the woman Eddowes, who was murdered and mutilated in Mitre-square. Mr. Lusk and Mr. Harris took the parcel yesterday to Scotland-yard, but the police authorities there referred them to the detectives at Leman-street. At the latter place the officer who is directing inquiries took down Mr. Lusk's statement, which he considered to be of great importance, and the box and its contents were left in the care of the police. Pending further investigation, Mr. Lusk states that a day or two before receiving the box he had sent to him a post-card which he now considers of sufficient importance to make public. It is in the following words : "Say, Boss, you seem rare frightened ; guess I'd like to give you fits, but can't stop time enough to let you box of toys play copper games with me, but hope to see you when I don't hurry so much. Good-bye, Boss.-Mr. Lusk, Head Vigilance Committee, Alderney-street, Mile-end." The letter and post-card are in the hands of the police.
The Vigilance Committee held another meeting late last night at the "Crown" Inn, Mile-end-road, when the communications referred to were further discussed. In the course of the proceedings the question of finances was considered, and as the committee find their funds to be almost exhausted, they earnestly solicit further contributions, which may be sent to Mr. Harris, hon. sec., 83, White Horse-lane, Mile-end.
At the Guildhall Police Court yesterday, before Mr. Alderman Renals, Benjamin Graham, 42, glassblower, of 14, Fletcher's-row, Clerkenwell, was charged, on his own confession, with committing the Whitechapel murders. - Detective Rackley stated that about four o'clock on Wednesday afternoon the prisoner was brought into Snow-hill police-station by a man, who said that the accused had told him that he had committed the murders in Whitechapel. The witness asked him what he had to say, and he replied, "I did kill the women in Whitechapel, and I shall have to suffer for it with a bit of rope." He afterwards said that as he was coming from Whitechapel he knocked a policeman down to get away. The prisoner was examined by a doctor, as it was at first thought that he was insane. The doctor reported that he was not insane. - Detective-sergeant Downes applied for a remand. - Mr. Alderman Renals remanded the accused.
The City Police have in hand a very important piece of information, and have under observation a man whose movements in Whitechapel, Mile-end, and Bermondsey, seem to indicate that he is likely to be the murderer of at least one of the women found slaughtered in the streets of East London. A man supposed to be an American was arrested in Bermondsey at one o'clock yesterday morning, and taken to the police station. His conduct, demeanour, and appearance gave rise to great suspicion, and his apprehension and general particulars were wired to the City Police. Following this episode, a very important conference took place yesterday afternoon between a young man named John Lardy, of 31, Redman's-road, Mile-end, and the head of the Detective Department at the Old Jewry, at which he stated as follows :- "At 10:30 last night I was with a friend and a young woman outside the 'Grave Maurice' Tavern, opposite the London Hospital, when I noticed a man whom I had never seen before come across the road, look into each compartment of the tavern, and enter the house. He came out again directly, and carefully looked up and down the road, and then walked over the road to the front of the hospital, where two women were standing talking. Those women were, I believe, unfortunates. The man said something to them, but I did not hear his words. The women shook their heads and said 'No.' I said to my friend, 'What a funny-looking man ; I wonder if he is the murderer.' My friend replied, 'Let us follow him.' We said good night to our lady friend, and followed the man. When opposite the Pavilion Theatre he drew himself up in an instant, and looked carefully round. We believe that he saw us following him, and he disappeared into a doorway. We stopped for a moment or two, and he came out of his hiding-place, and went into a newpaper shop next door. During the whole time we saw him his right hand was in his overcoat pocket, apparently clutching something. He bought a paper at the shop and folded it up on his chest with his left hand, and then left the shop, looking up and down the road as he did so, and carefully reading the placard boards outside the shop windows. He afterwards started off towards Aldgate, and we followed him. When he got to the corner of Duke-street (the street leading to Mitre-square) he turned, and seeing that we were following him recrossed the road and walked back to Leman-street and went down it. When he reached Royal Mint-street he went into King-street, which is very narrow, and my friend and I ran round to the other end of that street, hoping to see him come out there. Just as we got to the other end of King-street, we heard a door close, and we waited to see if the man re-opened it, for we felt sure that he was the man, although we had not seen him go into the house. We both waited for twenty-five minutes, when we saw the same man come out of a house. He came up the street, and we stepped back and allowed him to pass, and he went in the direction of the Whitechapel-road. He went away so quickly that we lost sight of him in the fog, which was then very thick. The time then was a few minutes after twelve. When he reappeared from the house we noticed that he was very differently dressed to what he was when we first saw him, the most noticeable being his overcoat. At first he was wearing a sort of short frock coat reaching to his knees only, but when he came out of the house in King-street he had on a large overcoat which reached to within three inches of the ground. From what I could see he appeared to be between 40 and 45 years of age, and from 5 feet 11 inches to 6 feet high (a man 5 feet 11 inches was placed before Lardy, who said, 'My man was a little taller than you.' He wore a low hat with a square crown, but I cannot describe either his trousers or boots. He had the appearance of an American ; his cheek bones were high and prominent, his face thin, cheeks sunken, and he had a moustache only, his cheeks and chin being clean shaven. The moustache was, I believe, a false one, for it was all awry, one end pointing upward and the other towards the ground. His hair, was dark, apparently black, and somewhat long."
The narrator, having finished his statement, was asked, "Have you seen the man now in custody?" and replied in the negative. The police subsequently ascertained the truth of this statement, and Lardy left Old Jewry.
From what has subsequently come to the knowledge of the police, it is inferred that on leaving King-street, the stranger made his way over London-bridge into Bermondsey, where he was apprehended, and there is no doubt that the descriptions of the Bermondsey and King-street men tally in every particular.
We have received the following for publication:-
"Sir Charles Warren wishes to say 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 on all sides 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 Warren takes this opportunity of acknowledging 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."
TRIAL OF BLOODHOUNDS AT BRIGHTON. - At an early hour yesterday morning a private trial took place in Preston Park, Brighton, in the presence of a select company of gentlemen, of some bloodhounds which are being exhibited at the Brighton Dog Show. The hounds used were Burgho, Babette, and Blueberry, belonging to Mr. Brough, and Buxom, owned by Mr. Craven, but bred and trained by Mr. Brough. Three trials were made under the personal direction of Mr. Brough. Each was deemed most satisfactory, considering the fact that for the previous two days the dogs had been on the show benches. In the first, which was a short trial, Buxom distinguished herself, in the second Burgho and Blueberry were seen to especial advantage, and in the third Babette took up the scent well, notwithstanding that the line was purposely crossed by gentlemen on horseback. In two out of the three trials Councillor Daniells acted as the hunted man.
DISTRESS IN EAST LONDON.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING ADVERTISER.
SIR, - Very few people know to what an extent genuine poverty exists in this district ; thick masses of poor people are living all around us, and, as a matter of fact, more than 60 per cent. of the population are dependent on some form of charity, and of the remainder by far the greater proportion are mechanics and shop-keepers, who are only just able to make both ends meet. Some are utterly unable to bear the terrible strain, and go to swell the ranks of those who need assistance. For over 30 years I have laboured as the honorary pastor of a church in the Roman-road, Bow, and have been privileged to do much to relieve the terrible distress by which I am surrounded. Many hundred pairs of boots and clothing have been provided for the destitute children attending our Board schools, because the parents are crushed and enfeebled by painful surroundings. The district is carefully visited by mission agency, and the people relieved according to their several necessities. Our mission hall has long been a centre for good work in this respect. But, Sir, the means at my disposal are altogether inadequate to the winter's task, and I am compelled to appeal to your readers to help me with their contributions. The need for help was never greater than it is at present, and I am afraid that the approaching winter will witness an even greater amount of poverty than that to which we are unhappily accustomed. Any sums with which I may be entrusted shall be promptly acknowledged, and I can safely promise that in the disposal due care shall be exercised, so that the really deserving shall benefit. I have for many years made it a rule not to give relief in doles merely, which can only satisfy present needs, but rather to assist those who are struggling in such a way that they may be permanently benefited.
I am, Sir, yours &c.,
E. SCHNADHORST.
St. Stephen's-road, Bow, E., Oct. 18.
The special benefit performance at the Lyceum Theatre, in aid of the Bishop of Bedford's Home and Refuge Fund for the Poor of the East-end of London, will take place this evening, when "Prince Karl" will be played, with Mr. Richard Mansfield in his original character.
