Further details of this attempted murder states that the woman who was the victim of this outrage was named Annie Farmer. She is stated to be a married woman of good appearance, and about 38 years of age. A woman who stated she had some knowledge of the circumstances, said the injured woman, who is also known as Matilda, has been in the habit of lodging in common lodging-houses in the locality, and has known the man who attacked her for about twelve months. About 7 o'clock she met the man near Spitalfields Church, and she stated that she was not able to pay for a bed. The man thereupon accompanied her to 19 George street running from Flower and Dean street to Thrawl street. About half past 9 the man hurriedly left the house, and almost immediately the woman came down stairs with her throat cut and bleeding profusely. It appears that when the man attempted to cut her throat a struggle ensued and she was able to give the alarm. Her assailant then fled, and was observed to leave the house hurriedly, but the man who saw him attached no importance to the circumstance. Others, however, who heard the alarm followed, but lost him in the direction of Heneage street. The woman says she can identify him, and the police have issued the following description:-
"Wanted for the attempted murder on the 21st inst, a man aged 36 years; height, 5 feet 6 inches; complexion dark; no whiskers; dark moustache; dress - black jacket, vest and trousers; round black felt hat; respectable appearance; can be identified."
On arriving at the police station Farmer was placed in a warm comfortable room and interrogated. She was suffering, however, from the effects of drink, and was in such a stupid condition that neither a coherent narrative nor a satisfactory description of her assailant could be extracted from her. It was not indeed until the evening that the woman had sufficiently recovered from her debauch to answer the questions with anything like clearness, and the description which she ultimately gave of the attempt on her life, and the appearance of the would-be murderer was somewhat confusing. It seems certain, however, that the man was not a stranger to Farmer, and that she had known him as a casual acquaintance for about twelve months. This, together with the evidence of some of the men who pursued the fugitive, has furnished the police with a clue which it is hoped they will follow to a successful issue.
