THE PENSIONER'S STATEMENT - ANOTHER FUTILE ARREST - FUNERAL OF THE LATEST VITIM
There is not much of interest of importance to chronicle in connection with the latest of the Whitechapel murders. The pensioner, Edward Stanley, whose name has been constantly mentioned in conjunction with that of the murdered woman, Annie Chapman, attended at the Commercial-street police-station last night and made a statement. His explanation of his proceedings is regarded as perfectly satisfactory, and as affording no possible ground for associating him in any way with the recent outrage. Since the Sunday before the murder (when Stanley last saw the murdered woman) he has been following his usual employment, and has taken no steps to conceal his movements. The man is described as superior to the ordinary run of those who frequent the lodging-houses of Spitalfields. He states that he has known Chapman for about two years, and denies that she was of a quarrelsome disposition. So far as he is aware there was no man with whom she was on bad terms, or who would have any reason for seeking her life. Stanley will attend the inquest when the proceedings are resumes, though his evidence is not expected to throw much light on the tragedy.
Another apparently futile arrest was made by the police last night. A man named Edward McKenna was apprehended by the police and take to Commercial-street police-station. The man gives an address at 15, Brick-lane, Whitechapel. The most suspicious article found upon him was a small table-knife, rather the worse for wear, which McKenna asserts he uses for the purpose of cutting his food. According to his own statement, which is fairly detailed, the man has recently been on tramp in Kent, and has only just returned to London. He gains a living by peddling laces, and other small articles. The police do not attach great importance to the arrest, but detained McKenna for inquiries. A certain Mrs Lloyd and her daughter are said to have seen such a man as McKenna rushing through Heath-street on Monday night, a crowd of boys on his heels and a knife behind his back.
The funeral of Annie Chapman took place early yesterday morning, the utmost secrecy having been observed, and none but the undertaker, police and relatives of the deceased knew anything about the arrangements. Shortly after seven o'clock a hearse drew up outside the mortuary in Montague-street, and the body was quickly removed. At nine o'clock a start was made for Manor-park cemetery. The black-covered elm coffin bore the words, "Annie Chapman, died September 8, 1888, aged 48 years".
Commenting upon the Whitechapel murders and the futile efforts made by the police to arrest the culprit of culprits, the Standard of this morning says:-
"A week has now passed since the last of the Whitechapel murders took place. During that period there has been something more than the customary show of police activity. The coroner has done as much as it lies in the power of a coroner to do to probe the mystery: yet not the smallest approach appears to have been made towards the apprehension of the criminal, or even towards an elucidation of the circumstances of the crime. No trustworthy clue has been obtained; and the only issue of the exertions made is to lessen whatever hope was at first entertained, and the terrible secret might somehow be brought to light. . . . We assume that the police have done their best, and we are far from charging them with in capacity because their best amounts only to failure. . . . They have not arrested any man against whom a reasonable prima facie case could be made out; but they have arrested more than one whom there never was the faintest warrant for suspecting. . . . We are entitled to express our surprise that the police have pounced on persons who were plainly innocent. That they have not succeeded in arresting the culprit is a pity; but they have been energetic in the wrong direction is distinctly a reproach. There is a worse thing than doing nothing: that is, doing something that aught not to be done."
