This Number is Greater by
412,000
Than the Number Ever Circulated in
any week by any other
EVENING PAPER IN LONDON.
Shepherd's-bush was startled on Saturday morning by a report that an unfortunate had been murdered and mutilated at Shepherd's-bush-green. The woman, however, was really only drunk and bleeding from a slight wound caused by a fall.
Both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde were seized with a sharp attack of rheumatism on Saturday morning, and in consequence there was no performance at the Lyceum, afternoon or evening. Mr. Mansfield expects to be well enough to appear this evening however, and "Lesbia," a new curtain-raiser by Mr. Richard Davey, will precede the regular performance.
While the orthodox Jews of the East-end were on Saturday celebrating the Day of Atonement by fasting and prayer, the Socialist and Freethinking Hebrews held a banquet at the International Working Men's Club, Berner-street, where speeches were made pointing out that the miseries and degradation of the people were not due to any Divine power, but that they were caused by the capitalists, who monopolised all the means of production and paid starvation wages. The orthodox Jews took great umbrage at this banquet, and assembled in Berner-street in great numbers. The windows of the club were smashed, and when three of the men in the club went out to secure the man who did the damage, they were very roughly handled, till about a hundred of their colleagues went to their assistance. The police subsequently dispersed the mob, and guarded the club till a late hour.
A Victim of Police Listlessness.
James Carroll, well dressed and described as of no occupation, of Statham-street, Westbourne-square, Paddington, was charged with being drunk and disorderly outside Commercial-street Police Station. He entered the police station to report the loss of a watch. He was not sober and insulted the acting inspector. Mr. Montagu Williams: What do you say to this? You look a respectable man who ought to know better. - Prisoner: I have to deny the statement of the police. I was robbed of my watch in Spitalfields in the daylight, and I consider the police ought to have caught the thief. A constable was in chase of him as well as myself, but, because I stopped, the constable stopped too, and said it was no good going after the man, and waited to ask me some frivolous question. I was excited, and at the station only saw a sergeant when I wanted to see an inspector. There were only a lot of constables sitting about, and I thought some more energy might have been shown. - The Magistrate: The point is the statement you were drunk. - The Prisoner: I say it is not true. - He was fined 10s.
The Rev. A. W. Jephson writes: - The Morning Post had a gushing article one day this week on the awful condition of the East End poor.
Thinking that perhaps some real sympathy existed in that usually cold newspaper, I wrote a letter in which I pointed out what, in my opinion, lay at the root of the matter, i.e., high rents.
I am aware that readers of The Star may think this a platitude, but probably it would be "news" to the Morning Post readers if I said something to this effect.
High rents necessitate taking lodgers in every room; hence overcrowding.
High rents sometimes can only be paid when the occupier has one or more loose women as tenants. These unfortunate women pay highly for their accommodation, and in some streets are looked upon as real benefactors. I was once told by a respectable (?) widow, whom I had rebuked for having bad characters in her house, "You see, Sir, I was behindhand with the rent, and I only had to keep her here a fortnight, and she paid me what I wanted to make the rent up."
High rents prevent a family having more than one or two rooms. Fancy having to eat, sleep, work, and wash all in one room. I cannot blame a man for preferring the public-house.
High rents, in addition to making home so uncomfortable, drive all the young people into the streets.
Most of the large owners of property know nothing of what goes on on their estates. An agent settles everything. If the owners would see for themselves the condition of their tenants, much good must follow. The poor pay more for each cubic foot of space than the rich. If we cannot get owners to do their duty, a law must be passed fixing the rent of every house in proportion to its cubic content.
John Staples, 31, of Baker's-row, Whitechapel, a powerfully built man, was charged at the Thames Court with assaulting James Hocking, a stevedore, a policeman, and a man unknown. - Hocking saw Staples get a man on to the ground and kicked him, and said, "What are you doing? Are you going to kill the man?" Staples then struck Hocking on the forehead, knocking him down insensible. When the constable took the prisoner into custody he became very violent. - Mr. Saunders ordered him to pay a fine of 20s., or seven days!
The detective officers who are engaged in the Whitechapel case are said to be more hopeful now than they have been before. It is stated they have some fresh information which encourages them to hope that before the week is over they will be able to solve the mystery.
Considerable excitement existed at Holloway on Saturday, when it was reported that the police had obtained some important information in reference to the lunatic arrested there. He is said to be a master German pork-butcher, and has been in the habit of carrying large sharp knives. He has been absent from home frequently during the past 10 weeks.
The man Edward M'Kenna, who was taken to Commercial-street Police Station on Friday night, and there detained, was on Saturday confronted by several witnesses, who failed to recognise him, and he was in consequence liberated. It was ascertained that he had slept at a common lodging house in Brick-lane on the night of the murder of Annie Chapman. Mrs. Lloyd and her daughter came from Heath-street. They were not able to identify the man as the person who had been chased in their neighborhood by some boys, and who was alleged to have held a knife behind his back. A Mrs. Lyons was also called, and in her opinion M'Kenna was not the individual she had seen in Flower and Dean-street on the Sunday following the Hanbury-street tragedy. Similarly the potman from the Ten Bells public-house could not identify him as the man who had angrily called a woman out of the bar on the morning of the murder; and Mr. Taylor, who on the same day had watched a man of suspicious appearance leave the Prince Albert and go into Bishopsgate-street, also could not say that M'Kenna was the same. In each case, it is said, the description given resembled that of the man who was temporarily detained.
One of the Vigilance Committees formed in the East-end held a meeting at the Crown Tavern, Mile-end-road, on Saturday. It was stated that persons who were known to be liberal in public contributions declined to give towards the fund on the ground that it was the duty of the Home Secretary to offer a reward.
The Dangers of Whitechapel.
SIR, - As the above-named district is now in a state of ferment in consequence of the recent atrocities, I think it not out of place to state my own experience respecting the Whitechapel-road. A few months since myself and a friend were on our way home, walking, and speaking about business matters, and when midway between the London Hospital and Cambridge-road, a man suddenly turned the corner of a street and immediately made a snatch at my watch chain. I may mention I was carrying with me a small cash book, and I at once clasped my hand containing the book to my vest pocket in order to protect my watch, &c. Luckily for me, the scoundrel missed his mark, as he seized my chain near the bar fastened in the button-hole. He at once ran down a street which leads behind the London Hospital. Myself and friend immediately gave chase; but, as the ruffian turned into a dark street, and knowing it to be a dangerous part, we threw up the chase reluctantly. On our return, I called a policeman's attention to the matter, and he at once spoke to two plain clothes officers who happened to be near by. I laid the attack before them; but, in answer to their queries, I could give no information as to the fellow's identity except that he was tall and young. The only remedy I can see is that the authorities send more police to assist those already in Whitechapel, as I consider they are insufficient in number to cope with the roughs. There should also be several detectives employed and make themselves thoroughly acquainted with all the gambling dens, houses of ill repute, lodging houses and beer shops in the many back slums abounding the East-end. In conclusion I may add that it is almost impossible for any female to walk along the road from Aldgate to the Bow and Bromley railway station, without being insulted by a pack of hulking ignorant jackanapes. - Yours, &c.,
26, Raverley-street, Bromley-by-Bow, 10 Sept.
W. GEARON. - The term "common lodging-house" means a house common to or usable by anybody. It is not intended as a reproachful word.
H. M. HAREWOOD thinks one of the causes of undiscovered crimes in London is the fact that the police are frequently changed from one district to another.
"WORKING MAN" refers to the fact that John Davis had to lose his time to attend the inquest on the Whitechapel victim. He thinks the Treasury should guarantee to indemnify working men for loss of time while giving evidence.
