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Times (London)
August 24, 1888
"Inquests"

Yesterday afternoon Mr. George Collier, the Deputy Coroner for the South-Eastern Division of Middlesex, resumed his inquiry at the Working Lads' Institute, Whitechapel-road, respecting the death of the woman who was found dead at George-yard-buildings, on the early morning of Tuesday, the 7th inst., with no less than 39 wounds on various parts of her body. The body has been identified as that of MARTHA TABRAN, aged 39 or 40 years, the wife of a foreman packer at a furniture warehouse. Henry Samuel Tabran, 6, River-terrace, East Greenwich, husband of the deceased woman, said he last saw her alive about 18 months ago, in the Whitechapel-road. They had been separated for 13 years, owing to her drinking habits. She obtained a warrent against him. For some part of the time witness allowed her 12s. a week, but in consequence of her annoyance he stopped this allowance ten years ago, since which time he had made it half-a-crown a week, as he found she was living with a man. Henry Turner, a carpenter, staying at the Working Men's Home, Commercial-street, Spitalfields, stated that he had been living with the woman Tabran as his wife for about nine years. Two or three weeks previously to this occurance he ceased to do so. He had left her on two or three occasions in consequence of her drinking habits, but they had come together again. He last saw her alive on Saturday, the 4th inst:, in Leadenhall-street. He then gave her 1s. 6d. to get some stock. When she had money she spent it in drink. While living with witness deceased's usual time for coming home was about 11 o'clock. As far as he knew she had no regular companion and he did not know that she walked the streets. As a rule he was, he said, a man of sober habits, and when the deceased was sober they usually got on well together.


By Inspector Reid--At times the deceased had stopped out all night. After those occasions she told him she had been taken in a fit and was removed to the police-station or somewhere else. By the Coroner--He knew she suffered from fits, but they were brought on by drink. Mrs. Mary Bousfield, wife of a wood cutter, residing at 4, Star-place, Commercial-road, knew the deceased by the name of Turner. She was formerly a lodger in her house with the man Turner. Deceased would rather have a glass of ale than a cup of tea, but she was not a woman who got continually drunk, and she never brought home any companions with her. She left without giving notice, and owed two weeks' rent. Mrs. Ann Morris, a widow, of 23, Lisbon-street, E., said she last saw the deceased, who was her sister-in-law, at about 11 o'clock on Bank Holiday night in the Whitechapel-road. She was then about to enter a publichouse. Mary Ann Connolly ("Pearly Poll"), who at the suggestion of Inspector Reid was cautioned in the usual manner before being sworn, stated she had been for the last two nights living at a lodging house in Dorset-street, Spitalfields. Witness was a single woman. She had known the woman Tabran for about four or five months. She knew her by the name of Emma. She last saw her alive on Bank Holiday night, when witness was with her about three quarters of an hour, and they separated at a quarter to 12. Witness was with Tabran and two soldiers--one private and one corporal. She did not know what regiment they belonged to, but they had white bands around their caps. After they separated, Tabran went away with the private, and witness accompanied the corporal up Angel-alley. There was no quarrelling between any of them. Witness had been to the barracks to identify the soldiers, and the two men she picked out were, to the best of her belief, the men she and Tabran were with. The men at the Wellington Barracks were paraded before the witness. One of the men picked out by witness turned out not to be a corporal, but he had stripes on his arm. By Inspector Reid.--Witness heard of the murder on the Tuesday. Since the occurrance witness had threaten to drown herself, but she only said it was for a lark. She stayed away two days and two nights, and she only said that when asked where she was going. She knew the police were looking after her, but she did not let them know her whereabouts. By a juryman.--The woman Tabran was not drunk. They were, however, drinking at different houses for about an hour and three-quarters. They had ale and rum. Detective-Inspector Reid made a statement of the efforts made by the police to discover the perpetrator of the murder. Several persons had stated that they saw the deceased woman on the previous Sunday with a corporal, but when all the corporals and privates at the Tower and Wellington Barracks were paraded before them they failed to identify the man. The military authorities afforded every facility to the police. "Pearly Poll" picked out two men belonging to the Coldstream Guards at the Wellington Barracks. One of those men had three good conduct stripes, and he was proved beyond doubt to have been with his wife from 8 o'clock on the Monday night until 6 o'clock the following morning. The other man was also proved to have been in barracks at five minutes past 10 on Bank Holiday night. The police would be pleased if anyone would give them information of having seen anyone with the deceased on the night of Bank Holiday. The Coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased had been murdered by some person or persons unknown.


Related pages:
  Martha Tabram
       Home: Timeline - Martha Tabram 
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       Dissertations: The Case for Re-canonizing Martha Tabram 
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       Official Documents: Martha Tabram's Inquest 
       Press Reports: Bradford Observer - 14 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Bradford Observer - 24 August 1888 
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       Press Reports: East London Observer - 11 August 1888 
       Press Reports: East London Observer - 18 August 1888 
       Press Reports: East London Observer - 25 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Eastern Argus - 11 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Eastern Argus - 25 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Eastern Post - 11 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Eastern Post - 18 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Eastern Post - 25 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Echo - 10 August 1888 
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       Press Reports: Evening News - 10 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 11 August 1888 
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       Press Reports: Evening News - 15 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 24 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 7 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 8 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening Standard - 10 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening Standard - 24 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening Standard - 8 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Manchester Guardian - 11 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Advertiser - 10 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Advertiser - 15 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Advertiser - 16 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Advertiser - 24 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Advertiser - 8 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Pall Mall Gazette - 24 August 1888 
       Press Reports: People - 12 August 1888 
       Press Reports: People - 19 August 1888 
       Press Reports: People - 26 August 1888 
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       Press Reports: Star - 31 August 1888 
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       Press Reports: Star - 8 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 10 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 24 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Weekly Herald - 17 August 1888 
       Press Reports: Woodford Times - 10 August 1888 
       Victims: Martha Tabram 
       Victorian London: George Yard 
       Witnesses: Mary and William Bousfield 
       Witnesses: P.C. Thomas Barrett 

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