Times (London)
Monday, 22 October 1888
THE MURDERS IN LONDON.
No further arrests have been made, and it is probable that the sensational discoveries and reports of the last few days will turn out to be hoaxes. The examination by the City medical authorities of the half kidney sent to the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee is not yet completed, but is expected to be finished in the course of to-day.
Particulars transpired on Saturday morning of a further discovery of human bones. It appeared that on Thursday evening a boy, named Alfred Tomlinson, living at 102, Cator-street, Peckham, was walking along an adjoining thoroughfare - Sumner-road - when he noticed a parcel lying in the gutter. His curiosity led him to examine it, and he was naturally rather alarmed to find that it contained some bones. He took the parcel to his employer - Mr. Brown, a hairdresser, of the Sumner-road - who at once called in a police-constable. Then all three went to the police-station in High-street, Peckham. The divisional surgeon, Dr. Phelps, was called, and it is understood that as the result of his examination the conclusion was arrived at that the bones were those of a woman's arm. The bones have either been boiled or are decaying, There was a supposition in the locality that the discovery might have some connexion with the discoveries at Pimlico and Whitehall; but this is not encouraged by the authorities, who appear to hold the belief that the present "find" is due to a senseless freak on the part of a medical student.
Upon later inquiry it was found that Dr. Phelps did not think it necessary that a coroner's inquiry should be held, as he is of opinion that the bones were thrown away by a medical student as being useless.
At the Bradford Borough Court on Saturday, a respectable looking young woman, named Maria Coroner, 21 years of age, employed in a mantlemaker's establishment, was brought up on the charge of having "written certain letters tending to cause a breach of the peace." These letters, as stated by the chief constable, purported to be written by "Jack the Ripper," whose object in visiting Bradford, as was stated, was to do a little business before starting for some other place on the same errand. She had written two letters of this character, as she admitted when apprehended, one being addressed to the chief constable and the other to a local newspaper. On searching the girl's lodging the police found copies of the letters. The prisoner excused her foolish conduct on the ground that "she had done it in a joke." She was stated to be a very respectable young woman. The prisoner was remanded until to-morrow, the Bench declining to accept bail.
