Times (London)
Monday, 29 July 1889

POLICE.

At the THAMES Police-court, on Saturday, WILLIAM WALLACE BRODIE, 33, having no occupation and no settled abode, was charged with being a wandering lunatic. He was further charged, on his own confession, with having murdered Alice Mackenzie in Castle-alley, Whitechapel, on the 16th inst. Detective Inspectors Moore and Reid, watched the case on behalf of the Criminal Investigation Department. On the evening of Thursday week the prisoner, who is a tall, powerfully-built man, went to the Leman-street Police-station and stated to Inspector Pinhorn that he wished to give himself up for the murder of the woman on Tuesday night, but he declined to say anything about "the other eight or nine." The prisoner afterwards repeated his confession to Detective Inspector Moore, to whom he also made a long statement of a rambling character. Inspector Moore said he had made inquiries into the case. The prisoner left England for the Cape last year. On August 31 Mary Ann Nicholls was murdered in Buck's-row. When at the Cape the prisoner gave himself up as the Whitechapel murderer. He worked his passage home from the Cape, and there was no doubt that he was in bed at Harvey's-buildings on the night of the murder. On the 17th he was charged at the Mansion-house, with annoying his brother and was bound over to keep the peace. George Savage, 2, Harvey's-buildings, Strand, said he saw the prisoner on Tuesday week at about 11 o'clock at night. He was very drunk, and said he was going to stay there. He went to bed and remained there till the next morning. Witness put him to bed himself, and was sure he did not leave the house during the night. Mr. Lushington said he had a letter from the doctor of the prison stating that when the prisoner was admitted he was not responsible for his actions. He was now sane. The prisoner, who deserved to be punished for what he had done would now be discharged. The prisoner was immediately re-arrested by Inspector Moore on a charge of fraud.