John Brennan
In the hysteria immediately after the Annie Chapman murder, a 39 year old drunken Irishman named John Brennan, entered the White Hart public house in Southampton Street, Camberwell. Brennan, who was described as having a very rough and strange appearance, with his coat split up the back, proclaimed in a loud voice to everyone present that Leather Apron was a friend of his, and that he had the actual murder weapon in his pocket. Brennan's comments inevitably caused panic, and the customers almost tore down the door in their haste to depart the premises, while the terrified landlady barricaded herself in her parlour, leaving Brennan alone in the bar, where he no doubt helped himself to a drink, or two. When Constable Pillow arrived to arrest him, Brennan pointedly refused to leave. It was said Brennan treated the whole matter as a good joke.
