A Timeline of Events in the Life and Death of Elizabeth Stride
Courtesy of Casebook Productions

NOV 27, 1843

Elizabeth was born as Elizabeth Gustafsdotter to Gustaf Ericsson and Beata Carlsdotter at Stora Tumelhed farm, Torslanda, Sweden, near Gothenburg.¹

DEC 5, 1843

Elizabeth was baptized.²

1859

Elizabeth was confirmed in the church of Torslanda.³

OCT 14, 1860

Elizabeth moved to Carl Johan Parish, Gothenburg as a domestic servant to a workman, Lars Frederick Olofson.⁴

FEB 2, 1862

Elizabeth moved to Cathedral Parish, Gothenburg, still claiming to be a domestic servant.⁵

MAR 1865

The Gothenburg Police registered Elizabeth as a prostitute.⁶

APR 21, 1865

Elizabeth gave birth to a still-born girl.⁷

BY OCT 1865

Elizabeth was living in Philgaten in Ostra Haga, a suburb of Gothenburg.⁸

OCT 17, 1865

Elizabeth was hospitalized at Kurhuset for venereal ulcer.⁹

NOV 3, 1865

Elizabeth hospitalized, again, for venereal disease.¹⁰

NOV 14, 1865

Elizabeth was listed as "healthy" in the hospital entries; she was no longer required to report to the police. (This was the date of the fourth hospital entry with the first three being written on the 3rd, 7th, and 10th of November.)¹¹

FEB 7, 1866

Elizabeth submitted a new certificate of altered residence, changing from Cathedral parish to the Swedish parish in London.¹²

JUL 10, 1866

Elizabeth was entered in the London register as unmarried at the Swedish Church in Prince's Sq, St. George's-in-the-East.¹³

MAR 7, 1869

Elizabeth married John Thomas Stride at St. Giles in the Fields Church. Reverend Will Powell conducted the service, which was witnessed by Daniel H. Wyatt and N. Taylor. (At this time, Elizabeth gave her maiden name as Gustifson, living at 67 Gower St.)¹⁴

1869

Elizabeth and Stride lived in East India Dock Rd, Poplar. Stride kept a coffee shop at Chrisp St, Poplar.¹⁵

1870-1871

Stride moved his coffee shop to Upper North St, Poplar.¹⁶

APR 2, 1871

Stride's coffee shop was next located at 178 Poplar High St, (Elizabeth told friends that the coffee shop was at Chrisp St, Poplar).¹⁷

1874

Stride's coffee shop was taken over by John Dale.¹⁸

MAR 1877

Elizabeth was briefly an inmate of Poplar Workhouse.¹⁹

FALL 1878

Elizabeth claimed that Stride and two of her children died in the Princess Alice disaster of Sep 3, 1878. (John Stride died in 1884. No known record exists showing that any of her children were involved in the disaster. Despite her false claims, no known record exists showing Elizabeth attempting to obtain funds from the publicly offered financial assistance for such victims.)²⁰

DEC 28, 1881

Elizabeth was admitted to the Whitechapel Workhouse Infirmary for bronchitis.²¹

JAN 4, 1882

Elizabeth was moved from the infirmary to the Whitechapel Workhouse.²²

1882

Stride's and Elizabeth's marriage broke down. Elizabeth began living, off and on, at 32 Flower and Dean St.²³

PRIOR OCT 1884

Elizabeth recieved assistance from the Swedish Church.²⁴

OCT 24, 1884

Stride died in Poplar Sick Asylum from heart failure. His address was listed as Poplar Workhouse.²⁵

BY 1885

Elizabeth moved in with Michael Kidney at 35 Dorset St.²⁶

1886

Elizabeth received financial assistance, twice, from the Swedish Church off of the Ratcliff Highway, giving an address of Devonshire St, Commercial Rd.²⁷

MAR 21, 1887

Elizabeth was registered as an inmate at the Poplar Workhouse.²⁸

c.APR 1887

Elizabeth and Kidney moved to 36 Devonshire St.²⁹

APR 6, 1887

Elizabeth turned Kidney over to Police Constable 357H for assault. She did not appear in court against him.³⁰

1887-1888

Elizabeth was convicted eight times for drunkenness at the Thames Magistrate Court under her own name. (She might have had another conviction on 10 June 1887, under the name of Annie Fitzgerald.)³¹




JUL 1888

Kidney was sent down for 3 days for being drunk and disorderly and for using obscene language. Elizabeth walked out on Kidney.³²

AUG 7, 1888
c.4:50am

Martha Tabram found dead in the George Yard Bldgs.³³

AUG 31, 1888
3:40am

Polly Nichols found dead in Buck's Row.³⁴

SAT, SEP 8, 1888
c.5:55am

Annie Chapman found dead at 29 Hanbury St.³⁵

SAT, SEP 15, 1888
That Day

Elizabeth received further financial assistance from the Swedish Church.³⁶

THUR, SEP 20, 1888
That Day

Elizabeth, again, received alms from the Swedish Church.³⁷

TUE, SEP 25, 1888
That Day

Elizabeth left Kidney, lodging at 32 Flower and Dean St, where she had not been for the past 3 months.³⁸

WED, SEP 26, 1888
That Day

During one of his many visits, Doctor Thomas Barnardo saw Elizabeth in the lodging-house kitchen at 32 Flower and Dean St.³⁹




SAT, SEP 29, 1888
That Afternoon

Elizabeth cleaned 2 rooms at 32 Flower and Dean St, instead of doing her normal cleaning work for the local Jewish residences. Mrs Tanner, lodging House-deputy, paid her 6d (2 1/2p).⁴⁰

SAT, SEP 29, 1888
6:00-7:00pm

Charles Preston saw Elizabeth in the lodging-house kitchen. She asked to borrow his clothes brush, but he refused.⁴¹

SAT, SEP 29, 1888
6:30pm

Elizabeth went to the Queen's Head pub, 74 Commercial St, ( south corner of Commercial St & Fashion St).⁴²

SAT, SEP 29, 1888
7:00pm

Elizabeth returned to the lodging-house kitchen.⁴³

SAT, SEP 29, 1888
7:00-8:00pm

Elizabeth gave Catherine Lane a large piece of green velvet to look after until she returned. She passed by Thomas Bates, the watchman, looking cheerful as she went out. Elizabeth still had the money Tanner paid her.⁴⁴

SAT, SEP 29, 1888
9:00pm

Philip Kranz went to work in the printing offices of Der Arberter Fraint, (a local publication for socialist Jews), located behind the International Workingmen's Educational Club at 40 Berner St.⁴⁵

Berner St is a residential street located in the Northern area of St. George's-in-the-East parish, near Whitechapel. It ran North-South from Commercial Rd to Ellen St, (two blocks south of Boyd St). Berner St ended at the London, Tilbury and Southern railway. It is crossed by Fairclough St at its midpoint. Beyond Ellen St lay the Swedish Church.
On Berner St's Western-side, heading North of Fairclough St, lay a public house, The Nelson, (#46, North-West corner of Fairclough & Berner St); Matthew Packer's greengrocer's shop (#44); a cottage (#42); a double-gated entry, leading to Dutfield's Yard; The International Workingmen's Educational Club (#40); residence of Barnett Kentorrich (#38), residence of Mrs Fanny Mortimer (#36)and more cottages, including Charles Letchford's residence (#30) and Edwin Sumner's greengrocer shop (#2).
On Berner St's Eastern-side (North of Fairclough), stood several houses with a board school (#25-41) at the North-East corner of Fairclough & Berner St. on the South-East corner of the junction was a dwelling house (#43).
On the South-West Corner of this junction was Henry Norris's chandler shop (#48, opposite The Nelson). On the Western-side of Berner St heading South from Fairclough St was William Marshall's residence (#64). On the Northern corner of Boyd & Berner St was the George IV public house (#68, owned by Edmund Farrow). Continuing South on the Western-side there was Louis Friedman's baker shop (#70), Jacob Lubin's greengrocer shop (#74), and a chemist, John Simkin (#82). (There were 82 numbers listed on Berner St at the time.)⁴⁶

The International Workingmen's Educational Club (IWEC or the club) sat north of and adjacent to Dutfield's Yard. It was an old wooden house converted for use as a social club capable of holding over 200 people. A stone office, consisting of 2 rooms, was added onto the rear of the club. One of those rooms was used by the editor of Der Arberter Fraint, and the other was used as a composing room. The front of the ground floor sported one window and door. The street entrance opened to a hallway which ran the length of the house. One door in the hallway led to the front room, used as dining room. A staircase leading to the first floor was in the middle of the hallway. Past the stairs, a door lead to the kitchen, (a rear ground floor room). Beyond that door, another door lead to a passage which ran along side the house. The first floor contained a room used for entertainment. The front of the room held a small stage. The only windows, three, looked out at the rear of the house. The room was decorated with plain benches, and several portraits hung on the walls. To the left of the IWEC's front entrance was Dutfield's Yard.⁴⁷

The yard was named after Arthur Dutfield, a manufacturer of vans and carts whose business lay to the west of the yard. Entrance into the yard from Berner St was gained via a 9'-2" wide gateway, supporting 2 wooden gates which swung into the yard. A small man-door was set within one of the gates. Inside the gateway, a passage ran along the IWEC, leading to its rear entrance. Opposite of which were 2 lavatories. To the south of the yard was a house occupied by several tenants. Opposite the gateway was Walter Hindley's workshop for manufacturing sacks. Next to the workshop was an unused stable, which was next to the rear of the club. The yard had no light of its own. The light which emanated from the club's first floor fell more on the opposite cottages than into the yard. Light from the club's open kitchen door and from Der Arberter Fraint's offices fell further up the yard. For about 18' inside the gateway, there was typically no light after sunset; yet, this area was not unfrequented.⁴⁸

SAT, SEP 29, 1888
10:00pm

Police Constable William Smith, 452H, came on duty. His patrol took him 25-30 minutes and covered Commercial Rd, Grover St, Christian St, and Fairclough St, including Berner St. (Some reports may list Grover St as Gower St.)⁴⁹

SAT, SEP 29, 1888
c.11:00pm

John Gardner and J. Best saw Elizabeth leave The Bricklayer's Arms pub, 34 Settles St, with a young Englishman. They started teasing them, saying, "That's Leather Apron getting 'round you."⁵⁰

The man was 5'-5", black moustache, weak sandy eyelashes. He wore a morning suit and a billycock hat.⁵¹

Elizabeth and the man then "went off like a shot soon after eleven" and headed to Commercial Rd, toward Berner St.52

SAT, SEP 29, 1888
11:30pm-11:45pm

At the IWEC, a debate ("Why Jews Should be Socialists"), which was attended by 90-100 people, ended. It was held in the large first floor room and chaired by Morris Eagle. After the debate, most of the people left by the street entrance. Of the twenty to thirty people who stayed, about twelve remained on the ground floor. The others were on the first floor, talking and/or singing.⁵³

Eagle then left the club by the street entrance to take his girlfriend home.⁵⁴

SAT, SEP 29, 1888
1145pm-11:55pm

William Marshall stood outside his house at 64 Berner St, (west side of Berner St, near the corner of Boyd St). He saw Elizabeth with a man, standing by 58 Berner St, (3 doors north of #64). They were standing there, talking and kissing. They then walked past Marshall. From the lamp at the corner, (20' away), Marshall could see the couple more clearly.⁵⁵

The man was 5'-6", stout, middle-aged, had an English accent, mild speech, wore dark pants, peaked sailor-like cap, short black cutaway coat, was probably clean shaven, decent appearance.⁵⁶

The man said to Elizabeth, "You would say anything but your prayers." The couple continued moving southward, in the direction of Ellen St.⁵⁷

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
12:00am (Midnight)

Marshall returned indoors.⁵⁸

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
c.12:10am

James Brown returned home to 35 Fairclough St. Not long after, he went to Henry Norris's chandler shop.⁵⁹

William West left the IWEC by the side door. He travelled across Dutfield's Yard to the printing offices of Der Arberter Fraint. He called his brother and Louis Stanley. Upon their return to the club by the side door, West noticed the yard gates were open, typically, and that nothing unusual going on. West was near sighted and could not say if a body was there.⁶⁰

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
c.12:15am

West, his brother, and Stanley left the club by the front door going out into Berner St. They then headed toward Fairclough St.⁶¹

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
c.12:30am

Charles Letchford walked up the road to his home at 30 Berner St, noticing that all was usual.⁶²

Joseph Lave exited the club, going into Dutfield's Yard for some air. He had to grope his way due to the darkness. He went to the street, seeing nothing unusual. No one came into the yard; all was quiet; he was positive there was no body then.⁶³

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
12:30-12:35am

PC Smith saw Elizabeth and a young man standing opposite Dutfield's Yard, as he came through Berner St. They were quietly talking and seemed sober.⁶⁴

The man was 5'-7", 28 years old, clean shaven, had dark pants, a dark over coat, dark hard felt deerstalker. Had a respectable appearance, and carried a newspaper parcel about 18" in length and 66"-8" wide.⁶⁵

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
c.12:35am

Mrs Fanny Mortimer "heard the measured, heavy stamp of a policeman passing the house on his beat." Immediately afterwards, she went outside and stood in front of her house at 36 Berner St. (Mortimer never claimed to have seen the person, who passed by her house; the view that this person was a policeman has never been properly established.)⁶⁶

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
c.12:40am

For about 20 minutes, a young couple stood at an intersection of Berner St. They neither saw nor heard anything unusual.⁶⁷

Joseph Lave re-entered the club.⁶⁸

Eagle returned to the club. The front door was locked, so he entered through the side door via Dutfield's Yard. The gates were wide open. He could hear singing from the open first floor windows and saw nothing unusual. Eagle could not swear to seeing anything due to the darkness.⁶⁹

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
(12:42am)

Israel Schwartz turned onto Berner St from Commercial Rd. (Schwartz's time onto to Berner St has been estimated from the average of walking 500 yards in 8-9 minutes with respect to his 12:45am sighting.)⁷⁰

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
12:45am

At the gateway of Dutfield's Yard, Schwartz "saw a man stop and speak to" Elizabeth, "who was standing in the gateway. He [Schwartz's first-man] tried to pull the woman into the street, but he turned her round and threw her down on the footway and the woman screamed three times, but not very loudly." Schwartz then crossed to the other side of the street and noticed a second man [Schwartz's second-man], lighting his pipe.⁷¹

Schwartz's first-man was 5'-5", 30 years old, broad shoulder, fair complexion, small brown moustache, dark pants, black cap with a peak, dark jacket, brown hair.⁷²

Schwartz's second-man was 5'-11", 35 years old, fresh complexion, light brown hair, dark overcoat, old black hard felt hat with a wide brim, and clay pipe in his hand.⁷³

Schwartz's first-man called out, "Lipski," apparently to the second-man on the "opposite side of the road." Schwartz then "walked away, but finding that he was followed by the second man, he ran as far as the railway arch, but the [second] man did not follow so far." (Schwartz did not know if the second man was chasing him or also running away, or even if the two men knew each other.)⁷⁴

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
c.12:45am

After having been at the chandler shop for only 3-4 minutes, Brown passed through Fairclough St on his way home. He saw a woman with her back against the wall of the Board School at the corner of Fairclough & Berner St. A man had his arm against the wall and was leaning over her. The woman said, "No, not tonight. Maybe some other night." The couple did not appear drunk or quarreling.⁷⁵

The man was 5'-7", average build ("not so very stout") and wore a long coat, almost down to his heels.⁷⁶

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
(exact time unknown)

Leon Goldstein, walking quickly, glanced up at the club as he passed it. He carried a shiny, black bag containing empty cigarette boxes. He then turned the corner by the Board School, going East onto Fairclough St. He was previously at a coffee house in Spectacle Alley.⁷⁷

Mortimer went back inside her house and bolted the door. During the time she stood outside, Mortimer saw Goldstein pass by, a couple standing by the Board School, and she saw no one enter or leave Dutfield's Yard.⁷⁸

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
c.1:00am

Louis Diemschutz drove his horse and cart into the open gateway of Dutfield's Yard. The horse shied to the left and would go no further. Diemschutz peered to the right and saw something on the ground. It gave slightly as he prodded it with his whip. Diemschutz then got down from his cart, struck a match, and from its brief light, he saw a woman. He was uncertain if the woman was drunk or dead. Diemschutz went inside and saw his wife in the downstairs parlor. He told everyone what he found. Diemschutz then returned to the yard with a candle and a fellow club member. They saw that Elizabeth's throat was cut.⁷⁹

After learning of the body, a club member named Gilleman went upstairs and told the other members of a woman being found.⁸⁰

Mrs Diemschutz had followed her husband as far as the kitchen door, which had been and was still open. "Just by the door," she noticed "a pool of blood." From the candle light, she could see "a dark heap," being the body of a woman, "lying under the wall" and a "stream of blood trickling down the yard...terminating in the pool...first noticed."⁸¹

Eagle and Isaac M. Kozebrodski went outside to see the body. Eagle saw Jacobs and Diemschutz running down Berner St toward Fairclough St, yelling for the police.⁸²

Eagle saw the blood, got excited, and ran up Berner St toward Commercial Rd, yelling, "Police!" the whole way.⁸³

Kranz was told of the body, and he also went for help.⁸⁴

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
Just After 1:00am

Brown heard cries of "Murder" and "Police" coming from the street.⁸⁵

Mortimer heard the commotion coming from the club, believing it to be a row.⁸⁶

Marshall heard the cry of "Murder" from the street.⁸⁷

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
(exact times unknown)

Near the corner of Commercial Rd and Christian St, Eagle and a companion saw Reserve Police Constable Albert Collins, 12HR, and Police Constable Henry Lamb, 252H. They shouted to the constables, "Come on! There's been another murder!" PCs Lamb and Collins then accompanied Eagle and his companion, who might have been Kozebrodski. Along the way, they were joined by Police Constable 426H.⁸⁸

While standing with a woman outside the Beehive pub, 71 Christian St, (corner of Fairclough & Christian St), Edward Spooner saw Diemschutz and Jacobs run past, shouting, "Murder" and "Police". Upon reaching Grove St, without finding a constable, Diemschutz and Jacobs stopped and headed back to the club. Spooner questioned them and was told about the body. Spooner returned with Diemschutz and Jacobs to Dutfield's Yard. There were about 15 people around the body. With the light from a match, Spooner knelt down and lifted Elizabeth's head by her chin, which was still warm. Blood still flowed from her wound up the yard to the club's side door. It was then that Diemschutz first noticed "that her throat was fearfully cut...a great gash in it [throat] over two inches wide [long]."⁸⁹

PCs Lamb, Collins, and 426H arrived at Dutfield's Yard with Eagle and his companion. There were about 20-30 bystanders in the yard, one of them was Abraham Heshburg of 28 Berner St. PC Lamb turned his lantern on the body. The crowd pressed forward for a better view, but PC Lamb warned them to stay back. PC Lamb then knelt down and touched Elizabeth's face - slightly warm. He touched her wrist and felt no pulse. The blood which had flowed to the club's door was still liquid. By Elizabeth's neck, on the ground, the blood was partially congealed. There was no appearance of a struggle, nor did Elizabeth's clothes appear to have been disturbed. Only her boot soles were visible from underneath her clothes. PC Lamb then sent PC Collins to fetch Doctor Frederick William Blackwell at 100 Commercial Rd, and he sent Eagle to the Leman Street Police Station for reinforcements.⁹⁰

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
A few Minutes Past 1:00am

Edward Johnston, Dr Blackwell's assistant, was notified by PC Collins, and in turn, he notified Dr Blackwell.⁹¹

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
Some Time After 1:00am

PC Smith came back into Berner St during the normal course of his patrol and noticed that a crowd, including 2 constables, had gathered at Dutfield's Yard. PC Smith saw the body and left for an ambulance as PC Collins arrived back at the scene with Johnston.⁹²

Johnston did a cursory exam of the body, unfastening the neck of Elizabeth's dress in the process.

The body was "all warm except the hands, which were quite cold." Blood had stopped flowing from Elizabeth's throat wound. Further up the yard, a stream of blood had clotted, and there was very little blood left by the neck.⁹³

During this exam, PC Lamb shut the yard gates to ensure nobody's departure, posting someone at the man-door, located within the one gate. PC Lamb then made a perfunctory examination of the premises and bystanders: he inspected the rooms of the club and the hands and clothes of the club members; he inspected the cottages across the way, Hindley's store, and the 2 lavatories in the yard.⁹⁴

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
1:16am

Dr Blackwell arrived and examined the body:⁹⁵

"The deceased was lying on her left side obliquely across the passage, her face looking towards the right wall. Her legs were drawn up, her feet close against the wall of the right side of the passage. Her head was resting beyond the carriage-wheel rut, the neck lying over the rut. Her feet were 3 yards from the gateway. Her dress was unfastened at the neck. The neck and chest were quite warm, as were also the legs, and the face was slightly warm. The hands were cold. The right hand was open and on the chest, and was smeared with blood. The left hand, lying on the ground, was partially closed, and contained a small packet of cachous wrapped in tissue paper. There were no rings, nor marks of rings, on her hands. The appearance of the face was quite placid. The mouth was slightly open. The deceased had round her neck a check silk scarf, the bow of which was turned to the left and pulled very tight.

"In the neck was a long incision which exactly corresponded with the lower border of the scarf. The border was slightly frayed, as if by a sharp knife. The incision in the neck commenced on the left side, 2 1/2" below the angle of the jaw, and almost in a direct line with it, nearly severing the vessels on that side, cutting the windpipe completely in two, and terminating on the opposite side 1 1/2" below the angle of the right jaw, but without severing the vessels on that side...The blood was running down the gutter into the drain in the opposite direction of the feet. there was about 1 lb. of clotted blood close by the body, and a stream all the way from there to the back door of the club."⁹⁶

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
1:20am

Dr Phillips was called to Leman Street Police Station and was sent immediately to Berner St.⁹⁷

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
1:25am

While at the Commercial Street Police Station, Insp Reid learned of Stride's body via telegram.⁹⁸

Chief Inspector West and Inspector Charles Pinhorn arrived at Dutfield's Yard.⁹⁹

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
(1:36-1:44am)

Dr Phillips arrived at Dutfield's Yard. He also examined the body, the details of which were written down by Insp Pinhorn:

"The body was lying on its left side, face turned toward the wall, head toward the yard, feet toward the street, left arm extended from elbow, which held a packet of cachous in her hand. Similar ones were in the gutter...The right arm was lying over the body, and the back of the hand and wrist had on them clotted blood. The legs were drawn up, the feet close to the wall, the body still warm, the hands cold, the legs quite warm, a silk handkerchief round the throat, slightly torn...This corresponded to the right angle of the jaw; the throat was deeply gashed, and an abrasion of the skin about 1 1/4" diameter, apparently slightly stained with blood, was under the right clavicle."¹⁰⁰

PC Lamb returned from his inspection of the area, finding Insp West and Dr Phillips with the body.¹⁰¹

Drs Blackwell and Phillips then examined the area:

On Elizabeth's left, by her neck on the ground, was a patch of blood. A stream of blood had flowed in a gutter from the neck to the club's side door. There were no spots of blood on Elizabeth's clothes or on the club's wall. There were other traces of blood on the ground, but these had probably come from the bystanders walking about the scene.¹⁰²

The 28 bystanders, who were detained in the yard by PC Lamb, were searched and inspected for blood stains by the doctors before they were permitted to leave.¹⁰³

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
c.1:44am

PC Watkins found Eddowes dead in Mitre Sq.¹⁰⁴

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
1:45am

Insp Reid arrived at Dutfield's Yard. Superintendent Thomas Arnold arrived shortly after.¹⁰⁵

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
3:00am

Barnett Kentorrich of 38 Berner St woke up, without having been disturbed by the commotion from the club.¹⁰⁶

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
4:30am

The body was removed to St George's-in-the-East Mortuary.¹⁰⁷

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
c.5:00am

Search of the area was abandoned.¹⁰⁸

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
5:30am

PC Collins washed the blood away from Dutfield's yard.¹⁰⁹

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
c.6:00am

PC Lamb left the scene.¹¹⁰

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
That Morning

Insp Abberline ordered a house-to-house search of Berner St.¹¹¹

Insp Reid went to the mortuary and took a description of Elizabeth:

She was 42-44 years old and 5'-2" to -5" tall; lean with a "slightly built body." She had curly, dark-brown hair, attractive features, a straight nose, an oval face with light-grey or blue eyes and pale complexion. Her upper front teeth were missing.

She wore a black crape bonnet and a long black jacket trimmed with black coney fur; a single red rose amidst maidenhair fern was pinned to her jacket. Elizabeth also wore an old long black skirt, a dark-brown velvet bodice, 2 light-serge petticoats, a white chemise, a pair of white stockings, and a pair of side-spring boots, and a checked silk neckershief.

She had in possession cachous wrapped in tissue paper (previously removed), a padlock key, 2 pocket handkerchiefs, a small piece of lead pencil, a comb, a broken piece of comb, a metal spoon, six large and one small button, a dress hook, a piece of muslin, some wool on card, one or two small pieces of paper, and a thimble.¹¹²

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
9:00am

Sergeant Stephen White interviewed Matthew Packer at his shop at 44 Berner St. (All of Sgt White's questions are estimated from his report of the interview.)

Sgt White: When did you close up shop?

Packer: "Half past twelve, in consequence of the rain it was no good for me to keep open."

Sgt White: Did you see a man or woman go into Dutfield's Yard or stand about the street when you closed up shop?

Packer: "I saw no one standing about neither did I see anyone go up the yard. I never saw anything suspicious or heard the slightest noise. And knew 'nothing about the murder until I heard of it this morning."

Sgt White then interviewed Mrs Packer, Harry Douglas, and Sarah Harrison, residing also at 44 Berner St. They too knew nothing of the murder.¹¹³

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
That Evening

Schwartz voluntarily gave a statement at Leman Street Police Station. He was then taken to the mortuary. He identified Elizabeth's body as that of the woman he had seen.

"12.45 a.m. 30th Israel Schwartz of 22 Helen St [sc. Ellen St], Backchurch Lane, stated that at this hour, turning into Berner St from Commercial Rd, and having gotten as far as the gateway where the murder was committed, he saw a man stop and speak to a woman, who was standing in the gateway. He tried to pull the woman into the street, but he turned her round and threw her down on the footway and the woman screamed three times, but not very loudly. On crossing to the opposite side of the street, he saw a second man lighting his pipe. The man who threw the woman down called out, apparently to the man on the opposite side of the road, "Lipski", and then Schwartz walked away, but finding that he was followed by the second man, he ran as far as the railway arch, but the man did not follow so far.

"Schwartz cannot say whether the two men were together or known to each other. Upon being taken to the mortuary Schwartz identified the body as that of the woman he had seen. He thus describes the first man who threw the woman down:- age, about 30; ht, 5ft 5in[s]; comp., fair; hair, dark; small brown moustache, full face, broad shouldered; dress, dark jacket and trousers, black cap with peak, and nothing in his hands.

"Second man: age, 35; ht., 5ft 11 in[s]; comp., fresh; hair, light brown; dress, dark overcoat, old black hard felt hat, wide brim; had a clay pipe in his hand.¹¹⁴

SUN, SEP 30, 1888
9:00-10:00pm

Mrs Mary Malcolm, believing the Berner St victim to be her sister, Mrs Elizabeth Watts, went to the mortuary. She was unable to identify the body.¹¹⁵




MON, OCT 1, 1888
12:30am

Thomas Coram, a boy, found a blunted chandler's slicing knife with a 9"-10" blade, a rounded point, and 1" across at Mr Christmas's Laundry at 252 Whitechapel Rd. Its handle was wrapped in a blood-stained handkerchief. Coram notified Police Constable Joseph William Drage, 282H. They then took the knife to the Leman Street Police Station.¹¹⁶

MON, OCT 1, 1888
That Day

The Star published its interview with Schwartz.

"Information which may be important was given to the Leman Street police yesterday by an Hungarian concerning this murder. The foreigner [Schwartz] was well dressed, and had the appearance of being in the theatrical line. He could not speak a word of English, but came to the police station accompanied by a friend, who acted as interpreter. He gave his name and address, but the police have not disclosed them. A Star man, however, got wind of his call, and ran him to earth in Backchurch Ln. The reporter's Hungarian was quite as imperfect as the foreigner's English, but an interpreter was at hand, and the man's story was retold as he had given it to the police. It is, in fact, to the effect that he saw the whole thing.

"It seems that he had gone out for the day, and his wife had expected to move, during his absence, from their lodgings in Berner St to others in Backchurch Lane. When he first came homewards about a quarter before one he first walked down erner St to see if his wife had moved. As he turned the corner from Commercial Rd he noticed some distance in front of him a man walking as if partially intoxicated. He [Schwartz] walked on behind him, and presently he noticed a woman standing in the entrance to the alleyway where the body was found. The half-tipsy man halted and spoke to her. The Hungarian saw him put his hand on her shoulder and push her back into the passage, but feeling rather timid of getting mixed up in quarrels, he crossed to the other side of the street. Before he had gone many yards, however, he heard the sound of a quarrel, and turned back to learn what was the matter, but just as he stepped from the kerb a second man came out of the doorway of a public house a few yards off, and shouting some sort of warning to the man who was with the woman, rushed forward as if to attack the intruder. The Hungarian states positively that he saw a knife in the second man's hand, but he waited to see no more. He fled incontinently to his new lodgings.

"He described the man with the woman as about 30 years of age, rather stoutly built, and wearing a brown moustache. He was dressed respectably in dark clothes and felt hat. The man who came at him with a knife he also describes, but not in details. He says he was taller than the other but not so stout, and that his moustaches were red. Both men seemed to belong to the same grade of society. The police have arrested one man answering the description the Hungarian furnishes. The prisoner has not been charged, but is held for inquiries to be made. The truth of the man's statement is not wholly accepted."¹¹⁷

MON, OCT 1, 1888
That Day

Marshall identified Elizabeth's body as that of the woman he had seen.¹¹⁸

Malcolm returned to the mortuary for a 2nd and a 3rd time. On the last visit, she identified Elizabeth's body as that of her sister, Mrs Elizabeth Watts.¹¹⁹

Goldstein reported to the Leman Street Police Station and identified himself as the man seen by Mortimer.¹²⁰

'One-Armed Liz' incorrectly identified the body as either 'Wally Warden' or 'Annie Morris.'¹²¹

Michael Kidney Identified the body as that of Elizabeth Stride.¹²²

MON, OCT 1, 1888
That Day

First day of the Stride Inquest, which was conducted by Coroner Baxter at Vestry Hall, Cable St, St. George-in-the-East.¹²³

After being empanelled, a jury of 24 proceeded to view the body at the St. George's Mortuary.¹²⁴

Insp Reid watched the case on behalf of the police.¹²⁵

Witnesses:

William West¹²⁶

Morris Eagle¹²⁷

Louis Diemschutz¹²⁸

The inquest was adjourned until Tuesday, Oct 2.¹²⁹

MON, OCT 1, 1888
3:00pm

At the mortuary, Doctors Blackwell and Phillips stripped the body. Dr Blackwell conducted the post-mortem while Dr Phillips took notes. Johnston and Doctor Reigate were present during part of the autopsy.¹³⁰

Rigor mortis was still thoroughly marked. there was a small amount [mud] on the right side [jacket], the left side was well plastered with mud. There was mud on the left side of the face and it was matted in her head...The body was fairly nourished. Over both shoulders, especially the right, and under the collar bone and in front of the chest there was a blueish discoloration... Decomposition had commenced in the skin. Dark brown spots were on the anterior surface of the left chin. There was a deformity in the bones of the right leg, which was not straight but bowed forwards. There was no recent external injury save to the neck...healing sores. The lobe of the left ear was torn as if from the removal or wearing through of an earring, but it was thoroughly healed.¹³¹

On removing the scalp there was no sign of brusing or extravasation of blood...The heart was small, the left ventricle firmly contracted, the right one slightly so. There was no clot in the pulmonary artery, but the right ventricle was full of dark clot. The left was firmly contracted so as to be absolutely empty. The stomach was large, and the mucous membrane only congested. It contained partly digested food, apparently consisting of cheese, potato and farinaceous powder. All the teeth on the left lower jaw were absent. ¹³²

Cut on neck; taking it from left to right there is a clean cut incision 6 inches in length, incision commencing two and a half inches in a straight line below the angle of the jaw. Three-quarters of an inch over undivided muscle then becoming deeper, about an inch dividing sheath and the vessels, ascending a little, and then grazing the muscle outside the cartilages on the left side of the neck, the cut being very clean, but indicating a slight direction downwards through reistance of the denser tissue and cartilages. The carotid artery on the left side, and the other vessels contained in the sheath were all cut through save the posterior portion of the carotid to about a line...1-12th of an inch in extent, which prevented the separation of the upper and lower portion of the artery. The cut through the tissues on the right side of the 'cartilages are more superficially cut, and the cut tails off to about two inches below the angle of the right jaw. It is evident that the haemorrhage, which probably will be found to be the cause of death, was caused through the partial severance of the left carotid artery.¹³³

MON, OCT 1, 1888
Late Evening

Police Constable Walter Frederick Stride identified the body from mortuary photographs as the woman who married his uncle.¹³⁴

A drunk Michael Kidney entered the Leman Street Police Station, stating that if he had been the policeman on whose beat Elizabeth was murdered he would have shot himself. He then asked to see a detective.¹³⁵

TUE, OCT 2, 1888
2:00pm

Second day of Stride inquest.¹³⁶

Witnesses:

PC Lamb¹³⁷

Edward Spooner¹³⁸

Mary Malcolm¹³⁹

Dr Blackwell¹⁴⁰

The inquest was adjourned until Wednesday, Oct 3.¹⁴¹

TUE, OCT 2, 1888
That Day

Private detectives, J. H. Batchelor and Mr Grand interviewed Packer.

Packer told the detectives that at about 11:45pm, on Saturday, 29 September, he sold a man and a woman a half-pound of black grapes. Afterwards, the couple stood about the street for more than a half-hour. The man was middle-aged, perhaps 35 years; about 5'-7" in height; was stout, square-built; wore a wideawake hat and dark clothes; had the appearance of a clerk; had a rough voice and a quick, sharp way of talking.¹⁴²

Batchelor and Grand also interviewed Mrs Rosenfield, and Miss Eva Harstein, two sisters living at 14 Berner St. They stated they saw some flower petals and a blood-stained grape stalk in Dutfield's Yard, near where the body had lain. Batchelor and Grand then went to Dutfield's Yard to search the yard drain, believing the police might have washed away the grape-stalk with the blood. Batchelor and Grand found a grape-stalk in the yard drain.¹⁴³

Goldstein presented himself to the Leman Street Police Station, stating he was the man Mortimer had seen pass by the IWEC with a black bag. (This second mentioning of Goldstein going to the police is intentional. Refer to the comments given with this listed source number.)¹⁴⁴

WED, OCT 3, 1888
1:00pm

Third day of Stride Inquest.¹⁴⁵

Witnesses:

Elizabeth Tanner¹⁴⁶

Catherine Lane¹⁴⁷

Charles Preston¹⁴⁸

Michael Kidney¹⁴⁹

Mr Johnson¹⁵⁰

Thomas Coram¹⁵¹

PC Drage¹⁵²

Dr Phillips¹⁵³

Inquest was adjourned until Friday, Oct 5.¹⁵⁴

The Princess Alice disaster
(Because many of the witnesses testifying reiterated Elizabeth's claimed involvement with the Princess Alice, information on the calamity is also presented)

On Tuesday, Sep 3, 1878, the collier, Bywell Castle, collided with a large saloon steamer, Princess Alice, on the Thames, (the result of negligence on the part of both ships' captains). The steamer sank, taking with it 600-700 lives.

Elizabeth claimed that she and her husband [John Stride] were employed on the vessel - she as a stewardess and he as a seaman. She also claimed that Stride and several of their children were killed, and that her hard palate was accidentally broken by the heel of a passenger, escaping up the companion-way.¹⁵⁵

TUE, OCT 2, 1888
That Evening

Upon hearing about the interviews by and discovery of Batchelor and Grand, a reporter for The Evening News had a personal audience with Packer, proclaiming that he was the man "who spoke to the murderer."

"Packer was out with his barrow, Saturday, not doing much business. 'As the night came on wet,' Packer went home to take his wife's place serving in the shop. Between 11:30pm and midnight, a man and woman walked up Berner St, coming from the Ellen St area. They stopped outside of his shop and looked at some fruit. The man was about 30-35 years old, of medium height, and had a rather dark complexion. He wore a black coat and a black soft felt hat. 'He looked to me like a clerk or something of that sort. I am certain he wasn't what I should call a working man or anything like us folks that 'live around here.' The woman was middle-aged, wore dark clothes, and carried a white flower in her hand.

"The man eventually stepped forward and asked, 'I say, old man, how do you sell your grapes?' 'Sixpence a pound the black 'uns, sir, and fourpence a pound the white 'uns, ' responded Packer. Turning to the woman, the man asked, 'Which will you have, my dear, black or white? You shall have whichever you 'like best.' The woman choose the black ones. The man said to Packer, 'Give us half a pound of the black ones, then.' Packer thought the man was educated. He had 'a loud, sharp sort of voice, and a quick commanding way with him.'

"The couple did not come into the shop. In the front, there was a half-window through which Packer conducted most of his business. Packer placed the grapes in a paper bag and passed them through the window to the man. The couple then briefly stood near the entrance to Dutfield's Yard. Seeing this, Packer told his wife, 'Why, them people must be a couple o' fools to stand out there in the rain eating grapes they bought here, when they might just as well have had shelter!' The couple was still there when the Packers went to bed, which 'must have been past midnight a little bit, for the public houses were shut up.'

"The reporter concluded the article by asking Packer if the police had come to question him about what he knew? 'The police? NO. THEY HAVEN'T ASKED ME A WORD ABOUT IT YET!!!' Packer explained, however, that a plain-clothes officer did come to inspect the grounds, but that no policeman had questioned him about the murder."¹⁵⁶

THUR, OCT 4, 1888
That Day

Prompted by Packer's published, and puzzling, interview in The Evening News, Inspector Henry Moore sent Sgt White to re-interview Packer. Upon arrival at Packer's shop, Mrs Packer told Sgt White that 2 detectives [Batchelor and Grand] had already gathered her husband, taking him to the mortuary. Sgt White then headed to the mortuary. On his way there, Sgt White came across Packer with one of the detectives. They were coming back from the mortuary.

'Where have you been?'

'This detective asked me to go see if I could identify the woman,' Packer told Sgt White.

'Have you done so?'

'Yes. I believe she bought some grapes at my shop about 12 o'clock on Saturday.'

A second detective soon joined them. Sgt White asked what they were doing with Packer? They said they were detectives, adding that they were private detectives when Sgt White asked to see their authority. One of them produced a card, only permitting Sgt White to look at it. The detectives then 'induced' Packer to leave with them.¹⁵⁷

THUR, OCT 4, 1888
Later That Day

Sgt White re-visited Packer at his shop. While talking with him, the same 2 detectives pulled up in a cab, stating they were going to take Packer to Scotland Yard. The detectives then persuaded Packer to leave with them in order to see Sir Charles Warren. While at Scotland Yard, Packer gave the following statement:

"On Sat. night [29 September] about 11:00pm, a young man from 25-30, about 5'-7", with long black coat buttoned up, soft felt hat, kind of Yankee hat, rather broad shoulders, rather quick in speaking, rough voice. I sold him 1/2 pound black grapes, 3d. A woman came up with 'him from Back Church end (the lower end of street). She was dressed in black frock & jacket, fur round bottom of jacket, a black crepe bonnet, she was playing with a flower like a geranium white outside & red inside. I identify the woman at the St. George's Mortuary as the one I saw that night.

"They passed by as though they were going up [to] Commercial Rd, but instead of going up they crossed to the other side of the road to the Board School, & were there for about 1/2 an hour till I should say 11:30, talking to one another. I then shut up my shutters. before they passed over opposite to my shop, they went near to the club for a few minutes apparently listening to the music. I saw no more of them after I shut my shutters.

"I put the man down as a young clerk. he had a frock coat on - no gloves. He was about 1 1/2" or 2" or 3" - a little bit higher than she was."¹⁵⁸

FRI, OCT 5, 1888
2:00pm

Fourth day of Stride inquest.¹⁵⁹

Witnesses:

Dr Phillips (recalled)¹⁶⁰

Dr Blackwell (recalled)¹⁶¹

Mr Sven Ollsen¹⁶²

William Marshall¹⁶³

James Brown¹⁶⁴

PC Smith¹⁶⁵

Michael Kidney¹⁶⁶

Philip Krantz¹⁶⁷

RPC Collins¹⁶⁸

Insp Reid¹⁶⁹

The inquest adjourned until Tuesday, Oct 23.¹⁷⁰

SAT, OCT 6, 1888
That Day

Elizabeth was buried at East London Cemetery Co. Ltd., Plaistow, London, E13. Grave 15509, square 37. The sparse Funeral was paid at the expense of the parish by undertaker, Mr Hawkes.¹⁷¹

The Daily Telegraph published an article, written by J. Hall Richardson, detailing Packer's description of the man to whom he sold the grapes: The man was square-built, about five feet seven inches tall, and about thirty years old. The man had black hair, no moustache, and a dark complexion with a full alert-looking face. The man wore a long black coat and a soft felt hat. He appeared to be a clerk more than a workman. He spoke in a quick sharp manner. In addition to Packer's description, Richardson also added "SKETCH PORTRAITS OF THE SUPPOSED MURDERER." Richardson stated that 'in accordance with the general description furnished to the police by Packer and others, a number of sketches were prepared, portraying men of different nationalities, ages, and ranks of life.' These sketches were shown to Packer who picked out a picture of a man as described in the article. Because of their lack of trust regarding Packer's information, the police responded to Richardson's article with a disclaimer in The Police Gazette that the sketches were "not authorized by the Police."¹⁷²

TUE, OCT 23, 1888
2:00pm

Last day of Stride inquest.

Insp Reid watched the case on behalf of the Criminal Investigation Department.¹⁷³

Witnesses:

Insp Reid (recalled)¹⁷⁴

PC Stride¹⁷⁵

Elizabeth Stokes [aka Mrs Watts]¹⁷⁶

The Coroner presented his summation.¹⁷⁷

After a short deliberation, a verdict of "Wilful murder against some person or persons unknwn" was returned by the jury.¹⁷⁸

References

The following abbreviations apply:
MEPO=Scotland Yard files, HO=Home Officie files
DT=The Daily Telegraph, T=The Times, MG=The Manchester Guardian, DN=The Daily News
A-Z=The Jack the Rippper A to Z, 2nd ed, (Begg, Fido, Skinner),
JTRUF=Jack the Ripper: The Uncensored Facts (Begg),
CHJTR=The Complete History of Jack the Ripper (Sudgen),
JTRCC=Jack the Ripper: The Complete Casebook, US ed (Rumbelow),
CBJTR=Casebook: Jack the Ripper, web site (Ryder)