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WOMAN CULT TO PIECES, BODY FOUND THIS MORNING. EXCITEMENT IN WHITECHAPEL EXTRAORDINARY POLICE PRE CAUTIONE. HIDEOUS MUTILATION OF BODY AND FACE, WHERE ARE THE BLOODAOUNDS? There has been another terrible crime in the East-end—a crime surrounded by all the horror associated with the recent tragedies in the same district, and intensified by a foath some neas of detail impossible almost to be conceived. In this case,a woman's body—terribly mutilated—has been found in Muller’s-court, Doest-street, Com mercial-street, and that under circum stances whose mystery is as deep as that connected with the previous crimes. That there has been a murder—and that of a hiddouly revolting character— there cannot be any doubt. Already the public suspicion declares that ths author is the same fiend whose identity is concealed by so mysterious sriend. This suspicion is sharpened by the fact that the scene of his last terrible exploit— presuming it be his exploit, and that the crime was committed where the body was found—is only a few minutes’ walk from Hanbury-street and Osborn-street. The details of this crime are very revolting in their horror. “ Why, Sir,” said a man who saw the body to an Echo repre sentative, ‘anything more horrifying than the sight in the room where we found the body could not be conceived.” This fellow only portrayed iis minor degree the sur roundings of this last terrorising crime. WHERE THE CRIME WAS COMMITTED, our reporter writes: — Whitechapel is panic-stricken. _A murder as horrible in its details as any yet committed in the East-end, and, resembling the recent atroci ties perpetrated there, was discovered this morning shortly before eleven o'clock in a room at a place known as Miller's court,a turning out of Dorset-street, Com mercial-street. So reticent are the police in the matter, and such are the extraordinary precautions taken by the police to pre serve whatever clue may be left, that the roads adjacent are blocked by the autho rities, and only those persons having any business in the immediate vicinity are allowed to enter the purlicus of the spot where the tragedy has occurred. The court where the murder has taken place is an alley, the house where the body was found being overlooked by a mews—No. 25, Dorset-street. Inspector Abberline, Beck, Detective- sergeants Thickes and White, together with other officers sent specially over from Scotland-yard, are now searching all the houses within a stone’s throw of No. 25, Dorset-street. At every street corner excited groups of people are conversing about this, the latest East-end mystery. THE VICTIM: UNKNOWN, Mrs. Hewitt, who lives at the Mews at No. 25, Dorset-Street, said she first heard of the murder at eleven o’clock this morning, when upon looking out of her window, she saw the place surrounded by about fifty police. Mrs. Hewitt heard no streams last night. The woman is not yet definitely identified. The detectives engaged in the case assert that they believe it is only the work of a few hours before the miscreant will be brought to justice. Dr. G.B. Phillips, the Divisional Surgeon of Police, was quickly sum moned when the discovery was made. At his direction no one has been allowed to interfere with the position in which the body was found. All that the police at present know of the woman's name is that she was “ Stary Jane.” She was of the same type as the other victims. The question is being asked in the neigh bourhood as to why the bloodhounds have not been made use of on the present occasion. ‘The opportunity was surely a good one to prove their utility or otherwise. 4 LODGER IN THE HOUSE- In spite of the extraordinary precautions taken by the police authorities to keep secret the facts connected with the dreadful mutilation, details connected with the crime are oozing out, and, from special inquiries made at Whitechapel by an Lcho re porter this afternoon, it appears that the poor girl had rented one room at the house for about fifteen months. The premises were not used strictly as a lodging-house—for it was unregistered, it is believed — but were let to separate tenants, who paid small weekly sums for each room. ‘The house belongs to Mr. McCarthy, who keeps a chandler’s shop in Dorset- street, and also owns some common lodging - houses in the district, notably one in which “Pearly Poll,” Meg Sullivan, and other women — incidentally mentioned in the inquiries relating to the atrocities—were accustomed to live. The young woman found murdered this morning was about 3 years of age, and was only known to Mr. McCarthy as Mary Jane. In this wretched locality, where the commor tusagee—even the ordinary secencies—of life are unrecognised in the “moral” core of the wretched women who lead a life of shame, their very surnames are ofen un known to their associates, and even their Christian names are not known to then. TERRIBLE AND REVOLTING SIGHT. The murder is one of the most horrible character, worse than any of the preceding. The woman was found lying either in the second floor front room or in the passage leading to it, the one arm extended, and the other lying across her breast, which was ripped open, and the breasts cut off. The flesh on her legs was cut down in strips, the thighs being almost bare to the bone. Her head had been—so one informant declares—severed from the body. When the police entered the room, it was lying on the flger. The face was also mutilated beyond recognition, and her ears were cut of. To increase the horrible picture which the head presented, the lips had—so one story goes—been cut away. To still further aggravate the demoniaval character of the deed, the poor creature was not only disembowelled, but the uterus and other parts were found by the doctors to be missing—just as in the terrible outrages which preceded it. Lately the deceased woman had been living with a man supposed by Mr. McCarthy to be her husband. He recently left her. It is conjectured that meeting the murderer last night, he deciyed her to the house, and then perpetrated the crime in the still ness of the night. No sound was heard, or any cries of distress, HOW THE BODY WAS DISCOVERED _ From later information obtained by an Echo reporter this afternoon, it seems that it was shortly after ten o'clock ,when a man in Mr. McCarthy's employ went to the house for the purpose of collecting the rent from the girl. The front door was fastened, and repeated mocks were not answered. The man then went to the window, which was unfastened, pushed aside the curtain, and saw the body of the deceased. He at once ran back to McCarthy, and the police were informed. Then information was conveyed to the Commercial-street and Leman-street police stations, and Sir Charles Warren was at once informed of the dreadful oecurrence. Mr. Superintendent Arnold, Inspector Abber- Kine, Inspector Beck, Inspector Reid, Detec tive-sergeants Thicke and Stephen White, at once gave instructions for a thorough search to be made, not only in the hoause where the murder was committed, but also of the houses adjacent. WHO TRE VICTIM WAB. The news of the tragedy spread like wild fire, and soon every street was blocked near the locality—Wentworth-street, Middlesex- street, and White’s-row—where excited groups of bystanders living in the immediate vicinity could not for sometime form the faintest conjecture as to who the victim was, for the police gave peremptory instructions to everyone not to allude to the circumstances in the faintest way. Dr. Phillips was especially emphatic in his desire that the investigations should not be made known. At the especial wish of Sir Charles Warren, Mr. Thomas Bond, surgeon, of Westminster, accompanied by another medical man, who assisted at the post-mortem examination of the remains at Whitehall, paid a visit to the scene. ‘Though accustomed to many sad sights, the medical men themselves were appalled at the barbarities of the crime. The doctors formed an almost unani mous decision that the murderer pos sessed some anatomical knowledge either of human beings or animals. There is little doubt amongst the authorities now but that the monster who is the perpetrator of these crimes is a homicidal maniac of the worst and most dangerous form, and it is feared by the officials engaged in the case that murders of the éame’ character will con tinue to be committed until the miscreant is actually captured at his diabolical work. THE TERROR IN THE DISTRICT. Another of our reporters writes:—The terrible murder which was committed in Whitechapel this morning has had the effect of throwing the population of White chapel and Aldgate into a state of panic. As our reporter made his way the pathways were lined with crowds of people. The editions of the evening papers were being eagerly bought up, and the details of the fearful event discussed. Lord Mayor's Show Day is generally a “draw” for the East-end pageant lovers, and by all those who can afford it it is observed as a holiday. But the news of the tragedy enacted this morning had driven all thoughts of the Lord Mayor’s Show out of the minds of the people. One subject alone possessed their thoughts—the sudden renewal of the ghastly exploits of the murderous maniac who has made Whitechapel his hunting-ground. THE LOCALITY DESCRIBED. Dorset-street is 2 narrow street running out of Commercial-street, between Whitechapel and Shoreditch. ‘The street is half composed of warehouses and half of lodging-houses. Opposite the house in which the murder was committed stands the Commercial-street Chambers for men—a big substantial building, which should accommodate many men of a night. The other side of the Chambers is the warehouse of Messrs. Bayne and Wright, milk contractors. The house in which the murder was committed stands up a narrow court which at the further end terminates in a cul-de-sac. Up to the present the police refuse the Press any information. Two stalwart constables guard the entrance to the court. The members of the Press are even denied admittance to the court. There are about eight houses in the court. The houses are chiefly tenanted by the poorer class of Irish people. The landlord of Carter’s court keeps a chandler’s shop in Dorset street. By the side of his shop is the court, where stands the house where the murder was committed. A FRIEND OF THE VICTIM’8—HIS STORET. A friend of the murdered woman's spoke as fellows to our reporter.—*I have known the murdered woman for some conside rable time. She was an unfortunate, and given to drink. Her age, would be somewhere about 26, and she had fed her present life for about seven years. I have known her to frequent the common lodging-houses of the locality. I believe she has been in custody a good many times for drunkenness. I cannot say that she had been for any length of time with any one particular man, but I have heard that she lived with a man. She was always rather shabbily dressed, but against this she was clean in her personal habits. She was on fairly good terms with the other people in the street and her fellow unfortunates in Dorset-street, who pomber, I should say, about fifty.” CALLING FOR THE RENT.—HOBEIULE SCENE. The victim, Mary Jane Kelly, between 26 and 23 years of age, was seen between eight and half-past this morning going for milk. After half-past eight no sound was heard from the room in the house in which she lived. ‘The house is situated in Carter’s court. The lad who went up to the woman's room to collect the rent, knocked, and was greeted by no answer. Pushing the door open a horrible sight met his gaze. ‘The woman’s body was found lying on the bed. The room was a small one. Horrible to relate the heat was absolutely severed from the body. In the words of our reporter’s informant, “The head was loose, the arm was cut of the body, and laid on the woman's bosom, ‘the flesh was cut from the face.” So terrible is the disfigurement that it is impossible to recognise the woman. Only in outward shape does she bear any resem blance to a human being. THE GHOUL’S PARTHER WORK. But the chapter of horrors is as yet hardly begun. Her abdomen was slit across in an upward direction from left to right, the wound, it is said, extending from near the left groin to above the tight ilium—to use a technical phrase, Another horror.The skin was peeled of the body in stripe, just as was done to her face. The entrails were also disturbed, a portion being placed between her feet. A search has been made for the missing other portions. The ghoul, in stripping the skin and fesh from the women's body, had, when his frantic desire for cruelty was satiated, placed the pieces of fish and strips of skin on a table standing near the bed. ANNIE CHAPMAN A FRIEND OF HERS. The murdered woman is said to have been a woman of extremely quarrelsome tenden cies. She was, it is hardly necessary to say, extremely poor, ‘She belonged, morally, and in every other respect, to the pleas to which Annie Chapman belonged. Singular to relate, the murdered women, Annie Chapman, was a friend of this very Mary Jane Kelly. CHILD SENT OUT TO BEY SWEETS. Mary Ann Kelly was peon about the streets, at one o'clock this morning. The mur dered woman had one child, a little boy of between. xix and raven. The little fellow lived with his mother. This poor child was sent out this morning, when the mother returned to the room with the aegassin. The gossip of the neighbourhood, or rather of the very court in which the house is situated, in to the effect that the man who is suspected of having committed the murder sent the child out to buy sweets. When the child returned from buying his sweets and playing he found the place in commotion, for his mother had been dis covered lifeless and bleeding, and the mur derer had fled. ‘There is no trace whatever of the mur derer. Not so much 23 @ scrap of paper, a bag, or a knife is left to allow a possible clue. I ANOTHER ACCOUNT. The Presa Association sega:—At half-past ten this morning the’ dead body of a woman, with her head, almost severed from her’ body, was found in an un tenanted outhouse or shed in Dorset-court, Dorset-street, Commercial-street, Spitalfields. It had evidently been there for some hours, but several scavengers who were in the court at nine o’clock this morning de clare that the body was met there then. They might, however, have been mistaken as the place is very dark. An alarm was im mediately raised, and an inspector of police and a number of constables were soon on the spot. It is remarkable that Dorset- court is exactly opposite the house in Dorset-street, in which the un fortunate woman, Annie Chapman, used to lodge. The recovery crested the greatest excitement in the neighbourhood, and crowds quickly gathered at the scene. THE VICTIM—O7 GENTEEL APPEARANCE. The Press Association, in a later account, saye:—The victim was a woman of the un fortunate class, like the victims of the pre vious murders. She was a young woman who had occupied a room in a house in Dorset court, and when found dead, about half-past ten, she was lying in the passage, with her head in the room. No details of the injuries can at present be ob tained, but there are rumours that the body is terribly mutilated. “Bisodhoands were sent for ‘by the police immediately they heard of the crime. The murdered woman was about 21 years of age, and the neighbours say that she was of genteel appearance, but they do not know her name or anything about her, except that recently she lived with a man from whom she is now separated. This man was sent for, and at once identified the body. HOW THE CRIME WAS DISCOVERED. The crime was first discovered by a young man named McCarthy, who went to the house this morning with his mother to collect the rent. On opening the front door he saw a body lying in the passage, and he immediately closed the door again and drew his mother away, saying, ‘Mother, there is another murder” An alarm was soon raised, and the police at once took possession of the house, and refused admission to all except officials. Morris Lewis, a tailor, states that he was playing “pitch and toss” in the court at nine o'clock this morning, and an hour be fore that he had seen the woman leave the house, and return with some milk. There is no evidence as to who was in the house with her. WOMAN SEEN THIS MORNING. The Press Association, in a still later account, says the divisional surgeon arrived at the scene of the murder at five minutes to two o'clock, accompanied by Mr. Dukes, another doctor, and they at once proceeded to view the body. The streets in the vicinity of the crime are crowded with people eagerly discussing the latest horror, the women of no certain class being simply terror stricken that another of their number had been killed in such a brutal manner. It is confidently stated that the deceased was seen after ten o’clock this morning in company with a paramour, when they were both drinking at the public house at the corner of Dorset street. Her name is Mary Jane Kelly, and the man she lived with sells oranges in the shreets. After speaking to her in the public-house, he left there for the purpose of vending oranges, and he states that he did not see her again until her corpse was discovered. THE HORRIBLE MUTILATIONS. The mutilations of the body reveal such a shocking state-of-things (saya the Press Aecociation reporter) as has probably never been equalled in the annals of crime. The head was not lying apart from the body, but was hanging by a mere thread. Both ears and the nose were cut off. All the Hesh was stripped completely off the thighs, and the woman was not only disembowelled, but the womb and other parts are missing similar to the previous murders in this locality. Dr. Bond, of Westminster Hospital, is now (wrote this reporter at 2.40) in the room with the other doctors; and the body is now being photographed. A post-mortem exami nation will afterwards be made in the game room. Dr. 3. kh. Gabe, of _Meck- Jenburgh - square, has seen the body; but, in reply to questions put to him by the Press Association representative, he declines to give any details. He merely says that he has seen a great deal in dissecting rooms, but that he never in his life man such a horrible sight as the murdered woman presents.
Newspaper Details
London Echo
London, Middlesex, GB
Fri, Nov 09, 1888
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Mary K.
