C. Neil - The Hunt of a pipsqueak Jack the Ripper

11:45 PMMartha and Pearly Poll went separate ways. Martha with the Private into George Yard and Pearly Poll and the Corporal into Angel Alley. Both, obviously, for the purpose of having sex.

1:50 AM: Elizabeth Mahoney returned to her home in George Yard Buildings. At the time that she ascended the stairs to her flat she saw no one or anything unusual in the building.

2:00 AM: PC Thomas Barrett saw a young Grenadier Guardsman in Wentworth Street, the north end of George Yard. Barrett questioned his reason for being there and was told by the Guardsman that he was waiting for a "chum who went off with a girl."

3:30 AM: Alfred Crow returned to his lodging in George Yard Buildings and noticed what he thought was a homeless person sleeping on the first floor landing. As this was not an uncommon occurrence he continued on to bed.

John Reevesleft his lodgings in the George Yard Buildings at 4:45 AM. By this time the light was improving inside the stairwell. Reeves also noticed the body on the first floor landing but he was also aware that it was lying in a pool of blood. Reeves went off to find a policeman. He returned with PC Barrett. Although not yet identified, the body was that of Martha Tabram. The body was supine with the arms and hands by the side. The fingers were tightly clenched and the legs open in a manner to suggest that intercourse had taken place. Others who testified at the inquest include Francis Hewitt, the superintendent of George Yard Buildings and Mrs. Mary Bousfield (also known as Luckhurst), Martha's former landlady at 4 Star Street. The Post-Mortem: The post-mortem examination of Martha Tabram was held by Dr. Timothy Killeen (also spelled Keeling or Keleene) at 5:30 AM on the morning of August 7th. Tabram was described as a plump middle-aged woman, about 5'3" tall, dark hair and complexion. The time of death was estimated at about three hours before the examination (around 2:30-2:45 AM). In all, there were thirty-nine stab wounds including: 5 wounds (left lung) 2 wounds (right lung) 1 wound (heart) 5 wounds (liver)

2 wounds (spleen) 6 wounds (stomach)According to Killeen, the focus of the wounds were the breasts, belly, and groin area. In his opinion, all but one of the wounds were inflicted by a right-handed attacker, and all but one seemed to have been the result of an "ordinary pen-knife." There was, however, one wound on the sternum which appeared to have been inflicted by a dagger or bayonet (thereby leading police to believe that a sailor was the perpetrator). Wearing at the time of her death: A black bonnet Long black jacket A dark green skirt Brown petticoat Stockings Spring sided boots showing considerable age.

ALFRED CROW Born, c.1867 in Whitechapel, cab driver No.6.600 and resident of 35 George Yard Buildings. Crow claimed to have seen a body presumably Tabram's on the first floor landing of George Yard Buildings at 3.30am, 7th August 1888, as he returned from his evening out. However, he paid no attention as it was apparently common to find strangers sleeping there. He was unable to say whether the person was alive or dead. He got up at 9.30am and had heard no noise whilst he was in bed. George Yard at 10 p.m. dark like a cave. In 1891, Alfred was living with his parents, George and Martha in Lolesworth Buildings, Thrawl Street.

The Jack The Ripper Connection An intriguing tale from a Cabman's Shelter, Daily Telegraph, October, 1888. Mr. Thomas Ryan, who has charge of the cabman's reading-room and shelter in Westbourne-grove, relates a story of a man who made a mysterious statement to him on Sunday afternoon. According to this narrative a street attendant brought a man to the shelter about four o'clock in the afternoon and said, "This 'ere gentleman wants a chop, guv'nor; can you cook one for him. He says he's 'most perished with cold." Mr. Ryan replied, "Certainly, I will cook you one with pleasure. Come in." The man accordingly entered and sat down. He was about 5 ft 6 in in height, wore an Oxford cap and a light check Ulster with a tippet, which he did not loosen all the time. He had a thick moustache, but no beard, had clean white hands, was round-headed, his eyes very restless, and he seemed to have been drinking. Several cabmen were in the shelter at the time, talking of the murders discovered that morning at Whitechapel. Ryan exclaimed, "I'd gladly give a good deal if I could only find the fellow who did them." The stranger, looking into Ryan's face, quietly replied "Don't you know who committed the murders? I did them. I've had a lot of trouble lately. I came back from India and got into trouble at once. I lost my watch and chain and £10." Mr. Ryan and the other persons present were much surprised at this statement, but as the man appeared to be under the influence of liquor they did not pay much attention to it, more especially as he produced a bottle, apparently of brandy, out of his pocket and offered them a drink. Mr. Ryan told him they were all teetotalers there, and got him to sign a temperance pledge. He signed the book as "J. Duncan; doctor; residence, After doing this he said, "I could tell a tale if I wanted," and relapsed into semi-somnolence. Mr. Ryan called his attention to the fact that he had not filled in his proper residence, and the man replied, "I have no fixed place of abode at present. I'm living anywhere." After eating his chop and again offering the company a drink he disappeared, and has not since been heard of. The London omnibuses needed 16,000 drivers and conductors, by 1861. Conductors were allowed to keep 4 shillings a day out of the fares they collected, and drivers could count on 34 shillings a week, for a working day beginning at 7.45 and ending often past midnight. A worker’s average wage was between 20 and 30 shillings a week in London, probably less in the provinces. This would just cover his rent, and a very sparse diet for him and his family. In 1891 the top rate of pay for an East Sussex constable was £1/6/10d weekly.

Alfred George Crow, cabdriver, 35, George-yard-buildings, deposed that he got home at half-past 3 on Tuesday morning. As he was passing the first-floor landing he saw a body lying on the ground. He took no notice, as he was accustomed to seeing people lying about there. He did not then know whether the person was alive or dead. He got up at half-past 9, and when he went down the staircase the body was not there. Witness heard no noise while he was in bed.

John S. Reeves, of 37, George-yard-buildings, a waterside Worker, said that on Tuesday morning he left home at a quarter to 5 to seek for work. When he reached the first-floor landing he found the deceased lying on her back in a pool of blood. He was frightened, and did not examine her, but at once gave information to the police. He did not know the deceased. The deceased's clothes were disarranged, as though she had had a struggle with some one. Witness saw no footmarks on the staircase, nor did he find a knife or other weapon.

(Eastern Post 18. August 1888)

* in Wentworth Street and George Street, which thoroughfares can be seen from George Yard Buildings. These streets contain a number of common lodging-houses, and are not far from a house which the woman "Pearly Poll" states that she and the deceased visited that night. Both Mr. and Mrs. Reeves have pointed out the spot where they allege these disturbances commenced, which they state to be the dead wall of Leterworth Buildings, in George Street. The first row commenced about 11:30, followed by another at 12:20 when both Mr. and Mrs. Reeves assert they heard cries of "Police!" "Help!" and terrible screaming. Shortly after one o'clock in the morning they were again disturbed with terrible screams, apparently coming from the same neighborhoods. They went on to the balcony of their dwelling, and found that there was not only one, but two separate rows going on. That in George Street this time was not many doors from the house where the murdered woman and her companion, "Pearly Poll," sometimes lodged, whilst the row in Wentworth Street was not from a house in Angel Alley, which the woman "Pearly Poll" is said to have admitted that she visited that evening. These two rows, Mr. and Mrs. Reeves say, were of a very noisy and quarrelsome character. The crowds round surged backwards and forwards a great deal. At last the police came and dispersed the crowd. This did not conclude the riotous proceedings of the night. About 2 o'clock Mr. and Mrs. Reeves heard more screams, they were this time very piercing. Only a few roughs seemed to constitute this crowd, which seemed to be moving in the direction of George Yard. However, the noise soon lessened in volume, and Mr. and Mrs. Reeves then retired for the night.