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David O'Flaherty
Chief Inspector
Username: Oberlin
Post Number: 607
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 12:48 pm: | 
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Stephen has sent me an article from the 20 Nov 1888 Daily News to be transcribed for Press Project. This one's about the court appearance of William Avenell or Avenall. We've discussed Avenell before-he may or not have been an acquaintance of Albert Bachert's. I thought people might be interested in who Avenell's solicitor was.
At Marlborough-street Police-court yesterday William Avenall, 26, chimney sweep, Adam and Eve-court, Oxford-street, and Frederick W. Moore, 28, carver and gilder, Carlisle-street, Soho, were charged on remand with behaving in a disorderly manner and assaulting Henry Edward Leeke, an oil and colour man, of Gilbert-street. The evidence previously given was to the effect that on the evening of the 10th inst., shortly before eight o’clock, the prosecutor, who is a man of small stature, went into a public-house in the neighbourhood of Berners-street, Oxford-street, when some one in the bar suggested that he was “Jack the Ripper.” On leaving the House the two prisoners seized hold of him, and Avenall, who said he was a detective, behaved very violently towards him. They dragged him along the street, pretending they were going to take him to the station. Mr. Arthur Newton, solicitor, who appeared for the defence, said the explanation of the affair was that the prisoners really believed that the prosecutor was the real Jack the Ripper, and that they were therefore justified in taking the accused to the station. His clients were hard-working, respectable men, and were willing to make compensation as far as their means would allow.—The magistrate said he thought as far as the assault was concerned it was one that might be settled by a civil action if the prosecutor desired such a course to be taken.—The prosecutor intimated that he would prefer the magistrate to deal with the case.—The magistrate said that if people took upon themselves the responsibility of making practical jokes they must put up with the consequences. In the present excited state of public feeling it was a highly dangerous thing to drag a man about the streets saying that he was the Whitechapel murderer, and such conduct might actually lead to loss of life.—Mr. Newton said the prisoners were willing to give the prosecutor a sovereign each.—In answer to the magistrate the constable who arrested the prisoner said when Avenall was taken into custody he did not say that he was a detective of the police force. He merely said he was a private detective.—Mr. Hannay said as regarded the charge of personating a detective the evidence was somewhat conflicting, and he would therefore dismiss it. With respect to the assault he must, however, inflict the full penalty as, although the prisoners did not actually beat the prosecutor, they so frightened him as to cause him to become ill and to get into a state of nervous depression. There was no reasonable ground for the accused acting as they had, and they would each have to pay a fine of 5l. with the alternative of one months’ imprisonment. Half the fine—5l.—would be given to the prosecutor by way of compensation.
I believe Arthur Newton, a player in the Cleveland Street Scandal, had offices in Greater Marlborough Street. Newton, who was a bit of a snake, represented Lord Arther Somerset. Interesting to see him appearing for Avenell the chimney sweep and Moore the gilder. Some pro-bono work?
Dave |
Christopher T George
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 1194
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 1:21 pm: |
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Hi David
The previous weeks' court proceedings on this same case as recorded can be found on the Casebook for the 13 November issues of The Times and the Daily News and add further details about this episode. They reveal that "Henry Edward Leeke, an oil and colour man, of Gilbert-street, Oxford-street," took refuge in the basement of 62 Berners Street. Note, Berners Street, West End, not Berner Street in the East End where the Stride murder occurred. Ladies at that address told police that Leeke delivered oil to the residence, and they alerted the police to the fact that the man Avenell had chased Leeke down the cellar steps into the house. All of the circumstances seem to suggest that this was a West End incident with West End people. Not sure what makes you think Avenell had a connection to Bachert, David, though I would be interested in hearing the evidence. Avenell and Moore seem to have comported themselves like the private detectives J. H. Batchelor and Grand (or Le Grand), although their businesses of chimney sweep (Avenell) and carver and guilder (Moore) might indicate they lacked qualifications as gumshoes! They might though have come to some sort of mutual arrangement to work for the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, as apparently had Batchelor and (Le) Grand.
All my best
Chris
Christopher T. George
North American Editor
Ripperologist
http://www.ripperologist.info
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David O'Flaherty
Chief Inspector
Username: Oberlin
Post Number: 608
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 1:54 pm: |
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Hi Chris,
It's speculation from The Viper which I came across trolling the archives one day (I cite the exact thread for Viper's post and relevant newspaper articles in Casebook's Bachert summary). A possible connection might be made between the two men during the 1893 charity fraud case which ultimately sent Bachert away. He was forging orders on behalf of a Mrs. Beers, who funnily enough, kept a beer shop. Mrs. Beers was also known as Mrs. Avenell. You're quite right about the potential Berners street confusion. The Avenell incident occured in the West End, not the Berner street location of the Stride murder. Viper recognized it as well and admitted it was a weakness in the theory.
While I was working on the Casebook summary for Bachert, I asked Chris Scott to do a census search for William Avenell. Chris found four listings--I no longer have my notes, but if I remember right, there were no chimney sweeps, but one of the 1891 William Avenells was a 25 year old barman living at The Clarence, which I believe was also in the West End. I no longer have my notes for the Bachert article, but I believe that the other three William Avenells were older men than the one discussed in the Leeke incident. It's a tenuous connection but an intriguing one: Avenell the Ripper "detective", Avenell the barman, Mrs. Avenell the beer shop owner, Bachert's Vigilance Committee and his "inquiries" which Wynne Baxter apparently did not think much of.
Cheers,
Dave
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Christopher T George
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 1195
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 2:37 pm: |
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Hi Dave
Now that you mention it, I do remember this prior discussion of a possible connection between Avenell and Bachert. I think we will have to admit that it is tenuous at best without any real evidence to support it. In fact, a possible 1893 connection when the names coincide does not necessarily support any connection in 1888. Indeed, at the time of the murders, the two men may have had separate but only vaguely parallel interests in the case.
All the best
Chris
Christopher T. George
North American Editor
Ripperologist
http://www.ripperologist.info
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David O'Flaherty
Chief Inspector
Username: Oberlin
Post Number: 609
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 3:17 pm: |
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Hi Chris,
You're absolutely right to be skeptical since as you say, there's no real evidence of an 1893 connection much less one from 1888. I'm keeping an eye on Mr. Avenell all the same, though (laugh).
Cheers,
Dave |
Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris
Post Number: 1611
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 6:22 pm: |
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David
As it happens I have rather full info on Avenell (part of the second "Cast of Thousands" book!!) but I may as well post it here now
Chris
William Avenell
Born in Wonbrough (New Swindon), Wiltshire in 1862
1901 Census:
166 Walton Street, Kensington, London
Head:
William Avenell aged 38 born New Swindon, Wiltshire - Chimney sweep
Wife:
Annie Avenell aged 36 born Marylebone
1891 (name in the index as Aennett)
17 Adam and Eve Court, Marylebone, London
Head:
William Avenell aged 28 born Swindon, Wiltshire - Chimney sweep
Wife:
Annie Avenell aged 26 born Marylebone
1881:
11 Carlton Street, Swindon, Wilshire
William Avenall (sic) aged 19 born Wonbrough, Wiltshire - Labourer Factory
A boarder in the household of John Loveday
In 1881 his sister Annie Avenell was a servant at a house at 2 Markham Square, London, where two of the lodgers were medical students named Alexander Andrews and Herbert Kent.
1871:
1 Bath Street, Swindon, Wiltshire
Head:
Sarah Avenell (Widow) aged 41 born Greenwich - Laundress
Children:
William Avenell aged 8 born Swindon
Annie Avenell aged 5 born Swindon
His birth was registered at Highworth, Wiltshire, in 1862.
The marriage was registered in Bethnal Green in December 1886 as between William Avenell and Annie Harford.
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Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris
Post Number: 1612
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 6:30 pm: |
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One footnote I just found in some other notes:
William's wife to be in 1881, Annie Harford, was actually
living at 17 Adam and Eve Court with her step father:
Head:
Thomas Price aged 47 born Birmingham - Chimney sweep
Stepson:
William Harford aged 18 born London - Upholsterer
Step daughter:
Annie Harford aged 16 born London
Niece:
Elizabeth Watts aged 28 born London
It was presumably Avenell's connection with Annie's stepfather that turned his trade to that of chimney sweep
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David O'Flaherty
Chief Inspector
Username: Oberlin
Post Number: 611
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 6:31 pm: |
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Hi Chris,
So much for my barman  --the "Aennet" fellow's the one (no wonder he didn't show up previously). I wonder what Annie's maiden name was (edit Harford). Since they're still married in 1901, that appears to discount any 1893 connection with Mrs. Beers/Avenell.
Thanks for posting that!
Cheers,
Dave
(Message edited by oberlin on December 13, 2004)
(Message edited by oberlin on December 13, 2004) |
Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris
Post Number: 2025
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 9:39 am: |
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Just picked up on this account of some graffiti relating to Backert. This account was already in the Press Reports but I don't remember seeing this account before:
Walthamstow and Leyton Guardian (UK)
Saturday, 24 November 1888
THE WHITECHAPEL MURDER.
Arthur [sic] Bachert, the young man who gave to the police a description of a man seen in the neighbourhood of Berner-street at the time of the murder of Elizabeth Stride, is reported to have stated on Monday that he was awakened at his home in Newnham-street that morning by a policeman, who called his attention to some chalk writing on the blank wall of the house as follows: "Dear Boss, - I am still about; look out. - Yours, JACK THE RIPPER." It is stated by Bachert that the writing resembles that on the now famous postcard and letter published by the police, especially the B in "Boss," and the R in "Ripper." A crowd collected, and Mrs. Bachert partly removed the cause of their attraction by washing out the letters. Otherwise the police would have photographed the writing.
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Christopher T George
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 1483
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 1:20 am: |
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Hi all
Thanks for this, Chris.
The more we learn about Bachert, the more he seems to be a "person of interest." Is it just my suspicion, but is it possible that Mr. Bachert could have put that inscription on the wall himself?
It seems that at so many turns in the case, there is Mr. Bachert somehow intimately involved with what was going on, with some tidbit of information, or a witness statement, or, as here, being portrayed as a supposed "victim" of the murderer himself.
In this instance, if Bachert was behind the inscription, he could have been trying to show himself in a Lusk-like position, being the recipient of a communication from the Whitechapel murderer. On the other hand, perhaps Bachert here is innocent... for surely if he had wanted to be seen as a target in the same way as Lusk, perhaps there would have been a package, a letter, a specimen of "innards"? 
Just a thought. . .
All the best
Chris George
Christopher T. George
North American Editor
Ripperologist
http://www.ripperologist.info
See "Jack--The Musical" by Chris George & Erik Sitbon
The Drama of Jack the Ripper Weekend
Charlotte, NC, September 16-18, 2005
http://www.actorssceneunseen.com/ripper.asp
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