John Brinckley
According to the Daily News 14 November 1888, John Brinckley, a 40 year old porter of Wilmington Place, Clerkenwell, was charged before Mr Bros with being drunk and disorderly in Goswell Road, the incident happened on Monday of the previous night. Police Constable 192 G, confirmed seeing the prisoner drunk in Goswell Road wearing a woman's skirt over his other clothes. There were several persons round him as he cried out, 'I'm Jack the Ripper, I'm going down the City Road tonight and I'll do another there'. The Constable took Brinckley into custody. Brinckley, in his defence, stated that he did not remember putting on the skirt and suggested that someone must have put it on him for a lark. The gaoler said he knew the prisoner to be a hardworking man, but he often acted foolishly and had on more than one occasion been fined by this court. Mr Bros told the prisoner, 'You were not only drunk, but you played the fool under circumstances which might lead to serious mischief, there is a great deal of public excitement just now about a particular matter and I will send you to prison for fourteen days'. The prisoner begged for a fine to be imposed but the magistrate peremptorily refused and Brinckley was removed to the cells.
