James Johnson
James Johnson was charged at Dalston Police Court with assaulting a well known prostitute, Elizabeth Hudson, at the corner of Richmond Road, Dalston. Hudson, described as, 'a woman of loose character', told how at 2am the accused approached her and threw her to the floor, at the same time pulling from his coat pocket a long knife about eight/ten inches long, and attempted to stab her. Hudson's screams of murder alerted the police, who apprehended Johnson as he attempted to flee the scene. However, when searched, no knife was found on him. Johnson, in his defence said, 'Everything the female has said is entirely the other way round. They used dirty insulting language to me, one of them put her hand in my pocket and I gave her a shove and she went down. She was so drunk, she did not want much force. I have never been in a court of justice before in my life, I work for a living. I had no knife in my possession and I never carry one'. Hudson's friend, Alice Anderson, a feather curler, who resided at the same address as Hudson, also made the claim that the man had previously accosted her in Kingsland Road, near the Lamb public house. James Johnson was described as aged 35, respectable, well set, clean shaven with a pale complexion and spoke with a strong American accent. He gave his occupation as a waiter, and resided at 18 Bridhurst Road, Wandsworth. His landlady, Mrs Seaton, had known him as a respectable man for a long time. The magistrate discharged him, remarking that he had got himself into a very awkward scrape by his own folly. The police claimed that Hudson was the worst and most troublesome prostitute in the neighbourhood.
