Morning Advertiser (London)
12 September 1888
The police have not made any new arrests in connexion with the Whitechapel
murders, but Pizer and Pigott will remain in custody. Mr. Montagu, MP., has
offered a reward of 100l for the capture of the person or persons who
committed the crimes.
Yesterday a woman’s arm was found in the Thames near Pimlico. The divisional
surgeon of police, after examining the limb, expressed the opinion that it
had not been amputated for surgical purposes. The police are investigating
the matter.
A THAMES MYSTERY
Considerable excitement was caused in Pimlico yesterday by the discovery in
the Thames of a human limb.It appears that shortly after twelve o’clock a
police-constable of the B division was on duty near Ebury-bridge and
Grosvenor-road, when his attention was called to an object floating in the
Thames by some boys.he at once had it taken from the water, when it was
found to be the right arm, fore arm, and hand of a human being. Above the
elbow a piece of cord was securely fastened. The policeman carried the limb
to the Cottage-road police-station, and Dr.neville, of Pimlico-road, was
called to inspect it.After carefully examining it he was of opinion that it
was the right arm of a female, about 30 years of age. It had been carefully
disarticulated at the shoulder joint. Its condition was fresh, and there
were some abrasions on the forearm, possibly the result of contact with
floating timber. A ligature had been fastened round the arm, no doubt in
order to prevent the blood trickling while it was being carried from where
the dismemberment took place. The hand was evidently that of a person who
had been engaged in domestic or some other rough work ; the fingers were
rather stout, and the flesh projected beyond the ends of the nails, which
were filled with dirt. The flesh had the appearance of having been immersed
for a couple of days, and it is the opinion of the medical gentleman that
the arm had been severed about the same time. It is certain that the limb
was amputated for surgical purposes, there being an entire absence of any
injury or disease which would warrant such an operation being performed.
Information of the discovery has been forwarded to all the metropolitan
police-stations, and it is expected that the Thames police will to-day renew
their search for other portions of the body. In the meantime it is
impossible to form an opinion as to whether another revolting murder has
been committed in London, or whether the arm has been placed in the water as
a grim joke by some medical student.
Neville Vickers, 36, carpenter, 3, oak-street, Woolwich, was cgarged with
assaulting his wife, Jessie Vickers. – Complainant said her husband had
neglected to appear ro a summons which she had taken out, and had taken her
by the throat and refused to give her and her children money for their
support. – The prisoner said he only tried to curb her violent temper. –
sergeant Gilham said the prisoner had been previously committed for
violently assaulting his wife, on which occasion a judicial separation was
ordered, the prisoner to pay his wife 15s. a week. – prisoner, who was
stated to have threatened to “Whitechapel” his wife, was committed to prison
for two months.
THE WHITECHAPEL MURDER.
No further arrests have been made in connexion with the Whitechapel murder,
though Inspector Abberline, of Scotland-yard ; inspector Helson of the J
division ; and Sergeant Thicke, of the H division, are making diligent
inquiries in various directions. Pizer, whom some of the police-officers
still assert to be “Leather Apron,” remains at Leman-street, and will be
detained until the police are able to trace his guilt or innocence beyond
doubt. No friend is allowed to see him, but his brother yesterday morning
called at the station and left food and drink, which was afterwards given to
the prisoner. Pizer asked to be allowed to see his brother, but was refused.
The police have made a thorough search again at pizer’s lodgings, but beyond
the “buffers,” a kind of knife used for scraping leather, they have found
nothing.
Shortly after one o’clock yesterday a number of men were brought to the
leman-street Police-station for the purpose of identifying Pizer.
Last evening Timothy Donovan, the deputy of the lodging-house in
Dorset-street, at which the murdered woman Chapman formerly lived, made a
statement to the effect that he knows “Leather Apron” well. Some months ago
he ejected him from the lodging-house, and that was for offering violence to
a woman who was staying there.Donovan is surprised that the police have not
called on him to go to leman-street police-station, where the prisoner Pizer
now is, as he would have no difficulty in decideing whether the prisoner is
“Leather Apron.” This morning two police constables visited Donovan abd
showed him two rings, one a half worn-out “engaged” ring,, the other
appearing to be a wedding-ring, which they stated had been discovered at a
pawnbroker’s. Donovan did not think they were the rings he had seen Mrs.
Chapman wearing. The policemen then left, and Donovan heard no more of the
incident.Both Donovan and a man named West, a former watcher at the
lodging-house, say that when they last saw “Leather Apron” he was wearing a
kind of deer-stalker hat, double-peaked. West describes him as a man not
more than 5ft. 4in. in height.mrs. Fiddyman, the landlay of the house into
which it was stated a blood-stained and wild-looking man entered shortly
after the hour at which the murder was probably committed on Saturday
morning, has been taken to Leman-street station, and on seeing Pizer she
expressed herself as quite certain that he was not the man who came into her
house on the occasion spoken of.
Yesterday adternoon a statement was circulated to the effect that John Pizer
had been identified by a man who saw him threatening a woman in
Hanbury-street early on the morning of the murder.On inquiry at Leman-street
the report was stated to be correct, but last night one of the detective
inspectors stated positively it had no foundation at all.
Last evening Samuel Pizer, the brother of the man John Pizer, now in custody
at Leman-street, denied that his brother had been known by the name of
“Leather Apron,” but he admits that last Sunday week some women had
denounced John Pizer to a police constable as “Leather Apron.” In
consequence of this Samuel Pizer advised his brother to remain in the house
as much as possible, and he did so, and had not been out of the house since
Thursday last. Samuel Pizer strongly doubted the truth of the identity of
his brother with the man seen abusing some women in the street, and declared
that hois brother always returned home at night in good time.He was of a
roving disposition, but lately he had been living with his
brother.Detective-srergeant Thicke, it is said, had known John Pizer for
some time, and Samuel pizer declared that the officer could not say anything
against his brother. The statement that John Pizer had been in trouble
before the brother denied, remarking that a Jewish clergyman could speak to
his harmless character.
The man Pigott arrested at Gravesend will remain at the Whitechapel
Infirmary until to-morrow, and if the authorities there then finally decide
to release him due notice will be given to the public. It is most likely
that his friends will take charge of him. Yesterday morning Whitechapel and
Spitalfields had settled down to the usual state.the excitement had much
abated, and very few persons assembled at the scene of the murder.
Mr. S. Montagu, M.P., has offered 100 l. as a reward for the capture of the
Whitechapel murderer, and has asked Superintendent Arnold to issue notices
to that effect.
It is stated that Dr. Forbes Winslow is in communication with the Criminal
Investigation Department with reference to the recent murders in
Spitalfields and Whitechapel. He is of opinion that they are the work of one
person, who is either a discharged lunatic from some asylum or one who has
escaped from such an institution. He has suggested to the Scotland-yard
authorities that all the asylums should be communicated with, and
particulars requested respecting the recent discharge of homicidal lunatics
or persons who may have eddected their escape from such institutions. The
present whereabouts of such lunatics should, in Dr. Winslow’s opinion, be at
once ascertained.
The remains of the murdered woman have been positively identified as those
of the widow of the coachman Chapman, who was formerly in service in the
vicinity of Windsor.
At the Worship-street Police Court yesterday, before Mr. Bushby, Joseph
Carter, 34, tinker, was charged with being disorderly at four o’clock at the
police-station. – Police-constable 171 H division said that on the previous
afternoon the prisoner addressed him at the door of the Commercial-street
police-station, and said he wanted to see the man charged with the
Whitechapel murder. He would not go away, and remained outside creating a
disturbance, and was eventually locked up. – Mr. Bushby fined the prisoner
5s. – Prisoner : I can’t pay. I’ve got no five shillings. – Mr. Bushby :
Five days in default.
At the same court William Griffiths, 22, a labourer, living in Great
Garden-street, Mile-end, was charged with being disorderly in
Hanbury-street, Spitalfields. – Police- constable 165 H said that at about
three o’clock that morning the prisoner was wandering in Hanbury-street, and
the witness spoke to him, asking what he was doing there. The prisoner
replied by using foul language, and refused to go away. – Mr. Bushby fined
the prisoner 5s. for being drunk.
William M’Evey, 34, ship’s fireman, was charged with being disorderly and
assaulting Constable 43 H R. – Detective-Sergeant Smith, H, stated on Monday
afternoon he was in Cable-street, St. George’s, when he saw the prisoner
going to different public-houses, demanding drink. He stated he had been
locked up all day on suspicion of having committed the Whitechapel murder.
When drink was refised him he made use of most beastly language. He was then
taken into custody. At the station he struck Constable 43 H R. two violent
blows, from which he still felt the effects. – M’Evey said he was very sorry
for what had happened. – mr. saunders sentenced him to seven days’ hard
labour.
