Weekly Herald
August 17th, 1888
A MYSTERIOUS MURDER.
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The murder of a young woman, supposed to be Martha Turner, which occurred
at George Yard Buildings, Whitechapel Road, some time ago, is as much a
mystery as ever, and up to the present there is no decided clue as to he
perpetrator of the foul crime. The woman who was seen in the company of
two soldiers, with whom was the deceased, has not been able to identify
either of the men at the Tower as being her companion on the evening of
the murder.
SOLDIERS' PARADE AT THE TOWER.
Inspector Reid and the other officers engaged in the case have in no
way relaxed their efforts to trace the criminal, and the Inspector, accompanied
by "Pearly Poll," who was in the company of the murdered woman,
proceeded to the Tower where she was confronted with every non-commissioned
officer and private who had leave of absence at the time of the outrage.
They were paraded at the back of the Tower, unseen by the public--of whom
there is a large number frequenting the historic structure--and "Pearly
Poll" was asked, "Can you see here either of the men you
saw with the woman now dead?" "Pearly Poll," in no way embarrassed,
placed her arms akimbo, glanced at the men with the air of an inspecting
officer, and shook her head. This indication of a negative was not sufficient.
"Can you identify anyone?" she was asked. "Pearly Poll"
exclaimed, with a good deal of feminine emphasis, "He ain't here."
SUSPECTED MEN DISCHARGED FROM CUSTODY.
The woman was very decided on this point, and the men were then dismissed,
while the two upon whom a faint shadow of suspicion had rested were consideraly
(sic) relieved at their innocence being declared. As soon as the
murder was known the suspected corporal was interviewed by the police and
questioned. He had his bayonet with him when on leave at the time of the
outrage; but this he at once produced, and no trace of blood was discovered
upon it. His clothing too, was also examined, and upon it there was no
incriminating bloodstain. After the parade a reporter saw Adjutant A.W.
Cotton, the officer in command, who stated that all the men are now entirely
exonerated. Indeed, the men were themselves most anxious to afford every
facility to the police, and gave all the information in their power to
assist the officers of justice in their investigation.
A SINGLE CRY OF "MURDER!"
There have been many visitors to George Yard Buildings with the rather
morbid purpose of seeing the place where the deceased was discovered. Here
there is still a large surgace of the stone flags crimson stained. It is
at the spot where the blood oozed from the poor creature's heart. The police
authorities regard as little short of marvellous the fact that no dweller
in this model block heard any disturbance. Thinking this point ought to
be cleared up, a reporter again visited Mr. Francis Hewitt, the superintendant
of the dwellings, who, with his wife, occupies a sleeping apartment at
nearly right angles with the place where the dead body lay. Mr. Hewitt
procured a foot-rule, and measured the distance of his sleeping place from
the stone step in question. it (sic) was exactly 12ft. "And
we never heard a cry," remarked Mr. Hewitt. Mrs. Hewitt remarked that
early in the evening she did hear a single cry of "Murder!" It
echoed through the building, but did not emanate from there. "But,"
explained Mr. and Mrs. Hewitt, in a breath, "the district round there
is rather rough, and cries of 'Murder!' are of frequent, if not nightly,
occurence in the district."
THE OCCUPANTS OF THE DWELLINGS.
The model dwellings at George Yard Buildings were erected about thirteen
years ago, and Princess Alice, but a short time before her death, visited
the poor residents there, and extolled the ingenious method of housing
them. The structure was erected more as a philanthropic than as a commercial
venture by Mr. Crowther, a gentleman well-known in the district. The occupants
are of the poorest class--described by the superindentent's wife as "the
poorest of the poor, but very honest."
