Annie Chapman - Wife, Mother, Victim: The Life & Death of a Victim of Jack The Ripper

by Covell, Mike

  The Munster News and Limerick and Clare Advocate, a newspaper published in Limerick, Ireland, featured the following, dated September 12th 1888,

  THE WHITECHAPEL MURDER. No further arrests have been made in Whitechapel, though the police are following up with praiseworthy perseverance the new evidence which came to light yesterday. Annie Chapman, murdered in Spitalfield, was identified by her brother to-day, and will be taken away for interment on receipt of the Coroner's order. The place of funeral will be kept secret. The inquest was resumed at Whitechapel this afternoon. James Kent, one of two who first saw the body, said the appearance of the corpse led him to believe that deceased had struggled while on her back. Mrs Richardson, occupier of the premises, deposed that she slept badly on the night of the murder, but heard no sounds. The first floor back was occupied by an old man and his imbecile son, but the latter was quite inoffensive. An arrest has been made at Halloway of a man suspected of being concerned in the Whitechapel murder. He has been detained at Halloway police station, and has been pronounced insane, and is now in the workhouse infirmary. The stains found in the yard at 25 Hanbury street, prove on examination not to be bloodstains.

  St. James Gazette, a newspaper based in London, England, featured the following, dated September 12th 1888,

  THE SPITALFIELDS MURDER. AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY. It is announced today that John Piser, the man who was detained on suspicion of being concerned in causing the death of the woman Annie Chapman, in Hanbury street, Spitalfields, has been set at liberty; the evidence of a man who had borne testimony against him having been discredited. A discovery which throws considerable light upon the movements of the murderer immediately after the committal of the crime was made yesterday afternoon. In the back yard of the house, 25 Hanbury street, the next house but one to the scene of the murder, a little girl noticed peculiar marks on the wall and on the ground. She communicated the discovery to Detective Inspector Chandler, who had just called at the house in order to make a plan of the back premises of the three houses for the use of the coroner at the inquest. The whole of the yard was then carefully examined with the result that a bloody trail was found distinctly marked for a distance of five or six feet in the direction of the back door of the house. Further investigation left no doubt that the trail was that of the murderer, who, it was evident, after finishing his work had passed through or over the dividing fence between Nos. 29 and 27, and thence into the garden of No. 25. On the wall of the last house there was found a curious mark, between a smear and a sprinkle, which had probably been made by the murderer, who, alarmed by the blood soaked state of his coat, took off that garment and knocked it against the wall. Abutting on the end of the yard of No. 25 are the works of Mr. Bailey, a packing case maker. In the yard of this establishment, in an out of the way corner, the police yesterday afternoon found some crumpled paper almost saturated with blood. It was evident that the murderer had found the paper in the yard of 25 and had wiped his hands with it, afterwards throwing it over the wall into Bailey's premises. The house, No. 25, like most of the dwellings in the street, is let out in tenements direct from the owner, who does not live on the premises and has no direct representative therein. The back and front doors are therefore always left either on the latch or wide open, the tenant of each room looking after the safety of his own particular premises. The general appearance of the bloody trail and other circumstances seem to show that the murderer intended to make his way as rapidly as possible into the street through the house next door but one, being frightened by some noise or light in No. 29 from retreating by the way by which he came. The detectives have been following up the supposed clue afforded by the discovery of these blood trails. The occupiers of the houses near, through one of which the murderer must have escaped, have been questioned, but the discovery has led to nothing substantial as yet.

  The Hull Daily Mail, a Hull based newspaper, featured the following, dated September 12th 1888,

  THE WHITECHAPEL TRAGEDY. A FRESH CLUE. FURTHER PARTICULARS. Although no fresh arrests were made on Tuesday in connection with the Whitechapel murders, the police have obtained a clue which, although at present of a very slender character, may, they think, develop into a very important piece of evidence. It appears that on the morning of the murder of the woman Chapman, a man whose name if for the present withheld was in Hanbury-street, and noticed a woman in the company of two men. They appeared to be quarrelling, and he heard the men make some threats. Such an incident is, however, very common in the district, and the man, after taking a good look at the disputants, passed on his way. It is not known whether the man made a statement to the police as soon as he heard of the murder. If he did so, no action has been taken upon it until yesterday when it seems to have struck the police that Pizer might have been one of the men in Hanbury-street at the time in question. The man was re-quested to attend at Leman-street Police station, and on his arrival, about one o'clock, some twenty men, mostly brought in from the adjacent thoroughfare, were paraded before him. The result somewhat startled the police, for the man, without a moment's hesitation, pointed to John Pizer as the man he heard threatening a woman in Hanbury-street on the morning of the murder. Pizer calmly protested that the man was entirely mistaken, but he was put back to the cells. The authorities do not express much confidence in their ability to establish a case against Pizer. Pizer's friends and relatives are not seriously alarmed at the alleged identification, for they are confident they will be able to prove an alibi without difficulty. Beyond the alleged identification, there is practically no evidence against Pizer. His lodgings have been thoroughly searched more than once, and nothing of a suspicious character has been found. Serious efforts have been made to find the rings torn from Chapman's fingers by the murderer, but not a trace of them has been found. It is probable that they have been destroyed, and with them it is feared disappears the most hopeful means of bringing the murderer to justice. The police during the afternoon and evening made careful enquiries into the statements made by the man who professed to identify Pizer. The manner of this man, who is apparently of Spanish blood and displays a blue ribbon on his coat, did not inspire much confidence in his veracity, and he was severely cross examined by a sort of informal tribunal consisting of experienced detective officers. The witness added to his first statement that he not only saw the prisoner in Hanbury-street on the morning of the murder, but that he actually took him by the collar when he was about to strike the woman. The man, it appears, first volunteered his statement on Monday, and he has since displayed anxiety to view the remains of the murdered woman Chapman. The curiosity, which was really believed to have been the inspiring motive of the voluntary testimony, was not gratified. Pizer is physically a very weak man and for that reason does not keep at work very closely. He is ruptured and in other ways infirm, and has been under hospital treatment on and off for a long time past. Each time the police searched Pizer's lodging they found no trace of blood stained clothing, or induced anything of suspicious character; but they carried off five knives, which were at once subjected to chemical analysis. All are of the class used in the leather currying trade, having blades about six inches in length, with stout handles sometimes notched in a peculiar way. There was to all appearances no blood either on the blades or the handles. Meanwhile the police continued their inquiries into witness statements, with the results that about eight o'clock they arrived at the conclusion that the man had not stated the truth, and there were no grounds for keeping Pizer any longer in custody. He was accordingly set at liberty, and at once proceeded to Mulberry-street, where he received the congratulations of his relatives and friends. The conduct of the man who professed to identify Pizer caused much indignation. The man Pigott is still under surveillance at the Whitechapel Infirmary. It has been suggested that he is feigning insanity, but the physicians who have examined him are of a contrary opinion. Another communication says: An important discovery, which throws some considerable light upon the movements of the murderer immediately after the
committal of the crime, was made yesterday afternoon. A little girl happened to be walking in the back garden or yard of the house, 25, Hanbury-street, the next house but one to the scene of the murder, when her attention was attracted to peculiar marks on the wall and on the garden path. She communicated the discovery to Detective Inspector Chandler, who had just called at the house in order to make a plan of the back premises and the three houses for the use of the coroner at the inquest, which will be resumed to-day. The whole of the yard was then carefully examined, with the result that a bloody trail was found distinctly marked for a distance of five or six feet in the direction of the back door of the house. Further investigation left no doubt that the trail was that of the murderer, who it was evident, after finishing his sanguinary work, had passed through or over the dividing fence between Numbers 29 and 27, and thence into the garden of No. 25. On the wall of the last house there was found a curious smear which had probably been made by the murderer, who, alarmed by the blood soaked state of his coat, took off that garment and knocked it against the wall. Abutting on the end of the yard at 25 are the works of Mr. Bailey, a packing case maker. In the yard of this establishment in an out of way corner the police found some crumpled paper stained, almost saturated, with blood. It was evident that the murderer had found the paper in the yard of 25, and had wiped his hands with it, afterwards throwing it over the wall into Bailey's premises.

  The Hull Daily Mail, a Hull based newspaper, featured the following, dated September 12th 1888,

  THE INQUEST. The adjourned inquest on the body of Annie Chapman, who was murdered in Hanbury-street on Saturday morning, was resumed this afternoon at the Boys Institute, Whitechapel, by Mr Wynne Baxter.- Inspectors Abberline and Helson attended to represent the police. A plan of the locality was prepared for the information of the jury. There was a large attendance of the public.- Fontain Smith, printing warehouseman, deposed that he recognised the deceased as his sister. She was the widow of a head coachman, who formerly lived at Windsor, and had lived apart from him for three or four years. He last say her alive a fortnight ago. She did not tell him where she was living.- James Kemp, packing case maker. Shadwell, said he worked at 23, Hanbury-street for Mrs Bailey, his usual time for going to work was six o'clock. On Saturday he got there at ten minutes or a quarter past six. His employer's gate was open. While he was there he was waiting for the other man to come, an elderly man named Davis, living near, ran into the road, and called him. Witness went, accompanied by James Green and others. He saw a woman lying in the yard of No. 29, near the door steps. Her clothes were disarranged. Nobody entered the yard until the arrival of Inspector Chandler. The woman's face and hands were smeared with blood, and the position of the hands indicated that a struggle had taken place. The woman's internal organs had been torn out and were lying over her shoulders. Witness went to fetch a piece of canvas to throw over the body, and when he returned the inspector was in possession of the yard.- James Green, another of Mr Bailey's workmen, corroborated.- Amelia Richardson, 29, Hanbury-street, said she and her son occupied separate parts of the house. Francis Tyler carried on the work of packing case maker there. He came at eight o'clock on the Saturday morning instead of six, the usual hour. Her son lived in John-street, and was occasionally late. About six o'clock on Saturday morning her grandson, Thomas Richardson, hearing a commotion in the passage, he went out, and on returning said there was a woman murdered in the yard. Witness went down and saw other people in the passage. The Inspector was the first person who entered the yard. She was awake part of Friday night, but heard no noise. Witness proceeded to describe the number of lodgers in the house and the apartments they occupied.

  The Hull Daily News, a Hull based newspaper, featured the following, dated September 12th 1888,

  THE WHITECHAPEL MURDERS. PISER STILL IN CUSTODY. SUPPOSED CLUE. – A TRAIL OF BLOOD. Although no fresh arrests were made yesterday in connection with the Whitechapel murders, the police have obtained a clue which, although at present of a very slender character, may, they think, develop into an important piece of evidence. It appears that on the morning of the murder of the woman Chapman, a man, whose name is for the present withheld, was in Hanbury-street, and noticed a woman in the company of two men. They appeared to be quarrelling, and he heard the men make use of threats. Such an incident is, however, very common in the district, and the man, after taking a good look at the disputants, passed on his way. It is not known whether the man made a statement to the police as soon as he heard of the murder. If he did so, no action was taken upon it until yesterday, when it seems to have struck the police that Piser might have been one of the men seen in Hanbury-street at the time in question. The man was requested to attend, at Leman-street Police Station, and on his arrival about one o'clock some twenty men, mostly brought in from the adjacent thoroughfare, were paraded before him. The result somewhat startled the police, for the man, without a moment's hesitation, pointed to John Piser as the man whom he heard threatening a woman in Hanbury-street on the morning of the murder. Piser calmly protested that the man was entirely mistaken, but he was put back to the cells. The authorities do not express much confidence in their ability to establish a case against Piser. Piser's friends and relatives are not seriously alarmed at the alleged identification, for they are confident they will be able to prove an alibi without difficulty. Beyond the alleged identification, there is practically no evidence against Piser. His lodgings have been thoroughly searched more than once, and nothing of a suspicious character has been found. Strenuous efforts have been made to find the rings torn from Chapman's fingers by the murderer, but not a trace of them has been found. It is probable that they have been destroyed, and with them it is feared disappears the most hopeful means of bringing the murderer to justice. The police during the afternoon and evening made (illegible) inquiries into the statements made by the man who professed to identify Piser. The manner of this man, who is apparently of Spanish blood and displays a blue ribbon on his coat, did not inspire much confidence in his veracity, and he was severely cross-examined by a sort of informal tribunal consisting of experienced detective officers. The witness added to his first statement that he not only saw the prisoner in Hanbury-street on the morning of the murder, but that he actually took him by the collar when he was about to strike the woman. The man, it appears, first volunteered his statement on Monday, and he has since displayed anxiety to view the remains of the murdered woman Chapman. This curiosity, which was really believed to have been the inspiring motive of his voluntary testimony, was not gratified. Piser is physically a very weak man, and for that reason does not keep at work very closely. He is ruptured and in other ways infirm, and has been under hospital treatment on and off for a long time past. Each time the police searched Piser's lodgings they found no trace of blood-stained clothing, or indeed anything of a suspicious character; but they carried off five knives, which were at once subjected to chemical analysis. All are of the class used in the leather currying trade, having blades about six inches in length, with stout handles sometimes notched in a peculiar way. There was to all appearance no blood either on the blades or the handles. Meanwhile the police continued their inquiries into the witnesses statements, with the result that about eight o'clock they arrived at the conclusion that the man had not stated the truth, and that there were no grounds for keeping Piser any longer in custody. He was accordingly set at liberty, and at once proceeded to Mulberry-street, where he received the congratulations of his relatives and friends. The conduct of the man who professed to identify Piser has caused much indignation, it having kept several experienced officers from prosecuting inquiries in other directions. His statement, clear enough at first, utterly failed to stand the test even of ordinary questioning. In the course of a three hours examination to which he was subjected yesterday afternoon he contradicted himself over and over again. In the result he was not allowed to view the body at the mortuary and was sharply sent about his business. It should be clearly understood that the pol
ice have never made a charge against Piser, and that he was taken into custody purely as a matter of precaution to allow the allegations affecting him to be sifted. The man Pigott is still under surveillance at the Whitechapel Infirmary. It has been suggested that he is feigning insanity, but the physicians who have examined him state that he could not be held responsible for his actions. AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY. An important discovery, which throws some considerable light upon the movements of the murderer immediately after the committal of the crime, was made yesterday afternoon. A little girl happened to be walking in the back garden or yard of the house, 25, Hanbury-street, the next house but one to the scene of the murder, when her attention was attracted to peculiar marks on the wall and on the garden path. She communicated the discovery to Detective-Inspector Chandler, who had just called at the house in order to make a plan of the back premises and the three houses for the use of the coroner at the inquest, which will be (illegible) The whole of the yard was then care (illegible) with the result that a bloody trail was (illegible) marked for a distance of five or six (illegible) in the direction of the back door of the house. Further investigation left no doubt that the trail was that of the murderer, who it was evident after finishing his sanguinary work had passed through or over the dividing fence between Numbers 29 and 27, and thence into the garden of No. 25. On the wall of the last house there was found a curious smear which had probably been made by the murderer, who, alarmed by the blood-soaked state of his coat, took off that garment and knocked it against the wall. Abutting on the end of the yard at 25 are the works of Mr. Bailey, a packing-case maker. In the yard of this establishment in an out of the way corner the police found some crumpled paper stained, almost saturated, with blood. It was evident that the murderer had found the paper in the yard of 25, and had wiped his hands with it, afterwards throwing it over the wall into Bailey's premises. ANOTHER SUPPOSED MURDER AND MUTILATION. The London Star, in a late edition, publishes the following account of a supposed murder and mutilation. - "A discovery, which is held to afford incontestable proof of a murder and mutilation, was made in Pimlico to-day. In the canal near Ebury Bridge and Grosvenor road a policeman's attention was attracted to something at which a number of boys were pelting stones. He had the object of the boys amusement extricated from the planks of timber amongst which it was entangled, and on examination he found it to be a woman's arm. He had it at once removed to the station where it was inspected by Dr. Neville, of Pimlico road, the Police Surgeon. The arm had been removed from the shoulder, and had evidently been done by an unskilful person. It must have been removed from the body of a person murdered but a day or two ago, as when touched the blood began to trickle freshly from it. The instrument must have been exceedingly sharp, the joint being cut into and the limb removed at the shoulder socket. There was a cord tied round the arm above the elbow. The person murdered must have been a very fine young woman, as the arm was fully as long as that of a man of 5 ft. 10 in. or 5 ft. 11 in. There were a few abrasions on portions of the skin, but these might be caused by knocking against timber in the water. The police deny all knowledge of the suspect. A representative of the Press Association had an interview to-night with Dr Neville, of Pimlico, who examined the arm of a young woman found yesterday. He stated that the limb was but cleanly, but not apparently with a scientific object, so that it is supposed a murder has been committed. The police are making careful search for other portions of the body to-day. THE POLICE AND THE PRESS. We commend to the notice of the police authorities elsewhere than in London the following from The Star: The police, justly or unjustly, come in for a large share of the blame of these undiscovered crimes. It is true that Whitechapel is densely populated and difficult to cover, but it is also true that under anything like intelligent police management such a quartet of openly committed murders could hardly have occurred. One thing is absolutely certain, and that is that murderers will always escape with the ease that now characterises their escape in London until the police authorities adopt a different attitude towards the Press. They treat the reporters of the newspapers, who are simply news-gatherers for the great mass of the people, with a snobbery that would be beneath contempt were it not senseless to an almost criminal degree. On Saturday they shut the reporters out of the mortuary; they shut them out of the house where the murder was done; the constable at the mortuary door lied to them; some of the inspectors at the offices seemed to wilfully mislead them; they denied information which would have done no harm to make public, and the withholding of which only tended to increase the public uneasiness over the affair. Now if the people of London wish murderers detected they must have all this changed. In New York, where the escape of a murderer is as rare as it is common here, the reporters are far more active agents in ferreting out crime than the detectives. They are no more numerous or more intelligent than the reporters of London, but they are given every facility and opportunity to get all the facts, and no part of any case is hidden from them unless the detectives' plan makes it necessary to keep it a secret. The consequence is that a large number of sharp and experienced eyes are focussed upon every point of a case, a number of different theories develop which the reporters themselves follow up, and instances in which the detection of a criminal is due to a newspaper reporter are simply too common to create any particular comment. Reporters are not prying individuals simply endeavouring to gratify their own curiosity. They are direct agents of the people who have a right to the news and a right to know what their paid servants the police and detectives are doing to earn the bread and butter for which the people are taxed. No properly accredited reporter ever wishes to know or print anything that will thwart the ends of justice, but he does desire and is fully entitled to the fullest scope in examining all the details of the case. The sooner the police authorities appreciate and act on this the sooner the Whitechapel fiend will be captured and human life in London rendered a little more safe.