The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-12-05 00:00:00

A LONDON TRAGEDY.

At the Thames Police-court on Tuesday, Henry
Patrick, 24, a ship's cook, was charged on remand
with murdering Rachel Bailey, aged 19, at 1, Ettrick-
street, Poplar. Mr. Sims prosecuted on behalf of the
Treasury. A coroner's jury had returned a verdict
of wilful murder. Mrs. Ann Adams, 3, Edward-
street, Canning Town, said she was the wife of
Richard Adams, a labourer. The deceased girl,
Raehel Bailey, was her daughter. She was formerly
a domestic servant, but latterly had been leading an
immoral life. Witness last saw her on Sunday,
Nov. 22, when she had tea with witness. The
prisoner had been with her daughter twice to
her house. Witness did not know they went
out together. On the Friday before the Sunday her
daughter brought her things to the house. (At
this point the witness saw the prisoner and
became very excited, saying, " Oh, good God !
there's the villain.") The prisoner was with de-
ceased on the Sunday, and she told witness she was
going to marry "that thing" (pointing at the
prisoner). Her daughter went by the name of Emily.
Cecilia Stillman, 93, Leman-street,Whitechapel, stated
that she formerly lived at Ettrick-street, Bromley-
by-Bow. On Saturday, Nov. 21, between four and
five in the afternoon, she let a room to the deceased
at a rental of 4s. or ss. a week. She paid witness a
deposit of 2s.' and she was to take possession on the
Monday with her husband, as she called him. On
the Sunday witness and her husband went out, and did
not return until one o'clock on the Monday morning.
She heard someone come out of the first floor
back room and go downstairs. That person
spoke to her son, and said to him, "Call
her in two hours' He then slammed the
street door. Later on she was told something,
and her son went and fetched a doctor and the
police. The prisoner: You say Emily did not
come on Saturday? Witness: I did not see her
before Saturday. Prisoner: She stopped there then.
Witness: She did not. Prisoner: You lie. She
stopped at the woman's house on Saturday. Annie
Connor now :said she lived at 93, Leman-street.
Witness was sent by the deceased to get some ale,
which she got, and gave the deceased the change
out of a half-sovereign she had given witness. They
appeared to be on friendly terms. The deceased
said, just before 11 o'clock, "The gin palace is
not shut yet, and I shall go and see George." Pri-
soner said something which witness did not hear.
They then went upstairs together. The prisoner said
to the landlord's son, as he went out in the morning,
Call her in about two hours' time.' He then went
away. Witness was the first to go into the room.
Prisoner: What time did you leave the house on the
Saturday? Witness: Between eight and nine.
Mr. W. Erskine, surgeon, 267, East India Dock-read,
said when he saw the deceased she was lying on the
bed, with the clothes over her. Deceased was lying
with her face to the pillow. He removed the clothes,
and turned the body over. He then found that the
throat was cut. A large knife was found. All the
leading arteries were divided, including the jugular
vein. Death must have occurred almost instanta-
neously. He noticed the wash-hand basin was dis-
coloured. There was a quantity of blood on the floor,
but most was on the bed. He did not notice any
splashes on the wall. The deceased died from
bxmorrhage consequent on the incised wound in the
throat. The wound could not have been self-inflicted.
Evidence of arrest having been given, it was stated
that when charged the prisoner made no reply. Mr.
Luslaington committed the prisoner for trial on the
charge of wilful murder.