The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-10-16 00:00:00

THE WHITECHAPEL-ROAD MYSTERY.

At the Southwark Police-court on Tuesday after-
noon, Henry Wainwright, aged 36, charged with the
wilful murder of Harriet Lane, alias Mrs. King, and
Thomas Wainwright, aged 30, his brother, charged
with being an accessory after the fact, were again
placed in the dock before Mr. Benson, magistrate.
Mr. Christopher Sykes, M.P., and several other
gentlemen, occupied seats on the bench.
As a large a crowd as has previously assembled was
Fathered at the entrances to the court, and the court
itself was inconveniently crowded, notwithstanding
the exertions of the officials.

Mr. Poland (for the Treasury) prosecuted; Mr. Beiley
appeared for the defence of the prisoner Henry, and Mr.
Moody for the prisoner Themes. Mr. Superintendent
Garforth, Chief Inspector M'Donald, and Inspector Fox
watched the case for the police authorities.

At twenty-five minutes past one o'clock the prisoners were
placed in the dock, and each bore unmistakable traces of
their incarceration.

Mr. F. G. Larkin, surgeon, cross-examined by Mr. Besley,
sail: I first of all saw the remains at the police-station,
and I made a post-mortem examination myself on the 14th
September. I produce the notes I made at that examina-
tion.
Mr. Bosley asked if the Treasury would supply a copy of
the notes for the purpose of the defence.
Mr. Poland said there was no objection to that.
Mr. Benson asked if Mr. Besley intended to take it as evi-
dence.
Mr. Besley replied that he did so, and that he had a right
to take them and use them as evidence.
Mr Benson thought the notes could not be taken as
evidence. They were made under no sense of responsi-
bility, and for his own privacy, and simply to refresh his
memory.
-

Cross-examination resumed: I produce an exact copy of
the original, which I afterwards destroyed. In my examina-
tion I commenced by noting down the external pieces. The
ten pieces were before me and I made notes with reference to
the whole of them. I did not make any internal examination
on the 13th of. September. The head was in an advanced
state of decomposition—what is called "mummified." The
remains of the eyes were in the sockets in a !shrivelled condi-
tion, but there was no colour. The tongue was dry and shri-
velled, and the larynx was not gone. I am not prepared t 3
say whether the larynx is the part which first decomposes.
The first bullet I traced had struck nearly the opposite side
of the skull. The brain was so decomposed as to render it
difficult to be handled. It is from the appearance of
coagulated blood in the passage of the bullet, and that
only, that makes me say it entered during life. There was
some coagulated blood bPneath the scalp at the point of
entrance. Ido not know that the highest medical authori-
ties say that those signs are untrustworthy, and not to be de-
pended upon. The reason of my opinion that the bullet
entered the head before death is that because, beneath the
scalp at the point of entrance, for a distance of two inches
in diameter, there was extravasation of blood about 1-16th of
an inch in thickness, which, I maintain, could not have got
so far subsequent to death. The blood I speak of was
coagulated. There was more extravasation about the first
than the second, which must have entered immediately after
the first, either during life or immediately after death The
bullet I call No. 1 entered above and behind the right ear.
With reference to the cut on the throat the flesh around the
wound was dark brown. In my opinion the wound was in-
flicted immediately after death; it might have been inflicted
during life. The state of the dry blood leads me to that
conclusion. The cut appeared to be continued into the
vertebrte, but I am not prepared to say that it was produced
at;the same time as the cut in the throat, although it may
have been. The arms were similarly decomposed, and
of a greasy character when r first saw them; what is
called adiposest, partly that, partly mummified. I did not
see furrows on the fingers to indicate whether or not rings
had been worn. I should call the limbs thin. I found all
the teeth present with the exception of two central upper
teeth and one lower central tooth, which were gone. I found
one of the central upper teeth in the parcel, and on compar-
ing and fixing it I found it to be slightly projecting. The
trunk externally was in a condition of adiposea, tending to-
wards mummification; that is, it was dry and shrivelled I
took accurate notes of the manner in which the legs had
been cut up, and that it had been done very unskilfully. On
the 14th September! made a partial internal examination of
all parts, with the exception of the brain. Mr. Smith. sur-
geon, Blackman-street, was present at the time. AU the
internal parts were very much decomposed, but not so far
gone as to render examination impossible. The intestines
were more decomposed than any other portion. On the 16th
of September Mr. Bond, of Westminster Hospital, an expert,
and I made an examination, and Mr. Aubin, another surgeon,
was present on subsequent occasions.
The cross-examination was then directed to the minute
medical particulars which tended to show whether or not
the women had been a mother, and the witness gave it as his
distinct opinion that the woman had borne children.

Witness resuming : From the state of the body it is impos-
sible for science to state the exact time of death, but it can
be done within weeks. Bodies decompose more rapidly when
covered with only a thin surface of soil. It depends very
much on atmospheric access. I will not pledge myself, from
my scientilic knowledge, that the remains are those of a
women who was alive in May, but I have & very positive

opinion thrt it is near twelve months; and that it is nearer
twelve than nine months. I have not read much about the
marks, and I don't know anything about the tattoo marks
in the French army, many of which are obliterated at the eml
of eig,it years. It is impossible to date the time of a scar. I
don't know whether chloride of lime has a tendency to
darken or lighten the hair.
Re-examined. by Mr. Poland: The knee caps were in frag-
ments.

Mr. Thomas Bond, F.R.C.8., assistant•surgeon and
lecturer on forensic medicine at Westminster Hospital, of
50, Parliament-street, corroborated:the evidence given by Mr.
Larkin at the last hearing, and supplemented it by repeat-
ing his depositions before the coroner. The exact height of
the woman was 4ft. lli,n' and she was of a slight build.
The body appeared to have been recently divided by an un-
skilled person with a chopper. There was only one decayed
tooth, and that was on the right Bids of the upper jaw.
The previous witness had made a mistake ; there were one
upper and two lower incisors missing. He had not seen the
tooth spoken of by Mr. Larkin. He had formed a very
strong opinion that the woman had borne children, and
that she was from twenty to twenty-five years of
age. He had measured the boots (produced) and they were
about half an inch longer than the foot, and they could have
been worn by the person whose body he saw. He found a
scar on the right leg on the outside and about four inches
below the point of the knee. It was oval, thick, and well-
defined, and on the inner side there was considerable pucker-
ing of the sound skin. On the outer side there was not so
much puckering, but there was a white discolouration about
as wide as a shilling, but longer. It appeared to have been
caused by a bad burn. He had to scrape away some of the
debris before be reached the scar. He did not tell any one of
the nature of the scar until after Mrs. Taylor and Mr. Lane
had given their evidence before the coroner. In his opinion,
the three bullets were conicaL

Cross-examined by Mr. Besley : I scraped the left leg first,
as Mr. Lane did not seem to remember when he gave evi-
dence on which leg the scar was. A Mr. Neall acted as my
assistant when the examination was made. I have cut out
and preserved the scar. When I first saw the body certain
parts were dry. I said before the coroner that I thought
It was impossible on account of decomposition to say
whether the woman had ever been a mother, and I now re-
peat the statement. The face and all trace of features had
gone when I saw the remaina; I have read Dr. Caspar's
works, and I agree, that the most experienced in certain
cases can but rarely do other than allow certain limits as
to ages, but it does not apply to youthful bodies or children.
I say that the bodies of children are not deceptive. It is pos-
sible, with a body naked and decomposed, to tell the age
within about ten years. Dcomposition has little to do with
it. The reason I give the age of deceased at from twenty to
twenty-five years is that she had cut one of her wisdom teeth
and had not cut the other. Had it not been for that I
should have said from 20 to 30 years of age, and even now I
would not say that the age might not have been between 22
and 27. Recently dead bodies are often longer than in life,
but in this case my opinion is that the body was shorter,
which was canned by the drying of the tissues over the heels
and scalp, and of the intervetebral cartilages.

-
By the Magistrate: I was enabled to follow the course of
each separate bullet by the broken bone. I should say the
bullets were not fired from a rifle, as in that case they
would have gone through the head. I .think they
must have come from a pistol. The bullets I found are
larger than the one now produced by Inspector Fox
(which was found at No. 215, Whitechapel-road). I have
seen bodies which have been buried much longer than
twelve months, but I cannot say that I have ever seen a
body buried for exactly twelve months. Ballet No 1
(behind the ear) weighs 66 grains; bullet No. 2 (before the
ear) 78 grains, and the bullet in the pad 83 grains.
Mrs. Sophia Allen, wife of Edward Allen, groom, Maiden-
head, and sister of Harriet pane, said: The photograph pro-
duced is that of my sister and myself, and we were taken
together. She was about the same height as myself; she
might have been a trifle taller. I remember my sister had a
scar on t,he outside of her right leg below the knee. It was
paused by a hot poker falling out of the fire against her leg.
She was then about ten years of age, and she was then living
at Ponders'-end. I frequently saw the scar after it was
healed.

Crosa-examined by Mr. Begley: The last time I saw the
scar was six or eight years ago. We stood back to back to
measure our height when she was about eighteen or nineteen
at Waltham.

Susan Wells, 12, Valentine-road, South Hackney, widow,
said: I formerly lived at 44, St. Peter's-street, Hackney-road,
and let apartments there. About October, 1873, they were
taken for a Mrs. King. She came and lodged there I knew
Percy King, who came with her. I recognise the prisoner
Henry as Percy King. He helped to bring the luggage in.
He did not stay with her there. As he was leaving I
asked him what time he should return that evening,
and he said he was not coming back. He said the lady
was his sister-in-law, and was placed under his care. He
used to visit her. She left in the second week in April,
1874. In December, 1873, she was confined at my house.
Shortly before she left the prisoner Henry called in com-
pany with another man. Henry went upstairs and left the
other man downstairs. I •asked him into my room, and
after a short time the prisoner called out, "Edward, I
want you." I have also seen the second man one night in a
cab with the prisoner Henry and Mrs. King. The other
prisoner looks something like the man who was called
14dward, but I cannot say positively, as he seems much older
than the man who called with Mrs. King. Edward had no
whiskers or beard, but a very slight moustache.
Cross-examined by Mr. Moody: There was nothing to call
my attention to the circumstance from the time of the visit
until I saw in the paper that Henry Wainwright was in
custody. I never heard the name of Frieake before I saw it
in the paper in connection with this case.
Mrs. Amelia Stanley, 57, Fairford-road, Bow, wife of
George Edward Stanley, master mariner, said: I was on a
visit at my sister's, Mrs. Foster, in Sidney-square, in August
and September, 1874. I saw Mrs. King then once. I re-
member a man calling one evening, and he gave the name of
Mr. Frieake. I was standing opposite the parlour door,
about three yards from the man who came in. He stood in
the hall while Mrs. Foster wentup to announce him. I saw
him then, and to the best of my belief the second prisoner
(Thomas) is Mr. Frieake. He had a fair moustache. That
was the only time I ever saw him. He went upstairs.
Cross-examined by Mr. Bexley: I can't say whether he was
a very young man. I saw him for about two minutes, and
nothing has called my attention to it from that time to this.
I gave a description of the man at the Treasury.
By Mr. Moody: The first time I saw the prisoner Thomas
after the occurrence was in the dock last Wednesday. Mrs.
Foster and I have had some conversation about this case. I
went to the Treasury to have my evidence taken down.
Re-examined by Mr. Poland: I said to the police that the
man had full eyes, largish nose, slight moustache, clean-
shaved face, and rather talL
By the Magistrate: I gave the description on Friday, after
I had seen the prisoner Thomas in the dock.
Walter Archer, 1,
,Bishop's-road, South Hackney, invoice
clerk to Messrs. Venables, Whitechapel, said: I know the
prisoner Thomas, and I was in his service from January to
June of the present year. He carried on a business at the
"Hen and Chickens," 54, High-street, Borough, and I was an
assistant to him. In January, when I went, the shop was
closed, and I was the only person in his service at the "Hen
and Chicken' The shop was opened as an ironmonger's in
February, and there was a stock of goods there. While
I was there I saw the prisoner Henry there four or five
times. I never saw them together. Some goods were
sent to the prisoner Henry. Thome had said on several oc-
casions, "I am going to my brother's, and if he should call
in the meantime tell him I have gone there." An execution
was put in in May, and a sale took place on the 18th of
June, after which a key was handed to Mr. Lewis, an
accountant. When I was in Mr. Thomas Wainwright's
employ he had a key of the front door as well as myself.
No one slept on the premises. After the sale a new
padlock was put on the door. I went to assist Mr.
Lewis, and the key of the new padlock was kept at his
office. The prisoner Thomas called about a week after
the sale, and Mr. Lewis was out. I saw him, and
he asked nse for the key of the Borough, meaning of the
"Hen and Chickens." I handed it to him, and went out
with him. On returning we met Mr. Lewis, and Thomas
spoke to him. The last time I saw Thomas was on the 2nd
of July. I see a change in his appearance. He used to have
a moustache, but he has none now, and his hair is differently
dressed. I don't remember his having any beard or whiskers.
, I .know his writing, and have seen him write frequently.
To the best of my knowledge the letter produced is in his
handwriting. The key produced is the one I gave him.

_
.By the Magistrate: When I was in the service of Thomas
there was no lock to the door with the exception of the
padlock. Men had been in possession two or three times.
I never saw the key after Thomas took it away until I saw it
at the police-station.
Mr. Poland: That is the one found in the possession of
Henry Wainwright at the "Hen and Chickens."
Mr. George Lewis: I live at 14, Southwark-bridge-road,
and am an accountant. I have know‘n Thomas George
Wainwright five or six years. In November last I hact
some conversation with him, when he told me he was
going into business in the Borough, and at his request
I discounted a bill drawn by Thomas and accepted by
Henry, dated November 20, 1874. I afterwards got judg-
ment against them on the 15th of April, 1875. The
Sheriff's officer put a man in possession at my request. I
knew there was a padlock on the door and several keys to
it In consequence of what I heard I bought a new padlock
and put it on the door. There was only one soy to that,
which I kept hanging up in my office. About the end of
June I found the key was gone, and spoke to Archer about
it. I never had the key back. I have seen Thomas several
times since, but I never spoke to him about it. He had no
whiskers then, hut he has now. He had a moustaehe.
The bill for £.30 was not paid. I know his handwriting.
The four documents produced are partially in his hand-
writing and one was Henry Wainwright's. The letter
marked "E," produced, looks very much as if it were in his
handwriting. I believe it to be so.
Mr. Benson: Have you any letters of Wainwright's?
Witness: No, Sir. I have a receipt.
Both Mr. Moody and Mr. Benson objected to those docu-
ments being put in as evidence.
Mr. Poland: I shall call Mr. Chabot to identify the hand
writing with the letter "E."
A long discussion here ensued, when Mr. Poland handed
Mr. Lewis a document, signed T. Wainwright, dated Novem-
ber 21, and asked him if it was his handwriting.

Witness : Yes, Sir, it is. I saw him write it before I dis-
counted the bill. Two other documents (produced) were
also in his handwriting. Another, July 26, 1875, I believe
to be in his handwritimz. I did not see him write it. It re-
lated to business transactions with me.

By Mr. Moody: I am not a solicitor and never practised
as such. I have a solicitor in my office. As soon as the sale
was effected and goods removed I had nothing more to do
with the premises. After the key was taken from my office
I did not see it again until Friday last. To the best of my
belief that is the key.

Mr. Poland: Had you any of the goods on the premises
when you changed the locks?
Witness: Yea. There were no goods on the premises
when the key was hanging in my offices.
Arthur Cox, no M, said: On Saturday, the 11th Sept., I
was in the High-street, Borough, four or five minutes after
five in the afternoon, when the witness Stokes spoke
to me, and said "Do you see that cab ? " I ran
to .it as it was standing on the right hand side
near the Joint Stock Bank. I saw a young woman
In the cab, and heard Turner, another officer, speak to
her. In a short time I saw Henry Wainwright coming from
the direction of the "Hen and Chickens." He went up
to the cab and opened the- door nearest the pave-
ment and took a parcel out. Turner then said,
" What have you got in that parcel?" He took a cigar
from his mouth and laughed, and said, "All right, police-
man; I'm only going to a friend of mine Why do you
interfere with me?" I said, "We have received in-
formation that whatever you have got in ,that parcel is
wrong." I don't recollect prisoner making any remark.
He treated it in an off-hand manner, and walked with
Turner to the "Hen and Chickens." I went back towards
the cab, and afterwards Joined Turner and Wain-
wright at the door of the "Hen and Chickens."
I heard them having some words, and Henry Wainwright
said, "No, perhaps you had better not" He pushed Henry
Into the shop, and after that I heard Turner's evidence.
Turner's evidence is correct. The gentleman offered us £5O
each, but we said, "No ; we are going to do our duty." He
said, "Say nothing. Ask no questions; and here's £5O each
for you." I afterwards looked into the two parcels, and
Henry Wainwright and the paraels were put into the cab
and driven to the police-station. Dr. Larkla was then sent
for, and I afterwards took the remaina to the mortuary of
St. Saviour's.

William Andrews: I am a cabdriver, living at Great Tearle-
street, Bpitalfleld& On the afternoon of the 11th ult. I was
on the stand in High-street, Whitechapel, when Henry
Wainwright came and called me to the corner of Church
lane, where two parcels were put in the cab, and Henry
Wainwright told me to drive on until I was stopped. I went
down the Commercial-road, when he stopped the cab, got
out, and fetched a young woman, who got in with him, and
then he told me to drive over London-bridge until he told me
to stop. I drove into the Borough, when we stopped near
the London and County Bank, where he got out. He took a
parcel out, and came back. When he returned with the
police, I drove them all to the station-house.
Joseph Newman, a detective constable of the BE Division:
After Henry Wainwright wa, arrested I searched 215, White-
chapel-road I entered the back part near \ ibe-court ; the
boarding had been taken up, and there was some loose earth.
I lifted up the hoards resting ou looserafters, hut not nailed. I
searched the loose earth, and the grave on the 16th, and
found a wedding ring (produced) I handed it to Inspector
Fox. On the 17th I found another ring among the mould
that came from the grave. It is the keeper ring produced,
which I also gave to Inspector Fox. Last Saturday I found a
tooth in the mould that came from the grave. Yesterday I