The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1875-10-05 00:00:00

1111.0.1...111....11.1....1.1.."------'-

THE WHITEOHA.PEL
TRAGEDY.

The evidence ',heady given in this remarkable case has
been in topped of the allegation that the dead woman is
Harriet Lane, the " Mrs. L. King" who lived in Sidney
-
square, Mile-end. as the wife of Mr. Percy King, and the
sworn statement of several persons is that the Mr. King ,
is no other than the prisoner, flat the body was taken
from 215, Whitchapetroul, before being found in the
prhoner's possession bas also been stated in evidence, and
the temporary grave of the corpse in the prisoner's ware-
house has been described, while the medical testimony has
been that death was caused by tliti effect of shot wounds
in the head from a revolver, and that when the body was
that of • dead person, but immediately after death, the
throat was cut to the spinal bone by some strong hand.
It is necessary to state thus much to lead up to the fresh
evidence which it is believed will be forthcoming. Before
the medical evidence had established the fact that there
were shots in the head, rumours came to the police that
workmen at • manufactory adjacent to the back part of
No. 215 had, about • year before, heard three shots fired
from the neighbourhood at the bark of Wainwright's
warehouse. In the description which was given of this
house, it will be remembered that the warehouse is 110 ft.
in depth from the main road, and hu • back entrance in
a court. The entrance of the court in the Whitechapel-
road is three or four doors from the Whitochapel-road
entrance to the warehouse, and the space of ground
between the enhance of the court and the warehouse is
occupied by buildings which run the whole length bask.
There are • few little houses up the court, and in the
times when the Fenian agitation was in progress it was
the common idea that some members of the " organisa-
tion " lived up the court. The statement as to the pistol
shots, as it came to the knowledge of the authorities, was
that on one evening some workmen in an employment up
the court heard three rapid allots. They opened the gates
of the work place and looked around, but seeing nothing
they agreed among themselves that the sound might have
come from firearms of persons who had been Fenian; for,
the workmen thought, no one but Fenlarui would possess
those weapons there. The statement as to the shots was
thought nothing of until the discovery of two bullets by
Mr. Bond in the head of the corpse, and the subsequent
discovery by Mr. Larkin of the bullet in the lied of the
hair. The matter was then investigated, the enipleyment
of the men at the time searched out and examined by
books and records, and it has been established that
the shots were heard on the day given as the date
when Harriet Lane left Sidney-square and finally dis-
appeared the Ilth of September, DOS, the date on
which, a year after, and at almost the same hour as that
of her disappearance, these mutilated remains were found
in the Borough under the circumstance* narrated in
evidence.
One puszling point in the inquiry has been in regard to
the letter from "L. King," sworn to as in the handwriting
of Ilarriet Lane, given up by Mr. K. Frieake. This
gentleman has denied all knowledge of the woman. It is
freely acknowledged that there is much to be learnt on
this part of the case before the mystery can be cotuddered
as cleared up.
The DETIVICT.

-- ---
With regard to the line of defence now to be pursued,
there is warrant for stating that a plea of insanity has
been seriously contemplated by the friends of the prisoner
Henry Wainwright, and that further efforts will be made
to upset the evidence which has been adduced by the
prosecution to show that the mutilated body is that of
Harriet Lane. In order to meet the formidable fact of the
scar, which was spoken to by ?dr. Lane, father of the
missing woman, and which was al terwanls plainly dis-
covered by the medical men engaged on behalf of the
Treasury, a suggestion will, it is understood, be made that
the witness had himself seen this scar on the leg when he
viewed the remains for the purpose of identification, and
before giving his evidence in open court. Another medical
witness for the defence is expected to supplement the
negative testimony of Mr. Anbin, and to support this
gentleman's opinion that possibly the body may have been
that of a woman who had not borne a child.

R6111:3111D
The coroner's inquiry into the circumstances attending
the death of Ilarriet Lane, was resumed on Friday morn-
ing in the St Saviour's vestry room, Southwark. before
Mr. W. J. Payne, the coroner for Southwark. Mr. Poland
appeared for the Treasury, and Mr. Bosley represented the
amused. . .

-.'Ernest George Pales was called and examined • I live
at the officer of the Charity Organisation Society, at
Wandsworth. lam the officer or agent for that society.
I have known Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, who are witnesses in
this case, for about seven years. I have been in the habit
of visiting there I saw Harriet Lane once in Essex. I
knew she was the sister of Mrs. Taylor. I beard Harriet
Lane was missing in the early part of January in the
present year. It was arranged that I should make inquiries
after her, and Mrs. Taylor gave me some information to
enable me to do so.
Did you go tow, whitechapei.roaa I—Yes ; I went there
about the middle of January last.
ISid you see Mr. Wainwright there I—Yes.
How did you introduce yourself I—l said, " Mr. Wain.
'night, I believe land touched him on the shoulder. He
said, Yes;" and I said, "I want to speak to you
privately." He asked me to step inside. At that time the
surveyor from the Sun Fire Office was there. After the
surveyor had gone, I said to Mr. Wainwright, " I think
you know a Mrs. King or Harriet Lsner He said, "Yes."
I then said, "You have known her about four years r
He said, "es." I then said, "She has had two children
by you ;" and he again said " Yes." I next said, "You
have been keeping her and the children r or words to that
. effect. Ile said, Yes." I then asked where she was,
and he replied. "Re did not know." I then inquired,
"When did you last see her r to whirls he answered
. .

"Some time ligo. now.." I
..thieh I then enid I came to

make inquiries about her. I said I was making inquiries
for her father, but did not Inv who I was more than that
my name was Fowler. I told him my name was Fowler,
as Harriet Lane knew my right name, and it was arranged
between Mrs. Taylor and myself that it would be better to
make inquiries under a false name, as, If she was keeping
out of the way, it might not have tho desired effect it she
heard my name. Wainwright said he was engaged for a
short time, and asked if I was in a hurry, and it I would
step across the road with him to No. tri, which I did.
After the surveyor had tilea.u.od the'premises, I returned
with him to 215., and went inside with him. I then said
to him- "I want you to toll me where you think she is."
If ii said, "I think she has gone away with Teddy Fricalce,
an auctioneer, who has lately come into some money—
about /1,0110." Ile said there were five brothers, and
there was gll,OOO left between them, and he had no doubt
but that she was enjoying herself with him, and when the
money was all gone she would turn up again. He said he
bad given her money tholes! dov ho saw" hot. lie dhl DOS
say when that was, nor mention r.ily time at all. I gave
him my address at the Post-office, high-street,
worth. I told him • letter addressed there would find
me. Nothing further parsed between us. I believe I i..AW
Mrs. Taylor • few days afterwards, or it might have been
the sarue day. I told her what inquiries I had made, and
what Wainwright had told me. She gave me a letter
(letter produced), and • telegram on pink paper. I fear I
must have lost the telegram, as I cannot find it. After
getting the letter and telegram I went and saw Mr.
Frieake, an auctioneer, in Goleutan-itreet, and had some
conversation with hint I showed Mr. Frieake the letter.
I saw him about a week after I saw Wainwright. Mr.
Frieake and I went together to 215. Whitochalkel-road-
We went inside the door, and waited till we saw Mr.
Wainwright. He asked me if I had found Mr. Frieake,
and I said, "This is Mr. Frieake." Wainwright replied,
"Oh, this is not the man; it is a mistake altogether.
Mr. Frleake, turning to Wainwright, said, "What is tide,
Harry rand he replied, "It's all a mistake " This took
place in the road before we got to 215. We then went
Into the house, and went Into a front upstair sitting-room.
Mr. Frieake said, "I want an explanation of this; you are
getting rue into a mess that I know nothing of. If you
know anything of this matter tell Mr. Fowler. I saw you
with • fair-haired girl about three weeks ago—is that the
person!" Wainwright said, "No, I can produce her in
five minutes."
. . . . .

-n-gaged

Wu anything said as to who the other Mr. Frieake was
—Yes, Mr. Friaake said to Wainwright—" Harry, I have
known yeti a number of years, and if you have known
another Mr. Frieake, did you not inquire whether be was a
relation of miner Mr. Frieake further said, "1 don't
think you will find another Mr. Frieake spelt the same as
mine in the ' London Directory. " Wathwrlght said it
was • man he met at Purcell's. the Philharmonic, and the
Nell Gwyn. Mr. Ideake said, "It is very strange, being
the same name, that you should not have inquired &bout
him." I then asked him if he could give a description of
the other Mr. Frieake. He said he was not so tall as the
Mr. Frieake present; had no whiskers at all, and had only
about • dozen hairs of moustache. It was only just coming.
I don't recollect anything being said about his are except
that he was young. At that time I had with me the letter
and telegram. I believe I showed them to Wainwright,
but I sin not positive. Whilst Mr. Frieake was present I
took particular notice of the way the name was spelt in the
letter. I cannot recollect whether Wainwright read the
letter and telegram. I cannot say whether the telegram
was shown at all. Nothing further passed that I
remembered. I think I left before Mr. Fneake, but we
both came away. After this I saw Mrs. Taylor again, and
went to see Mr. Lane on a Sunday shortly afterwards Mr.
Lane and I went together to make further inquiries of Mr.
Frieake. That would be about a fortnight or three weeks
after I had hail the previous couversatlon. On that
occasion I saw Mr. Frieake at his auction-room, at White-
chapel He gave me the letter (letter produeoo), signed "L.
King." At that time there was ea envelope to it. I
noticed the postmark on it, The date was the 31st of
August. IK/4. When Mr. Frieake gave me that letter Mr.
Lane and nlyself went and saw Wainwright again at 214
Whiteehapal-road. We waited outside until he came, and
I said to him, " This Is Mr. Lane; Mrs. King or Harriet
Lane's father. He went upstairs into a front room, and
Mr. Lane said, "Mr. Wainwright where is my daughter t
If she is dead and buried, let me know where she is : and
if she is alive, let me see her once 11101‘." Mr. Wainwright
said, " I don't know where &he is. lant I will do all I canoe
try and find her." I then produced this letter that I had
received from Mr. Frieake that day. I banded it to
Wainwright, and said, "Here is • letter I have received
from Mr. Frieake from her." He at once took the letter
front use, and looked at it. He appeared to read It. I
afterwards laid, "it is very strange that Mr. Meeks
should receive this letter from her sad yet you say he
knows nothing about her." I salted him what that part,
"We may be able to arrange matter* satisfactorily,'
alluded to. The letter says. "I think if Harry and yourself
will see me to morrow evening we may be able to arrange
matters eglefactorily, alp the time it now very short" He
said he one not know what it meant. Mr. Lane was
walking up and down the room in great trouble, and
he said, "If she is not found I shall use strong power
to find her. I don't want to make an exposure of
it., but an exposure will be worse for you than me."
That is the substance of what passed at that interview. I
afterwards gave the letter to Mr. Taylor. The telegram is
lint, and the envelope In which the letter marked "A "
was, I also gave to Mrs. Taylor. I have been several times
to the Whitechapel-road to we Mr. Wainwright, to
inquire whether he had heard anything of Harriet Lane.
On one occasion he said Miss Willinure had seen her in is
cab. I should say that was in the latter part of April, or
perhaps later. On another occasion he said, ' One of my
workmen has seen her in a cab."
Did he say where I--It was somewhere at the West-end,
but I cannot remember now. I should say I called own
him 20 thine utter the interview when the father was
Present
Did he say anything further I—He said she would turn
up some day, and he always said he would do what he
could to help to find her. The last time I saw him would
be about July of this year.
By Mr. Beaky; When do you say it was you maw Harriet
Lane In Essex I—About six years ago. I was living in
Essex myself at the time as schoolmaster and she called
upon me. I never saw her afterwards. I did not know
her previously. When I was employed to make the
Inquiries I made sonic pencil memoranda, but I have not
kept them. As near as I can say, it was about January
when I first saw Wainwright. I fix the date by the fact
that there was the surveyor from the Sun Office present
I gave the name of Fowler lest Wainwright should men-
tion that • person named tieles was inquiring for her.
You went there feeling that what Wainwright would
tall you was untrue, and that ho was a party to the con-
cealment of Harriet Lane I—Yes. I went there believing
he knew where she was. I think Mr. Frieake is here. The
letter I obtained from Mr. Frieake on my second visit.
I read the letter attentively. At the first interview Mr.
Frieake denied knowing Harriet Lane at all. I asked Mr.
Frieake if he knew anything of liarriet Lane or Mrs.
King, and he denied all knowledge of any such person. At
the second interview when Mr. Lane was present, Mr.
Frkake said, "I received the letter some time ago, but
could never understand why it WM sent me, and perhaps
this may have something to do with it." I asked- him if
he would give ma the letter. I did not ask him why, at
the first interview, he denied all knowledge of her. I did
not too him again after he gave the letter to Mr. Lane and
myself.
Mr. Beeler : Do you recollect the letter asking pardon,
"for I feel I ought to apologise for my rudeness after the
kindness I have received r
Witness : I don't recollect making any remark about the
letter. Mr. Frieake said be had shown the letter to his
Intended, and to his father and mother. He said he had
been engaged ease time, and if such a thing got about it
might "dowdy damage his character. He said be had not
slept oat of his house for twelve months. That was from

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