The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-09-18 00:00:00

TILE STOU

Did it appear a man's or a woman's hair 2-1 took it for a
man's—it was short hair.
Did you see the features ?—I could not •, but I saw a hand
and one arm, I could not say whether belonging to a man or
woman. The remains were decomposed, and emitted a
frightful smell. the p,isoner Wainwright then came back.
I did not say what I had seen. Ile came back with a four-
wheel cab He said, "Help me with the parcels." I did
so, and they were both put inside, and he got in. He told
the cabmen to go to Commercial-road. The cab went off,
and I ran after the cab. The cab stopped outside a chemist's
shop in the Commercial-road. The prisoner got out and
went to the corner of Greeulieldstreet, and when near a
public-house he met the female prisoner, and in about a
minute they both got in the cab.
What was done then 2—lle said, "Drive off as fast as you_
can to the Borough." I was then hiding myself. I kept
following the cab. It went down Aldgate, down Leadenhalll
street, and then to the Borough.
Did you see any constable ?—I spoke to two constable:La,
said, "For God's sake atop the cab ; there's something '
wrong." I was then exhausted The constables said I was
mad, and laughed at me. I went after the cab, and it
stopped outside the Corn Exchange, and I saw the male
prisoner get out. Two constables were beside me. Wain-
wright walked towards a shop, called the "Hen and
Chickens," about 30 or 40 yards off, carrying a parcel, the
lightest
Did you say anything to the constable ?—I said, "Go and'
stop him, for God's sake. Ile has got a parcel," and 48 al
did so, and I said to Police-constable 290 M. ," Go to the
cab," and he went there. I stood behind.
What did you see happen next ?—The constable let Wain-
wright go into the "Hen and Chickens." That was the last
I saw of him. I then went to my employer, Mr. Martin,
New-road, WhitechapeLroad, and told him everything.
Police-constable Alfred Henry Turner said on Saturday
afternoon last, at four minutes past five, I was on duty
In High-street, Borough, at the corner of St. Thomas's-
street, when the last witness, Stokes, came to me in an
exhausted condition. He said to M 3, "Policeman, for God's
sake go to that cab." He saw a cab outside the Hop and
Malt Exchange in Southwark-street It had scarcely,
stopped. Stokes was in an exhausted Condition. Wain-
wright got out of the cab. He had a parcel in his right
hand. He went by the Town Hall in the Borough to
the "Hen and Chickens," an empty house I walked
towards the cab and watched him, and saw him take a kay
out of his pocket, put the parcel down, unlock the padlock,
and go into the "Hen and Chickens." Just as I got to the
cab another constable, 290 M, came up, and we saw a female
on the off-side of the back seat, and there was a parcel on
the front seat wrapped in American cloth, tied up with large
string. I said to her "What are you waiting here for?"
She made no answer. I said "What have you got in this
parcel?" She said, "The idea of you interfering with me.
I am only waiting for my husband."
Prisoner Day: I did not say that.
•

Witness continued: The prisoner Wainwright came up to
the cab, smoking a large cigar. He opened the door on the
off side, and took out the other parcel. I said, "What have
you got there?" He laughed and said, "All right, police-
man. lam only going to a friend of mine." Wainwright
and I walked to the "Hen and Chicken " •, he carrying the
parcel in hi cleft hand. When we got to the door the pad-
lock was oft. I said, "Do you live here?" and he said "No."
"Well." I said. "Have you got possession of this place ? "
He said, "I have and you haven't." With that I said,
" Well, go inside." He said, "No, perhaps you had better
go in." I said, "I want to see what's in that parcel
that you have just taken in." He seemed reluctant to go in,
and the other constables who came up pushed him inside
the door. The prisoner had still the parcel in his hand. I
said, "How did you get possession of the place; it used to
belong to Mr. Lewis?" "Yes," he said. "jt.nd if you come
with me now to Mr. Lewis he will settle the matter. Say
nothing, ask no questions, and there's £,50 each for you.
I said, as we walked down the shop, "What did you do
with the other parcel ?" He said, "It is only on the first
floor." I said to 290 M, "Go up and see if you oan see it,
I had hold of the prisoner at the time. He hadn't gone
five or six steps before I saw the parcel On the same floor
where we were standing was the entrance of a cellar. I stid
to the other constable. "Take hold of this gentleman, and
I will see what is in it." He said, "Don't, for goodness
sake don't touch it." I then lifted it up on an old counter
standing in the shop. He again said, " Don't touch it; let
me go. I will give you £2OO, and produce the money in
twenty minutes." The stench was very bad.
The Magistrate: Had you perceived that before?
Witness: There was a stench ',from the parcel that he
was carrying. I pulled the cloth off, and I saw the head
with a little hair on. We then took both the parcels up to
290 M, still holding prisoner. Going back they put him in
the cab and brought him to the station, and the female
prisoner said to Wainwright, "What have you done? This
is a fine thing for me." At the station we untied the parcel
in the yard and we found it to contain a human body, a
female. I knew by the length of her hair. It was in a very
decomposed state. The features were undiscernible.
Was there anything remarkable about it ?—The hair was
clotted with blood, lime, and dirt.
What have you done with the remains;?—They were taken
to St Saviour's dead-house, and they were seen by Mr.
Larkin.

The Magistrate, addressing Wainwright, asked him U he
had anything to ask.
The Prisoner: I have no questions to ask, bat only to
state that the statement is full of inaccuracies.

The prisoner Day said she had nothing to ask the witness.
Frederick George Larkin examined: I am a surgeon,
residing at 44, Trinity-square. On Saturday afternoon,
about half-past five, I was called to the Stone's-end Police.
station and there saw the parcels, asid I found that they
jointly contained the remains of a human being—a female.
The body was in a very advanced state of decomposition,
and it seemed to me that some preparation of lime
had been used to destroy the chance of identification.
The body had been chopped up by some one who evidently
had no knowledge of anatomy. At present I cannot say
that death was caused by violence. There was blood at-
tached to the hair which could not have been produced by
the chopping up of the body, and there was a cut across the
throat independently of the one severing the head from the
body.
The Magistrate: I suppose ills possible to make a much
fuller examination than has been done at present.
Mr. Larkin: Certainly.
The Magistrate: Then that will do for the present.
Inspector Fox, examined: I am Inspector of the M divi-
sion of the Metroplitan Police. On Saturday afternoon I
received prisoners at Stone's-end police-station. I charge
them for having in their possession the mutilated remains of
a female supposed to have been murdered. Wainwright
said I am quite prepared to say how I got the parcels, and
how they came into my possession, when I see my employer.
Jur. Actat 511,. Iknleua.o) ...a 5f.A. Jaaildu, ...I tie arrived
at the police-station about eight p.m., and in his presence
the prisoner Wainwright, said "Yesterday week, I think, a
gentleman known to me for some time by meeting him at
public-houses, asked me if I wished to earn a pound or two.
I said, 'Yes, I am always willing to make money, or
something to that effect He said I can put a sovereign or
two in your way. I inquired how, and he said by taking
two parcels over to the 11,,rough. I said it was a big price
for so small a job. He said take them over and ask no ques-
tions, and here's a couple of sovereigns for you. I said if
you make it k 5 I will take them. lie then agreed to give
me £3. He gave me the key and told roe to take them to
the "Hen and Chickens "—an empty house in the Borough.
He brought them (the two parcels) to me, put them on the
pavement and brought them over. That 31t,my account of
the possession of them.
The Magistrate: Had Wainwright seen Stokes then
Inspector Fox : No, he had not seen.him.
Did the girl say anything ?—Yes, sir Alice Day said, "I
met this gentleman, Mr. Wainwright, in the Commercial.
road. He asked me to go with him to London Bridge. As I
knew him, and had known him for some time, I consented,
saying I should have to be back at a quarter-past six. I
know nothing whatever of the parcels containing the body.
They were in the cab when I went into it.
Did Wainwright say anything more before Mr. Martin ?
Yes. Wainwright was searched at the police-station, and
amongst other things taken from him was a quantity of
keys. After the prisoner's statement I accompanied Stokes
to 216, Whitechapel-road. I opened the back door with a key
which I had taken from the prisoner. The door being opened,
I was admitted into an empty shop or warehouse. The floor-
ing was of boards fixed upon jouitea,and placed next the earth.
I there saw a chopper wrapped In paper (small axe), pro-
duced, a spade, a hammer, and an open knife. I examined
the axe, and found fleshy matter upon it, and also lime and
dirt. I also found some of the flooring boards loose,
and the joists cut through, and under them was a newly.
formed and open grave, Ste long and 211. wide. The mound
was mixed very much with lime. There was more lime
than earth. I dug out the dirt, and found some hair
therein, corresponding with that on the head. I also
found a piece of rope, looped, such as would be made to
put round a neck. Immediately behind the back door, by
which I entered, there is a flagged stone, and it is raised a
step higher than the other part, and there I found a straw
bed and pillow, both having the appearance of being much
used. On the flags and around the bed was a great quan-
tity of cinder ashes and rubbish. That was cleared away.
I found on the flags a great many patches of what appeared
to be blood.
Wainwright asked witness no questions.

Alice Day said: I have only to say that so far as I am con-
cerned what he has stated is true.

The Magistrate: I shall remand you.

As the prisoners were about leaving the dock, Alice Day
clutched the male prisoner and piteously exclaimed, "For
God's sake tell them what I know of this matter. I know
nothing."

The prisoner Wainwright, speaking calmly and collectedly,
said—What she says is quite correct; she knows nothing
about the matter. I saw her at half-past four on London-
bridge, and asked her to come with me. That was all.
Alice Day: I sin innocent.
The Magistrate: It is quite possible that this statement
may be true ; but in the presence of such details as I have
before me, it is impossible that the female prisoner can be
discharged. All I can recommend her to do is to get up as
much favourable evidence as possible against the next ex-
amination.

The examination was then adjeurned until the 21st
inst.

THE INQUEST.

The inquest on the body of the woman supposed to have
been mtudered in Whitechapel was opened on Wednesday
morning at St. Saviour's Vestry, Southwark. Long be-
fore the commencement of the inquiry the inside of the
church was besieged by a crowd of persons anxious to hear
the proceedings, and it was found necessary to close the
gates and station two policemen there to prevent the vestry
being taken by storm.

At eleven o'clock Mr. Payne, the coroner, made his ap-
pearance, and the jury were then sworn.

Alfred Philip Stokes, of 34, Baker's-row, Whiteehapel,
brashmaker, was the first witness called, and said,—l
have seen a person named Wainwright in custody. I have
known him for several years. Ile was a brush manu-
facturer. He lived at 215, Whitechapel•rDad. He was
aequAinted with many young women. I have often seen
him with a young woman from Leytonstone, about sft. 21n,
In height, with hair of a brownish colour, but I cannot
say whether she went by the name of Lane. I saw him
three weeks since with that young woman, outside a
public-house, about a quarter before eight o'clock at night.
The public-house was in Baker's row. They were together.
She came up to Wainwright, who was with me, and said,
"I've come all the way from Leytoustone, and walked it,
and had nothing to eat all day. I wish you would give me
some money." Be said, "I haven't any." She said, "You
must find me some." Ile said, "Stokes, lend me a shilling."
I said, "I have not got one, sir." I had one, but I would
not lend it. She begged of him, and he said. "Here, take
the last piece I have." He gave her a piece of silver ; but
what it was I cannot tell. He said to me, "She's a nuis-
ance. I wish I could get rid of her." I said, "Why
don't you tell her to keep away?" He said, "I can't do
that for I have known her for a good many years. She
used to 'do ' for our family, and the poor thing is hard up."
She werit away, but before she went they whispered to
each other. I heard her say, "You will come ?" and he
said, "Yes." Then she left. I can't say how she wore
her hair. She had on a dark blue serge dress. She wore a
black hat. I think there were two small flowers in it it
was very neat. She wore gloves, and she had an umbrella
with her. I cannot describe its colour, but it looked dark.
I did not see the handle. I have not seen her since, nor
heard him speak of her. I used to Bee her before that two
or three times a week. She was rather deaf. He said, very
often, that she was a nuisance. She has been down to my
place to ask if I knew where he was. I cannot tell you where
sAe used to work. Wainwright and I used to work together.
I never perceived any bad smell until last Wednesday. I
was going upstairs in the house at Whitechapel at the
time. The place is a brush factory, where we both worked.
Some of the work girls came down when I was down stairs
and complained of a smell of burning, and said they believed
Mr. Wainwright was burning something. He was on the
first-floor back. He was alone. There was a fire burning in,
over, and under the grate. There was a great "smother' in
the room caused by the smoke. That was not necessary for
his business. I said, "There is a smother here." He took no
notice. Ile was stauding by the doorway, as if to prevent,
anyone going in. There was no door, so that the smoke came
into the passage and up the staircase. I went away to the
other factory I saw what seemed like a lot of rubbish
piled up on the fire. I thought that what he was burning
was paper. I did not notice at the time that it was like
the burning of flesh. I was not there more than a moment.
I then went back again, and saw him there again. Ile was
there perhaps two hours and a hall. The fire was still burn-
ing, and there seemed to be ashes. I said nothing to him
about that, but told him that the men on the other side were