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

EXAMINATION OF THE PRISONERS.

At the Southwark Police-court, on Monday morning,
Henry Wainwright, described as a manager, School-
House-Lane, Chingford, Essex, and Alice Day,
aged 20, a dressmaker, of 2, Queen's-court, Commer-
cial-road East, were charged before the Magistrate
with having in their possession the mutilated body of
an adult female, at present unknown, supposed to
have been murdered. - -

_
The court was quite full, and there wan a consider-
able further pressure in the street outside. Wainwright
is a respectable-looking man, about thirty-six years of
age, stoutly built, and of middle height. He was well
dressed, and conducted himself throughout the day
with perfect composure and decorum. The female
prisoner, Alice Day, is a harmless-looking girl, rather
good-looking than otherwise. She was also respectably
and quietly dressed, and also attended to the pro-
ceedings with perfect self-possessicn.
Mr. Superintendent Garforth, of the M division,
watched the case on behalf of the Commissioners of
Police; and Mr. William Moore, of the Associate
Institute for the Protection of Women, also watched
the case.

In reply to the magistrate the prisoners were under-
stood to say that they had not as yet retained a solicitor
for their defence.

Alfred Philip Stokes: I live at 32, Baker's-row, White-
chapel. I ani a brushmaker. I know the prisoner Wain-
wright. I was formerly in his employ. He was then a
brushrnaker. About nine months ago I ceased to work for
him. Since then he has been working at Mr. Martin's,
78, Newroad, WhitechapeL I have known him well as
a companion. I have seen the female prisoner at
public-housts. I do not know what the relation was
between the prisoners. She was formerly a ballet
girl at the Pavilion Theatre. For the last three
years, Wainwright often used to go to the theatre, and
come out with the other prisoner. I saw the prisoners in
the Commercial-road a fortnight ago. I don't know the
day. Did not know where he lived. I used to go to the
Bethnal-green Junction to see him off to Chingford. The
prisoner has lived in the country five or six months. Ile
lived before that near Bow. I have not known any resi-
dence where he lived siisce he left London. We were work-
ing together on Satuttay last at Mr. Martin's up till half-
past four, when he said to me, "I want you to come round
with me to the old premises and carry a parcel for me." I
said, "Yea, air."
Did you know what he meant by the old premises I—Yes,
I did. The former premises occupied by him. They went
together to 215, Whitechapel-road. Wainwright pulled a
key out ot his pocket and opened the door with it. The
door opens straight into the workshop.
What happened there 1-11 e said, "Stokes, go up stairs,
you will find a parcel there."
Did he tell you where?—Yes, at the top of the stairs. and
I went and looked and I saw no parcel there. I went down
to the entrance we had come in at. I said, "I can't find
any parceL" He said, "-Never mind; they are under the
straw, where I placed them a fortnight ago." I then went
up, and saw two parcels. They were wrapped in black
American cloth. They were very heavy—three-quarters of a
hundred weight and half a hundredweight. They had got a
rope round them. I said, "They are too heavy to carry."
"Oh, well," he said, "carry them out of the court for rue
and I will take one off for you."
What did you do then 7—Before I took them up he said,
"I have a chopper, shovel, and hammer, and I want you to
take them home and bring them back after dinner with you
on Monday, and sell them to Mr. Martin (that was my em-
ployer) and he said you say they are yours, and I will give
you half what they fetch."
What did you do then I—The articles were on the floor,
and the chopper was visible to anybody. I picked up the
chopper, and I saw something on it. I said "It stinks," and
he said it was only dirt.

Did he do anything with it?—Yes ; wiped it off with his
hand and wrapped it in a piece of paper.
What did he do with it 4—Put it on the floor. The shovel
and hammer were on the ground. lie then said, " Come on,
Stokes," and I took hold of the parcels and carried them
out of the court into Whitechapel, and he took one parcel
of me.

That was in Whitechapel-road?—Yes; and we walked
along together, each carrying a parcel, till we came to
Whitechapel Church.
Did he say anything about care as you went along?-oh,
yes, he did. He said, "For God's sake, don't drop them, or
you may break them ; " and I thought it was hair, as we
were talking about hair before we got to Whitechapel
Church. He said, "Put your parcel down," and I did so,
and he put his parcel down likewise beside mine; and
he said, "Mind these parcels while I fetch a cab." He
went away.

When he was gone, what did you do f—l thought I would
have a look, so I opened one of the parcels and pulled the
paper open. I saw a human head. My hair stood upright,
and my hat fell off.
Was the hair upon it ?—Tea, it was. The hair was brown,
and was matted with dirb.