Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1889-07-24 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

THE ONLY CLUE.  The only clue which the police have to identify the murderer is a very slight one, being an old slay pipe which Was found saturated with blood close beside the gas lamp under which the body was found. From later accounts it would appear almost a marvel how the murderer could have escaped, as no less than four policemen were on beat at the different exits to Castle Alley. The sergeant on duty in Wentworth Street and the vicinty passed the very spot only ten minutes 'before , the murder, and, when the alarm *as given every constable who was about closed in and blocked all the openings, arresting and examining each person who sought to pass by, and said that the murderer must have been watching hh chance and escaped immediately after commiting the foul deed. Supt. Reid was early on the scene, which was also visited by Chief Commissioner Munro and other officials from Scotland Yard. It is stated that Dr. Phillips, who Was summoned very early, is of opinion that the author of this murder is not the same peril who committed the previous ones, but this idea, says the Central News, is not generally entertained by the police. The cut on the left side of the throat is sharp and deep, and the victim would have bled to death from it aion, his shows clearly that the knife was 'nag led with the same precision which characteribed tile Work of the Whitechapel murderer on the other hand the injuries inflicted in the abdomen were not so sharp and vital, neither was any attempt made to ,carrx away any part of the body, but of course thlh may be amounted far by the fact that the euMlarer mut afraiil of wasting too much time,  and was anxious to escape. No blood was found 'on the waggon which lay alongside the gaslamp and the wall of the warehouse was not saturated with blood, thus proving that the murder must have been committed on the pavement, which was covered with blood. The victim, who has not been identified as yet, is about forty-four years of age, and is five feet four inches in height. She has a fair complexion, with dark brown hair. One of her teeth had evidently been knocked out lately, !and she is very shabbily dressed. No bonnet was on her head, and her upper dress consists of red-stuff bodice patched underneath the armpits and sleeves. She has on a kilted skirt and I brown linsey petticoat, while one of her stockings is maron and the other black. A white , chemise and buttoned boots, which are very I much worn, completes her attire. Her left thumb is cut off at the first ioint—a deformity which may lead to her identity. It should be stated that the body was warm when found, showing how soon it was discovered after the actual murder. All the lodging-houses, as well as the dwelling-houses have been thoroughly ...arched, but nothing of a suspicious character has been found. Several women who were loitering about at the time of the murder, were questioned as to having seen any person with deceased, but they were unable to give any satisfactory answers as it was raining at the time, and the majority of the women who were alstut had gone in doors, and very few were walking about. Commercial-street Police Station had been crowded all the morning with people anxious to give all the information in their power to the police which might afford a clue, but no evidence of a satisfactory nature has yet come to hand. The scene of the murder is surrounded by a large crowd of excited persons, but owing to its being outside the main thoroughfare. the crowd is not so large as on the previous murders. Whitechapel and Spitalfields are swarming with detectives and arrests may be expected hourly.