Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1879-08-16 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE EUSTON-SQUARE MYSTERY.  STARTLING DISCLOSURES.  Since the acquittal of Hannah Dobbs for the Easton-square murder it has been discovered that she sold a large bundle of Miss Hacker's clothing shortly after the date of the supposed murder to Mrs Margaret Pierce, of No. 59, Euston-street, lodginghouse keeper and old clothes dealer, who applied informally for the £lOO reward for the identification of the Euston-square murderer. The reward in question, it will be remembered, was nct offered until after the trial of Hannah Dobbs and the failure of the jury to convict the prisoner. Mrs Pierce states that Hannah Dobbs also left with her a pawn ticket as a pledge for money, upon which she gave her 2s. The pawn ticket in question read as follows: —" Pawned by E. Thompson, 155, Drummond-street, Hampstead-road, 1878, 28th March, gold watch, two gold chains, and locket; £2 10s: Rosina Bastendorff, 4, Euston-square." The watch was the one procured by Hannah Dobbs after Miss Hacker's was disposed of, and the chains and locket were Miss Hacker's. They were produced in court by the pawnbroker, without the police knowing who held the ticket. A represent of the Central News has interviewed Lire Pierce. In conversation 1023 said :—" I my first deal (transaction) with Hannah Dobbs about three years ago. She passed the place one morning, and returned and asked me to buy a skirt. I took her to be fast from her hat and feather. I gave her a shilling or two for the article. Some time after that she came back, dressed very neatly like a servant, and said she was in a place in Woburn Crescent. She asked me if I remembered her, and I said I did. I afterwards went to places she was in at Woburncrescent and Torrington-square, and bought clothes of her, among which were gentlemen's clothes. I went to Euston-square on a Tuesday, about October 16th. I think thel murder was alleged to have been committed ' on Sunday afternoon,l4th October. Hannah came to the door, and told me not to come in, as she had 'company' with her that night, but to call again in the morning. I went next morning about half past eight, and she let me in by the area doc.r. When I went into the kitchen she pulled a large bundle wrapped in a blanket from some place and put it in the middle of the floor before her. At this moment a young man came into the rolm, but she pushed him out, saying 'go away.' She then quietly looked over the things one by one, palling pieces out of the silk skirts, and taking the feathers and ribbons off the hats, as well as the lace and bows off some of the dresses. I gave her six shillings for the lot, which she asked, and she then let me out of the front door with the bundle." "Here are most of the things," said Mrs Pierce, pointing to a large handle wrapped in brown paper, " and here is the blanket." The latter has been identified as being an old one belonging to the Bastendorffs. On examination of the bundle it was found to contain a white felt hat, testified to in court as having been worn by Miss Hacker; square crov-ned silk riding hat, portions of two blue silk skirts with very large peculiar pockets, several capes, scarfs, lot of laces, ties, dtc. All the articles were undoubtedly worn by Miss Hacker.