The Warwickshire Herald. — 1889-07-25 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

THE WHITECHAPEL TRAGEDIES.  A LUNATICS CONFESSION.  POLICE PRECAUTIONS.  Before Mr. Lushington, at the Thames Police. lifourt, on Saturday, William Wallace Brodie, 33, no occupation and no fixed abode, was charged with being a wandering lunatic. Considerable interest was excited by the appearance of the defeildant on account of the rumours that he was the author of the last of the Whitechapel murders. The defendant is a tall, powerfully-built man, and during the giving of the evidence kept his eyes fixed upon the magistrate. Inspector Pinhorn, H Division, deposed that on Thursday night he was in charge of the Leman-street Police -station. The defendant came up to the office, and said, "I wish to give myself up for the murder of the wonian on Tuesday night." Witness said, "Do you wish to make a statement respecting the murder?" He replied, "Yes," and proceeded: "Well, I tell yon, I murdered her on Tuesday night I don't tell you anything about the other eight or nine." Witness said, "Let me hear what you have to say about the one on Tuesday night." He then said, "I shan't tell any more. You can find out." He questioned the accused further, but could get nothing more from him. Some papers were in his pocket— one of them a notice to a licence holder in the name of William Brodie.—Mr. Lushington : Was he under the influence of drink when he made the statement to you?— Witness: Yes, sir. I was not only of opinion that he was drunk, but that he was suffering from delirium tremens.—Mr. Lushington (to the accused): Have you any question to ask the witness ?—Prisoner No, sir. What he says is perfectly correct.—Detective-Inspector Henry Moore said: On Friday morning I found the defendant detained at Leman-street Police-station. He was in a very depressed condition. I said: "Do you remember coming here, and the serious charge you preferred against yourself?" He said, " Yea. I committed the murder on Tuesday night, and if you like I will tell you all about it." I told him I would take it down it writing. He said, "I, William Brodie, wish to give myself up for committing a murder up a court in High-street, Whitechapel, on Tuesday morning. Last December I came here." He went on to describe what he had been doing since he came from Africa, and said that the knife with which he committed the murders he had specially made for him at Sheffield. I afterwards examined his clothing, when he said, "This is the ninth murder that I have committed in Whitechapel, but none of them have caused any trouble on my mind, except the last one. What with that and a worm in my head that wriggles about, I can't stand it any longer." In May, 18;1', Brodie was sentenced to 14 years' penal servitude, and was discharged in August, 1888, as a licence-holder. He reported himself in September, stating that he wao embarking for the Cape of Good Hope. On Monday he reported himself at Scotland Yard, stating he had arrived from South Africa that day. I found Brodie was lodgingat Harvey's-build ings, in the Strand , on the night of the murder.—Defendant: The statement I made to Mr. Moore yesterday iscorrect. The statement that I lodged at Harvey's-buildings is not correct.— Detective-inspector Reid said that when defendant came into the station he was suffering from the effects of drink. In his bundle was a razor, but no knife.—Sergeant Eugene Bradshaw said that on Friday morning he went to Harvey's-buildings, and asked the landlady if she knew Brodie. She replied, "He slept here on luesday, and went to bed about 11 o'clock, and did not leave until 11 o'clock on Wednesday morning. He came back at 8 o'clock on Wednesday night, drunk."—Brodie: I did not sleep there on Tuesday.—Mr. Lushington remanded the defendant. It was afterwards decided to charge Brodie, on his own confession, with being the niurderer of Alice'M'Kenzie.  Whitechapel and the vicinity has resumed its normal aspect. Since Saturday the police have had no one in custody in connection with the recent murder. Neither have any statements been lodged which in the slightest manner provide the officers with ground upon which to base their operations. They are absolutely without any clue to the murderer or his whereabouts. Acting on special instructions from Scotland-yard, the local police under Sergeant Arnold will have the assistance cf nearly 100 men, drafted into the district from the western, southern, and northern divisions. These will be placed on special beats, and under such conditions that every thoroughfare will be guarded by at least two men in uniform and mufti.  AN