Ripper Live

Good evening from Whitechapel. It's Monday 3rd September 1888. On Friday morning Polly Nichols was found brutally murdered. Tomorrow it will be 4 weeks to the day since Martha Tabram was knifed to death very nearby. There's a madman on the loose. The papers around the country have each devoted some coverage to the murder, however small, as the inquest has opened.

"Mary Ann Nicholls was discovered lying dead on the pavement in Buck's-row, on Friday morning." One paper notes: "The police have made no arrest in connexion with the Whitechapel murder but believe thay have a clue." Today's London Daily News reports Polly Nichols as the third murder by the same person, with the 2nd being Martha Tabram. The newspaper includes the death of Emma Smith in April - in which she was subjected to a sexual assault and died from injury. "Police admit their belief that the 3 crimes are by one individual. All women were so poor that robbery formed no motive." Although Emma Smith's attack seems at odds with the recent murders, Annie Millwood escaped a knife-attack with her life in Feb. "In the latest case the woman was so violently attacked that she was nearly disembowelled." Police abandon the idea of a gang.

DI Abberline is of the opinion "that only one person, a man, had a hand in the latest murder. Inspector Helson said that the report that blood satins were found leading from Brady St to Buck's row was not true." Polce-constable Neil who found the body has a very short beat of 12 minutes. No-one heard a cry to cause alarm.

Today's Daily Telegraph reports that On Saturday an inquiry at the Working Lads' Institute into the death of Mary Ann "Polly" Nicholls.

The paper notes, "Her throat was cut, and she had other terrible injuries." And the report continues with witness statements: Edward Walker was quoted: "I have seen the body in the mortuary and it is my daughter; but I have not seen her for 3 years." The Coroner presents a letter dated April 17, 1888 showing she was in "a decent situation" although at times she drank. Coroner: "Was she fast?". Father: "No; She used to go with some young women and men, but I never heard of anything improper." Father: "I had no idea she was in this part of town. She had 5 children. One lives with me, the other 4 are with their father."

Here is a photo of the body of Polly Nichols in the mortuary.

The inquest continued today and will be reported in tomorrow's papers. Inspector John Spratling and others testify. PC Thain, who showed Inspector Spratling the place where the deceased had been found. He noticed a blood stain on the footpath. Spratling says the body was stripped by workhouse officials despite being asking not to as they wanted evidence of the clothes. The clothes were of red-brown ulster, with brass buttons, and a new brown dress. A woollen and a flannel workhouse petticoat. There was blood on the upper part of the dress body, and also on the ulster, but Spratling only saw a little on the under-linen.

Horse-slaughterer Henry Tomkins is defensive when asked if any women were around. "I know nothing about them, I don't like 'em." The Coroner replies: "I did not ask you whether you like them; I ask you whether there were any about that night." But of the woman in Whitechapel road there were "of all sorts and sizes; its a rough neighbourhood, I can tell you." Charles Cross in the employment of Pickford & Co. passed through Buck's-row and saw something he thought it was a tarpaulin sheet. Witness said, "I believe she is dead." Her face felt warm. Another said "I think she is breathing, but very little if she is." It is remarkable to think how close these witnesses came to meeting the attacker. Was he still nearby in the darnkess? Wm. Nichols, printer's machinist, Coburg rd, Old Kent rd, said deceased was his wife, but they had lived apart for eight years. Last statements came from Emily Holland & Mary Ann Monk who last saw the deceased alive. The inquiry was adjourned til 17th Sep.

8.50pm

Last night we met Annie Champan, a widow who occasionally turned to prostitution following a period of depression. Like most of the people in Whitechapel, she will have been discussing the two recent, brutal killings with her friends.

Amelia Palmer, wife of a dock labourer, bumps into Annie Chapman in the road opposite 35 Dorset Street where she's been staying. Annie Chapman doesn't look well. With no bonnet on, Amelia can see a bruise over her eye. She asks how she got the injury. Annie opens her dress and reveals another bruise. She asks Amelia, "Do you know Eliza Cooper?" and explains she sells books. Annie explains that Eliza was responsible for the injuries, telling of the night they were out drinking, and the fight. Annie considers going to see her sister, and says "If my sister will send me the boots, I shall go hop-picking." Despite her resorting to prostitution, Annie Chapman was considered a very respectable woman, and never used bad language.

Tonight however, she will stay out in the streets all night. We'll leave Whitechapel and it's alarmed residents for now.