1904 Murder in Whitechapel.................

[bigjarofwasps]

I first came aware of this case when I read Dick KIBRY's book Whitechapel's Sherlock Holmes. In 1904 it was big news, but like so many murders cases of the time, they are soon consigned to history and largely forgotten. It wasn't until I was recently lucky enough to add the 1897,1902 & 1911 trio of medals to PC J HOOPER H Division to my collection. That my interest in the case was rekindled. 

James John Davis Hooper was born at Plymouth 20th June 1862 and joined the police 02.05.1892 warrant number 77639. He was originally posted to S Division but on the 9th April 1895 he was transferred to H Division. He spent the next 20 years pounding the beat on the streets of Whitechapel, retiring on the 13th March 1916. 

He was married to Emily HOOPER and the couple lived at 34 Cowley Street, Shadwell, East London. Currently other than this very little is known about James and he would no doubt have faded from history like so many other bobbies of the period, if it hadn't been for an incident with occurred on the 12th October 1904 on Commercial Road, Whitechapel. 

PC141H James HOOPER was the first officer on the scene at the murder of Emily FARMER, a 65 year old shopkeeper who had lived at her shop for a over 40 years. 

At the time the murder was big news and was reported in so many newspapers it is impracticable  for me to reproduce them all here. I will however share a couple and the Old Bailey trail. 
The case in itself is an interesting one, not only because it shows us an insight into life in Whitechapel, but in addition to this, it draws and intertwines  numerous other persons who may or my not have heard of and as such I believe deserves a thread all of it's own. 

There is so much information, I'd like to share that I could not post it all in one go so will do so over a period of time. That being said it you have an interest in the case or anyone involved please feel free to interject and add anything you feel might be of interest. 

I'll start with the newspaper report from the The Weekly News on Saturday 15th October 1904

MURDER IN WHITECHAPEL. 
WOMAN GAGGED, BOUND, AND SUFFOCATED. 
A crime, the mysterious horror of which could only be adequately conveyed by the pen of a De Quincey, was discovered on Wednesday in the East End of London. An inoffensive old lady, named Miss Emily Farmer, was found gagged and bound in the last throes of death from suffocation in her little shop in Commercial-road, near Stepney Causeway. It was, however, in broad daylight that the crime which cost Miss Farmer her life was committed. She had for many years kept a small tobacconist's and newspaper shop. In a humble way she was prosperous, and people living in the neighbourhood—people to whom five shillings meant comfort for half a week and £ 5 wealth beyond the dreams of avarice —regarded her as a rich woman. The story went about that there was hoarded gold in her bedroom. She was one of the old-fashioned people—more commonly THE SCENE OF THE MURDER I met with now in France than in England— who store money in old stockings and up the chimney. Her friends had sometimes warned her of the danger of being rich in a district teeming with people both poor and desperate. But she declined to interfere with her habits. She would not even engage a servant to share the little house with her. 
WHAT THE BOY FOUND. 
"Why should I? Servants only. rob one," said the miserly spinster to all such suggestions. The poor woman was destined for a worse fate than mere petty pilfering of her long- hoarded treasures. She went to bed as usual on Tuesday night. At half-past six yesterday morning a little boy came to the shop to deliver papers. The shop was open, but there was no one inside. Ordinarily the little grey-haired spinster would have been behind the counter, business-like and alert, in spite of her 60 years. The boy could not understand the silence. Shouted, but only the echo answered. He shouted, but there was no reply. Then a sense of something uncanny came over him, and he went to the little confectioner's shop next door. There dwelt a Miss Baker, perhaps the only person whom the miserly spinster had taken into her confidence. Miss Baker had nursed her when she was sick, and between the two women there was a warm friendship. Miss Baker entered the shop. There she was met with a disquieting scene. Contents of drawers and boxes were thrown about the floor and lay on the counter in confusion. Empty cases and drawers lay about the shop in the utmost disorder. The frightened woman, fearing the worst, dare go no further. She left the shop with a shudder, and waited outside till the boy had brought a policeman. Then the trio went up the narrow staircase to the lonely spinster's room. There, on the old-fashioned wooden bedstead, which was one of Miss Farmer's most cherished possessions, lay the owner of the shop. TOWEL ROUND HER MOUTH. She was dressed. The lower part of her body lay on the bed, but the head almost touched the floor. Round her mouth was a towel tied so tightly that her face was purple. Her thin arms were tied behind her back with stout cord, and her feet were bound at the ankles. Hastily the policeman lifted the body on to the bed and tore the bandage from the face. Firmly wedged in the mouth was a piece of dirty cloth which, on being pulled out, was found to be saturated with blood. There were no other injuries beyond the deep cuts on the wrists caused by the ropes which bound the victim Miss Baker tore open the woman's blouse. The heart was beating faintly, but life was slowly ebbing away, and all hope of saving the unfortunate woman was gone. The policeman sent for two doctors, but as their foot steps were heard entering the shop below Miss Farmer breathed her last. She had never opened her eyes. On several articles, including Miss Farmer's spectacles, prints of the murderer's fingers have been found. Robbery, of course, was the motive, and it is probable the whole of the unfortunate woman's hoard has been taken. Burglars have been busy in the neighbourhood, and Emily Farmer had herself been twice the object of their attentions. 
FIVE DETENTIONS. 
The police have arrested five men in connection with the murder. It is understood that a post-mortem examination of the body plainly indicates that the unfortunate woman died of suffocation. 
THE INQUEST. 
The inquest was held on Thursday. A brother of deceased said that he did not know of deceased keeping much money in the house. Deceased had told witness that if she stopped much longer she would sure to be murdered there. Deceased did not care to associate with people, though she could scarcely be called eccentric.

 

[bigjarofwasps]

Old Bailey trial records..............

https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t19041114-47&div=t19041114-47&terms=Hooper 111 H#highlight

CONRAD DONOVAN, CHARLES WADE.

Killing: murder.
14th November 1904

CONRAD DONOVAN (34) and CHARLES WADE (22) , Indicted for. and charged on the Coroners inquisition with, the wilful murder of Emily Farmer.

MR. MATHEWS and MR. A. GILL Prosecuted; MR. PERCIVAL HUGHES and MR. METHVEN Defended.

HARRY WOODLEY (343 H.) Produced and proved a plan of a portion of Commercial Road and Stepney Causeway and Old Church Road, and also a plan of 478, Commercial Road, showing that a counter ran all round the shop, the only means of access to the room behind the shop being through a flap in the counter, and that there was a front bedroom arid a lack room on the first floor.

CHARLES DUNLOP (439 H.) I produced a photograph of a portion of Commercial Road, showing Gosling's coffee shop at 488, and Misa Farmers shop at 478.

VICTOR NEWTON FARMER . I am a, newsagent at 139, High Road, Clapton—the deceased was my aunt—I used occasionally to visit her at 478, Commercial Road, where she had a small shop attached to her house, and carried on a newsagents and tobacconists business—I heard she was just over 60 years old—I have seen her wearing four or five gold rings, some with stones in, and a long gold watch chain round her neck, also a gold and. silver watch, a pair of gold pince nez with a small gold chain attached, a gold bracelet and a bead bracelet—those are all her ornaments that I have seen—she used to keep her money upstairs at nights, but I do not know where—I expect it was in her bedroom—the money taken in the shop was kept in. a small tin box, without a lid, in the parlour; if she wanted any change she went into the parlour for it; no money was kept in the shop—she had also a small round tray in the parlour as a till—if there were two or three customers in the shop and she did not want any change, she would put the money she took on one side, and then take it into the parlour altogether—I have seen her take the money upstairs with her at night—I have stayed in the house with her for two or three days at a time—I slept at the top of the house, in a small place called the cabin—I last  slept there about nine months prior to October 12th—I did not go into the deceased's bedroom at any time—in 1903. between July and October, I was sitting on a small tub, behind the counter, in the shop, reading, when I heard Wade say something to the deceased; I had not seen him come in; the deceased went into the parlour, and I went round the counter to get another book to read—Wade sand, "Is she any relation to you?"; the deceased was then in the parlour; I said, "I am her nephew"—he sand, "Does she live here alone?"; I said, "Yes"—he sand, "She ought not to, ought she?"; I said, "No"—the deceased came out of the parlour and nothing more was sand; he took his change and went out—after he had gone, I had a conversation with the deceased—I next saw Wade when he got out of a cab at the Coroner's Court in Horse ferry Road—I said to my father, "I have seen that man before somewhere"; in the court I stared at him, and it came back to me where I had seen him; I have no doubt that he is the man with whom I had the conversation—on the day of my aunts death I went to her house; I was present when the search was made to see what had been left; none of the ornaments which I have been speaking of were found; no money or coin of any description was found—I noticed that a rail from the banister (Produced) had been broken at the bottom of the staircase—t thought it was a new breakage, so I looked for the piece and found it on the 8th stair; the banister is on the right of the staircase—this small piece of rail I found on the stairs; the other piece was in its place, but broken; it looked as if it had been pulled from the inside—if anybody had clutched at it going upstairs they might have broken it—I last paid a visit to the deceased four or five weeks prior to her death—it was the day of the Southend Regatta—I do not know the date—I had no regular intervals when I visited her; I went when I liked.

Cross-examined. I have no doubt Wade is the man who came into the shop—I agreed with what he saidabout my aunt living alone—when I spoke to my aunt about it she sand, "Yes, he often comes in and chats with me"—he was buying something, I do not know what—when I went to the house on the day of the murder, I went into the parlour, amongst other places; I noticed it was a little different; there were one or two ornaments knocked over, and a photo—I got there at 10.10 a.m.; nothing had been disturbed then; the police were there—when I said at the police court that the condition of the parlour was very different to what it was before, I referred to the ornaments which were knocked over; I referred to things other than those on the mantelpiece.

Re-examined. I said, before the Magistrate: "When I first saw the parlour after the death of the deceased" it looked very different from what it generally did. There were one or two things lying on the floor; there was not much disorder."

EDITH WADE . I live at 587, Commercial Road, Stepney—my father and mother still live in that house—I moved there with them; I think it must be about 12 weeks from now—I am not exactly living there with  someone else—I said before the Magistrate, "I am unmarried; I am living with David Pollock; I am not exactly living with him, I am being supported by him"—he visits me at my mothers—Wade is my brother and Donovan is my half-brother, and also Wades—Donovan is a son of my mother, who married twice—her first husbands name was Rotten, but I do not know his Christian name—Rotten is Do no vans real name; he was first called Donovan three or four years ago—up till that time I had always known him as Wade—we moved from 121, Stepney Green, to 587, Commercial Road—I lived at 100. Old Church Road, with my mother—Charles Wade used to come there, he did not live there—he and Donovan both came, and they visited us while we were at Stepney Green, and also while we were at 587, Commercial Road.

Cross-examined. I do not know if the prisoners have been about a great deal together—I have seen them come into the house together—we are not on bad terms; we had just a little disagreement—Wade generally has good spirits—I saw him on October 12th in the morning—he was in good spirits then; he was singing and whistling, that is his usual way.

Re-examined. On October 12th I saw Wade in our house between 11 and 12, and I heard him earlier—I saw him on the night of the 11th at 587—I do not exactly know the time; it was early in the evening, probably before 9—on the 12th he" was going upstairs to my mother whistling—he sold mottoes and made artificial flowers for his living—my father is a carman.

EDWIN SPENCER AVEN ALL . I am licencee of the Royal Duchess, at 553, Commercial Road, which is at the corner of Old Church Road and Commercial Road, and nearly opposite the deceaseds shop—I recognise the prisoners—I first saw them some time in April—since then I have seen them on different occasions outside my house—I cannot say how often—I saw them on October 9th, I think, between 9 and 11 p.m., outside my house; they were there till closing time—I saw them every time I went to the door between 9 and 11—they we sometimes outside my house and sometimes away towards Miss Farmers shop, but always on my side of the way—they appeared to me to be watching her shop, which was then open—I did not speak to anybody about what I saw—when I saw them in April they always seemed to me to be watching the shop—I saw them on different Sunday evenings—at that time, in conesquence of what I saw, I spoke to a customer named Le Vesconte—I did not know the prisoners as customers; they did not use my house as far as I know—I attended at the police court when they were charged—I went of my own accord—I was not summoned by the police or anybody—I knew the deceased by sight, so I took an interest in the case, and I thought I should like to see who was taken up for the crime, and I saw the prisoners in the dock there—I recognised them as the men I had seen in April and on the Sunday before October-12th outside my house.

Cross-examined. I told the Coroner that I paw the prisoners in April—when I saw them watching the shop they were standing about on the pavement, either at the corner by my public house or a little further along towards Stepney Station—they have never been to my house that 

I am aware of—I do not know if they go into the public house opposite; there were placards on boards outside Miss Farmer's shop of the morning and evening papers—people stand and look at boards sometimes—I thought the prisoners were looking at the deceased's shop—I do not know if they were looking at any other—I said before the Magistrate, "I had an idea they were watching the shop; there were other shops they may very likely have been looking at"—it is a common thing in the Commercial Road for men, or people who live in the district, to stand at corners—I have seen the prisoners a number of times—I cannot say how many—I do not think I gave the number of times when I gave my evidence before—when I said. "They were walking up and down in front of my house, I might have seen them two or three times "I meant on one evening—Miss Farmer's shop is open on Sundays, the placards are outside on Sundays—I only saw the prisoners on my side of the road—my public house stands at the corner of Old Church Road, and the next street to that is Grosvenor Street—I know now that Wade lives in Grosvenor Street, but I did not know it then—I did not know that Donovan lived in Old Church Road—I have no idea how many yards it is from the Royal Duchess to the corner of Grosvenor Street.

Re-examined. The boards for the newspapers were against Miss Farmer's shop—I never saw the prisoners on her side of the road, so they would be the width of the road away from the boards; I said before the magistrate that I had seen the prisoners in April, and before the coroner I said. 'I remember the month of May last, for several Sunday nights I did notice two men loitering and distinctly watching Miss Farmer's shop. I became suspicious and I spoke to a customer"—that is true—Le Vesconte was the customer I spoke to.

[bigjarofwasps]

The hearing continues................

 

JOHN LE YESCONTE . I am a shipping clerk and live at 2, Grosvenor Street, Stepney—in the spring of this year I remember Avenall speaking to me, in consequence of which I went and spoke to the deceased—I should think it was about five or six months ago—o October 12th I went to her shop at 6.47 a.m. for two papers and some tobacco, but I could not get it—the errand boy Wiggins was in the shop—I had a few words with him—I did not see the deceased there, the boy sang out as loud as he could "Miss Farmer, Miss Farmer," to attract her attention, and I knocked on the counter, with a couple of coppers which I had in my hand; there Was no answer—I took the two papers but did not pay for them—I could not get my tobacco—the boy was not allowed to go behind the counter—I was in the shop for about two minutes.
Cross-examined. When I went in Wiggins was standing in front of the counter, folding papers, I believe—the counter runs round the shop—the boy would have to go inside the flap to get inside the parlour—he called from the shop where he was standing—I knew the time by the clock outside the shop—I cannot say for certain if the shop shutters were up or down, but I think they were up in both windows.
JAMES BROOTAN . I live at 183, Grosvenor Street. Stepney—I sublet the top front room of that house to Wade, on a Tuesday evening in September, three or four weeks before October 12th—Wade and his missus occupied the room—he was generally out from nine to ten in the morning—on Tuesday night, October 11th, his missus gave me certain instructions in consequence of which, next morning, I got up at 5.10 and knocked at her door—she answered me—I was dressing when I knocked—while I was finishing dressing I heard someone go downstairs—I cannot say who it was, but it sounded like a mans footsteps—besides myself and Wade there were no men in the house—I heard the footsteps about 6.20—I had never called Wade so early while he was there—I had never called him at all before—I never knew him to leave the house so early—he usually wore a hard black bowler hat—I have seen him in a dark overcoat.
Cross-examined. He was with me for three weeks—I did not see him very often, perhaps two or three times a week—he may have left on other mornings without my hearing him but I do not think he did—I generally wake about 5 a.m., and rise about 5.30 or 5.45.
CHARLES GILLHAM . I live at 5, Apsley Street, Stepney, and am employed by Hubert Raggett, wholesale newsagent, of Turners Road—I have been in the habit of delivering the morning papers at 478, Commercial Road, when Miss Farmer had it—I usually got there at 5 45 a.m.—on October 12 I left Raggetts at 5.30 or 5.35—I had to deliver some papers at a newsvendors named Hart, at the corner of Stepney Causeway, then I went to Miss Farmers—I got there at 5.45—I always delivered the papers to Miss Farmer herself—when I arrived there on October 12 the door was shut—I knocked on the panel—I waited from 5.45 to 5.5G—when Miss Farmer opened the door she had a skirt on and a blouse, and a small square shawl folded into three corners tied round her head, with a knot underneath her chin—I delivered the papers—I did not see anybody else—I then went down Stepney Causeway—there are two doors; one was left open—the papers are delivered flat, tied by a string down the middle, and a set of contents bills on top—this bundle (Produced) is the exact way they were tied that morning—when I left the shop it was not quite 6.57—the deceased seldom kept me waiting—I can. fix the time because I see the clock opposite. I have a special time for delivering at each place. 
Cross-examined. I was kept waiting 11 minutes on this morning—during that time I was kicking the door, because I was in a hurry, and the deceased made me late—she was a very difficult person to wake—as soon as I had delivered the papers she said"Thank you," and I went off down Stepney Causeway; as I turned away she turned into the shop, and the door was left open—the bundle of papers was heavy; it was tied with a slip knot; we have all got one knot—you could pull papers out of the parcel without untying it; I am quite sure about that—a good business was done by Miss Farmer; in that locality the business in the paper trade is generally done between 6 and 8 a.m., that is the busy time—when the deceased came down and opened the door to me she did so in a hurry; I could not hear her before she reached the door—I was at the door, but it is no good listening because you cannot hear nothing; she comes down so quietly—until she turned the key I could hear nothing—I daresay she had just tumbled out of bed; before tuff Magistrate I said she had the appearance of having just got out of bed; she was not fully dressed to my appearance—I said before the Magistrate,—The skirt was an alpacca one, not a petticoat; the blouse was done up"—I remember I tied up the bundle of papers that morning; this (Produced) 1st he exact string I used (Exhibit B)—I can recognise it—I had not any string shown to me before the Magistrate, but I had before the Coroner.
Re-examined. As I left the shop I could see through the half open doors, but it was dark at the back of the shop—I saw Miss Farmer as I left, she was just going to turn round to take the bundle of papers in; I was on the pavement—being a Wednesday morning it was rather a light one; on Fridays and Saturdays I would take them in and put them on the counter—when I tied up the papers with this piece of string it was a bit longer than it is now; to the best of my belief this is a part of the string with which the papers were tied up. that morning.
By the FOREMAN. I know I was kept waiting outside 11 minutes, because I looked at the clock; I did so because I wanted to meet the cart.

WILLIAM JAMES (238 H) I am stationed at Arbour Square police station—in the early part of October I was on night duty; I come off duty at 6 a.m., and am dismissed at G. J. 5—on October 12th I was dismissed about 6.113—in order to get home I went into Commercial Road, and passed Miss Farmers shop at 6.20; my habit was to call there for a paper; on this morning I was going across to purchase a paper, but seeing the door was closed I turned back and went home.
Cross-examined. Arbour Square police station is only two or three minutes walk from Miss Farmers shop—I went along Charles Street, East Street, and Old Church Road; I know the locality well—there are generally men standing about at the street corners, but not at that time in the morning, they do not stand about much—I have not seen them standing at the corner of Stepney Causeway; I do not know that there are common lodging-houses there; I do not know that corner—I pass Miss Farmers shop every morning—it was nothing unusual that the-door should be shut—I have seen it shut on one or two occasions that month at that time—I had about a minutes walk from the shop to my home—it is a pretty busy road at times, but not many things pass at that time in the morning—at that time the fish carts go by—hundreds of men do not get on the trams there—I did not take any notice of any trams that morning—a good few men were waiting for a tram—it was dusk then—it was daylight, but dusk; a dull day—I said before the Magistrate that it was dusk—I signed my deposition and heard it read to me—on one occasion I tried Miss Farmers shop door—the shutters being up would not prevent me from going in to get a paper.
Re-examined. I did not notice anybody about on the pavement at that time.
C. GILLHAM (Re-examined). I say that this piece of string is similar to the piece with which I tied up this parcel.
By the MR. HUGHES. Since I left this Court no one has spoken to me, except that Sergeant Divall came up to me.
By the MR. MATHEWS. We get the string from Horace Marshall, Temple Avenue, at 15s. per cwt.—when we want it we take it out of the sack that it comes in—it is a bit different now and again—on October 12th I took the string I used out of the sack.
By the COURT. The piece I used was about half a yard longer than this piece—when Sergeant Divall spoke to me he sand, was I certain that this was the string—I told him it was; then I had another look at it, and I thought to "myself, "I imagine it is the string"—before the Magistrate I said. "It was tied with string similar to this," that is what I say now.

ROBERT RAE  I am a fish curer, employed by Mr. Lucy at 44, Old Church Road—I have been with him for 18 months on and off—I am 18 years old—I have known the prisoners for about a year and 10 months before October 12th—they used to go up and down Old Church Road—I have seen them together and apart—I Used at 44. Old Church Road then—I have-seen the prisoners going to No. 100, together and apart—I have seen them go along Commercial Road together at night—I last saw them together a month before October 12th—they were going past Old Church Road in Commercial Road—I had never spoken to either of them—on Tuesday, October 11th, I was on night work—I left off work about 5.30 on Wednesday naming—I generally knock off between 5 and 6 a.m.—when I knocked off work I went to Goslings coffee shop in the Commercial Road; I got there about 6 a.m. and remained there about 15 minutes—when I came out I walked to Miss Farmers shop, and stopped just outside the shutters on the west of the shop and on the pavement—I had not passed the shop more than half a yard, the door was shut—I was looking at a tram which was going by over-loaded—I turned, and I see the prisoners come out of the shop, they left one half of the door open—Wade came out first, he had a newspaper in his hand; Donovan was very close behind him, he had a paper too—they stopped just outside the shop in the road and Wade pointed to the paper to draw Donovans attention—they could not see me then because they were looking towards the other side of the road—Donovan looked at the paper—they had not quite got to the middle of the road—they then walked to Stepney Temple, which is a chapel on the opposite side of the way—they stood on the pavement by the side" of the Temple, not in front of it—I hey stopped and Wade made a motion with his hands towards the ground like that—they walked to "the other side of the road wheelie I was and. then towards-Poplar. It was between-6.25 and G. J. when I saw them come out of the shop—from the time they came out of the shop till they went towards Poplar was about four minutes—that was the last I saw of them—I noticed that Wade had a hard bowler hat on and Donovan had a cap—Wade had on a darkish coat—I did not notice Donovans clothes—after the prisoners had gone Wiggins came up and walked straight into the shop—he stopped in there for about five minutes, then came out and felt the shutters, then he went in and proceeded to take the shutters down—after the prisoners had gone and before Wiggins arrived I had my attention fixed upon Miss Farmers shop, nobody went into the door before Wiggins arrived—I stayed there until Joe Coverdale, a friend of mine, came up—the prisoners left between 6.25 and 6.30, and I should think it was about 6.45 that Wiggins came up—I spoke to Coverdale at the corner of Old Church Road—I was then going towards my home—I had crossed Commercial Road—I made a statement to Coverdale—I went with him to number 44 and went to bed—I first heard that violence had been done to Miss Farmer about 10 o'clock that morning from my mother—I made a statement to her—I went back to work at about 10.30 a.m.—I had a fellow worker named Albert Horn by—I made a statement to him on the 12th—on the following Friday when I was at work Divall and Wensley came to see me—on Sunday, October 16th, I was taken to Arbour Square Police Station where I saw 14 men—I see the prisoners and picked them out.

Cross-examined. I went to the police station to point out the two men I see come out of Miss Farmers shop—Divall sent a policeman round for me—Divall was at the station—the prisoners were placed among twelve others—the other men were tidily dressed as well as the prisoners—the prisoners were more tidily dressed than the others—the 12th was a light morning—the lamps were out—it was not a dull dusky morning—I should not agree with an officer who had been at the shop a few minutes and who said it was a dull dusky morning—it was fairly clear—I said before the Magistrate, "The morning was very light."—I work in a smoke hole fish curing—I work all night till just before 6 a.m.—there are eight smoke holes where I am employed—when I come out of the smoke hole I go to the coffee shop and have a blow—it is very close in the smoke hole at night, so I stand about in the air—I have been to a doctor about my eyes, but not since I have been employed in the smoke hole—it is my eyelids which are affected—I do not blink at all—the smoke hole does not affect the sight—I said before the Magistrate, "It affects the sight when the wind blows the smoke down"—I am very tired sometimes when I leave work—we have long hours from 10 or 10.30 p.m. until 5.30 a.m.—I get 50s. a week and am eighteen years old—the pay is not because of the hard and trying work I have to do, it is because of the trade—on the morning of the 12th I was standing just before the Royal Duke, on the same side as Miss Farmers shop—I did not say before the Magistrate I was looking towards Aldgate when the men came out of the shop—I signed my deposition and it was read over to me—I said in it,—I was just between the Royal Duke and Miss Farmers shop"—I was looking towards Aldgate, but not when the two men came out of the, shop—before I turned my head round I had been looking towards Aldgate—my body was facing the road, and I got a side glance of them coming out of the shop: I only had a momentary glance of their faces, but I did not lose sight of them at all—as they walked to Stepney Temple their backs were towards me, but when crossing the road they looked sideways—when they crossed on to my side of the road at the Stepney Temple they went in an opposite direction to me, towards Poplar, and continued their journey eastward—on leaving the shop, they crossed the road in a slanting direction, towards the corner of Grosvenor Street—I watched the tram as far as East-street—I did not see Constable James pass at 6.20 a.m.

Re-examined. I have been to a doctor this week about my eyes, and before then about six years ago—it is only ulcerated eyelids that I have—I could see the prisoners faces when they stopped in the roadway and looked at the paper—I did not take my eyes off them until they returned to my side of the road and went in the direction of Poplar.

By the JURY. When I caught the momentary glance of the prisoners, Wade was out of the shop, and Donovan's face was out of the door.

By the COURT. There was the distance of about a shop between us—they are split doors to Miss Farmers shop, and the prisoners came through the half door away from me—the door was pushed out from inside, by whom I could not see—I was standing like this when I saw them coming out, my head turned, and my body half turned—I could see them as well as if my whole body had. been turned in their direction—I knew that Miss Farmer lived there, but I did not know she lived alone—throe was no particular reason for my turning my head—the fact of these two men coming out struck me, and that is why I watched to see what they did—I did not know their names, but I recognised them as men I had seen before—during the whole of the time that I kept them in sight I had no doubt that they were the men I had seen coming out of the shop, and whom I had previously known by sight.

At this point I would like to interject with some observations......

From the map we can follow PC JAMES route from Arbour Street Police Station along Charles Street (the route then becomes confused as I can't find an East Street) he then goes along Old Church Road and to Emily FARMER's shop.
 It is also interesting to note that JAMES states he lives about a minutes walk from FARMER's shop ( I have not yet ascertained where he lived). But it would appear that his quickest route from Arbour Street Station to FARMER's shop would have been directly down Arbour East Street? Also that he claims to know the area well, but doesn't know if there are any Lodging house on Stepney Causeway - which is right next to were he lives and works? 
We should also note that RAE claims not to have seen JAMES but that he watched the suspects cross the road in a slanting direction towards Grosvenor Road by Stepney Temple heading towards Poplar and that he watched the tram as far as East Street (so we have the mysterious East Street again). 

Edited April 2, 2019 by bigjarofwasps

[bigjarofwasps]

The hearing continues..........
JOSEPH COVERDALE . I am a carman of 19, Old Church Road—on the morning of October 12th, not having been able to sleep the night before, I got up at 6.33 a.m. and walked to the top of Old Church Road where it joins Commercial Road—I there saw Robert Rae, whom I know, standing opposite the Royal Duchess—we had a conversation—I noticed the door of Miss Farmers shop open and Wiggins come out and undid the bolt of the shutter—this happened at 0.57 a.m.

Cross-examined. I was with Rae about twenty minutes—he did not draw my attention to any house, shop, or place whatsoever—I am quite confident I said the same thing when I was examined in chief before the Magistrate. (Mr. Mathews contended, on the ground of the nature of the cross-examination for the defence, that he was entitled to ask what conversation transpired between the witness and Rae. Mr. Hughes objected to tint conversation being given, but the Court considered that it was admissible.)

Re-examined. Rae said to, me, "I see two men come out of Miss Farmers shop.",.

THOMAS CHARLTON . I live at 10, Dorset Street, and am employed by my sister, who keeps Goslings Coffee House, at 488, Commercial Road—between 6 and 6.15 a.m., on October 12th, Rae. a customer of ours, came in, and was served with refreshment—I did not see him go out. as I was at the back of the shop—Miss Farmer supplied the coffee house with papers, which she generally fetched in herself, or, if not, she sent a boy in with them—it might be one of Dr. Barnardo's boys; it was not Wiggins—they generally came between 6 and 630 a.m.—on the morning of October 12th, as they were not delivered, about 6.37 a.m., I went to Miss Farmers shop, where I saw Wiggins—I noticed the shutters were not down—I went in and had some talk with Wiggins, who showed me these false teeth (Produced), which I saw him pick up off a box that was behind the counter—I noticed a shoe like this one (Produced) on the box.

Cross-examined. I remember this shoe being produced to me before, and saying, "That is not what I saw; I saw a boot; the boot remained on the box, the buck part towards me"—it was so dark, the shutters being up, that I did not notice whether it was a boot or a shoe—I had a good look at it in the police court—I was only in the shop two or three minutes altogether, and perhaps less, and I did not pay any attention to it at all—I did not consider that from Wiggins manner there was any importance attached to it; there was nothing mysterious about his manner—I first heard of the murder about 10.30 a.m. that day—I did not see Wiggins again that day, nor later on—I did not give evidence at the inquest—it was a middling morning—I said before the magistrate "This was a dark morning," which is correct—I am speaking of between 0.30 a.m. and 7 a.m. when I say it was a dark middling morning for that time of the year—I am not quite sure that it was a box on which I saw the shoe, at any rate, it was some form of box behind the counter—I am quite sure it was not on the floor—between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. a good many men come into our coffee-shop in singles, couples or threes, or even in half-dozens to breakfast—there are coffee lodging-houses round Stepney Causeway—there are a good many people about there at that time of the morning.

Re-examined. I am certain that it was 6.37 when I got to Miss Farmers shop—I did not take the shoe in my hand, and I made no examination of it—it was coming on daylight—(Mr. Matthews asked that the slice produced should be put in a position with its back to the jury, upon which one of the jury said that it appeared to be a boot from that position.)

By the COURT. I said it might have been the one that was produced to me when before the Magistrate.

By the JURY. I never took much notice whether only one door was open at the time or not—Wiggins gave me papers from off the counter. HARRY WIGGINS . I live at 22, Caroline Street and was an errand boy to Miss Farmer—I am eleven years of age—I had been in her employment for five months—my hours in the shop were from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and from 6 p.m. to ft p.m.—I saw her on the night before she died—the next morning I got to the shop at 6.33 a.m.—I can fix the time—exactly because I saw the cooks clock when I went in—I found one side of the door open, which was unusual—Miss Farmer is generally down when I get there, at 6.30 a.m. or thereabouts, but she was not there that morning—I saw the packet of newspapers on the floor in front of the counter tied up, and apparently just as they had been delivered—I found some false teeth of hers in front of the counter, her shoe just under the flap of the counter, and a soda-water bottle and a tumbler behind the counter—I put the teeth and the shoe on a box behind the counter—I called Miss Farmer three or "four times—I was in front of the counter; I had orders not to. go behind it—I undid the newspapers and folded them up, and put the string on the counter—Charlton came in for some newspapers and I had some conversation with him—in the course of it I went to the parlour and called "Miss Farmer "three or four times, and I got no answer—Charlton then went out with his papers—some other customers came in before he went, and got their papers—I pulled down the shutters at 6.36 a.m.—Charlton had gone by that time—that took me over five minutes, and I then went into the shop to serve papers—Miss Farmer as a rule had breakfast in the shop parlour, which she generally would be eating when I arrived, and she would come out to me—I cannot tell you whether she cooked her breakfast in the shop parlour—I did not see any sign of her having had breakfast that morning—I remained in the shop some little time, and I spoke to Downes, who passed the door—in consequence of something that passed between us he went away and made some statement to Mr. Green, who keeps a newspaper shop not very far from ours; you can see it from our door—Mr. Green then came into the shop and spoke to me—about 7.20 a.m. I went to look for a policeman, leaving the shop unoccupied and closing the half door behind me—I could not find a policeman, and I came back about 7.40 a.m. to find Thomas Mitchell standing outside the door, which was closed as I left it—we had some talk—I then went again to look for a policeman, leaving Mitchell inside the shop in charge—I came back at 7.55 a.m., not having found one—I then saw Mr. Green outside the shop, and he went to speak to a policeman who was coming from Aldgate way—they came together into the shop—about that time, 8 a.m., Miss Baker, our next door neighbour, came in, and we all went into the parlour with the object of going upstairs—we then went upstairs, the policeman first, Mr. Green next, Miss Baker and myself afterwards—when we got into Miss Farmer's bedroom I saw Miss Farmer lying face downwards with her hands tied behind her back—the room was in great disorder; the drawers having been taken out and a number of things thrown upon the ground as if they had been looked through.

Cross-examined. I saw Miss Farmer the night before she died at 10.30 p.m. standing at the door—before I went home she told me her head-was very bad—this piece of string (Exhibit B) seems to be a little thinner than the piece of string with which the papers were tied up—I remember saying at the Coroners inquest that this piece of spring was similar to the one which the papers were tied up with—it did not occur to me to go to the Arbour Square Police Station—during the twenty minutes I was away I did not meet anybody I knew to ask if they could tell me where to find a policeman—when I said at the Police Court that I was thirty-five minutes looking for a policeman I meant the two times I had been together—I did not mean to say at the police court that Mr. Green had not been to the shop when I went to look for a policeman; I meant that he was not there at the time—I am not allowed to go into the parlour, so I called Miss Farmer from the parlour door—I am quite sure I put the teeth and the shoe on a box which stood up against the wall at the back of the counter—before I went for a policeman I did not notice any unusual untidiness about the shop—I thought no more about the teeth after I showed them to Charlton—I may have said that it was twenty minutes to seven when I saw Mitchell first, but it was 7.20 a.m. I meant—we have some pretty roughish customers come into the shop—between the times I found the teeth and when I went for a policeman I served some customers with papers—I kept the money I got for them, and gave it in at the Arbors Square police station—there is a fairly good trade done there in the morning—I went for Dr. Richardson, who was the first doctor to arrive there—when I went into the parlour with the police-man I noticed some papers strewn about on the table, which I had not noticed before—there were none on the floor—I cannot remember whether I said before, "The parlour was in a state of confusion."

Re-examined. I left Mitchell at 7.20 a.m., and he went on his rounds, and when I came back he was standing outside the door.

By the COURT. When I got there the papers were on the counter—Miss Farmer used to untie the bundle, and fold up the papers for the customers, but they wore not undone this morning—I did not go into the parlour at all before I went in with the policeman.

Note - Thomas CHARLTON lives at 10 DORSET STREET. (Not to be confused with the DORSET STREET of Ripper fame, this DORSET STREET is of COMMERCIAL ROAD, less than a minutes walk from FARMER's shop).
 

Edited April 2, 2019 by bigjarofwasps

[bigjarofwasps]

The hearing continues......................

ALFRED GREEN . I am a newsagent of 484, Commercial Road, within a few doors of Miss Farmers—on Wednesday, October 12, at-7.10 a.m., my boy John Downes came into my shop and made a statement to me—I went to Miss Fanners shop and saw the errand boy Wiggins—I had a conversation with him, and in consequence of something I said to him he went behind the counter, opened the shop parlour door, knocked on the ground and called "Miss Farmer"—there was no answer—I went back to my shop and told Downes to go for a constable, he went about 7.20 a.m.—whilst he was gone I went backwards and forwards between my shop and Miss Farmers about five or six times—I did not go into her shop—I only went to the door—Downes came back at three or four minutes to eight, and told me he could not find a constable—I stood outside Miss Farmers—Downes was in my shop—I was outside when Miss Baker came out of her shop—she was Miss Farmers next door neighbour—whilst I was speaking to Miss Baker I saw Constable Hooper—I went to him and made a statement to him—I went with him to. Miss Farmers shop door—it was then exactly 8 a.m.—I saw the constable and Miss Baker go into the shop—I did not go—Wiggins was in the shop—I went back to my shop.

Cross-examined. I begin work at 5 a.m., it is a fairly busy neighbourhood between 5 and 9 a.m., between 8 and 9 is the busiest time—my wife was in my shop on this morning; she came in at 7.25—I could have gone for a policeman myself then, but I had sent the boy before that; he did not come back for thirty-five minutes—when Wiggins went round the flap of the counter I was there; the parlour door was shut—Wiggins opened it and looked into the parlour—I do not know if I said at the Police Court after I had sent the boy for a constable, "I did not notice what Wiggins did; I did not go to her shop again until I fetched a constable"—I said, "I was not watching Miss Farmers shop all the while"—I was "attending to my business now and again, or talking to my customers outside my shop—I" did go to the shop after I sent the. boy for a constable, but I did not go inside—I did not see Wiggins go for a policeman—I thought this was a very important matter—I said at the Police Court, "I had my own business to attend to, and had customers coming in and out"; that was the reason that I did not go a policeman myself.

Re-examined. At 7.10 I thought there was something serious the matter; that was in consequence of the statement which was made to me.

By a JURYMAN. I did not go out of sight of the two shops—I saw the constable coming while I was walking up and down.

JOHN DOWNS . I live at 3, Manor Court, Ratcliffe, and am now employed by Mr. Green—at one time I was employed by Miss Farmer—I left her about the end of July—on October 12th I passed her door, first at 6.30 a.m.—I did not notice anything about it then—I next passed it at 7 a.m., when Wiggins ran out to me, and spoke to me—I did not go in, but went to Mr. Greens shop and told him what Wiggins had told me—Mr. Green went and looked into Miss Farmers shop—he came back and sent me for a constable—it was then 7.20 a.m.—I went for a constable; I was away about 35 minutes—I did not find one—I returned about 7.55 a.m.—I knew of Arbor Square Police Station, but I did not think of going there for a constable.

Cross-examined. I did not meet anyone who could tell me where to find a policeman—when I get to Mr. Greens at 6 a.m. it is a fairly busy time—he was inside the shop then on this morning—no customers were there—I cannot remember what he was doing when I went out—when I came back he was still inside the shop. RICHARD BARNES . I am a painter employed by Mr. Duck of Bedford Street, Spiral fields—I was in his employment for three weeks, but I am now working for Mr. Montgomery, a builder, of Sidney Street—I have been employed by him for just on a fortnight—I live at, Stepney Causeway—I have known Wade by sight for about two years—I have never spoken to him—I knew his name—I have seen him in Commercial Road alone—I do not remember seeing him with anybody else—on Tuesday, October 11, between 10 and 11 p.m. I was in Dorset Street—I saw Wade with another man who. I now know was Donovan—I recognise the prisoner as the man—I had never seen him before, so far as I knew—they were between Stepney Causeway and Dorset Street—I was coming from Stepney Causeway and going to Dorset Street—they were by the Duke public house on the pavement—I know Miss Farmers shop—we had papers off of her—the prisoners were about six yards from her shop—they were together, and talking to one another—I walked right by because I generally make a practice of going to the corner of Dorset Street to see if the Friends Institute Chapel is all right, as my father is the caretaker—next morning I left home just as the bugle was going 6 a.m.—I went into Goslings coffee house, which is a house I use—I saw Rap in there, and two or three other people—there are generally about a dozen there in the mornings—I knew Rae by sight, but not personally to speak to—I stayed at Goslings for about 45 minutes—I got there about 6.3—I cannot tell you the exact time I left because I did not take much notice—before I got there at 6.3, I saw the prisoners coming across Commercial Road—I was about three feet from them—I saw both their faces—they were on the pavement—there was one shop between them and Miss Farmers shop—I passed them and went into Goslings—Charlton was there that morning—the newspapers were not delivered there by the time I got there—I came out before I saw a newspaper—when I left I went down home—I walked by the "Duke "and down Stepney Causeway—I went to the Friends Institute at the corner of Dorset Street—I got to work at about 7.55—as I was going to work I see some people outside Miss Farmers door: I asked what was the matter, and saw a policeman go in—about 8 p.m. I heard that Miss Farmer had been murdered and robbed—I live with my parents—I made a statement to them that day—I told father first at the top of Dorset Street, and I spoke to old mother afterwards—she is pretty old; she is over 50—I knew there was a Coroners inquest—I did not attend at the inquest—I knew the Magistrate was inquiring into the case, too—I did not attend at the police court—I first made a statement to the police last Thursday morning, November 17th—I made my statement to Sergeant Gibson—on that day I went to Brixton Prison and saw about 14-men; amongst them I saw the prisoners and picked them out as being the men I had seen on the 11th and 12th. Cross-examined. I identified them a month and five days after I say I saw the prisoners—I was accompanied to Brixton Prison by Inspector Duvall—I had left Mr. Duck about two weeks to better myself because trade was bad—it is bad now—I get odd jobs now—that is how I make my living now—I know there have been four investigations before the Coroner—I have read the accounts in the papers and I have seen the times in the papers at which the murder was supposed to have been committed—I did not go to the inquest or to the police court on any occasion—I thought it very extraordinary for two men to be walking across Commercial Road at (6 a.m.—there are plenty of men who go to the Free Trade Wharf—it is not extraordinary for men to be about, but it was extraordinary for me to see Wade standing there on the morning of the murder, having seen him over night, knowing what character he is—I did not give any information to the police because I did not think it important, but I had reasons—I know Rae, I knew him to speak to before this matter; I said before that I did not know him personally—I went to Brixton Prison alone with. Duvall, I did not speak to him about the matter until I got there; I thought it consistent with I my duty as a man and a citizen to withhold this information from the police for a month and five days—I had been forbidden by my parents, I take my views from them and I obey my mother—I "am 20 years old, I look after my mother as much as I can—she asked me not to say anything about it because it upset her and father; he was robbed. and beaten." three years ago in the chapel, and mother is. Afro and it will. happen again—it is a rough neighbourhood—there are plenty of respectable citizens living there—I have seen portraits of the prisoners in the newspapers—my mother told me not to have anything to do with, the case, and I studied her feelings—I picked the prisoners out from amongst some other men, most of them being of a different class—I was one of the first persons to know that anything was wrong at Miss Farmers shop on the morning of October 12th, because I saw a policeman go in there at 8 a.m.—it was just at the break of day, at 6 a.m.; it was a bit misty; you could see clearly from Stepney Causeway to Stepney Railway Arch—it was very light at 6.30 a.m., but not unusually clear—I am quite positive it was not dark or dusky—I cannot fix the time I left the coffee house; I am not always clear about times—there was a crowd standing outside Miss Farmers shop—I spoke to Miss Baker, whom I know, when she came out between 8 and 9 a.m.—if Sergeant Leeson had not come to the coffee house on the Thursday morning I should not be giving evidence to-day—I have known Charlton for a long time—a matter of this kind would be common talk in his coffee house—I spoke to one or two about it—I was going for a cup of tea to Charlton's coffee house when I saw the crowd outside Miss Farmers shop—I have never given evidence in a court of justice before.

Re-examined. At the time of the murder I was working for Mr. Duck—I am a Sunday school teacher in Brick Street—my mother and father told me not to get mixed up in the matter on the day that I told them what I knew—I had seen reports in the paper when I told him—I told two or three people, but not all, that I knew about it—I told my mother after I told my father; I ran round from my work and told her.

By the COURT. I was after and to give evidence because of the rough neighbourhood. By the JURY. I knew the man Rae, whose evidence I read of in the newspapers, as the man I was in the habit of seeing in the coffee house.

RICHARD BARNES . I am the father of Richard Barnes; my wife suffers from heart disease.

(MR. MATHEWS submitted that he was entitled to ask the witness as to he circumstances under which his sons statement was made to him. MR. JOSHES objected on the ground that the statement itself being inadmissible he circumstances surrounding such statement would also be inadmissible. The COURT considered that the point was not of sufficient importance to have justified the witness being called.)

THOMAS CHARLTON (Re-examined). I know Richard Barnes, junior, as customer at my coffee shop—I saw him there between 6 and 7 a.m. on October 12th.—

Cross-examined. My hours are from 4.30 a.m. till 7.30 a.m. or 7:45 a.m.—I wash up and draw tea—I can see the customers very well where I am—I drew Roes tea when he came in at (6.0 to 6.15 a.m.—my brother-in-law supplied Barnes with his breakfast—at the time I saw him he had his cup of tea in front of him.
CECILIA BAKER . I live at 480. Commercial Road, which is next door to where Miss Farmer lived—I knew her for about eight years, and was on friendly terms with her—she generally was in dishabille in the morning; and in the afternoon she would change her dress—in the afternoon and evening by way of ornaments she would wear three rings, a gold chain round her neck, and a gold-ringed pince-nez with a thin gold chain attached—sometimes on Sunday she would wear a pebble bracelet and a jet bracelet—the only occasion before October 12th that I ever went into her parlour was when she had a fit and I went in to give her assistance—I had a chat with her in the evening of October 11th at her shop door—she was wearing all her ornaments then—the next morning at 7.55 a.m. I saw Mr. Green, and in consequence of what he said I went into Miss Farmers shop—while standing there a policeman came, and accompanied by him I went into the parlour, and then up to Miss Farmers bedroom followed by Wiggins—the door was wide open, and I saw Miss Farmer lying at the foot of the bed with her face downwards, and her hands tied behind her back—I and the constable put the body into a proper position on the bed, and the constable removed a piece of cloth like this (Produced) which was tied round her mouth and chin once, and was fastened at the back—I believed that it covered her mouth—on that being removed, I noticed a small piece of cloth hanging out of her mouth, and the constable removed a piece of cloth like this (Produced) from her mouth—she was dressed in her morning style, with no shawl round her head—I undid the front of her clothes at the top, and found she had her stays on, which I undid—I then placed my hand on her heart, which felt as if it were faintly beating—it seemed to last for a minute or two, and then it stopped—I was trembling at the time—beyond this beating of the heart I noticed no other sign of life; there was no sign of breathing or attempting to breathe—the mouth was wide open, and when the cloth was removed from it, I noticed that her tongue was swollen and far back in her mouth—I did not notice any injury to her tongue as I did not look any more—one of the first things the policeman did was to cut the string from her wrists—within a few minutes Dr. Grant arrived, followed after two or three minutes by Dr. Richardson—I then left the room—about an hour later I picked up this half of a steel pince-nez (Produced), nearly at the top of the staircase, which I gave to the police—I noticed when we first went into the bedroom that it was in great disorder, the drawers of the chest of drawers being on the ground, with their contents strewn all over the room—I saw the top part of apparently a whole set of false teeth on the floor of the shop near the flap of the counter when I first went in—I also saw a high-backed shoe on the floor.

Cross-examined. There were several policemen in the shop when I went in for the second time, and found the pince-nez—I was taking in a sheet for her to be brought down in—Dr. Richardson was the first doctor to arrive, not Dr. Grant—I had constantly been into Miss Farmers shop, and I knew it well—when I went first into the shop on this morning it was not in a muddled state, but it struck me that it was 201, so tidy as Miss Farmer used to keep it—as I said before the "Magistrate "When I entered Miss Farmers; shop, the confusion was quite perceptible to me without anyone pointing it out; it was as if something unusual had happened"—the parlour was also in a state of confusion—I am certain that I saw the false teeth on the floor, and not on a shelf or ledge—when I saw her she was not like a person who showed any signs of having just got out of bed—I saw some string on the bed, which I identified at the inquest, and which was like this piece (Exhibit B)—I said before, "I felt her heart faintly beating, and I felt it cease to beat; I realised there was a moment when it ceased to beat, and that, I take it, is the moment she died"—I also said, "I have no doubt that when I was with her she was alive," and as far as I know that is correct; I have never seen a dead person before—I know this neighbourhood pretty well, and there are common lodging houses just round the corner in Stepney Causeway—from the time I get up, at 7.30 a.m., till I go to bed I very often see people standing about at the corner of Stepney Causeway, in couples, or singles, or threes.

Re-examined. The sign of confusion in the shop was that the papers were not land regularly, as Miss Farmer always had them land, and the sign of confusion in the parlour was that the cigarette boxes were on the floor—I saw nothing of a soda water bottle or a tumbler in either the shop or in the parlour, neither was my attention called to them—I held up the deceaseds hands when the constable cut the string—it was after I put her in an easy position that I put my hand on her heart.

By the COURT. I was trembling a good deal, and very much affected—I have never had anything to do with medical work—the beating that I felt might have been the pulsation of my hand.
 

The hearing continues and PC HOOPER gives his evidence.....

JAMES HOOPER (141 H) I was on duty in the Commercial Road on October 12th—about 7.55 a.m. Green came and spoke to me, and I accompanied him to Miss Farmers shop—I saw at the door Wiggins, and Miss Baker, to whom I spoke—I then went in with her upstairs to the first floor into Miss Farmers bedroom, where I found Miss Farmer lying on the bed face downwards, her hands being tied behind her back—I cut this piece of string tied round her hands (Produced), and turned her on to her back—I then discovered this piece of cloth in her mouth (Produced), pushed well back with a small piece protruding, by which I pulled it out—it had the effect of a gag—there was another piece of cloth tied round her neck and chin; it did not come over her mouth—I do not know whether it was attached in any way; I took it away very freely—I did not notice the position of her tongue—Miss Baker undid the front of her dress, and I put ray hand just over her heart—I kept it there for a moment, and it felt as if there were a faint beating of the heart-1 cannot be sure whether Miss Baker felt her heart first or not—I went to fetch Dr. Grant—I did not see Dr. Richardson arrive: I saw him come out of the room—Wiggins handed me a lady's shoe, and the top part of a set of false teeth. which were on a form behind the counter—there was also a lemonade bottle and a tumbler there—otherwise, I think, the shop was in its normal state—this would be about 8.30 a.m. as near as I can say.

Cross-examined. I have been in the force for 12 1/2 years—I have a little knowledge of first and—I am not nervous or hysterical; of course some experiences are more unnerving than others—it. was when Serge. Sewell came into the, room that I went across the road for Dr. Grant—Dr. Richardson must have arrived when I was fetching him—it was after Dr. Grant had arrived that Wiggins handed me the false teeth and the shoe—I did not see Mitchell in the room, he was at the shop door when I arrived—I said before the Coroner that in my opinion the heart was beating, and I have not changed my opinion since.

Re-examined. I have had no experience at all of placing my hand upon the hearts of dying people—I saw no other sign of life but that; there was no breathing or attempting to breathe that I could see—I did not notice at all as to whether the front of her body was cold or cooling—no effort was made to revive her before the doctors came; I thought professional advice would be better—the beating I felt may have been the throbbing in my fingers.

By the JURY. When I removed the cloth from her mouth it did not shut, it remained open—I did not say that I had learned first aid—I cannot tell you whether the deceased was cold round the heart, or whether a slight massage would have revived her.

By the COURT. We go through a course of first and when we become constables.

SAMUEL LEE (Sergeant H) In consequence of instructions on October 15th about 6 a.m. I went to Commercial Road and there kept observation upon No. 587—I was so placed that I had a view of the door of the house—at 11.40 a.m. I saw Wade enter accompanied by a female—at 12-15 a.m. I saw the door open and the woman come on to the doorstep, and look up and down—she turned round and spoke to Wade, who was standing behind the door—he came to the doorstep so that he could see into the road, then she made a sign to him, and he darted back into the passage—she followed him, and the door was closed—it remained closed for three or four minutes, and was then again opened by the woman, who came on to the step and looked up and down the road, as she had done before—she turned and made a sign, and directly afterwards Wade came out—he appeared to be greatly agitated, and ran across the. pavement and jumped on to a yellow car that was going towards Limehouse—I followed on the next car that was going in the same direction—I kept his car in view until we got to the Limehouse Town Hall, when some traffic got in between my car and his, and I lost sight of him—I saw him no more that day—about six a.m., on Sunday, October 16th I went with other officers to 83, Grosvenor Street, where Wade was lodging—I found him in bed, and the woman that I had seen with him on October 15th was the, also—I told him to get up and dress himself and after he had done so I said to him, "You will remain here with me until Inspector Divall arrives, and he will tell you the charge that will be preferred against you"—he replied, "All right"—I remained with him until Inspector Divall came.

Cross-examined. I am acting under the directions of Inspector Divall—I was with two other officers in a window, watching No. 187, Commercial Road on the 15th—the women did not see me the first or second time that she came to the door—I do not know that in spite of his agitation he came back there that night to sleep—I know that that is his mother's house.

Re-examined. One of the officers with me was Detective Worsfold.

By the JURY. I interpreted the woman's first sign to mean, "Keep back," and the second sign as saying, "The coast is clear."

HARRY WORSFOLD (Detective H.). On the morning of October 15th I was with sergeant Lee keeping observation on No 587, Commercial Road—at 11.40 a.m. I saw Wade and a women enter the house, and at 12.20 a.m. the women came to the door, looked up and down the road, and beckoned to somebody in the passage—Wade then came to the door, and she made motions to him to go back—he went back, and she followed him and shut the door—a short time after that she came to the door again, and again beckoned to Wade, who came to the door, ran across. the footway, and jumped on a passing tramcar going in the direction of Limehouse—Lee followed on another car—I was told off to watch the woman, and I followed her to No. 83, Grosvenor Street, where she entered.

Cross-examined. I believe No. 587, Commercial Road is his mother's address—there is nothing I wish to add to my evidence that Wade came out of the house and jumped on to a passing tramcar.

By the JURY. It is possible that the woman was looking for a tramcar; there was not a tram passing the first time she came to the door, but there was the second time.

By the COURT. The trams run very frequently there.

THOMAS DIVALL . About 8.30 a.m. on October 12th I was summoned to 478, Commercial Road—I went into the first-floor front room where I found Miss Farmer dead on the bed—at that time Dr. Anderson and Dr. Grant were present—I made an examination of the premises—the Back door was bolted with two bolts inside, and there was not the slightest evidence of any forcible entry having been made into the premises either at the back or front—the windows of the back parlour and both windows of Miss Farmer's bedroom were fastened and secured; I should not think that the windows of Miss Farmer's bedroom had been Opened for two months; they had both Venetian curtains, which were drawn—clothing, books, and small antique boxes, were all over the floor—the drawers had been withdrawn from the chest of drawers; some had been turned upside down, some on their sides, and one, I think, was on its head, showing the contents had been tipped out from one drawer to another, and mixed up altogether— everything must have been done in a great hurry—nobody seemed to have gone beyond the first floor, as there were signs of dust on the banisters—I had a motive for looking for finger-prints—in the parlour there were a few little tin boxes or canisters which had been turned over—the curtain at the entrance to the shop from the parlour, was practically torn away—I saw Miss Baker pick up a broken piece of pince nez on the third stair from the top landing to Miss Farmers room, which she handed to me—I found this banister in a corner of the stairs with a little bit broken of (Produced)—I did not find a coin of any description, nor any jewellery, nor any metal of any value on the premises—I saw the lady's shoe and the set of artificial teeth immediately on entering the shop lying on the counter close by the flap—Mr. Edgar Farmer found the shoe corresponding to the one I saw on the counter—I. found in a cupboard just by the fireplace some bread, sugar, tea, cheese, and an uncooked egg; no preparations had been made for breakfast—I have consulted the almanac and have found the sun rose on the morning of October 12th at 6.20 a.m.—on October 10th, with Sergeant Wensley, I went to 83. Grosvenor Street, where I saw Wade—I said to him, "I am a police inspector, and I am going to take you into custody on suspicion of being concerned with another man not in custody for the wilful murder of Miss Farmer between 6 and 8 a.m. on the 12th inst. at 478, Commercial Road—he saidsomething and I left him in charge of Wensley—he turned very pale and trembled—at 8.30 a.m. I went with Wensley to 17, Church Row Limehouse, nearly a mile away—on entering the firs! floor back room I saw Donovan in bed with a woman—I said to him "I am a police inspector; get up and dress; I will take you to Arbour Square Police Station"—he was taken there and placed in the library—I said "I have brought you here on suspicion of being concerned with Wade, detained for the wilful murder of Miss Farmer between 6 and 8 a.m. on the 12th inst."—he said"You have done a b——fine thing this time. I will do my utmost to disprove it. This is a nice b——thing ain't it?"—I got the assistance of twelve men as near the description of the prisoners as I could, some a little more respectable than they, some a little less so—I told them to stand in a line in a yard at the police station out of the view of the public—the two prisoners were in two separate rooms in charge of officers nothing to do with the case—the witnesses were placed in charge of uniformed officers, who also had nothing to do with the case, out of view of the prisoners—I had the prisoners brought separately into the yard, and in the presence of the twelve men I said to each of them, "You see those men. You are going to be put up for identification. You can place yourself wherever you like"—they chose their positions and on my asking them if they were satisfied they both replied "Yes"—, then I sent an independent officer for the witnesses, who were brought out separately—I said to each of the witnesses as they came out, "If you see a man or men whom you have come to identify touch him or them. Say nothing"—Rae walked along the line and picked out the prisoners without the slightest hesitation—the other two men picked no one out—it first came to my knowledge that Richard Barnes could give evidence at 1 p.m. last Thursday—I received a communication from Rae—I saw Barnes at 7.30 p.m. on the same day. after he had been seen by Sergeant Leeson—after he made his statement I at once took him to the Treasury, and afterwards in a cab to Brixton Prison—I saw him identified, the Governor of the Prison, chief warder Scott and other warders being present—I had nothing to do with the arranging of that identification; I was simply an observer standing 50 yards away.

Cross-examined. When I went into the shop there had been 20 or 30 persons there, and the false teeth and shoe had been shifted—I think it was Sergeant Wensley who found the other piece of the pince nez—the curtain was not torn right away; it was torn from the top—I had never been in the shop before—after the two men had failed to identify the prisoners they were sent away—two mow men failed to identify the prisoners the next day—I have not had charge of the witnesses in this case; I have examined their statements—when I spoke to a witness after he left the court as to the nature of his evidence, I was asking for my own information, and I had no idea that Mr. Mathews was going to recall him—it is not my duty to have a witness called back to repeal information that he has given to me after he has been in the box.

Re-examined. What I said to the boy was, "You said at the Coroner's Court, and I have already told my officers, that the string is similar to your string," and he saidto me the same as he had said in the box, "I imagined it was the same piece of string."—the conduct of this prosecution has not been in my hands.

By the Jury. None of the four men have been called to give evidence; they have nothing whatever to do with the case now—I should say there was no difficulty for Rue to identify the two prisoners as he had known them for eighteen months.

FREDERICK WENSLEY (Detective H.) I went into Miss Farmers shop at 8.45 a.m. on October 12th, and assisted in the search—t found a piece of a steel pince nez on the floor, near the flap of the counter, and it appears to match the other half produced by Miss Baker—this pince nez did not have a chain to it; it was the gold pince nez that Miss Farmer wore that had had the gold chain—on October 16th I accompanied Divall to 83, Grosvenor Street, when Wade was arrested, and I also accompanied him when Donovan was arrested.

Cross-examined. On Donovan there was found 4s. 11 1/2 d., and some trifling things of no value; nothing was found on Wade. 
THOMAS SMART (Detective H.) On October 16th I was in the library at the Arbour Square Police Station about 10.30 aim., with Donovan after the identification—he sand, "Of course the f———boy knows me; he used to live in the same street as me for about two years. "
 

The hearing continues..................

CHAS. GRAHAM GRANT , L.R.C.S. I am a registered medical practitioner of 523, Commercial Road, and am surgeon to the H Division of Police—at 8.10 a.m., on October 12th, I was called to Miss Farmers shop, and, on arriving at the bedroom on the first floor, I saw Miss Farmer 's body on the bed—I arrived there at 8.15 a.m.—I there saw Dr. Richardson, who left immediately, having had no opportunity of examining the body; it was at his request that I took on the case. I examined the body, and found it was dead and slightly stiffened as far as the limbs were concerned, which were partially flexed. and the body itself was partially flexed at the hips; her eyes had lost their transparency and tension; her chest felt colder than one would expect if she were alive and was losing temperature—the body was fully dressed, with the exception of the feet, which had no boots or shoes on—the hands were swollen and marked very distinctly with a ligature, of a red colour turning to blue—I made a cursory examination of the mouth, which was open, and I could see the tongue was bent back; there was blood underneath it, and only the lower denture was in position; the lips were abraded, and also the surface of the chin, which indicated that force had been used to open the mouth—two pieces of cloth and two pieces of string were handed to me by the policemen for me to examine—the face was congested—there was an exudation of the secretion of the nose, which was not very noticeable, forced out, in my opinion, by the efforts to breathe—either of these pieces of string might have caused the ligatures on her hands—(Exhibits B and C Produced)—I formed the erroneous opinion at the time that she had been dead within half an hour, but on maturer consideration of the facts, and on looking up the authorities, I was reluctantly compelled to alter that opinion; I think she had been dead then over half an hour but I would not like to say how much over—on the same day, at p.m., I made a post-mortem examination, assisted by Dr. Anderson, and I have my notes here—I found the cause of death to be asphyxia by mechanical obstruction of the air passages, which opinion I arrived at by unmistakable signs—the further sign of injury was a bruise on the external aspect of the left thumb—she also had a rupture on the right side, which has no bearing on this case—I examined the cloth that was tied round her neck, and found nothing on it—on examining the gag I found blood upon it but not in any quantity, and such would have been produced by the tear under the tongue—there was no sign of blood anywhere else on the body—I came to the conclusion that asphyxia was caused by this gag (Produced), and all the external and internal appearances corroborated that—I cannot say decisively how long after the insertion of the gag death ensued, because I do not know whether the gag was effective in obstructing the entire air passage or not; if air passed the gag she would live in direct proportion to the amount of air that passed—I did not see the gag in her mouth—the turning back of the tongue indicates that considerable violence was used, and it also formed an additional obstruction to breathing—it indicated that the gag had caught under the tongue—assuming complete obstruction had taken place I should think that she died in four or five minutes—turning her on her face would undoubtedly accelerate her death—I examined the stomach, and found it empty, as though nothing had been taken in the morning—I do not think she could have been living when Miss Baker and the police-man saw her—it is a common occurrence for unskilled people to make mistakes about the beating of a heart.

Cross-examined. Mistakes are made by skilled persons as well—I am not quite certain as to the date when I altered my opinion as to how long the deceased had been dead, but I think I said at the Police Court that it was half an hour; whether you cross-examined me or not I cannot say—my opinion was not founded on the gag, but upon the condition of the body, the set eyes, and the losing temperature—one strong point to tell how long a body has been dead is the eye losing its tension—I am not an expert like Professor Pepper, and I did not mention the fact of the eye losing its tension at the inquest—I know Professor Pepper said that this was such an important point that I ought to have mentioned it—the fact is not down in my report of the post-mortem examination—I did not take the eyes sufficiently into consideration until after I gave my evidence at the Police Court—the uncovered parts of a body would cool more rapidly than the parts that are not exposed—I do not know sufficiently to give an opinion whether a dead body cools more rapidly at first than later on; if an authority said it was the general rule, I should disagree; it depends on what was the cause of death—I heard that Professor Pepper, Dr. Anderson, and myself are all at variance as to the exact time the deceased had been dead—I can assure the jury, with the greatest possible confidence, that Miss Baker and the policeman could have mistaken a body that had been dead for two or three hours for a living one—it is extremely difficult, by placing the hand upon the heart of a person lying on their back, to tell whether the heart is beating or not, even if it be a healthy one—in forming the opinion that the body had been dead half-an-hour, I was not aware that the eye is more brilliant after asphyxia than it is before—of course, skilled persons on looking at the eye of a dead person would make different remarks to unskilled persons—I do not know what conclusion Professor Pepper has arrived at as to how long the deceased lived after the gag had been inserted; I cannot say without seeing the gag in the mouth.

Re-examined. There had been some exposure-of the chest, and it was there that the cooling was felt—I did notice the eyes at the time, although I did not give evidence as to them.

By the Jury. The deceased was found in a semi-kneeling position—rigor mortis sets in more rapidly in some deaths than others—I saw nothing to form the opinion that she had died in the kneeling position—the flexure was due to the struggling in death—I do not think that she could have struggled off the bed, as one of the first effects of asphyxia is a partial paralysis and inability to struggle—I should think that if the deceased had been" alive on the removing of the gag her mouth would have shut and the tongue would have been brought back to its proper position—I think Miss Baker and the policeman felt the pulsations of their own fingers—it was, of course, too late to revive her by massage, or anything.
JOHN CHARLES Anderson, M.D. I practice at 15, Great Winchester Street—on October 12th I was culled to Miss Farmers; I reached there about two minutes after Dr. Grant—I went upstairs into the bedroom and saw Hooper and Dr. Grant—I agree with the description of injuries upon Miss Farmers body as described by Dr. Grant, who directed my attention to the eyes, which were dim, and there was a loss of transparency about them—I thought the deceased had been dead for a couple of hours, from the cooling of the body and the ligature marks round the wrist, which were very marked, being of a dark blue colour with no surrounding area of redness or inflammation; discolouration of a ligature mark depends upon the circulation of the blood, and when the circulation stops there is an alteration in colour, and this particular alteration I concluded could not have been produced under a couple of hours—I have read in text books that the eyes after asphyxia become very brilliant, but I should be surprised to find it was the truth—taking into consideration the age of the person, and the size of the gag, I do not see how she could have lived more than five minutes after it had been inserted—of course, she might have survived longer if the gag had been less effectually placed—the fact of her being placed upon her face would have accelerated death—she would have been likely to have died in that position.—post-mortem rigidity had not set in—I think if twenty people had felt Miss Farmers heart, even when alive, she being a short, fat woman, they could not feel the beating with a great breast covering it, and I am sun; that Miss Baker and the policeman were mistaken in saying that they felt the heart beating—Miss Baker is a neurotic person.

Cross-examined. Hooper may be neurotic for all I know—the deceased's hands were swollen, but there was no sign of inflammation on her wrists—I was asked by the Magistrate, not knowing the facts of the case, how long should I say she had been dead, and I said three hours—I did not form any definite opinion, when I first saw the body, as to how long she had been dead, but I formed the opinion that nobody could say exactly—I thought it was an important matter—it is true that I said before, that it is very difficult to decide the exact moment when death took place, from the appearance of the body—it might happen in many cases that for a few minutes before death the power of exercising the muscles would go, but you do see people with" muscular power right up to the last—I should say, where there had been violence, and exhausttion takes place, there would be very little muscular action, a twitching only—it is a fact that the heart will continue beating after respiration has ceased, and vice versa, so it would be impossible to judge the moment—of death by the stopping of the heart or the stopping of the respiration alone. 
THOMAS MITCHELL . I live at 11, Grosvenor Street, Commercial Road, E.

Cross-examined. I gave my evidence before the Coroner—I know that it is necessary to speak the truth—on the morning of October 12th I first passed Miss Farmers shop at 6.25 a.m., and I saw Miss Farmer open one of the half doors and lock it back—she had a dirty old shawl round her head—I next saw the shop when I came along with my papers at 7.10 a.m.; I was going on my rounds—I came back to Miss Farmers shop at 7.45 a.m., when I saw Wiggins just coming out, as the policeman and Mr. Green came up—I am quite sure about the evidence I have given.

Re-examined. It was I who gave an account to the police of having seen a man leave this shop and jump on to a tramcar and go away, and that he was a man of about thirty—I described his appearance and his clothes, and said that I saw him in the shop, stay there three minutes, and then say "I shall not wait any longer"—I was in such a muddle at the time, and I thought I would say the same at the police station, but it was all untrue.

AUGUSTUS JOSEPH PEPPER . I practice at 13, Wimpole Street—I am an F.R.C.S. and I have many other qualifications—I have heard the, evidence in this case so far us part of it is concerned, and I have read the whole of the evidence—I was examined as a witness before the Magistrate—I have formed the opinion that Miss Farmer had been dead over an hour when Dr. Grant arrived—my grounds are, in the first place as to the temperature of the body which was spoken to by Dr. Grant; the front of the chest was cool—the death was clearly from suffocation, which is one of the causes of slow cooling of a body—it was in a room, as I understand from Inspector Divall's evidence at the Police Court, where the windows were closed and had not been opened—that was the room in which the woman, had slept the night, so it would be comparatively warm, which would tend to prevent the cooling of the body—Dr. Grant deposed that the eyeballs had lost their tension—in death from asphixiation the eyeballs as a rule arc prominent and the flaccidity comes on slowly—I do not lay much stress on the transparency, the tension is more important—it takes time for the tension to alter in cases of suffocation—I do not place much stress on the dark blue colour, round the place where the ligatures had been on the wrist—I think that would form very quickly after death—I think death ensued within ten minutes of these injuries being received—I saw the rag which was taken from the deceased's mouth, the greater part of which the constable said was impacted into her throats—there was only a small piece" out of her mouth—the bulk of it would be quite sufficient to completely block the throat, and there was something else placed over the mouth, which, might easily slip off when the body was moved—I understand that the body was found on its face, and the head hanging over the end of the bed—the tongue was doubled back in the mouth, according to the constable and there was a quantity of frothy mucus which was the result of the suffocation, and was also the cause of it—the suffocation would be very complete—those are the leading indications upon which I base my opinion—the deceased's knees may have been drawn up by herself in a dying effort on her part, or it is possible that the body was placed in that position—whoever placed it there would probably not try to get the knees straight, but even if they did. they may not have succeeded—I cannot say one wav or the other—I think that if the deceased, when she was on her stomach with her face on the pillow, had moved her knees forward and got them into that position it would have meant some considerable muscular exertion, as she would have to raise her whole body, and I think it would be more likely if she could have done that, that she would have got on her side, but it is impossible to say—I feel quite certain that Miss Baker and Hooper did not feel the beating of the deceased's heart—I believe Miss Baker said she ceased to feel the beat after about a minute and a half, that being so, it is quite certain the woman was nearly dead—under the circumstances I feel quite certain she would not be able to feel the beat—in the first place she said the body showed no other signs of life, and it would be extremely difficult for a medical man to feel the heart—it does continue to beat, but you cannot feel it—you have to listen to it with a stethoscope, it is so feeble.

Cross-examined. I form my opinion assuming that the evidence of Dr. Grant and Dr. Anderson is correct—I have not seen the body, and can only form my opinion from the evidence—I do not lay much stress upon the colour surrounding the place where the ligatures were—I consider Taylor an authority; he says that in some cases of asphyxiation a body has been observed to cool as rapidly as in death from other causes, and that is so; there is no fixed rule—the surrounding circumstances would have something to do with the cooling of the body—the evidence refers to the cooling of the front of the chest; that was the only part apparently which was observed—if anything important turns upon the temperature of a body, a themometer would be more accurate, but it is not usually used—it would, of course, give an absolute register—if I had been present at the inquest I should have considered the question of the tension of the eye if it had been present to my mind—I should have had a written note, and should have referred to it—it is extremely difficult to place the time of the death; I should say it had taken place certainly over an hour, perhaps two hours—I cannot say nearer than that—at the time of death the eyes would be prominent; the eyes of a dead person are generally staring; they were in this case—I should say that death had certainly taken place within 10 minutes of the violence; there might be some difference if there had been some little opportunity for air to pass to the lungs, but from the time that cloth was fixed at the back of the throat I am quite sure she would be dead in 10 minutes; I am taking the constable's evidence that one piece was coming out of the mouth, and the rest at the back of the throat—in cases of asphyxia one does have sometimes the fact that after respiration has ceased the heart continues to beat—when death has arisen from shock, and when there is considerable muscular action, there may be an inclination for the muscles to be fixed; where there has been a violent struggle the muscles remain fixed after death in the position in which they last were during life—in life and death there may be the same appearance in a muscle which has been severely exercised just before death—I am not assuming that Miss Baker is unusually neurotic, but I say a woman being brought face to face with such circumstances would be affected automatically—I do not think one could expect anyone to act with great presence of mind in such circumstances—I think that Miss Baker and the constable, on going into the room, and seing Miss Farmer in this condition, might think that she might be dead, I am not in the least saying that they are not absolutely honest in their statement, but they were not skilled observers, and they would naturally be in a state of trepidation; anyone would—I agree, as a general proposition, that I am constantly called upon to give evidence in cases where eminent gentlemen do not agree with me.

Re-examined. In the majority of cases where death is due to suffocation, the body cools more slowly than it does in ordinary circumstances. There are cases where the temperature rises after death.

By the COURT. I think Miss Baker behaved in a most exemplary manner.

By the JURY. The grooves remaining after the string had been removed would probably show that death had taken place before the string had been removed, but I cannot say for certain—there would be no tendency for the blood to flow, the heart would be so feeble it would have no effect upon the grooves.

BAKER (Re-examined). The piece of the pince nez which I picked up and the other piece which Wensley picked up belonged to Miss Fanner. I had seen it her possession.

EDGAR FARMER . I am the deceased's brother—after her death I found this shoe in her bedroom, it was amongst the, things scattered over the floor—I believe I found it on October 25th.

GUILTY — DEATH .

MR. JUSTICE GRANTHAM said that a statement had been made to him that shortly before this trial commenced, MR. HARNETT, the solicitor for the defence, had been to the boy Mitchell, who admitted that he had given false evidence before the Coroner, and asked him about hit evidence. MR. HARNETT said that that was true. MR. JUSTICE GRANTHAM: And that you said "Did you see a gentleman-come out of Miss Farmer's shop and jump on a tramcar," that he replied, "No," and that you said, "You silly little goose, why don't you say so, and the men will walk out of the dock free. MR. HARNETT: No, my Lord, I did not say that. I do not remember the exact conversation, but I did not know at that time that the boy Mitchell was to attend here on behalf of the Prosecution. As soon as I was aware of that, I immediately abstained from further questioning, and the statement Mitchell made has not been put before Counsel on that account. MR. JUSTICE GRANTHAM; The father of the boy said to you "Who are you?" you said" am the solicitor for Donovan and Wade"; is that what took place? MR. HARNETT; Yes, my Lord. MR. JUSTICE GRANT HAM: And the father of the boy turned you out of the house. MR. HARNETT: "No, not my Lord; may I explain?" MR. JUSTICE GRANTHAM: "You have no right in my house." MR. HARNETT: "No, my Lord. When I went there Mrs. Mitchell was in the house, and I thought I had her son to deal with. The father came in and snatched the paper out of my hand and fore it in two. It was only through threatening him with the natural consequences of that that I got it back. Finding the boy ictus to be one of the witnesses for the prosecution, I left in the ordinary way. and I was not turned out of the house." MR. JUSTICE GRANTHAM: It is quite untrue that he-was going to give evidence for the Prosecution: MR. HARNETT He told me he was going to attend here on behalf of the Prosecution; therefore I abstained from continuing my statement. MR. JUSTICE GRANTHAM: The mother says you said, "I come from Coroner Baxter." MR. HARNETT: "No, my Lord, I never said anything of the kind"—Mrs. Mitchell was then called and swore that Mr. Harnett had said to her when he called that he had come from Mr. Baxter. MR. HARNETT: That is altogether wrong, my Lord: but MRS. MITCHELL was under that impression. Nothing was said about where I came from. MR. JUSTICE GRANTHAM: I believe you are a solicitor of the High Court? MR. HARNETT: Yes, my Lord, I am MR. JUSTICE GRANTHAM: Then I shall send the papers to the Law Society. MR. HARNETT: Thank you, my Lord; I am obliged to your Lordship. 

[bigjarofwasps]

Officers who gave evidence at the trial.............

Harry WOODLEY 343H Joined 1885 R Div 1887 A Div  97 H Div
Charles Dunlop 439H Joined 18282 A Div 1887 A Div  97 H Div 
William James 238H x2 one May 04 the other July 04 H Div
James Hooper 141H  
Samuel Lee (Sgt H) Joined 1887 J 1897 M 1902M
Harry Worsfold (Det H) 1897H Div 
Thomas Divall (Insp H)  
Frederick Wensley (Det H) 
Thomas Smart (Det H) Joined 1887H Retires 1913H 

Frederick WENSLEY possibly the most famous officer involved in the case, devotes a chapter of his memoirs to the case. As previously stated it's also  covered in Dick KIRBY's book and Neil STOREYS's East End Murders.

Interestingly Thomas SMART was stationed in Whitechapel during the time of Jack the Ripper. 

 

 

Arbour Square police station closed in 1999 and has been redeveloped into flats.

 

Edited April 2, 2019 by bigjarofwasps

[bigjarofwasps]

The hangmen....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Billington

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Pierrepoint

 

[bigjarofwasps]

Sadly the only period building still to be seen in the area is The Royal Duke Public house. It closed down in 2015 and was made into flats in 2017, so you can't even go and have a pint in it. 

It's a bit confusing as the Royal Duke stands on exactly the same site as the Royal Duchess did, using the below link, we can see that the landlord in 1904 is Edwin Spencer Avenall, but the picture on this web page doesn't look anything like the physical building so I'm a little confused about that? 

https://pubshistory.com/LondonPubs/MileEnd/RoyalDuchess.shtml

12 minutes ago, bigjarofwasps said:

Sadly the only period building still to be seen in the area is The Royal Duke Public house. It closed down in 2015 and was made into flats in 2017, so you can't even go and have a pint in it. 

It's a bit confusing as the Royal Duke stands on exactly the same site as the Royal Duchess did, using the below link, we can see that the landlord in 1904 is Edwin Spencer Avenall, but the picture on this web page doesn't look anything like the physical building so I'm a little confused about that? 

https://pubshistory.com/LondonPubs/MileEnd/RoyalDuchess.shtml

May have answered my own question here, following a dabble with Google Maps.....

........so it appears NOTHING original is left with a connection to this case, other than Arbour Street Police Station, I suppose?  

 

 

[bigjarofwasps]

The case made the papers in Australia as well.................. 

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5031350

And another book..........

[bigjarofwasps]

The final irony in the this case being that workmen engaged in repairing Miss Farmer's premises, discovered a tin box under the floor boards. In it were Miss Farmer's rings, watch and chain, bracelets and a great deal of jewellery, including diamond earrings, worth a great deal of money. Donovan and Wade had missed out on an absolute treasure trove; and if they had stolen any money, it could not have been a great deal. Four days after the murder when Wade was searched he had nothing in his pockets and as regards Donovan his worldly worth amounted to no more than 4 shillings and 11 and a half pence. 

[bigjarofwasps]

Found this old photograph, which I believe is post Jack the Ripper. Wondered whether the head line might relate to this case as I can think of no other Whitechapel murders that lead to a manhunt? 

[bigjarofwasps]

The Illustrated Police News 22nd October 1904.