Emily Walton/Emily Waltors?

[JackDaw]

Hi there,

I had almost completely forgotten about the tale of the woman who said she was attacked in Hanbury Street by a 'foreign man' a few hours before Annie Chapman was murdered until I came across her story again yesterday.

I can find very little on her apart from the reports in one of the Newspapers on this site (The Evening Standard probably).

Anyone got any further info on her and her credibility?
Or was the whole thing made up?

Thanks

[robhouse]

This was reported in the Evening Standard on Sep 10, and the Echo on Sep 11

http://www.casebook.org/press_reports/evening_standard/18880910.html

http://www.casebook.org/press_reports/echo/18880911.html

As far as I can tell, the papers seem to have assumed that the description of a man with a foreign accent was based on a man who was in a back yard with Emily Walton and who treated her roughly. Phillips Sugden has come up with an alternate explanation of the source of this description however. I am not a home, so I dont have my books, and I cannot remember if Sugden was aware of these news reports or not (I assume he was).

In short, I cannot add much until I look back at his conclusions on the matter, which I remember being very reasonable.

Rob H

[lynn cates]

Sugden

Hello Jack and Rob. Indeed, Sugden is aware of this sighting but is suspicious since Walton was not called to the inquest. Moreover, there are 2 times given for the Walton event--2 and 2:30. On those grounds, Sugden relegates the affair to the previous month when a "foreign looking man" was found in the passage at #29.

Moral: if you are off by 30 minutes make up the difference by subtracting a month. (heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC

[JackDaw]

Lynn/ Rob,

Thanks for that.

I don't know about the Sugden interpretation of events, but it does seem a bit odd that the Emily Walton story appeared in the papers with a police ID and then the entire thing then just seems to be ignored after that.

Walton's description: "Age 37, height 5ft 7in, rather dark beard and moustache. Dress - Short, dark jacket, dark vest and trousers, black scarf, and black felt hat. Spoke with a foreign accent."

Mrs. Longs mystery man: A little taller than (Annie Chapman) woman, about 40, brown deerstalker, dark coat, shabby genteel, appeared to be a foreigner.


Apart from the height and headgear they don't seem too far off.
And the height thing is pure guesswork really. Passing strangers on an early-morning street, one man's midget can become another man's giant...




PS: That 'foreign' man found on the stairs of 29 Hanbury Street a month before was seen by Mr. Thompson's wife, wasn't it?
As you said, Lynn, its a hell of a leap to jump to the conclusion that Walton's tale was simply a mix up!