1888 - Other mutilations

[chudmuskett]

I was looking through some old papers online and has anyone else noticed that there seemed to be children being mutilated as well as prostitutes before during and after 1888?

[Uncle Jack]

Could you possibily post these reports Chud?

[Hunter]

Newspaper reports

Here's one from the The Daily News, Dec, 11, 1888. Its not a mutilation but a 15 year girl had her throat cut. There is another, in the same month ,about the murder of a little boy. If I get time I will post it as I had noticed the same thing Chud is talking about.

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ATTEMPTED MURDER OF A GIRL IN BERMONDSEY
EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE

Last evening an extraordinary attempt at murder was made in Bermondsey upon a young girl, who is now lying in Guy's Hospital in a critical condition. Between half past four and five o'clock a man entered the refreshment shop of Mr. James Whiting, 17 Spa road, Bermondsey, and ordered a cup of tea. He was attended to by a girl about 15 years of age, named Lucretia Pembroke, who is described as tall for her years, pleasant and looks and manner, and bearing a very good character. It seems that the girl inquired of her customer whether he would like some bread and butter, and upon his replying in the negative she turned towards the door leading from the shop to the sitting room behind. As soon as she had moved a sufficient distance from the man to be unable to observe his action, he went to the front door, fastened it, and before the girl realised his intent, crept behind her, seized her by the back of the neck, and cut her throat, inflicting a wound extending from a point just clearing the windpipe to the right ear, the lobe of which was struck off. At the time of the occurrence Mrs. Whiting was the only other person in the house besides the girl and her assailant, and she had a few minutes previously gone upstairs preparatory to making ready for her tea trade in the shop. She heard a scream, ran downstairs, and found the girl in the back room in a pool of blood. The woman unlocked the front door and got into the street, where she found a police constable. The officer entered the house, and was followed by some men who had heard the outcry. A search was made of the back premises, without finding the assailant, and the injured girl was removed to Guy's Hospital. Her wound was found to be a very serious one, and it appeared doubtful whether she would live long enough to make a statement. In the evening, however, she was seen by Detective sergeants Bradford and Haigh from Bermondsey street Police station, and was able to detail to them certain facts which subsequently led to the arrest of a man named William Atkins, who is better known in the neighbourhood as "Silly Billy," and has lately lodged in Limasol street, close to the place where the crime was committed and not far from the residence of the girl's parents, who live at No 9 Spa road. The allegation of the girl against Atkins is that he entered the shop and called for tea, which she served him. She had a moment's conversation with him and then was returning to the room behind when he seized her and cut her throat with a penknife. Mrs. Whiting states that the man must have left the house by the back door and that he had taken the precaution of securing not only the front door, but all other communications on the ground floor. The man in custody knew Lucretia Pembroke because he frequently came to the place for refreshment and he had many times had food given him when out of work. He did odd jobs about the neighbourhood, and not long since was employed at some whitewashing in Whiting's house. A neighbour of the Whitings, who was in her shop at the time, heard some disturbance going on in the back yard of the adjoining house, and got out in time to see a man leap on to a stable roof and drop into a tanyard. She could not, however, identify him. The man Atkins was arrested in Spa street, and on being taken to the station and charged with attempted murder, asked, "Is she dead?" He was told that the girl was not dead, and he made no further observation. It was stated in the neighbourhood of the crime that he was known to be irresponsible for his actions, but his demeanour at the police station did not indicate any mental aberration. The accused will be brought before the magistrate at Southwark Police court this morning.

[chudmuskett]

Thanks Hunter for backing me up on this, I cant remember what I typed in the search engine to get these results. I will post as I find.

[belinda]

That's very interesting. I wonder if the girl survived and what happened to the attacker?

[chudmuskett]

Could you possibily post these reports Chud?

Ive been looking at the reports again and it looks like ive got the right crime but the wrong location, heres one of them anyway its from the New York Times - December 30, 1888, Wednesday Page 6, 283 words.

[Hunter]

From the Morning Advertiser, 27, Nov, 1888. I belive it was eventually found that another boy did this.

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SHOCKING MURDER AT HAVANT.

Between six and seven o’clock last night a boy named Serle, aged eight years, was seen in the North-street, Havant, going in the direction of the Pallant, which is a well-traversed thoroughfare. He was last seen by another lad named Husband, with whom he had some conversation. The unfortunate boy left Husband, who soon after heard screams from the direction in which Serle had gone. Meeting a man named Platt, Husband said he believed a boy was being murdered in the Pallant. Platt hastened to the spot and found the boy lying against some palings still alive. The lad had four terrible gashes in his throat, and his face was unrecognizable, being covered with blood. The poor boy died immediately in Platt’s arms. The police were on the alert, and every outhouse and empty building was searched, but in vain. At nine o’clock last night a knife was discovered about eight yards from the spot where the murder was committed. The knife is an ordinary buck handle pocket-knife, and the smaller blade was broken in two. The larger blade was open and stained with blood. The general opinion at the outset was that the crime was the work of "Jack the Ripper," a letter recently published and some writing discovered on a shutter in Hanover-street, Portsmouth, giving some colour to this supposition. A cooler consideration of the circumstances, however, lead to the supposition that the deed was not committed by a skilful hand, as four clumsy gashes were inflicted. The discovery of the knife within so short a distance would suggest that the murderer did not calculate the probabilities of the clue which the discovery would afford. To describe the excitement which prevailed in Havant and the surrounding neighbourhood last night is nearly impossible. Crowds of people assembled, and when the knife was found the greatest difficulty was experienced in getting it from the crowd for the purpose of examining it.

A respectably-dressed individual, with dark whiskers and slight moustache, wearing a long coat and sealskin cap, was apprehended some hours later by Sergeant Knapston, on suspicion of being the murderer. The prisoner, who carried a small bundle, was arrested at the railway gates, and displayed great nervous excitement. He declined to answer questions. Osborne, the lad who discovered the murder, declares that he saw the prisoner near the spot. There is great excitement in the locality.