Broadmoor Archives finally open

[George Hutchinson]

Sara - agreed and it was always so and shall remain so.

PHILIP

[Mascara & Paranoia]

I've been re-reading what's known about Thomas and, although I don't think he was Jack the Ripper, he's definitely an interesting young bloke and a more likely suspect than others.

The reason I think that is because, as far as his characteristics go, they could explain Jack's work (under the assumption he was Thomas). "I have known much better looking men than you who did not spend half as much time in looking at themselves," is what the man who Thomas pushed down the stairs said, which was Thomas' reason for doing so (presumably). Now, Thomas was clearly paranoid, and if he had low self-esteem, this would've angered him quite a bit I'd imagine. This happened 'a fortnight before' Martha Tabram was killed (who I'm starting to warm to the idea of being a Jack victim, whether that was Thomas or not). Could that have been what set Thomas off, what the old man said goodnaturedly but his jibe being taken seriously? He could've acosted prostitutes and be reminded of what he had been told, feeding his paranoia, and lashed out and made his 'drawings' a reality. And after he'd done one murder, he got a taste for it...

I don't think that's what actually happened or who Jack was, but it's possibility like with everything to do with this case. From reading descriptions of Thomas he was said to be sallow or strange-looking; are there any photos in the Broadmoor files? It'd be interesting to put a face to the name.

[John Bennett]

Thomas Cutbush is certainly not a daft suspect. He may not be my baddie of choice, but he's head-and-shoulders above Prince Eddy, Lewis Carroll, Walter Sickert, William Gull.....

[Chris]

I've been re-reading what's known about Thomas...
The reason I think that is because, as far as his characteristics go, they could explain Jack's work (under the assumption he was Thomas). "I have known much better looking men than you who did not spend half as much time in looking at themselves," is what the man who Thomas pushed down the stairs said, which was Thomas' reason for doing so (presumably).
...
This happened 'a fortnight before' Martha Tabram was killed...

But the question is - is there any evidence that this incident took place at all, let alone that it was Thomas Cutbush who pushed a colleague down the stairs?

As I pointed out above, the alleged age of the unnamed culprit was wrong for Cutbush, though of course it matched the Sun reporter's misconception about Cutbush's age. Was it an accurate account that therefore didn't fit Cutbush? Was it an account of an incident involving Cutbush that had been tampered with to make it fit him better - as he wrongly thought? Or was it sheer invention?

My money would be on sheer invention.

[Mascara & Paranoia]

That's a shame, and because it's more likely than not a fabricated story.

Still, I only brought this stuff up to get back to the thread's actual topic . Though having said that, I would genuinely be interested in seeing a photo of Thomas. Does anyone know of any in the Broadmoor files?

[Robert]

Hi MP

No pic I'm afraid.

[Ally]

Someone should write a suspect bio for Cutbush. I am trying to read up and fit the pieces in but it's all piecemeal info.

[Robert]

Ally yes, unless Debs or Nats want to do it, I'll have to try. The info is scattered round various threads and what there is has been updated or corrected with the passage of time. It's very confusing.

[Ally]

I know there is a standing request on Casebook for anyone who wants to update or add to suspect pages on the Casebook proper...comes with a no-ad account ( I think for a year) and is properly attributed to the author.

And I am sure many like me would be grateful, as I can't find anything to hook onto with this suspect, with all the randomness.

[Robert]

Ok Ally. Debs and Nats are welcome to do it if they want to, otherwise I'll have a bash. The first thing I have to do is get the Broadmoor records transcribed, then go through a long trawl in the archives and try to write a piece taking in census and BMD info, press reports, wills, lunacy records etc.

[Chris]

I know there is a standing request on Casebook for anyone who wants to update or add to suspect pages on the Casebook proper...comes with a no-ad account ( I think for a year) and is properly attributed to the author.

Or there is the wiki section, of course, which would be ideal for a collaborative effort and could be updated incrementally.

[Robert]

Hi Chris

Yes, but I feel there should be a thing on Casebook. Besides, I've told Ally I'll do it, unless one of the others wants to do it. I'm not sure when I can do it - Dave and John want to get moving with an article we've been working on off and on for a couple of years, plus there's other things going on. I'd rather take my time with the Cutbush thing than post a lot of howlers and get torn to pieces.

[Ally]

And now that you've told me you will do it, I'll badger the crap out of you til you do. Badger, badger, badger.

In the meantime, if you point me to a couple of basic biographical sources, maybe I'll write a place holder.

[Mascara & Paranoia]

Hi MP

No pic I'm afraid.

That's a shame.

Cheers anyway.

[Robert]

Oh my Gawd, what have I let myself in for here?

Well, here's the basic skeleton of his life. We know a reasonable amount about his relatives, including his family tree dating back to the 18th century. For Thomas himself, we're dependent mainly on the Macnaghten memorandum, Press reports, and now the Broadmoor archives.

Press transcripts by RJ Palmer, Chris Scott and me. I've left out the Sun reports as they're so long.


MARRIAGE

At the parish church, St Mary Newington, Surrey
On 29th Sept 1864
Thomas Taylor Cutbush bachelor and Kate Hayne spinster
Ages : both written words, both bloody illegible
Occupation of groom, mercantile clerk
Residence of groom, Albert St
Rersidence of bride, the same
Father of groom : Thomas Cutbush
Father of bride : John Lewis Hayne
Father of groom occupation, plumber
Father of bride occupation, broker
Witnesses W. Williams
Jane (illegible)


BIRTH

1865 Registration district Lambeth
Sub-district of Lambeth
County of Surrey

On 29th of June 1865 at 10 Hurley Rd
Thomas Hayne, a boy
Father, Thomas Taylor Cutbush
Mother, Kate Cutbush formerly Hayne
Father's occupation, mercantile clerk
Informant, Thomas T Cutbush, father, 10 Hurley Rd, Lambeth
Registered 11th July 1865


DEATH


Died July 5th 1903 at Broadmoor of chronic kidney disease.




PRESS REPORTS


Lloyd's Weekly News
19 April 1891

STABBING OF WOMEN IN SOUTH LONDON
THE MAD PRISONER WITH A DAGGER BOUGHT IN WHITECHAPEL
STRANGE RUMOURS
A MYSTERY THAT SHOULD BE INQUIRED INTO

At the London County Sessions, on Tuesday, Thomas Cutbush, aged 27, clerk, was arraigned on a charge of maliciously wounding Florence Grace Johnson and attempting to wound Isabella Fraser Anderson in Kennington. On the case being called, M. de Michele, who had charge of it for the Crown, said the only difficulty was as to whether defendant was competent to plead, by reason of the state of his mind; but Dr Gilbert, the medical officer of Holloway prison, was in court, and would enlighten the Bench upon the matter. Dr Gilbert was then called, and he stated that after carefully observing the accused he was convinced that although not absolutely insane, he was sufficiently so not to understand the gravamen of the charge brought against him, and was quite incompetent to plead. The jury thereupon issued a pronouncement to that effect, and the defendant was ordered to be detained during Her Majesty's pleasure.
On Thursday Mr George Kirk, of 1a Paternoster Row, E.C., solicitor, wrote as follows to the Daily Chronicle:-
"My attention has been called to a report in your paper of the case of Thomas Cutbush, who was charged with maliciously wounding at the London County sessions (Newington sittings) on the 14th inst. In this it is stated, 'Another scare was created by defendant stabbing a young female in Kennington with a toy dagger.' As this is liable to create the impression that the defendant was guilty of the charges made against him, I write to explain that I (defendant's solicitor) had a large number of witnesses present on defendant's behalf to establish his innocence, and I was advised by eminent counsel, whom I had instructed to defend him, that his acquittal was almost a matter of certainty. Owing, however, to the action of the Crown in raising the issue of insanity first, the case was not gone into, although the defendant's friends were most anxious to have his innocence established. The circumstances are sufficiently painful to them without having it assumed and published that defendant was guilty of the crimes imputed to him, which there is good reason to believe he did not commit."
It will be remembered that in February a young man of 26, named Edwin Colocott, was arrested in the Clapham Road by a furniture dealer, named Charles Myers, and taken to the police station. It was alleged that the accused was seen to push against some young women. At the trial on March 20, four young women gave evidence that at various times they had been struck from behind by some sharp instrument, their clothes being punctured and smothered in blood, and all of them suffering more or less from haemorrhage. They picked out the accused from among others at the police station, bit none of them were prepared to swear he was the man who assaulted them. The defence was that it was a case of mistaken identity. Stress was also laid upon the fact that the utmost search had failed to find a knife, and there was no proof whatever that the prisoner had been in the habit of carrying one. The jury, however, found him guilty, and, on the plea that he of somewhat weak intellect, sentence was postponed until the next sessions. The accused remained in Holloway, and the medical officer there, Dr Gilbert, subsequently said he did not think the prisoner's condition sufficient to warrant him in giving a certificate for his detention in a lunatic asylum. He considered him perfectly harmless and inoffensive. The judge (Mr Somes) with the consent of the solicitor for the Treasury, agreed to the bail of the prisoner's father and uncle being accepted for young Colocott to be brought up for judgment when called upon. The father of the prisoner, while gladly agreeing to this arrangement, is still of opinion that the poor young fellow knows nothing whatever of the alleged offences, and is indeed a victim of mistaken identity.
Looking to the liberation of Colocott as a virtual recognition of his innocence, and finding that the family of Cutbush are disposed to say that that young man is in no way implicated in the offences, we have deemed it fit to make further inquiries into the case, which is of a very remarkable character. Throughout the winter considerable alarm has prevailed amongst the young women of Brixton, Clapham, Stockwell, Kennington and the surrounding districts at the continual reports of persons being stabbed. The police stations were inundated with complaints, and in all cases the stabbing was said to have been done by a young man, who, after committing the offence, made off very rapidly. It can scarcely be expected that the public will feel satisfied with one accused person being tried, convicted, and then liberated; and another sent to a lunatic asylum without any full and proper inquiry. Where the guilt lies it is impossible for us to say. Matters of much concern have come to light, and we commend these points to the speedy attention of the solicitor for the Treasury, and hope all who can throw any light upon the stabbing will give the earliest information to the police. There will be a general agreement with the regret of Mr Kirk that he was not able to enter into the defence of his client.
When Cutbush was brought up at Lambeth Police Court Miss Florence Johnson, aged 16, residing with her parents in Fentiman Road, Clapham Road, stated that while walking along Kennington Park Road on March 5 she suddenly received a blow from behind, and felt that she had received some injury. On turning round she saw a man running away. Upon reaching home her garments were found to be cut through, and subsequently at the police station Dr Farr discovered a clean cut wound on the lower part of her back. Miss Johnson subsequently went to Peckham House Lunatic Asylum, and there identified Cutbush as the man who had assaulted her.
Another witness, Isabel Fraser Anderson, aged 18, living in White Hart Street, Kennington, said on March 7 she was walking with a female friend in Kennington Road, about a quarter past 10 o'clock. She felt her dress pulled from behind, and then heard a sound as if the dress was being torn. She saw a man run across the road. She complained to a Mr Smith, who pursued the man, but failed to catch him.
Robert Smith, clerk, said on March 7 he heard the last witness call out, and then she told him what had happened. He went into Princes Road and there saw a young man about 50 yards ahead running. Witness pursued him through several streets, but lost sight of him. He would not swear to the prisoner.
John Barton, milkman, said that on the night of March 7th he was at a dairy in Princes Road. He was in the yard when the prisoner ran from the road into the yard. The prisoner said he had been larking with some girls, and that some young men were after him to pitch into him, and that he had run into the yard for protection. The prisoner was allowed to remain for about a quarter of an hour, having concealed himself in a coal cellar.
Inspector race deposed that when the prisoner was arrested, he said, "Is this for the Mile End job? I mean the public house next to the Syndicate (Synagogue), where I just missed her that time. They took me to be of the Jewish persuasion, and I got away." When charged at the station the prisoner made no reply. The dagger produced was given witness by the prisoner's aunt.
Sergeant M'Carthy stated that after the remand the prisoner said to his mother, "I am all right - they can't do anything with me. The sheath was only found on me." The aunt then said, "Tom, we have given the knife to the police. Do tell us where you bought it?" He replied, "Oh, you booby! They only found the sheath upon me."
A reporter learns that up to some four years ago Cutbush was a clerk, but excessive study is said to have unhinged his mind, and he ceased to follow any regular occupation. He lived with his mother and aunt at Kennington, people in comfortable circumstances, and did very much as he pleased. Early in March his state of mind was such that the parochial authorities were communicated with, and he was taken to the workhouse with a view to his being sent to a lunatic asylum. At seven o'clock on the morning of March 5 Cutbush was received at the workhouse, but at noon of the same day, attired only in his nightshirt, he escaped by scaling a wall some 12 feet in height. Entering a house near at hand by the back door he found clothes, boots, and a hat. After dressing himself in these he walked quietly out by the front door and returned home. He then disappeared again, and a few days afterwards was arrested at seven o'clock in the morning as he was attempting to scale the garden wall of his mother's house. He was again handed over to the parish authorities and by them sent to the Peckham House asylum. During the inquiries which were being made by the police on behalf of the guardians, Inspector race came into possession of the dagger referred to. This, although described as a "toy," is really a very formidable weapon, the sharp blade, tapering to a point, being nearly six inches in length, and also having a kind of strong sword hilt. The black handle is knotted, seven points on either side being tipped with pearl. It bears the name of a well known maker, and similar knives are exposed for sale at the East End. The point of the dagger has a stain upon it, believed to be blood. As it was exactly the kind of weapon supposed to have been used by the miscreant who stabbed young women round Brixton, the suspicions of the police were excited. Witnesses were taken to the Peckham asylum with the result already known.
In the face of those discoveries it is earnestly to be hoped for that, in justice to the accused as well as for the satisfaction of the public, some means will be found for conducting an exhaustive inquiry into the whole circumstances of what is at present a great mystery. Helpless as Cutbush now is, as described by Dr Gilbert, "not absolutely insane, but sufficiently so not to understand the charge brought against him," and for the sake of his widowed mother, we have no wish to say one word to unduly press the case against him. The charge against young Colocott at first appeared very strong, but, as there are now ample and weighty means for believing him to be entirely innocent, so there may be facts which can be brought forward to show that Cutbush is another unhappy victim of damaging circumstances. What we plead for is inquiry, so that justice may be done, the innocent freed from suspicion, and the doubts of the public set at rest. For it is idle to deny that, in certain police circles, and among those who have had to inquire into the Brixton mystery, there is a growing feeling that it may in the end prove to be in some way connected with the darker and more tragic mysteries of the East End. Cutbush has for some time past been known to the authorities. At one time he wrote a number of letters to a member of the Government, urging him to bring in a bill which shall render it illegal for medical practitioners to dispense their own medicines. This is believed to have had its origin in a delusion that the doctor who was treating him for a particular disease was endeavouring to poison him. For the last three or four years Cutbush has been studying medical works and, according to the testimony of a friend, he was a diligent reader of The Lancet. After his arrest some torn pieces of thick paper or cardboard were found in one of his overcoat pockets, and, upon being pasted together, these were found to present diagrams of women. They were brought up by the police at the police court. One represented the trunk of a woman, with the walls of the stomach thrown open and the intestines exposed, and another was of a still more remarkable character. being partially drawn in red ink. Cutbush was for some time employed at a tea merchant's near the Minories, and subsequently he canvassed the East End on behalf of the Directory, which, of course, made him well acquainted with the district.
That the sudden disposal of the case at the sessions this week is not satisfactory is shown by some inquiries made of a medical gentleman deeply skilled in the treatment of lunatics by our reporter yesterday. "I think," said this authority, "they treated Cutbush rather badly in not allowing him to plead." On the remark being made that he was insane, the answer was, "Yes, of course he was, but he seemed to understand what was said to him." While under control we understand that he has not displayed any violence. At the asylum he is said to have "seemed very dazed, and as though he were under a great cloud." His conversation was very incoherent as a rule, but at times he spoke rationally. It is a curious circumstance that he always denied that he knew anything whatever of Whitechapel. He appeared very frightened when the young women were taken to the asylum to identify him.
A Lloyd's reporter had an interview last evening with Miss Haines, the aunt of Cutbush, who made the following statement:-
"My nephew was taken ill about two years ago, and was attended by a Dr B. I don't know what was the matter with him, but I think it was a cold. He was very ill, after taking the medicine, and wished to bring an action against the doctor. About this time Lord Grimthorpe proposed to introduce a bill to prevent doctors dispensing their own medicines, as in America, and my nephew went to him and cited his own case. He studied a good deal, and was accustomed to sit up very late at night reading. It was after that he became rather strange. He never went out at night, except to post his letters. He, perhaps, went for a little walk, but he was never out after 12. As to the stabbing cases we had witnesses. If we had been allowed to call them at the sessions to prove his innocence. On the 8th of March the parochial authorities, with whom we had communicated, sent five men to the house at seven o'clock in the morning when my nephew was in bed. He was very much alarmed. He was taken to the St Saviour's infirmary at Newington, where he was stripped. We were going to send him to the asylum as a paid patient. He escaped from the infirmary with only his undervests and socks on, followed by a crowd. He went into a school three streets off, and got a piece of cretonne and covered himself over. He then got over the wall, and entered the house occupied by Mrs D. Mrs D and the other occupants of the house were standing at the street door, looking at the crowd. Mrs D was a tailoress, and he might have had a new suit if he had liked, but he only took an old pair of trousers, a brown coat, and an old pair of boots with the soles nearly off. He got a hat from the house and got out of the house. He went wandering about and went to Hyde Park corner, where he knew he was likely to see his mother. He saw his mother get into a bus and he followed it. His mother got out of the bus and entered a tramcar. She had to wait a few minutes for the car, and that gave him time to catch up to her. He tapped at the window, and his mother turned round and saw a wretched, deplorable looking object, and did not recognise him. That was about 20 minutes past 8. He then went down Birdcage Walk, and along the Embankment to the City Temple, where he spoke to Mr Clark, the sexton, about five minutes past nine. Mrs Clark gave him some water, and he spoke to her about Dr Parker. He had been accustomed to attend Dr Parker's lectures. He walked away. Mrs Clark saw him in Fleet Street just before 10 o'clock. He then went to the Salvation Army barracks in Queen Victoria Street, and asked them if he could lie down. They told him he ought to have called before five. He stayed on the Embankment until it struck 12, and then walked home. The stabbing case in the Kennington Road is said to have occurred on that night at half past eight or nine, but you see my nephew was at the City Temple at nine. He couldn't have got from Hyde Park Corner to Kennington, and to the City Temple between half past eight and nine, could he? He came home from the Embankment, and we stayed up with him until four o'clock in the morning. We attended to his feet, and he had a bath and changed his clothes. I turned the clothes he had taken off out, and there was nothing in his pockets except a little bit of tobacco. There was no knife in his pocket then, and he could not have bought one because he had not a halfpenny in the world. He had half a crown in his pocket when he was taken away, but they took that from him at the infirmary. He promised us that if we went to bed he would go to sleep in the chair, and his mother gave him 10s to go to Margate, and told him that she would send him more directly he wrote to say that he was there, or would come down to him. We went upstairs, but we had hardly got up when we heard a heavy tread outside in the street. We thought he would be frightened, and went downstairs and found he had gone. We heard nothing more of him until six o'clock on Saturday night, when we got a letter from a gentleman at Camden Town, saying he had met a gentlemanly young man who, he thought, was suffering from delusions, and who told him he was going to Hampstead Heath. He wanted the writer of the letter to hide him from men who were running after him, for they were going to murder him. My nephew came home that night about a quarter past twelve, but went away again at four o'clock in the morning. He came in at one o'clock to dinner, and stayed until seven o'clock in the evening. He went to sleep, and I took the knife out of his pocket. I first saw it in his pocket on the Saturday night, but was afraid to take it out. He wandered about until about half past seven on Monday morning, when he was arrested by the police. He was arrested at the street door. We did not hear until the Tuesday of these charges, and I saw my nephew at the asylum, and asked him where he had got the knife. He then told me that he had bought it in the Minories, and I found afterwards that he had bought it at Messrs. D's. I had given the knife up before that - on the Sunday - to the police. It was perfectly bright then; not a mark nor a speck on it. I pointed that out to the police at the time. From nine o'clock until a quarter past 10 my nephew - on the Saturday night - was at Cotton's wharf in Tooley Street. It was on that night that one of the young women says she had her dress pulled at Prince's Square, when they chased a man into the milk yard. The young woman says it was about nine o'clock. A man can't be in two places at once, can he? My nephew is only 25, and not 27, as stated in the papers. We had a number of witnesses, and we could have proved everything that I have told you."



Lloyd's Weekly News

26 April 1891

STABBING IN SOUTH LONDON
The mental condition of Thomas Cutbush, to whose case reference was made last week, has by no means improved since his imprisonment, and there now appears very little probability that he will be able to render any assistance to those who are anxious to show that the police were in error in associating him with the mysterious stabbing cases in South London. His relatives are firm in the conviction that, had the prisoner been allowed to plead, they would have been able to convince the jury of his innocence. The circumstances, they freely admit, were suspicious, but they contend that they were not beyond explanation, and, as to the alleged stabbing of a young lady on Thursday, the 5th of March, they assert that they had evidence that would have shown it to be impossible that it could have been committed by Cutbush. One strong point in their favour is the statement made by Mrs Dickinson, who has been seen by a representative of Lloyd's. Mrs Dickinson keeps a gunsmith's shop in the Minories, close to the Tower of London, and it was there that Cutbush purchased the dagger that was produced at the police court. Mrs Dickinson appears to remember the transaction pretty clearly, and she expresses her conviction that the knife was purchased in Saturday, the 7th of March, two days after Miss Johnson was stabbed in the Kennington Park Road. Cutbush appears to have given two reasons for the purchase of the knife, the first being that he was going on board a ship on which there were some foreign sailors, and the second that he wanted it to protect himself against the men who were after him, meaning, presumably, the men sent by the parochial authorities to convey him to the workhouse.
Mr Geogre Kirk, the solicitor engaged for the defence, told our reporter that he did not feel at liberty to disclose the details of the evidence which he was prepared to offer; but he added that, to put the matter briefly, he intended to establish an alibi. The South London stabbing case therefore remains shrouded in mystery.


The Times (London).
24 March 1891.
POLICE.
At LAMBETH, James Cutbush, 27, clerk, was charged on remand, before Mr. Hopkins, with feloniously cutting and wounding Florence Grace Johnson with intent to do grieveous bodily harm. He was also charged with attempting to wound Isabel Fraser Anderson. Mr. Angus Lewis prosecuted on behalf of the Treasury, and Mr. G. Kirk defended the prisoner. Mr. Lews having briefly opened the case, called Isabel Fraser Anderson, who stated that she was 18 years of age, and lived in White Hart-street, Kennington. On the 7th inst., whilst walking with a female friend in Kennington-road, she suddenly felt a pull at her dresss behind and then a sound as if her dress was being torn. She looked round, and saw a man, who immediately ran away. She did not see the manÕs face, but he was in appearance like the prisoner. She thought the man had a knife in his right hand. She complained to a gentleman who was walking just in front. She afterwards found that her dress was cut at the lower part of the back as if by some sharp instrument. Clara Hoyne, aunt of the prisoner, said he had lived with her for a long time. In consequence of his condition application had been made to the parish authorities and the prisoner was removed to Newington Infirmary. From there he escaped and was afterwards taken to Peckham-house Lunatic Asylum. Witness afterwards found a sheath knife in the pocket of the prisonerÕs overcoat. The knife was produced in Court and appeared to be almost new. The blade was about 6in. long with a very sharp curved point. The witness informed the Court that for two years the prisoner had been unable to do wrk. The condition of his mind had been brought about through excessive study. Inspector Race, L Division, said he was present with Chief Inspector Chisholm when the prisoner was arrested. Whilst in the waiting-room of the Court the prisoner said, ÒI could not commit the offence I am charged with. I read of a man in the newspapers stabbing girls at Clapham about five weeks back, and he is the man you want.Ó The evidence of another young lady who had been stabbed by the prisoner having been taken, Mr. Hopkins said the prisoner would be committed to take his trial at the next Sessions.

The Times (London).
15 April 1891.
THOMAS CUTBUSH, 27, described as a clerk, was indicted for having stabbed two young women, in the neighbourhood of Kennington. Mr. de Michele appeared for the prosecution on behalf of the Treasury; Mr. Robert Wallace (with Mr. Fillman) for the defendant. In this case, the facts of which have already been reported, the jury was sworn to try whether the prisoner was sufficiently sound mind to plead to the indictment. Dr. Gilbert, of Holloway Gaol, said he had him under his observation while he had been in custody, and believed him to be insane. In his opinion the prisoner was not able to understand the nature and character of the charge brought against him. The jury found that the prisoner was insane, and not capable of pleading, and the usual order was made for his detention during her MajestyÕs pleasure.

SOUTH LONDON PRESS March 21st 1891

Alleged Stabbing at Kennington Park-road. Strange case.

Thomas Cutbush (27), a singular-looking man, was brought up in the custody of Inspector Race and Sergeant M’Carthy, of the L division, before Mr. Hopkins, upon a charge of feloniously cutting and wounding Florence Grace Johnson, aged 16, residing with her parents in Fentiman-road, Clapham-road. Chief-Inspector Chisholm attended to prosecute on behalf of the Commissioner of Police. The case was a somewhat extraordinary one, and resembled very much the assaults which took place at Brixton and Clapham, where a young man was charged with stabbing females in the public streets. He was said to be of weak mind. Inspector Chisholm said he only asked that the sworn information should be read. That course was followed, and according to that statement it appeared that on the night of Thursday evening week Miss Johnson was walking along Kennington Park-road. She was in company with a female friend, and as they were near Prince’s-square Miss Johnson suddenly received a blow from behind, and felt she had received some injury. She turned round and then saw a man, who ran away. Upon arriving home her garments were found to be cut through, and upon being examined at Kennington-lane police-station by Dr.Farr it was found that she had received a wound on the lower part of her back. The prosecutrix a few days back went to Peckham House Lunatic Asylum, and there identified the prisoner as the man who had assaulted her. The sworn information of a young girl named Isabel Fraser Anderson was also read, and according to it she had been assaulted in a similar manner. She believed the prisoner was the man who assaulted her. Inspector Chisholm asked upon this for a remand, and stated that he took the prisoner into custody on Saturday morning at the lunatic asylum, and upon telling him the charge he made no reply. It appeared that the prisoner had been transferred from St. Saviour’s Union to the asylum as a lunatic, after he had made his escape from the former establishment. The prisoner, who declined to say anything in answer to the charge, was remanded.

APRIL 18th 1891

THE EXTRAORDINARY STABBING OF YOUNG GIRLS.

Early in the day Thomas Cutbush (27), clerk, was arraigned on the charge of maliciously wounding Florence Grace Johnson and attempting to wound Isabella Fraser Anderson.It may be remembered that while a young man named Colicott, whose case was disposed of last session, was awaiting sentence for a similar offence, another scare was created by defendant stabbing a young female in Kennington with a toy dagger, which was exhibited in court. On the case being called, M. de Michele, who had charge of it for the Crown, said the only difficulty was as to whether defendant was competent to plead, by reason of the state of his mind, but Dr. Gilbert, the medical officer of Holloway prison, was in court, and would enlighten the bench upon the matter. Dr. Gilbert was then called, and he stated that after carefully observing the accused he was convinced that although not absolutely insane, he was sufficiently so not to understand the gravamen of the charge brought against him, and was quite incompetent to plead. The jury thereupon issued a pronouncement to that effect, and the defendant was ordered to be detained during her Majesty’s pleasure.