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Kansas Physician Confirms Howard Report

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  • #46
    Found a notice indicating that the partnership between Benjamin Clarke and Thomas Furze Clarke was dissolved in 1887.

    The Chemist and Druggist, August 6, 1887, Page 172

    GAZETTE

    PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED

    Clarke, B., & T. F., Arbutus Place, Upper Clapton, and Glenavon, Stoke Newington, surgeons.

    Comment


    • #47
      HO 45/9969/X27267 - Clarke v. Hart. Breach of confidence on part of Scotland Yard

      I have just obtained from the UK National Archives scans of pages from the Home Office file HO 45/9969/X27267 which deal with the libel case Clarke V. Hart and the unsuccessful efforts of J. Carter Hart to obtain recompense for his costs in that case on the grounds the Metropolitan Police had betrayed his confidence.

      This is a transcription of a copy of a letter Hart wrote the day after the court date for his case:


      293 Mare Street
      Hackney N. E.
      21st Jan 1890

      To the
      Chief Commissioner of the Police
      Scotland Yard S. W.

      Sir

      On 13th Nov 1888 I communicated to the
      officer in charge at Scotland Yard the fact
      that a person answering the description published
      in that morning [sic] "Daily News" of a man who
      was supposed to know something which might
      aid in the detection of the Whitechapel Murderer
      was known in Mare Street, Hackney.

      I gave the information in good faith and
      relying upon its being kept secret. Instead of
      this it became known & I have been ordered
      to pay the costs of Dr. Clarke who brought an
      action against me & I have to pay my own
      costs also & been made the subject of disparaging
      remarks by Hon. Justice Stephens [sic]. All this has
      resulted from the disclosure of my information
      imparted in confidence.

      I have been informed that one of your former
      officers Mr. Jamieson had access to the book
      in which my information was noted & have
      no doubt it was thus that what I had done
      became known to Dr. Clarke.

      I have to ask that you will protect me
      from the loss occasioned by this discloure
      & am Sir,

      Yours Obediently
      J. Carter Hart

      --end

      Hart seems to refer to the description that Hutchinson gave to the police.

      Daily News
      United Kingdom
      13 November 1888, link

      AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT.

      DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBABLE MURDERER.

      Yesterday evening the police received information of a most important nature which not only establishes a clue to the perpetrator of the Dorset-street murder, but places the authorities in possession of an accurate and full description of a person who was seen in company with the murdered woman during the night on which she met her death. A man, apparently of the labouring class, but of a military appearance, who knew the deceased, last night lodged with the police a long and detailed statement of an incident which attracted his attention on the day in question. The following is a summary of the statement, and it may be said that notwithstanding examination and re-examination by the police, the man's story cannot be shaken, and so circumstantial and straightforward were his assertions that the police believe they have at length been placed in possession of facts which will open up a new line of investigation, and probably enable them to track the criminal. This man states that on the morning of the 9th instant he saw the deceased woman, Mary Janet Kelly, in Commercial-street, Spitalfields (the vicinity of where the murder was committed), in company with a man of respectable appearance. The man was about 5 feet 6 inches in height, and 34 or 35 years of age, with dark complexion and dark moustache curled up at the ends. He was wearing a long dark coat trimmed with astrakhan, a white collar with black necktie, in which was affixed a horseshoe pin. He wore a pair of dark gaiters with light buttons, over button boots, and displayed from his waistcoat a massive gold chain. The highly respectable appearance of this individual was in such great contrast to that of the woman that few people could have failed to remark them at that hour of the morning. This description, which substantiates that given by others of the person seen in company with the deceased on the morning she was killed, is much fuller in detail than that hitherto in the possession of the police, and the importance they attach to this man's story may be imagined when it is mentioned that it was forwarded to the headquarters of the H Division as soon as completed by a special detective. Detectives Abberline, Nairn, and Moore were present when this message arrived, and an investigation was immediately set on foot.

      --end

      Hart's account contradicts the statement by plaintiff's counsel that Hart had followed Clarke home from Whitechapel.

      As far as I can tell, the full name of Dr. Clarke is not given in the documents. He had a wife in 1888 who might have testified at the 1890 trial if the case had not been settled. He seems to have lived in Hackney.

      Comment


      • #48
        A Longer Statement by Hart from HO 45/9969/X27267

        Page 1

        On the 13th Nov '88 I read a description
        in a daily paper of a person seen
        talking to one of Jack the Rippers victims
        the same morning that she was murdered
        & I called at Scotland Yard on my way
        to Westminster & stated that a Dr. Clarke
        resembled in many particulars the man
        referred to in the Paper.

        Some week or two after Dr. Slimon called
        on me to say he had been stopped by
        two Detectives, who informed him
        that I had mentioned his name
        with reference to a statement made
        by me at Scotland Yard about Dr. Clarke.
        I asked who the Detectives were, but he
        declined to say but added that he
        had had the particulars given him.
        He was annoyed & strongly advised
        me to apologize to Dr. Clarke.

        The following day during my absence
        Dr & Mrs. Clarke called at my house; &
        finding both myself & wife out & being
        told my wife was making a call on
        my Parents went there. They then
        accused me of making the statement
        & referred to a visit by Detectives, &
        that my name had been given to
        them as making such about Dr. Clarke.
        I complained to Scotland Yard of
        what had taken place. They sent an
        Inspector to Dr. Slimon & the Inspector
        subsequently called on me & admitted

        Page 2

        to me in conversation that he
        thought it was Ex-Inspector Jamieson
        that had given the information.--My
        wife, Father, & Mother were present at
        the time.--

        Subsequently Dr. Clarke wrote to the
        Mercury (copy enclosed) & there
        stated in one of his letters that Ex-Inspector
        Jamieson had called on him.

        In due course I received a letter from
        Dr. Clarke's Solicitor & I at once placed
        the matter in the hands of Messrs.
        Wynne, Holme & Wynne 740 Chancery
        Lane W.C. The result was a libel
        suit before Mr. Justice Stephen on
        20th January last, who after hearing
        the opening speech of the Plaintiffs
        Solicitor who accused me of being
        an amateur Detective &C. intervened
        & asked whether it was worth
        while going on with the case, as
        the statement was not privileged
        altho it was made to the police; &
        suggested I should accept the
        Plaintiffs offer of an apology &
        his costs. I agreed upon the advice
        of my Solicitors, who did not deem
        it prudent to go on in view of
        Mr. Justice Stephens decision. I
        was further lectured by Mr. Justice
        Stephens for acting as an amateur
        detective, who also advised me to
        let the Police trace out these things
        & say nothing in future.

        Page 3

        The counsels statement was totally
        untrue, as I never did anything
        further than call at Scotland Yard.
        After the trial I called at Scotland
        Yard to hear what they had to
        say. Inspector Shaw (or Shore)
        denied that Ex. Inspector Jamieson
        could have seen the books, but
        added that if I could prove that
        he or any other expoliceman--
        pensioner or otherwise had given
        information it would be a case
        for me to go to the Commissioner
        on.

        The same evening I called on Dr.
        Slimon & begged of him to give
        me the name of his informant.
        In the end he promised me a letter
        which he subsequently wrote out
        (see enclosed) & which I sent to
        Scotland Yard. Dr. Slimon further
        mentioned to me that Mrs. Clarke
        told him ex-Inspector Jamieson
        had called & gave her my name.
        Whether Jamieson did see the books
        or got the information from outside
        the result was the same. He gave
        the information which caused
        the libel suit & therefore in
        common justice should suffer
        & [????].

        Jamieson was degraded from an
        Inspector & subsequently resigned
        on (I believe) a sergeants pension.

        Page 4

        Since the he has acted as a
        private detective, Bailiff & C.
        The reference in the Commissioner's
        letter dated as to my
        mentioning the fact of my
        statement to a witness the
        Plaintiff had in court, is as
        stated in my reply there absolutely
        false. The Plaintiff had
        subpenaed a Mr. Harley who he
        said I had mentioned the matter
        to, but this Mr. Harley naturally
        was prepared to deny on oath
        in court had he been called.
        So far from him hearing from
        me on the subject my own
        household knew nothing of the
        matter until after Dr. & Mrs. Clarke
        had called & accused me of the
        statement.

        --end

        Note: While a copy of the letter of Dr. Slimon is included in the file, Dr. Clarke's letters to the Mercury are not.

        A description and picture from a fictional story:

        Good Words (London: 1888), Volume 29, Page 293

        The Weaker Vessel
        by D. Christie Murray

        [...] Mr. Goldsmith, with a black-glazed portmanteau in his hand, came dashing through the crowd, stumbled down the gangway and reached the deck. He had only just set foot upon the boat when the gangway was slipped up from behind him. He set down his portmanteau, mopped his countenance with a gorgeous silk handkerchief, and gazed about him with a renewal of that beaming complacency which had marked him at the beginning of our acquaintance. He was magnificently attired in, I think, the check suit of the largest pattern and vividest colours I had ever, until that hour, beheld. He wore an embroidered waistcoat, with a great gold cable across it, which for size and weight would have served admirably to attach a horse to his manger; and he wore rings outside his gloves, and a pin with a horseshoe head, a size or two smaller than the original, and set full of brilliants, which, if they had been real, might have excited the cupidity of everybody on board. I believe that if fashion had only afforded him the least warranty for it, he would have gone about with a jewelled ring in his nose, like some imaginable Croesus of a porker.

        He did not observe me for some time, and I had time to observe one proceeding of his which interested me more than a little. He had three or four rings outside his gloves already, and when once the boat had started he retired to a position where he fancied himself safe from intruding glances, and there drew forth from his purse a little tissue-paper packet containing half-a-dozen others. These he put on with an admirable slyness, and having demurely admired them, turned round and swaggered across the deck, coaxing his black little moustache, and adjusting that monumental horseshoe pin for their display.

        [picture between pages 288 and 289]
        Attached Files

        Comment


        • #49
          Dr. Slimon's Letter from HO 45/9969/X27267

          This is the Slimon letter that Hart mentions in his account. It sounds a bit garbled in spots.

          Copy

          Red House.
          Hackney. Feb. 1. 90.

          Dear Sir

          As you desired me, I now beg to
          state how I became possessed of the
          information about you having been to
          Scotland Yard & made a statement about
          Dr. Clarke. To day on my round I was
          stopped by Inspector Jamieson (who I was
          not aware had left the P. force) who told
          me that a Mr. Hart had gone to Scotland
          Yard & made a long statement about Dr
          Clarke that in looking over the works he
          accidently came on some statement & asked
          me as his Med'l Attendant to apprise him
          of it, as he thought it could not certainly
          be the fact that he was the man. He
          positively asserted to me that he had
          seen it at Scotland yard. These are the whole
          facts about my receiving such information.

          Very faithfully
          (signed) Geo. C. Slimon M.D. & C.M.

          NB. At a subsequent interview with Inspector
          Jamieson, in my house he stated that it was
          Mr. Hart, Tobacconist Mare St. who had
          made such statement. G.C.S.

          -end

          The Medical Directory for 1878 (London: Churchill), Page 190

          SLIMON, George Chas., 155, Mare-st. Hackney, E. (Appleton and Slimon) — MD. Glasg. 1864, CM. 1868; (Univ. Glasg.)

          --end

          Medical Times and Gazette, September 15, 1866, Page 284

          UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW.

          Three Degrees in Medicine are granted, viz. :—Bachelor of Medicine (M.B.), Master in Surgery (C.M.), and Doctor of Medicine (M.D.).

          --end

          A snippet:
          Attached Files

          Comment


          • #50
            Met. Police Reply to Hart 1/25/1890 - HO 45/9969/X27267

            An experiment with converting a 3 MB TIFF to a 200 KB JPG.
            Attached Files

            Comment


            • #51
              Draft of JCH's Letter Dated 4th Feb. 1890 HO 45/9969/X27267

              Reply to Anderson:
              Attached Files

              Comment


              • #52
                Met Police Reply to Hart (Undate) HO 45/9969/X27267

                Mac has his say.
                Attached Files

                Comment


                • #53
                  Hart's Reply of 2/13/1890 - HO 45/9969/X27267

                  Complains of discourteous treatment.
                  Attached Files

                  Comment


                  • #54
                    Met Police's Reply of 2/18/1890 - HO 45/9969/X27267

                    Anderson to Hart: Don't go away mad; just go away.
                    Attached Files

                    Comment


                    • #55
                      Hart's Letter of 1/21/1890 - HO 45/9969/X27267

                      Might as well post this.
                      Attached Files

                      Comment


                      • #56
                        Slimon Letter of 2/1/1890 - HO 45/9969/X27267

                        Full image of this letter.
                        Attached Files

                        Comment


                        • #57
                          Anderson Note to Home Office 3/22/1890 - HO 45/9969/X27267

                          Transmitting a report which he says completely disposes of Hart's claim. Concedes that Jamieson may have learned Hart's name through an officer's indiscretion, but feels that a disputed claim by Clarke's counsel makes Jamieson's knowledge of "no account".
                          Attached Files

                          Comment


                          • #58
                            CID Report by Jarvis of March 22, 1890 - HO 45/9969/X27267

                            Summary of Contents
                            Attached Files

                            Comment


                            • #59
                              CID Report by Jarvis of March 22, 1890 - HO 45/9969/X27267

                              Page 1

                              The referenced January 24 report of PS Vagg is NOT included in the file I have.

                              No first name given for Mr. Harley of 262 Mare Street.

                              Two Harleys listed at 262 here:

                              The Dentists Register for 1889, Page 102

                              Harley, Edward Thomas

                              Harley, Thomas Self
                              Attached Files

                              Comment


                              • #60
                                CID Report by Jarvis of March 22, 1890 - HO 45/9969/X27267

                                Page 2

                                Harley denies that he talked to Hart about Clarke.
                                Attached Files

                                Comment

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