PC Ernest Thompson

[Mutt]

I came across the following in the book Forty Years of Scotland Yard: A Record of Lifetime's Service in the Criminal Investigation Department. (Garden City Publishing Co., 1930, pages 4 - 5) An autobiography of Frederick Porter Wensley.

At the time of the Whitechapel murders Wensley was a PC, assigned to L Division, and was detailed to Whitechapel during the increased patrols in the East End. Wensley describes PC Ernest Thompson's role in the incident slightly differently than I read in Casebook's description of Francis Coles.

2:15 AM: P.C. Ernest Thompson 240H ... Blood was flowing profusely from her throat, and to Thompson's horror, he saw her open and shut one eye. Since the then unidentified woman was still alive, police procedure dictated that Thompson remain with the body -- his inability to follow the retreating footsteps of the man he believed to have been her killer (and possibly the Ripper) would haunt him for the rest of his days...

According to Wensley, it was not procedure that prevented Thompson from catching the killer, it was a young policeman's inexperience and poor decision making. According to Wensley, Thompson had been employed within the service for six weeks, and February 13, 1891 was his first time going out alone on night duty. Wensley wrote...

Thompson was patrolling Chambers Street when a man came running out of Swallow Gardens towards him. As soon as he perceived the officer he turned tail, made off at a speed in the opposite direction, and was in a few seconds lost to view.
Thompson moved into Swallow Gardens and on turning the corner came across the body of a murdered woman - Frances Coles - mutilated in much the same fashion as the victim's of the Ripper. The spot had possibly been chosen because it commanded a view in three directions.
It is probable that had Thompson been a little more experienced he would have taken up the chase of the fugitive immediately...

I think it is important to note that Wensley did not (nor am I) implying that Thompson was a coward. Wensley implies that Thompson was overwhelmed...

But it was understandable that this young man was so taken aback by his grim discovery that he did not take the obvious steps. It was certainly through no lack of personal courage, as later events showed.

I offer this because of the obvious inconsistency with what I had read regarding the discovery of Coles' body. In the end, it may be of little probative value, and if this story is already well known, I apologize. I should also not that this book is 312 pages, and the Whitechapel murders encompass less than two pages (4 through 5), at the very early stages of Wensley's career.