Obscure abducting/murder case

[mostfoul]

Whilst reading a book on the ripper I was met with a story that happened in England at around the time of the Ripper attacks, I believe. It detailed a young boy with his friend who saw a man in a tall cloak who beckoned the one boy over whilst the other ran off. Shortly after the other boy was found dead by his friend. Does anyone know which case this was? Sorry it's a bit vague.

[jmenges]

Maybe the Shocking Murder at Havant?

http://www.casebook.org/press_reports/morning_advertiser/18881127.html

And a text search in the press reports section adds further details.

http://www.casebook.org/press_reports/search.html?cx=000723952817035431763%3Aucomtzxdr00&q=havant&sa=Search&cof=FORID%3A11

JM

[mostfoul]

Thanks, this was the one I believe. Was it ever solved?

[jmenges]

I'm not sure that this murder was ever solved. The boy who discovered the victim, Husband, was acquitted despite testimony that the murder weapon belonged to him and that he had tried to sell it in the days before. Motive being some dispute over a coal delivery. Husband described a tall man with some kind of white patch on the back of his coat as the murderer and witnesses claimed to see a man in a tall hat running to board a train near the crime scene.

JM

[jmenges]

I'll quickly add that this crime is relevant to the Whitechapel murders because of the timing of a 'Jack the Ripper' letter received at Portsmouth prior to the killing that indicated that the Ripper had moved to the area.

JM