Annie Chapman - Wife, Mother, Victim: The Life & Death of a Victim of Jack The Ripper

by Covell, Mike

  The Star, a London based newspaper, featured the following, dated September 10th 1888,

  WHITECHAPEL. AN IMPORTANT ARREST AT GRAVESEND. RELEASE OF “LEATHER APRON.” A Man Thought to be “Leather Apron” Arrested and Released - A Man who Admits He Quarreled with a Woman in the Neighborhood of Hanbury-street Captured at Gravesend - Opening of the Inquest on the Victim. The Press Association says: - About nine o'clock this morning a detective arrested a man as “Leather Apron,” who was wanted in connection with the Whitechapel murder, at 22, Mulberry-street, Commercial-street. The real name of the man arrested is John Piser, but his friends deny that he has ever been known under the nickname of “Leather Apron.” When the detective called at the house the door was opened by Piser himself. “JUST THE MAN I WANT,” said the detective, who charged him on suspicion of being connected with the murder of the woman Sivvy. The detective searched the house, and took away some finishing tools which Piser is in the habit of using in his work. By trade he is a boot finisher, and for some time has been living at Mulberry-street with his stepmother (Mrs. Piser) and a married brother, who works as a cabinet-maker. When he was arrested by the detective this morning his brother was at work, and the only inmates of the house were the prisoner's stepmother, his sister-in-law, and a Mr. Nathan, for whom he has worked. His mother and his sister-in-law declared positively to a representative of the Press Association that Piser came home at half-past ten on Thursday night, and HAS NOT LEFT THE HOUSE SINCE. They further stated that Piser is unable to do much on account of ill-health, and that he is by no means a strong person, as some time ago he was seriously injured in a vital part. About six weeks ago he left a convalescent home, in which he had been an inmate on account of a carbuncle on his neck. He is about 35 years of age, and since he was three years old has been brought up by Mrs. Piser. He lost his father some 16 years ago. At the Leman-street Police-station, to which station Piser was taken, a large force of police were kept in readiness with drawn staves. Only a few people amongst the crowd outside seemed aware that an arrest had been made, and so quietly did the police act in Mulberry-street that few even in the neighbourhood connected the arrest with the murder. The police at Leman-street refuse to give any information, and some officials who had come from Scotland-yard DENIED THAT SUCH AN ARREST HAD BEEN MADE, but this statement was, of course, incorrect, seeing that the arrest is admitted by the prisoner's relatives. The prisoner is a Jew. Our reporter writes: - The man arrested by Detective-Sergeant Thicke is now at Leman-street Station. He fits the description of “Leather Apron” exactly, and this similarity is the cause of his arrest. He denies, however, that he is the man wanted, and says he never wore a leather apron in the streets. He is waiting, however, to be recognised, or the contrary, by some people from Wilmot's Lodging House who know “Leather Apron” well. He went along submissively with Detective-Sergeant Thicke. His stepmother and his stepsister deny in the strongest terms that he is “Leather Apron.” They say that he has been steady AT WORK FOR THE PAST SIX WEEKS for his stepbrother, Piser, who is a boot manufacturer. Before that time he was ill with a carbuncle on his neck, and confined for some time in a hospital. The women were in great trouble over the arrest, but assured a Star reporter that he was never out late at night while living at home, and that assaults on street-women and the robbing of them was simply impossible, as he was a sober, industrious, and kind-hearted man. Piser was kept for about two hours at Leman-street Station, and then taken up to Commercial-street. At half-past twelve he was ushered into the main office of the station, half a dozen policemen guarding the doors. Piser sat down on the seat next the outside wall. He looked PALE AND RATHER DEJECTED. No questions were asked him, the only ceremony being that a woman sitting in the corner behind the table was told to look sharp. She had been sitting there all the forenoon, doubtless for the purpose of identification. Then Piser was taken into the inner office, the doors were closed, and the further ceremonies were known only to the detectives. A later dispatch says: The man arrested by the police this morning and erroneously described as “Leather Apron” was able to satisfy the authorities of Bethnal-green Station of his identity and of his absolute innocence of anything connected with the Spitalfields tragedy. Consequently he was immediately discharged. The police, however, attach far more importance to the arrest which has been made at Gravesend, but will not express an opinion until witnesses who have been sent for have seen him. Reports are constantly arriving at headquarters of men whose descriptions resemble that of the supposed murderer being arrested. At noon there were no fewer than seven persons in custody in different parts of the East-end on suspicion. The police at the various centres have, however, received strict instructions from Scotland-yard not to communicate details to the press. Several of those detained have been released. AN ARREST AT GRAVESEND. A correspondent telegraphs this morning that a man has been arrested at Gravesend in connection with the murder. Between eight and nine o'clock last night Superintendent Berry, of Gravesend, had a communication made to him that there was a suspicious-looking individual at the Pope's Head Public-house, West-street, and at once despatched a sergeant to the house, and the man was arrested, and taken to the police station. It was noticed that one of his hands was bad, and on examining it the superintendent said it had evidently been bitten. When asked how he accounted for his hand being in this condition, the man said he was GOING DOWN BRICK-LANE, WHITECHAPEL, at half-past four o'clock on Saturday morning last, and a woman fell down in a fit. He stooped to pick her up, when she bit him. He then hit her, and as two policemen came up he ran away. Having examined the man's clothing very carefully, Dr. Whitcombe, the police-surgeon, was sent for, and the doctor discovered blood spots on two shirts, which the man was carrying in a bundle. The doctor also expressed an opinion that blood had been wiped from off his boots. After being cautioned the man is alleged to have stated that the woman who bit him was at the back of a lodging-house at the time. He also said that on Thursday night he slept AT A LODGING-HOUSE IN OSBORNE-STREET, Whitechapel; but that on Friday he was walking about Whitechapel all night, and that he came from London to Gravesend by road yesterday. This morning he states that his name is William Henry Piggott, and that he is 52 years of age. He further said that some years ago he lived at Gravesend, his father having at one time held a position there connected with a friendly society. The man appears to be in a very nervous state. Detective-Sergeant Abberline has arrived at Gravesend from Scotland-yard. Pigott was brought up this morning to London-bridge by the eighteen minutes past ten train, in charge of Detective Abberline, who was met at the station by Detective Stacy from Scotland-yard. The prisoner was not handcuffed, and was smoking a clay pipe and carrying a white cloth bundle. He passed quickly out of the station, no one among the public apparently noticing him, and was driven in a four-wheeled cab to the police-station in Commercial-street. He has not yet been charged. The prisoner stands barely 5ft. high. He has a long dark beard, and he wears dark clothes. He is without a waistcoat, and there are several bloodstains on his clothes. Apparently he has been drinking heavily, his condition indicating a recent recovery from delirium tremens. He still maintains that his hand was bitten by a woman whom he knocked down. The prisoner is now locked up in the cells awaiting the arrival of witnesses with a view to identification. THE INQUEST. This morning at the Working Lads' Institute, Whitechapel, Coroner Baxter opened the inquest on the mutilated body of Annie Chapman, alias Sivvy, the woman who was found murdered in the backyard of 29, Hanbury-street, Spitalfields, on Saturday morning. A more commodious room than that in which the grim inquiry was held could not be desired, ample space being left after the jury had been arranged on the coroner's left. Very few of the general public were admitted, however, but during the proceedings knots of gossips stood in front of the Home discussing the repulsive details of the series of crimes of which this is the latest. Inspector Helson, of the Criminal Investigation Department, watched the proceedings on behalf of the police, and Coroner Baxter had associated with him Mr. Col
lyer, his deputy. There was only one Jew on the jury, a rather curious circumstance considering to what extent Hebrews compose the local population. That unpleasant necessity, the viewing of the body, having been duly performed by the jury, JOHN DAVIES, of 29, Hanbury-street, was called. He said: I am a carman, and I have lived at 29, Hanbury-street, for a fortnight, occupying one room at the top of the house with my wife and three sons. My window was closed during the night. I was awake from three to five on Saturday morning, but fell off to sleep at five till a quarter to six. Then I got up, had a cup of tea, and went downstairs to the backyard. The yard door was shut, but I do not know whether it was latched, for I was too upset at what I saw to remember. The yard is a large one, separated from the yards on both sides by close wooden fences about 5ft. 6in. in height. The Coroner: I hope the police will have a plan ready for me by the next time. I may say that in the country the police always used to give me a little plan in cases of any importance at all, and certainly this is of sufficient importance to warrant the taking of that trouble. One of the inspectors present informed the Coroner that a plan would be ready by the time to which the inquest was adjourned. Witness, proceeding, said: Directly I opened the back door leading into the yard I saw a woman lying near the fence. She was lying flat on her back, with her clothes up above her knees. I ran back along the passage to the front door, and CALLED TWO MEN, whose names I don't know, but whom I know by sight. The Coroner: Have the names of those men been ascertained? Inspector Chandler: I have made inquiries, but I cannot find the men. The Coroner: They must be found. Witness: They work at Bailey's, the packing-case maker's, but I could not find them on Saturday as I had my work to do. The Coroner: Your work is of no consequence compared with this inquiry. Witness: I am giving all the information I can. The Coroner: You must find these men, either by the assistance of the police or my officer. Now, did these men come when called? Witness: Yes, sir; they came, and then we all went and fetched the police. I informed the inspector at the Commercial-street station, and he sent some constables. Had you ever seen the woman before? - No, sir. Were you the first down that day, as far as you know? - No; because a man named Thompson had to get up to go to work at about half-past three, but I don't suppose he went into the yard. Have you ever seen women in that yard who don't belong to the house? - Mrs. Richardson says that women do go there, but I have never seen any, having only been there a fortnight. Did you hear any noise this Saturday morning before you saw the body lying in the yard.? - No, sir. AMELIA PALMER, of 30, Dorset-street, the common lodging-house in which the deceased frequently slept, said: I am a married woman, but my husband, who was formerly a soldier and then a dock labourer, had an accident, and so I go out to do work for the Jews, washing, charing, &c. I knew the deceased well, and have done for quite five years. I have seen the body, and am quite sure it is the body of Annie Chapman. She was the widow of Frederick Chapman, who was a veterinary surgeon at Windsor, and who died about 18 months ago.

  The Scene of the murder.

  1. Passage to the street

  2. Cellar

  3. Where the body lay

  Deceased had lived apart from him for the last four years. She was without any settled home, and lived chiefly in the common lodging-houses of the East-end. Two years ago she lived at 30, Dorset-street, with a man who made wire sieves, and at that time she was receiving 10s. a week from her husband. I do not know the sievemaker's name (proceeded the witness), but I know him well by sight. I saw him last about eighteen months ago, when he had left deceased. I saw the deceased several times last week. Last Monday she had a bruise on one of her temples and also a bruise on her chest, both of which, she said, had been caused by a woman who was acquainted with a man known as “Harry the hawker.” Deceased added that she was with a man named Ted Stanley, a very respectable man, and she went into a public-house in which “Harry the hawker” was present in a drunken state. She prevented the woman with Harry the hawker from besting him of a florin, and that caused the ill feeling which led to the fight. The next time I met deceased she said she did not feel well, so she should go into the casual ward and try and pull round. I gave her 2d. to get a cup of tea, telling her not to get any rum, as I had frequently seen her THE WORSE FOR LIQUOR. I am afraid deceased used to earn her living partly on the streets. She was a very straightforward woman when she was sober, clever and industrious with her needle; but she could not take much drink without getting intoxicated. She had been living a very irregular life all the time I've known her. The Coroner here perused a letter handed to him by the police. It was a communication from the Windsor police, and the Coroner's remark to the jury after reading it was that it appeared to be very doubtful whether deceased's husband was not a coachman instead of a veterinary surgeon as had been stated. TIMOTHY DONOVAN, of 35, Dorset-street, Spitalfields, the deputy of the lodging-house there, said: Deceased has lodged at my place for the last four months, but was not there last week. She said she had been in the infirmary. On Friday she asked me not to let her bed, because, although she did not then have the money, she would get it. That was the last I saw of her till I identified her body. The Coroner: Was she the worse for drink when you saw her last? - Well, she had had enough, sir, and I remarked to her that it was rather remarkable that she could find money for beer and not for her bed. Did you see her with any man that night? - No, sir. She was going to get money, so where do you think was going to get it? - I could not say. She used to come and stay at the lodging-house with a man whose name I do not know, but who was said to be a pensioner. He had a soldier-like appearance. She has come at other times with other men, but I have refused her. The Coroner: You only allow the women at your lodging-house to have one husband then? - Well, her husband told me not to let the bed to her if she had any other man with her. As a rule she occupied a double bed by herself. The Coroner: Is anything known of this pensioner by the police? An Inspector: No, sir. Witness: Sometimes he was dressed like a dock labourer, while at other times he was gentlemanly attired. I do not know eve his Christian name. He was rather dark, and she used to meet him always at the top of the street, I believe. Do you know anything more about deceased? - No, except that she was on very good terms with the other lodgers, and we never had any trouble with her. During last week she had a black eye, but she did not say how she got it. All she said was, “Tim, this is lovely, ain't it?” JOHN EVANS, the watchman at 35, Dorset-street, said deceased was the worse for drink when she went away on Friday night to get money for her lodging. Witness knew she was on the streets, but knew of no man with whom she associated except the pensioner. After the body had been found the pensioner called to know if it was true that she was dead, and on being answered in the affirmative, he went straight off, without saying a word. By the jury: Have you ever heard any one threaten deceased, or heard her express any fear of any one? - No, sir. The inquest was then adjourned till Wednesday. There are two general clues to the murderer at the present time. The first deals with the famous, or infamous “Leather Apron,” whose name is on everybody's lips in the Whitechapel district. The case against “Leather Apron,” briefly summed up, is as follows: - That the murders are evidently the work of a maniac, and this man is quite crazy enough to fall within that class. His beastly brutality, manifested in his attacks on Whitechapel street-walkers are quite in keeping with the late fiendish deeds. He disappeared from his accustomed haunts just about the time of the George-yard murder, has not been in any of the lodging-houses in which he has slept for years, and since that murder has been seen only once or twice in a district in which he is known by sight to many. Furthermore a man exactly answering his description was found one night sleeping on the steps in the very house and in the very passage through which the victim of Saturday was led to her death. Jews who are driven to sleep in passage ways are not common even in Whitechapel, and there is little question that the party with the Hebrew face who was found asleep in the passage at 29, Hanbury-street, was the redoubtable “Leather Apron.” THE OTHER CLUE. is that of the
man who went into the Prince Albert public-house with bloody hands, a torn shirt, and a bloodstreak on his neck. Mrs. Chappell, who saw the man along with Mrs. Fiddymont, was a customer, not friend of the latter, and the two stories of the man, which were independent of each other, agreed perfectly. Mrs. Fiddymont yesterday added to her previous statement the fact that the back of the man's head was grimy, as if it had been bloody, and had been dampened or spit upon in the endeavour to rub the blood off instead of washing it. The dried blood between the fingers was thus clear, though the back of the hand held only three or four small distinct spots. The man did not look in the least like a butcher, and no theory born of his appearance could account for his bloody hands at seven a.m. Joseph Taylor also had some facts to add to his account of Saturday. Mr. Taylor is a cautious and entirely reliable man, and freely told all he knew to two detectives on Saturday. He says that as he entered the public-house Mrs. Fiddymont said that a man had just left whom she would like to give in charge on suspicion of the murder. Taylor went out a moment later without any particular intention of FOLLOWING THE MAN, whom Mrs. Chappell pointed out to him. The man was going towards Bishopsgate, however, and, as this was Taylor's direction, he increased his pace. “It was all I could do to overtake him,” he said yesterday, “and I am not a bad walker myself. The man walked very rapidly, however, with a peculiar springy walk that I would recognise again. He carried himself very erect, like a horse soldier. He had a ginger-colored moustache, longer than mine and curling a little at the ends. His shoulders were very square and his neck rather long. He was neither stout nor thin, and seemed between 30 and 40 years old. His face was medium in stoutness. There were faint hollows under the cheekbones. One thing that impressed me was that the man SEEMED BEWILDERED. He crossed Brushfield-street three times in going from the Prince Albert to the next street, which was Bishopsgate. He clearly did not know where he was going. When he reached Bishopsgate, he stood at the corner and looked up and down the street undecided. Then he made up his mind and started across Brushfield-street rapidly, and kept on down Bishopsgate towards Liverpool-street. I followed as far as Half-Moon street, where my work was, and watched him for some time from the corner, but he kept straight on. I assure you that when I came alongside of him his look was enough to frighten any woman. His eyes were wild-looking and staring. He held his coat together at the chin with both hands, the collar being buttoned up, and everything about his appearance was exceedingly strange. Description of a Man”Wanted." The series of murders which now even the police believe to be the work of one man, is engaging the attention of a large force of plain clothes detectives. At eight o'clock last night the Scotland-yard authorities circulated a description of a man who, they say, “entered the passage of the house, 29, Hanbury-street, at which the murder was committed with a prostitute, at two a.m., the 8th.” They give his age as 37, height 5ft. 7in., and add that he is rather dark, had a beard and moustache; was dressed in a short dark jacket, dark vest and trousers, black scarf and black felt hat; and spoke with a foreign accent. FRESH FACTS ABOUT THE VICTIM. Some more reliable particulars concerning the woman last murdered have been furnished by Amelia Farmer, who had occupied the next bed to her in a lodging-house in Dorset-street. She says Annie Chapman was the wife of a veterinary surgeon at Windsor, had for a long time been separated from her husband by mutual agreement, and had been allowed 10s. a week by him for her maintenance. About 18 months ago the instalments ceased, because the husband died. Farmer had been in the habit of writing letters for her friend. She could not remember the exact address of the mother or sister, but thought it was near the Brompton Hospital. Last Monday Chapman had intimated her intention of communicating with her sister, saying, “If I can get a pair of boots from my sister I shall go hop-picking.” Another relative, a brother-in-law of the deceased, lived somewhere in or near Oxford-street. For some time past the murdered woman had been living occasionally with a man named Ted Stanley, who had been in the militia, but was now working at some neighbouring brewery. Ted Stanley was a good-tempered man, rather tall, about 5ft. 10in., fair, and of florid complexion. He was the last man in the world to have quarrelled with Chapman, nor would he have injured her in any way. At the beginning of the week the deceased had been rather severely knocked about in the breast and face by another woman of the locality through jealousy in connection with Ted Stanley, and had been obliged to go to the casual ward or infirmary. As a regular means of livelihood she had not been in the habit of frequenting the streets, but had made antimacassars for sale. Sometimes she would buy flowers or matches with which to pick up a living. TWO BRASS RINGS. Farmer was perfectly certain that on Friday night the murdered woman had worn three rings which were not genuine, but were imitations, otherwise she would not have troubled to go out and find money for her lodgings. It has been definitely ascertained that the woman did wear two rings at the time of her death. They were of brass. One was a wedding ring, and the other a keeper of fancy pattern. Both are missing, and the police are still searching for them. It was believed on Saturday night that an important clue had been obtained, a pawnbroker having detained rings of the same description which were offered in pledge, but investigation showed they were not the murdered woman's. THE TIME OF THE MURDER. In order not to lose any evidence of value, the post-mortem examination was conducted without delay at the mortuary, to which the body had been removed by the police divisional surgeon, who, upon advice, reserves his description of the injuries until the inquest. It is, however, this gentleman's opinion, as communicated to his chiefs, that death had taken place some two or three hours prior to the first examination of the corpse, shortly after its discovery. If that view of the medical aspect of the case be correctly stated, the time of the murder must have been earlier than four in the morning. Not a sound was heard to fix the time by. On Saturday the sun rose at twenty-three minutes past five; for half an hour previously the light would be such as to render it difficult for any one to distinguish even near objects. At a quarter before five o'clock John Richardson, son of the landlady, of 29, Hanbury-street, as usual, went to his mother's to see if everything was right in the back yard. Richardson sat down on the steps to cut a piece of leather from his boot. The door would then partially hide the corner between the house and the fence. This man is quite clear that he saw nothing to attract his attention before he left. About twenty-five minutes past five Albert Cadosch, living at No. 31, the next house on the left-hand side, entered the yard adjoining that of No. 29. He states that he heard some talking on the other side of the palings, and he distinguished the word “No.” There was then, he fancied, a slight scuffle, with the noise of something falling, but he took no notice, thinking that it was from his neighbours. It was half an hour later, at six o'clock, that John Davis, before going to his work, walked along the passage into the yard, and made the horrifying discovery of the mutilated body. There are several reports of deceased having been seen in the company of a man early on Saturday morning, but little reliance is placed upon them. In one case, a man employed at a public-house, who gave information, failed to identify the deceased as the woman he believed to have been called out of the place at five a.m. by a man in a skull cap. TELL-TALE BRUISES. Although, of course, the exact details of the post mortem have not been made public, it is known that Dr. Phillips was unable to find any trace of alcohol in the stomach of the deceased, thus disproving many reports that when the woman was last seen alive she was the worse for drink. On the right side of the head was a large bruise, showing that the deceased woman must have been dealt a heavy blow at that spot. There were also other bruises about the face, and finger-marks were discernible. The latter indicate that the murderer must first have grasped his victim by the throat, probably in order to prevent her crying out. From the third finger of the left hand rings, it was seen, had been wrenched off, and the hands and arms were much bruised. Deceased wore lace-up boots and striped stockings, two cotton petticoats, and was otherwise respectably, though poorly dressed. In the pockets there we
re a handkerchief, two small combs, and an envelope with the seal of the Sussex Regiment. There were also found two farthings polished brightly, and, according to some, these coins had been passed off as half-sovereigns upon the deceased by her murderer. BRIGHT FARTHINGS AND BRASS MEDALS. With regard to the bright farthings, a woman has stated that a man accosted her on Saturday morning and gave her two “half-sovereigns,” but that, when he became violent, she screamed and he ran off. She discovered afterwards that the “half-sovereigns” were two brass medals. It is said that this woman did accompany the man, who seemed as if he would kill her, to a house in Hanbury-street, possibly No. 29, at half-past two a.m. This woman, Emily Walter, a lodger in one of the common lodging-houses of Spitalfields, was asked to describe the man, but her description of him was not considered clear. Still the police determined to follow up the matter, more particularly because the woman states that the man seemed ready to kill her. The woman's description did not answer the description of the man “Leather Apron,” for whom they have been searching in connection with the murder of Mary Ann Nicholls.