Hier noch ein paar Zeitungsausschnitte, die Deptford betreffen:
The Times (London)
26 June 1889
At Greenwich, James Collins, 62, wood carver, of 17 Dorset street, Spitalfields, was charged on remand with cutting and wounding Emma Edwards, of 29 Giffin street, Deptford, with a knife with intent to do her grievous bodily harm. The evidence went to show that the prisoner and the prosecutrix formerly lived together. A few days ago, as the woman was passing along Giffin street, she saw the gleam of a knife in the prisoner's hand. She felt herself stabbed, and the prisoner was arrested. He declared that he had no intention to stab the woman, but that he fell against her, and that the knives and tools in his pocket caused the injury. This was shown by the evidence to have been impossible. Inspector Knapp stated that at the police station the prisoner tried to get at the prosecutrix, whom he said he would "settle" at the first opportunity. He threatened to murder the prosecutrix several times. Mr. Kennedy said it was an aggravated assault, and sentenced the prisoner to six months' imprisonment with hard labour.
Echo
London, U.K.
10 September 1888
A THIRD IN CUSTODY AT DEPTFORD.
A man was arrested at Deptford yesterday afternoon, on suspicion of being the murderer, and Inspector Chandler went down to see him. He has not yet been brought up to Commercial-road Police-station. It is understood, however, that not much importance is attached to this arrest. Inspectors Abberline and Helson, indeed, stated, at a late hour last evening, that they were not in possession of any clue likely to lead to a definite result. They and several detective officers had been engaged in following up every point which might lead to information, but without a satisfactory result.
Echo
London, U.K.
10 October 1888
SOMEBODY WANTED
Some time ago, writes a reporter, a man is stated to have landed from a ship at Deptford, who declared that if he could find her he would "do" for a certain woman, who, he conceived, had injured him. He further alleged that he would "do" for any other woman of her class. To-day the police give the man's description as follows:- Age, 28; height, 5ft. 5in. or 5ft. 6in.; complexion, fair; whiskers about a month's growth; dressed in dark clothes.
Evening News
London, U.K.
9 October 1888
TO THE EDITOR OF "THE EVENING NEWS."
Sir - Of the many theories that have been put forward as to the probable perpetrator of the East end tragedies, hardly any, to my mind, suggest the likeliest class of man to be capable of working in the silent, quick, and skilful manner that he evidently does, according to the medical evidence given at the various inquests. Having read the many letters in the "dailies" I feel that my views as to the manner of the committal and person committing them may be of some interest to you and your readers.
1. The person likely to commit an act of this description and in the peculiar manner, is a man who is thoroughly acquainted with and is practical in the Jewish method of slaughtering animals for human consumption, a business which is carried on in the immediate neighbourhood of the murders, and at the market in Deptford, which is in constant communication by rail or van with this locality at all hours day and night. My reasons for assuming this is that only a man having a perfect knowledge of how to deliver a cut so effectually and with such certainty as in these cases must know exactly the kind of knife to use, and I know of no more suitable instrument than the knife used by a "Jewish cutter" when slaughtering sheep or oxen. These knives are from twelve to eighteen inches long in the blade, about one and a half to two inches wide, with square end, very rigid, strong back, and made of finest steel, sharpened upon a hone to a razor edge. The mode of using it is as follows: The sheep or ox is cast turned on its back, the head drawn back to render the skin tense, the cutter is then called upon to do his work which is to cut the animal's throat with one heavy downward drawing cut, using the knife from heel to point so as to divide the whole of the vessels, windpipe and muscles, down to the vertebral column, the animal dying quickly and noiselessly from such a wound - a wound requiring to inflict upon so large an animal as an ox a perfectly suitable knife, skill and force to use it.
2. After the animal is dead the skin being removed by assistants from the abdomen of the carcass, a second person, called a "searcher," steps in and makes a longitudinal incision in the abdomen, immediately below the base of the chest, in this case a razor is used as a cutting instrument. The hand is passed through this opening, and two incisions are made in the diaphragm in order to pass the hand entirely round the cavity of the chest on either side, and feel for any attachment of the lungs to the walls of the chest. The organs of the abdominal cavity are examined by touch in a similar manner, and if it passes the examination as fit for Jewish consumption, it is marked by the searcher, and afterwards a sealer seals it with a small leaden seal.
In my opinion a man who has seen or carried out these functions has committed these crimes, from the fact of the certainty, cleanness, and depth of the cuts in the throats of the victims, the mutilations being so extensive, and evidently carried out by the sense of touch, for it is evident no light could have been used.
Should you publish this letter, I will conclude my argument in a second one tomorrow.
I am, &c.,
A Butcher.
Manchester Guardian
10 September 1888
Another telegram last night states:-- A man was arrested at Deptford this afternoon on suspicion of being connected with the East End tragedy, but there is reason to believe he will be able to establish his innocence and will soon be released.
Viele Grüße,
Shadow Ghost