On Saturday the 1st of September, 1888, newspapers across the country were giving a great deal of coverage to the most recent murder in Whitechapel, that had taken place in the early hours of August the 31st.

There was confusion over some of the facts; but, on the whole the account of what had happened that appeared that day was, more or less, the same account of the murder that we have today.

One newspaper that reported on the murder  was The Birmingham Daily Post, which published the following article:-

HORRIBLE MURDER IN LONDON

ANOTHER WHITECHAPEL MYSTERY

Following close upon the recent ghastly tragedy in Whitechapel, Londoners were yesterday horrified to hear of a similar outrage, perpetrated in a manner which has seldom been equalled for brutality.

At a very early hour yesterday morning a constable on beat duty found lying in Buck’s Row, a narrow thoroughfare abutting on Thomas Street, Whitechapel, the dead body of a woman, about forty years of age.

The throat was gashed with two cuts, penetrating from the front of the neck to the vertebrae.

DISCOVERY AT THE MORTUARY

The body was at once taken to Whitechapel mortuary, where it was found that the unfortunate victim’s abdomen had been ripped up from the thighs to the breast in a most revolting manner, the intestines protruding from three deep gashes.

The clothes were cut and torn in several places, and the face was bruised and much discoloured.

The woman’s dress indicated that she was in poor circumstances, and marks upon some of the under garments indicated that she had been an inmate of the Lambeth Workhouse.

This summarises the facts of the case, all besides being a profound mystery.

THE POLICE HAVE NO CLUE

The police have no clue to the perpetrators of the foul deed.

The neighbours can give no information or make only such statements as rather add to than diminish the mysteriousness of the affair. Circumstances, however, indicate pretty clearly that the crime wea not committed at the spot where the victim. was found.

NOT MUCH BLOOD AND SCREAMS HEARD

The doctor who examined the body calls attention to the fact that hardly half a pint of blood was on the ground at the spot, yet the wounds, especially that in the throat, must have bled profusely.

Blood-marks have been found leading to the place some 300 yards distant but have not enabled anyone to establish the scene of the murder.

A woman living in Brady Street, adjoining thoroughfare, heard screams of “Police!” “Murder!” in the small hours, and these died away towards Buck’s Row; but the informant can add nothing else.

Up to a late hour last night the matter remained as at the hour when the body was found.

THE BODY IDENTIFIED

A later telegram says the body of the deceased has been identified as that of a married woman named Mary Ann Nichols, who had been living apart from her husband for some years.

She had been an inmate of Lambeth Workhouse on, and off for seven years.

She was discharged from the workhouse a few mouths ago and went into domestic service at Wandsworth, suddenly leaving her situation, under suspicious circumstances, seven weeks ago.

Since that time she has frequented the locality of Whitechapel.

She was seen in the Whitechapel Road on the night the night prior to her murder at half-past ten o’clock, under the influence of drink.

GANGS BEING LOOKED AT

The officers engaged in the case are pushing their enquiries in the neighbourhood as to the doings of certain gangs known to frequent the locality, and an opinion is gaining ground amongst them that the murderers are the same who committed the two previous murders near the same spot.

It is believed that these gangs, who make their appearance during the early hours of the morning, are in the habit of blackmailing these unfortunate women, and when their demands are refused violence follows, and in order to avoid their deeds being brought to light they put away their victims.

They have been under the observation of the police for some time past, and it is believed that with the prospect of a reward and a free pardon some of them might be persuaded to turn Queen’s evidence, when some startling revelations might be expected.