On Wednesday the 11th April 1888 The Morning Post carried an article headlined “ANOTHER OUTRAGE IN WHITECHAPEL.”
The article went on to inform readers that:-
Inquiries are being made in Whitechapel with reference to a violent assault upon a woman which occurred on Monday night last week, though the victim, who is lying at the London Hospital, has not yet regained consciousness, and has, therefore, been unable to give any description of her assailant.
It appears that on the night mentioned screams were heard in the vicinity of the railway arch adjoining the Leman-street Station, and a lodging-house keeper residing in Wellclose-square saw a man treating a woman with great violence.
An alarm was raised, but the assailant ran awway, leaving the woman lying in the roadway.
She was conveyed to the London Hospital, where she was afterwards identified as Malvina Haynes, a married woman, residing in Newman-street, Whitechapel. She is suffering from concussion of the brain.”
THE SAME DAY THAT EMMA SMITH WAS ATTACKED
Interestingly, the attack on Malvina Haynes took place on the night Bank Holiday Monday, the same night that saw the attack on Emma Elizabeth Smith – who, as was mentioned in a previous article, was the first Whitechapel Murders victim.
Like Malvina Haynes, Emma Smith was also taken to the London Hospital and they were both treated by the same house surgeon, Dr. George Haslip.
But, whereas Malvina remained unconscious for several weeks, Emma Smith, sadly, died as a result of her injuries.
Press information regarding the two attacks is rather scant, providing the basic events surrounding both attacks.
FROM LLOYD’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper carried more details in its edition of the 15th April 1888:-
“Malvina Haynes, who received very serious injuries to her head and scalp on the night of Bank holiday, has been from that time until this week lying quite unconscious at the London hospital, no sounds but moans having escaped her lips.
The sufferer has been under the care of Mr. George Haslip, the house-surgeon, and on Tuesday the patient, upon regaining consciousness, was only able to briefly to relate the circumstances of the outrage.
It appears, however, that on many points her memory was an entire blank : and when questioned as to what her assailant was like, she replied, “I cannot remember; my mind is gone.”
The hospital authorities at once communicated Detective-sergeant William New, who has charge of the case, and certain information, which casually passed from the woman’s lips may perhaps lead to a clue respecting the would-be murderer.
Mr. Haynes, the husband, who is a hard-working house painter residing at 29, Newnham-street Great Alie-street, Whitechapel, has expressed his deep sense of the unremitting skill and kindness his wife has received from the surgical and nursing staff at the hospital, and from a statement which he has made, it appears that his wife, himself, and some friends spent the Bank holiday together by seeing some of the sights of the metropolis, and in the evening Mrs Haynes returned with them to their home.
She went out later on, and screams were shortly heard in the vicinity of Leman-street railway station.
A constable found Mrs. Haynes lying insensible on the ground, in a pool of blood.
Besides her brain being affected by the injury, Mrs. Haynes is suffering from a scalp wound of rather an extensive character.
A man who was said to have been near the unfortunate woman at the time of the occurrence, and who resided in the district, has since left the neighbourhood. The police hope that he may come forward, as his testimony might aid the ends of justice, by relating what he saw of the outrage.”