During September 1888, most of the English newspapers were starting to increase their coverage of the Whitechapel murders.

The murder of Mary Nichols had occurred on August the 31st, 1888, and a week later, Annie Chapman was murdered in Hanbury Street on the 8th of September.

However, there were numerous other stories that the media of the age was bringing to readers, some of them tragic, some of them unusual.

One such account was given press coverage in the week between the murders of Mary Nichols and Annie Chapman.

It concerned a clergyman from Carlisle who had gone on a trip to the continent and managed to get himself accused of spying.

The following account of the incident appeared in The Aberdeen Evening Express on Saturday the 3rd of September, 1888:-

AN ENGLISH CLERGYMAN ARRESTED AS A SPY

News has just reached Carlisle of the arrest as a “German spy” at Chartres, in France, of the Rev. James Christie, minister of the Fisher Street Presbyterian Church, Carlisle, who has been absent from the city for a short time on a Continental tour.

AN EXPERIENCED TOURIST

Christie is a tourist of much experience, and his books and lectures describing his journeys in all parts of Europe have created good deal of local interest from time to time; and the intelligence of his arrest as a spy has given rise to some feeling of surprise in Carlisle and the neighbourhood.

HE ATTENDED MATINS

Mr Christie, in writing an account of the affair, says that there is at present quite a mania in France at present of suspecting strangers to be German spies.

At Chartres he attended matins in the Cathedral on the day after his arrival, and he then visited the Church of St Pierre.

HE WAS WATCHING THE CAVALRY

Afterwards he saw a regiment of cavalry mustered on the parade ground of one of the three barracks which Chartres contains, and very naturally made his wav thither.

While he was looking on, one of the soldiers stepped up to him, and, touching him on the shoulder, ordered him to follow.

Christie followed the soldier through the barrack square and into the guard-room, where a series of questions were put to him by an officer, and then he was ordered to leave the place at once.

HE HAD BEEN TREATED UNKINDLY

Mr Christie obeyed with alacrity, observing as he left the guard-room that he had always been friendly to France, and that he thought he had not been kindly treated on this occasion.

Mr Christie has often watched the troops of Russia and Germany at drill, but never before has he experienced such a contretemps.