On New Year’s Eve, 1888, a girl by the name of Harriett Sinfield appeared before Mr. Montagu Williams. the magistrate at Worship Street Police Court, charged with having stolen a purse from William Barrett, a sailor whose ship had put into the London Docks.

Barret had met the girl the previous night, and had gone with her to a lodging house at 19 George Street, in Spitalfields.

Interestingly, this was the very same lodging house that Martha Tabram had been staying at at the time of her murder.

It was also the lodging house where the supposed attack on Annie Farmer had taken place in November, 1888, so it was well known to the authorities, as was evidenced by the magistrate’s comments about it when Sinfield appeared before him.

The following account of Harriett Sinfield’s court appearance appeared in The London Evening Standard on Monday the 31st of December, 1888:-

THE EAST END LODGING HOUSES

Harriett Sinfield, 21, who described herself as a maker of fiddle strings, was charged with robbing William Barrett, a seaman, of a black leather purse and £1. 15s. in money, in a common lodging-house, situated at 19 George Street, Spitalfields.

The Prosecutor, who belongs to a ship called the Buckhurst, of Cardiff, lying in London Docks, said that he had met the Prisoner on Sunday, and had been taken by her to a house, where he paid 8d.

HE HAD BEEN ROBBED

After some time she left him on the excuse that she wanted a drink.

He examined his coat, which he had put on a chair, and found that a purse containing his money had been stolen from the pocket.

He ran after the prisoner, without waiting to dress himself, and caught her in the street.

She screamed, and he demanded his money, finally giving her into custody.

USED AS BROTHELS

In reply to the Magistrate (Mr. Montagu Williams), the Constable in the case said that 19, George Street, Spitalfields, was registered as a common lodging-house for men and women.

The Magistrate said he had guessed as much, and had asked the question so that the public authorities might know the facts.

Over and over again it had been shown that they were used as brothels.

HE SAID HE WAS JACK THE RIPPER

The Prisoner denied the robbery, and neither money nor purse was found.

She said that she ran away because the seaman told her he was “Jack the Ripper,” and that he meant to cut her up.

That was why she screamed and went down on her knees and begged him not to hurt her.

The Prosecutor denied all this, but stated that the woman said something to him about “Jack the Stabber” he thought.

SHE WAS REMANDED

The Prisoner was ordered to be remanded for inquiries, the Magistrate doubting her statement as to her age, she really looking not 16.