In a previous article, I brought you the story of the attack on Helen Watt, that took place in Aberdeen in October 1888, which the press was quick to attribute to Jack the Ripper.
Helen Watt’s ordeal left her severely traumatised, ad it was several days before she could actually give any information about what had occurred.
The Dundee Courier, in its edition of Monday the 22d of October, 1888, published her account of the assault:-
THE MURDER SCARE IN ABERDEEN
THE FOOTDEE OUTRAGE
Helen Watt, the young woman who was so brutally assaulted at Footdee, Aberdeen, on Thursday night, still suffers severely from the effects of the diabolical attack.
She only recovered consciousness about two o’clock on Saturday morning, having been in a state of delirium for thirty hours.
She has since rested fairly well, and, although weak, appears to be in a fair way to recover from the severe shock.
Previous to her regaining consciousness the girl was in a very dangerous state, and those who saw her working in the hysterical fits with which she was seized at short intervals declare that they never knew a young person to be in such frantic state, or to be so violent in her attempts to escape from some imaginary horrible danger.
After lying quietly for a few minutes, she would break out with fearful screams, and cried imploringly on her mother.
At times, when the spasms seemed to be at their worst, she appeared to be making desperate efforts to escape, exclaiming meanwhile:- “He is coming, he is coming again, and he will catch me.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
However, about two o’clock on Saturday morning, after having got several doses of diluted morphia, she calmed down, and gradually recovered her senses.
The story of the attack given by Helen Watt herself is follows:-
Helen, who has only passed her sixteenth year, and is not 20 years of age as before reported, was about to go for some water for the purpose of washing herself on Thursday night after she had come from her work at the Bannermill.
The well is short distance from the door of the house, and it was about a quarter-past seven o’clock when she was to go out.
THE STRANGE MAN
When she opened the door to go out she saw the strange man standing opposite the door, and she told her mother she was not going to the well, as there was a man standing outside.
About ten minutes after this she told her younger sister, Bessie, that she would go to the well for the water yet if she would accompany her.
The two girls went to the door, but the man was still there, and they would not go out.
They returned to the house, and Helen sat down to her knitting, which she worked at for about fifteen minutes.
WENT TO A FRIEND’S HOUSE
She then said she would like to go to the house of a companion of hers at the end of Garvock Wynd.
One of her sisters again went to the door with her, and, as they could see no one in the wynd, Helen ran to the end of it, where she met some acquaintances, with whom she stopped to talk.
Thinking then that she would be better to go home again as long there was no appearance of anyone loitering about the place, she went through Williams Square to get to her house.
On her way, she met and passed a few remarks with a young man, and also with a woman, whom she knew.
Helen then entered Garvock Wynd from the end of Williams Square.
HER ACCOUNT OF THE ATTACK
Her account of what happened after this maybe given in her own words. She says:-
“When I entered the wynd I saw the same man near our house. He was walking to and fro.
I thought of going back again to get someone to come with me, but, thinking that people would laugh at and call me cowardly, I made my mind to run for the door of the house.
As I was passing the man he made a clutch at me, and seized me by the breast.
“DINNA SCREAM”
I was terribly frightened, and he then gripped me by the nose, and said me, “Dinna scream.”
I screamed out loudly, and tried to free myself, but my assailant then endeavoured to thrust my head under the breast of his topcoat.
After a desperate wrench, I managed to get away from him, and at once flew towards the house.
As I ran away from him he shouted:- “You have got away this time, but, you b—– , I will catch you yet.”
I rushed in at the door of the lobby, but I remembered nothing more of what happened till this morning.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE ATTACKER
The man was wearing a big dark greatcoat, and had on his head a light-coloured double-peaked cap.
He had very big eyes, which stared fiercely at me. His face was clean shaven. I never saw the man before to my knowledge, but I would know him again at once.
When he gripped me, I heard something rattling about him, but I do not know what it was.
I do not think he was the worse of liquor.
THE WOUND ON HER STOMACH
I do not know what caused the wound to the left side of my stomach, but it was perhaps one of the “busks” of my stays which was broken.
I feel all right now, but I will never forget the scene.”
The girl’s mother, who came to the door and found her daughter lying insensible, says her jacket was open all up the front, and was torn from the middle to the first seam on the left side.
Her bodice was also torn.
IN A FEARFUL STATE
The girl, she says, was in fearful state up to two o’clock this morning.
Although she has now calmed down, she is very weak and nervous, and the doctor has ordered her complete rest and nourishing food.
A WELL-BEHAVED GIRL
Mrs Watt says that Helen was always of a very nervous disposition, but she is an exceedingly well-behaved girl.
Indeed, all the neighbours agree that Helen Watt was always a quiet, respectable girl, who preferred to work in the house and seldom went out at nights.
The police since the affair happened have been making the most vigilant inquiries into the case, but so far without success.
They are hopeful, however, now that the girl has given a description of her assailant, of speedily capturing the scoundrel.
A MAN IN WOMAN’S CLOTHES VISITS HELEN WATT
An extraordinary story was on Saturday circulating in Footdee to the effect that Helen Watt’s assailant had visited her house on Friday night disguised in a woman’s dress.
The story is that, shortly after six o’clock, a person, who appeared to be a very gruff, evil looking woman, called at Mrs Watt’s house and appeared to be greatly interested in the girl.
A STRANGER IN THE DISTRICT
The woman, who was an entire stranger in the district, after inquiring as to Helen’s condition, which she did in a rather incoherent manner, said that a person had sent her to tell Mrs Watt to bathe the girl’s feet in hot water and vinegar, which would draw the trouble down to her feet.
After conducting herself in a very extraordinary manner for some time, the woman walked away.
But those who saw the stranger in the street, and took particular notice of her, declare that it was not a woman at all.
They are prepared to swear that it was a man dressed in a woman’s clothes.
NUMEROUS STORIES
Since the circumstances of the outrage became known there have been numerous stories afloat of similar outrages committed in the city, many of them, if not all, having no foundation in fact.
There is, however, very much alarm existing in the public mind, and one very marked effect which the scare has made in Aberdeen is the exceedingly quiet aspect of certain streets after nightfall.
FEAR ALL OVER THE CITY
In the east end of the town, and indeed all over the city, few women were seen abroad on Friday or Saturday nights unless accompanied by an escort in the shape of a husband, sweetheart, or brother.
THE FRIGHTENING LETTER
The excitement was intensified on Saturday with the publication in one of the Aberdeen evening papers of a letter signed, “1 of the Rip Gang,” warning all women to keep indoors after ten, and stating that:- “We are down on prostitutes, and must do away with a few of them.”
The letter, there is little reason to doubt, is a hoax, dozens of similar communications having been received by girls at various works in the town.