It is, of course, a well known fact that the police efforts to capture the person responsible for the Whitechapel murders were ultimately unsuccessful.
However, there were, as it transpired, quite a few other cases in the years prior to and the years after the Jack the Ripper atrocities that were destined to remain unsolved, and the murderers would remain at large.
The St James’s Gazette, in its edition of Saturday the 12th of March, 1887, broke the story of one such crime:-
MURDER IN KENTISH TOWN
Mrs. Samuels, the wife of a man who carries on the business of a dairyman, at 92, Bartholomew-road, Kentish-town, was murdered there yesterday afternoon, and an attempt was made to remove a safe from the shop.
It appears that shortly before four o’clock three men drove up to the dairy in a trap; except that Mrs. Samuels was found mortally injured and an iron sale dragged towards the door it is not known what took pace in the shop.
MRS. SAMUELS DISTURBED THEM
What appears to have taken place is that two of the men set about removing the safe, which weighed nearly 2cwt., and that on Mrs. Samuels entering the shop from a small parlour which opens off it, the third man struck her on the head and killed her.
The safe either proved too heavy for the men or they were alarmed by some one approaching, for they left it in the doorway.
THE BODY FOUND
Some minutes afterwards, a person passing the shop noticed the safe in the doorway; and, his suspicions being aroused, he entered the shop where, lying near the door of the parlour, was the body of Mrs. Samuels, with her head terribly injured.
THE DEATH OF THE VICTIM
A doctor who was called ordered the removal of Mrs. Samuels to the University College Hospital, where she was found to be still alive, though unconscious.
She lingered until twenty-five minutes past eight, never having regained consciousness.
THREE MEN SOUGHT
The police have ascertained that the three men were first seen in the neighbourhood about one o’clock. They drove away, and returned shortly before four o’clock.
The police have obtained descriptions from persons who profess that they will have no difficulty in identifying the men.
THE INQUEST
The Liverpool Echo reported on the findings at the inquest into the death of the victim in its edition of Wednesday, March 30, 1887:-
Dr. G. Danford Thomas, coroner, has concluded the inquest into the circumstances attending the death of Louisa Samuels, 57, wife of David Samuels, dairyman, 92, Bartholomew-road, Kentish Town, who was found about four on the afternoon of the 11th March in an insensible and dying state, lying in a pool of blood between the end of the shop counter and the door of the adjacent parlour.
The inquiry had been adjourned in the hope of an arrest being made of one or all of the three men who were seen with a pony and cart in close proximity to the premises shortly before Mrs. Samuels was discovered as stated, and who, it is conjectured, murdered her when surprised in an attempt to remove a safe from the shop.
WITNESSES RE-EXAMINED
The depositions of the witnesses at the opening of the inquiry were read, and some of them were briefly re-examined.
In answer to the coroner, Dr. Dennis Downes, police divisional surgeon, reiterated his assertion that the wound inflicted upon the deceased’s cranium might have been dealt by “a policeman’s truncheon.”
A stick or a hammer would cause the wounds.
THE TESTIMONY OF INSPECTOR JARVIS
Inspector Jarvis, of Scotland Yard, said:-
Since the opening of the inquest Inspector Dodds and myself have been actively engaged in following out any information given with a view to the arrest of the criminal or criminals connected with this murder.
Up to the present, however, we have not succeeded in obtaining sufficient information to lend to the arrest of any one.
A BOY ACCOSTED THE SUSPECTS
There is one point on which we are exceedingly anxious to obtain reliable information, and of which I hope the press will take notice.
A boy was seen by other boys to accost and holds conversation with s man in charge of a pony and cart outside the Garibaldi tavern about one on the afternoon of the murder.
The lad was heard to ask the man whether he should hold the pony.
Two other men were subsequently seen to join the man whom the boy accosted.
The description given of the pony and cart seen at 1.0.0 p.m. corresponded with that given of the pony and cart which was noticed to drive away rapidly from the neighbourhood of Mr. Samuels’ shop at 3.45 p.m.
I should like to see or hear from the boy to whom I refer, and whom I have not yet been able to find.
IS IT GOSSIP?
The Coroner:- “I suppose this is gossip?”
Witness:- “It comes from other boys. There is good reason to believe that the pony and cart seen at 1.0.0. p.m. were the same as the pony and cart which were driven rapidly away about a quarter to four.”
A FREE PARDON OFFERRED
The coroner said he had received a letter stating that the Home Secretary had authorised the offer of a free pardon to any accomplice, not being the person who actually committed the murder, who should give such information and evidence as shall lead to the discovery and conviction of the murderer or murderers.
THE VERDICT AND TERMINATION
The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.
The Coroner (to inspector Jarvis):- “I suppose, Mr. Inspector, you do not yet, despair of apprehending the murderer?”
The Inspector: “No, not at all.”
The inquiry then terminated.
ANOTHER UNSOLVED MURDER
Despite the fact that several men confessed to having been involved in the murder of Mrs. Samuels, they all proved to be time wasters, and, just like the Jack the Ripper murders of the following year, what the press dubbed the “Kentish Town Murder” was destined to remain one of London’s many unsolved crimes.