to my husband in the morning. It was a painful moan - two or three faint gasps - and then it passed away. It was quite dark at the time, but a luggage went by as I heard the sounds. There was, too, a sound as of whispers underneath the window. I distinctly heard voices, but cannot say what was said - it was too faint. I then woke my husband, and said to him, "I don't know what possesses me, but I cannot sleep to-night." She also added that as soon as she heard of the murder she came to the conclusion that the voices she heard were in some way connected with it and that the cries were very different from those of an ordinary street brawl. An important statement, throwing considerable light on a point hitherto surrounded with some uncertainty - the time the crime was committed in Buck's-row, or the body deposited there - was made this afternoon by Mrs. Harriet Lilley, who lives two doors from the spot where the deceased was discovered. Mrs. Lilley said: - I slept in front of the house, and could hear everything that occurred in the street. On that Thursday night I was somehow very restless. Well, I heard something I mentioned to my husband in the morning. It was a painful moan - two or three faint gasps - and then it passed away. It was quite dark at the time, but a luggage went by as I heard the sounds. There was, too, a sound as of whispers underneath the window. I distinctly heard voices, but cannot say what was said - it was too faint. I then woke my husband, and said to him, "I don't know what possesses me, but I cannot sleep to-night." Mrs. Lilley added that as soon as she heard of the murder she came to the conclusion that the voices she heard were in some way connected with it. The cries were very different from those of an ordinary street brawl. It has been ascertained that on the morning of the date of the murder a goods train passed on the East London Railway at about half-past three - the 3.7 out from New-cross - which was probably the time when Mary Ann Nicholls was either killed or placed in Buck's-row.
ROBERT MANN, Witness at Mary Ann Nichols' and Annie Chapman's inquests. Recently alleged suspect.
Born c.1835, Mile End New Town. A pauper inmate at the Whitechapel Workhouse described as a dock Worker, Mann was in charge of the workhouse mortuary in Old Montague Street on the morning of 31st August 1888. He stated that on that morning, he was summoned by police to attend to a body at the mortuary. He arrived at about 5.00am, remaining there until the body was taken inside. He then locked the doors and went for his breakfast. After breakfast, Mann returned to the mortuary with fellow inmate James Hatfield and undressed the body. He did not recall being told not to touch the body and could not remember if Inspector Joseph Helson was in attendance. He also stated that the clothing was neither torn nor cut, but could not remember where the blood was. He said that Hatfield had to cut the clothing down the front to remove it. At the Nichols inquest, coroner Wynne Baxter noted that Robert Mann was subject to fits and that his statements were 'hardly reliable'. Mann was also present at the Annie Chapman inquest, though it was not universally mentioned in the press: Robert Mann: I have charge of the Whitechapel mortuary. On Saturday last I received the body of the deceased at the mortuary about seven o'clock. I was there most of the day. No one touched the body until the nurses came over and undressed it. I remained at the mortuary until the doctor arrived, and the door was locked. The police were in charge of it. No one touched the body except the nurses. I was not present when they laid the corpse out. The nurses mentioned in the above account were Mary Simonds and and Frances Wright). Robert Mann died of phthisis in Whitechapel in 1896.
JONAS MIZEN, Police Constable Jonas Mizen, 56H
Witness at Mary Ann Nichols' inquest. Born 1848 in Radwinter, Essex. Originally a gardener based in Mitcham, Surrey, he joined the Metropolitan Police in 1873, warrant no.56678, serving in H-division (Whitechapel) throughout his career. PC Mizen was on 'knocking up' duty in Hanbury Street at 4.15am on 31st August 1888 when he was approached by Charles Cross and Robert Paul. Cross said "you are wanted in Baker's Row" and after some explanation, Mizen went to Buck's Row where he found PC John Neil, some local residents and the body of Nichols. Mizen was sent by Neil to fetch the ambulance. Mizen had assured the inquest that he did not continue 'knocking up' before going to Buck's Row. He retired in 1898.
MARY ANN MONK, Witness at Mary Ann Nichols' inquest. Described as a 'young woman with a flushed face and a haughty air', she was a former inmate of the Lambeth Workhouse and she knew Nichols from her time there six or seven years previously. She also claimed to have last seen her six weeks previously in a pub in the New Kent Road and drank with her. Mary Ann Monk was the first person to positively identify Nichols' body in the mortuary at 7.30pm, 31st August 1888.
PATRICK MULSHAW, Witness at Mary Ann Nichols' inquest. Born c.1857 in Spitalfields, In 1861, the family were living at 5 Thrawl Street, Spitalfields. Ten years later they were residing at 17 Goulston Court, Goulston Street.
In 1888 he was living at 3 Rupert Street, Whitechapel and was a night porter in the employ of the Whitechapel District Board of Works. On the night of August 30th 1888, he was at the back of the Working Lad's Institute watching some sewer works - he started work at 4.45pm and was situated in Winthrop Street. He remained at his post until 5.55am the next morning. He had dozed a few times during the night, but believed he was not asleep between 3.00 and 4.00am. He did not see anyone around after midnight and heard no cries for assistance. He did however, see two constables, one of whom was PC John Neil, but he couldn't say what time that would have been.
A man later passed by and said "Watchman, old man, I believe somebody is murdered down the street". Mulshaw promptly went to Buck's Row and saw several police officers and working-men standing by Mary Ann Nichols' body. Patrick Mulshaw was later recorded as living with his mother and several brothers at 33 John Street, St George in the East and was described as a general Worker.
JAMES MUMFORD, not called to Mary Ann Nichols' inquest. Born c.1853, Whitechapel, married to Emma (b.1855). A horse slaughter man employed at Harrison, Barber & Co, Winthrop Street. After being informed of the murder of Mary Ann Nichols by PC John Thain at 4.15am, 31st August 1888, Mumford accompanied co-workers Henry Tomkins and Charles Bretton to the scene in Buck's Row. In 1891, Mumford is recorded as living at 22 Winthrop Street opposite the slaughterhouse with his wife and three children, James b.1886, Frederick b.1889 and Alice b.1891
JOHN NEIL, Police Constable John Neil, 97J Witness at Mary Ann Nichols' inquest. Born 1850, County Cork, Ireland. Joined Metropolitan Police in 1875, J-division Bethnal Green throughout his career. Married to Mary b.1850 with two daughters, Henrietta b.1880 and Julia b.1881. PC Neil discovered the body of Mary Ann Nichols whilst on beat duty at approximately 3.45am, 31st August 1888. He had walked from Thomas Street into Buck's Row and was heading eastwards towards Brady Street. Hearing PC John Thain walking along Brady Street, he summoned him with his lamp and later, he was joined by PC Jonas Mizen who had been alerted to the discovery of Nichols' body by the carmen Charles Cross and Robert Paul. It is likely that Neil missed Cross and Paul by minutes and testified that he saw nobody about. The furthest he had been from the murder spot all night was Baker's Row. With the aid of his lamp, he noticed the wound to Nichols' throat and that blood was still oozing out. He felt her arm, which he claimed was still warm and noted that her eyes were wide open. Her bonnet was lying nearby. He immediately dispatched PC Thain to fetch Dr. Rees Ralph Llewellyn and told PC Mizen to fetch the ambulance. Whilst waiting for Dr. Llewellyn, he was joined by Henry Tomkins, James Mumford and Charles Bretton who worked at Harrison, Barber & Co, horse slaughterers in nearby Winthrop Street and who he had seen at 3.15am, ie thirty minutes before finding Nichols' body. Neil also rung the bell of Essex Wharf to enquire if a disturbance had been heard, to which the answer was 'no', as well as examining the area around the body, on which he found no traces of wheel-marks. PC Neil remained with the body (in accordance with procedure) until it was removed to the mortuary. In 1889, John Neil was a reserve police officer, JR 11. He retired from service in 1897 after receiving an injury whilst on duty.
ROBERT PAUL, Born 1857, Mile End, London. Married to Julia Hurley, father of eight children: from 1880to 1895, Robert Paul was a carman working in Corbett's Court off Hanbury Street, Spitalfields, he lived at 30 Foster Street, Whitechapel. He was on his way to work as he passed down Buck's Row at approx. 3.45am on 31st August 1888, when he was approached by Charles Cross who had just discovered the body of Mary Ann Nichols. Paul felt her face and hands and said "I think she's breathing but it's very little if she is". He thought she may be