Details of Carrie Brown's Murder

"JACK THE RIPPER" IN NEW YORK.
NEW YORK, Friday Afternoon.

A terrible crime was discovered this morning, the atrocious character of which has caused great popular excitement. Last evening a couple who gave the names of Mr. and Mrs. Knictoi called at a low-class resort known as the East River Hotel, and were assigned a room for the night. Nothing was heard of the couple during the night, nor did they put in an appearance early this morning as lodgers in such places are accustomed to do. About noon the landlord gave orders for them to be roused, but loud banging at the door failed to elicit any response. The people in the house, finding that something was wrong, then sent for the police. In their presence the door was forced. The first man who got in yelled out "Murder," and rushed affrighted from the room. He had cause, for murder of the most foul description had been committed in that little room. Upon the bed lay the body of the woman mutilated in the fiendish manner peculiar to "Jack the Ripper," the abdomen being ripped up, and the viscera exposed in a way which showed that part of it had been carried away by the murderer. The face was entirely hidden - a chemise, a sheet, and a petticoat having been wound in the order named round the head. When these had been removed, the throat was found to be only slightly cut, but a stocking was tied round the throat tightly enough to cause suffocation. There was also a heavy knife wound in the body near the base of the spine. The murder and mutilation had been, to all appearance, done by a strong table knife which, having broken in the murderer's hand, had been thrown on the floor, where it was found by the police. The body was quite cold when found, and the surgeons are of opinion that the woman's life was taken in the small hours of the morning. But the stillness of the night was not broken by any cry for help, or, indeed, any noise whatsoever, and the murderer made good his escape as noiselessly as he committed the crime. The murderer's identity has not been established, but the police have obtained from the hotel people information upon which they have issued a description of him as - "Age, about 30, shabby appearance; slight build; 5ft. 8in. high; light complexion; sandy hair; small sandy moustache." The name of the victim has not been ascertained, and all that is known at present is that she frequented the district.

NEW YORK, Saturday.

The murder of a woman whose mutilated body was found yesterday morning at a lodging house here, known as the Eastriner Hotel, continues to engross public attention. The police engaged in the case have been most active in their exertions, but so far no very helpful clue to the identity of the murderer has been discovered. The unhappy victim has been identified as one Carrie Brown. She was an elderly woman, being about 60 years of age, and was employed as a domestic servant. She was, however, addicted to occasional outbursts of dissipation. Two men and five women have been arrested on suspicion. One of the men passes among his associates as "Frenchy," and at present the police decline to divulge his real name. He is known to have been a frequenter of the low houses of the East End, and he was acquainted with Brown.

Source: Cardiff Times, 2 May 1891, Page 5

"JACK THE RIPPER."
Supposed Capture of the Miscreant.

According to advices received at Plymouth on Wednesday, the police authorities of Jersey City, State of New York, believe they have in custody the real "Jack the Ripper." It will be remembered that a woman named Carrie Brown, who was murdered at East River Hotel, and that the police of New York arrested for the crime a man known as "Frenchy No. 1." The individual now charged with committing the act is supposed to be an Algerian sailor, and a cousin of "Frenchy No. 1," passing generally under the alias of "Frenchy No. 2." Strangely enough, he in many ways corresponds with the published descriptions of "Jack the Ripper," and follows the occupation in which that notorious criminal is believed to be engaged, a boss cattle driver on tramp cattle ships. What also seems to strengthen the belief that the man now in gaol and the Ripper are one and the same person is the fact that he was arrested in London, England, and imprisoned several weeks for one of the Whitechapel murders, but the authorities had to release him because of their inability to identify him with the perpetrator of those horrible crimes.

Source: Cardiff Times, 23 May 1891, Page 4