Joseph Isaacs Arrested

THE EAST END MURDERS.

At an early hour on Tuesday morning a man was given into custody on suspicion of being the Whitechapel murderer. The man, who had the appearance of a foreigner and carried a small black bag, had inquired the way to the Strand from a man in the neighbourhood of Drury-lane. He was conveyed to Bow-street, but shortly after set at liberty.
An arrest of a more suspicious nature was made in Drury-lane on Thursday, of Joseph Isaacs, 30, who said he had no fixed abode, and described himself as a cigar maker. He was charged at Worship-street police-court on Friday with having stolen a watch value 30s., the goods of Julius Levenson. - The theft was committed at the time the prisoner was being watched as the person "wanted" for the murders. - The prosecutor, Levenson, said that the prisoner entered his shop on the 5th inst. with a violin-bow and asked him to repair it. While discussing the matter the prisoner bolted out of the shop, and the witness missed a gold watch belonging to a customer. The watch had been found at a pawnshop. - To prove that the prisoner was the man who entered the shop, a woman named Mary Cusins was called. She is a deputy at a lodging-house in Paternoster-row, Spitalfields, and said that the prisoner had lodged in the house as a single lodger for three or four nights before the Dorset-street murder - the murder of Mary Jeannette Kelly, in Miller's-court. He disappeared after that murder, leaving the violin-bow behind. The witness on the house-to-house inspection gave information to the police, and said she remembered that on the night of the murder she heard the prisoner walking about his room. After her statement a look-out was kept for the prisoner, whose appearance certainly answered to the published description of a man with an astrachan trimming to his coat. He visited the lodging-house on the 5th, and asked for the violin-bow. It was given to him, and the witness Cusins followed him to give him into custody as requested. She saw him enter Levenson's shop, and run out. - Detective Record that there were some matters alleged against the prisoner which it was desired to inquire into. - Mr. Bushby remanded the prisoner.

LATEST PARTICULARS.

From inquiries made by a representative of Lloyd's, it appears that Isaacs, the latest suspect, has resided on various occasions at a lodging-house in Paternoster-row, about two minutes' walk from the house in Miller's-court, Dorset-street, where Mary Jeannette Kelly was murdered on Lord Mayor's day. The man is said to be a Polish Jew, and his conduct at the lodging-house is described as having been so strange that the deputy, Mary Cusins, and other lodgers, thought it their duty, when the police made the house-to-house visitation in search of the murderer, to specially mention him. One of the lodgers known by the name of Catherine made serious allegations against the prisoner.
Mary Cusins, the deputy, stated to our representative that she never heard him use the words herself, but the people in the kitchen used to remark upon his extraordinary expressions, and also his singular conduct in having so many musical instruments none of which he could play. She thought it a very singular thing that he left the house shortly before the last murder was committed, and that he had not been seen since till this month.
Cornelius Oakes, who lodges at the same house, stated that he always considered the conduct of the man as strange. He had a banjo, a violin, a guitar, a mandoline, and musical-box, though he could not play any of them. He heard him threaten violence to every woman above 17. The man often used to change his dress. Sometimes he would wear a hard felt hat, and at other times a double-peaked cap. He had been asked by the police to try and keep a look-out for him. He had been out with the police in search of him, but they had not met with him till he turned up again on Thursday. He followed him for some time about the Seven Dials, and finally laid hold of him in Drury-lane. He tried to get away, but they called a policeman, who arrested him, and took him to Bow-street station. Detective-serjeant Record was immediately telegraphed to, and he came, and took him to the local police-station in a cab.

Source: Lloyd's Weekly London Newspaper, December 9, 1888, Page 7

THE WHITECHAPEL SUSPECT.

Joseph Isaacs, 30, cigar maker, with no fixed abode, was charged on remand, at Worship-street police-court, on Friday, with having stolen from the shop of a watchmaker, named Levenson, a gold watch, value 30s. The prisoner, it may be remembered, had been sought for by the police in consequence of a report of his movements on the night of the murder of Mary Jeannette Kelly in Dorset-street, Spitalfields, and it was said by the police that they wished the fullest inquiry as to the prisoner's movements on the night of November 8. For that purpose he was remanded; but Detective-serjeant Record, H division, said that, so far, there was no further charge against the prisoner. The prisoner was then asked if he wished to go for trial; but he pleaded "Guilty," and was sentenced to three months' hard labour.

Source: Lloyd's Weekly London Newspaper, December 16, 1888, Page 7

Joseph Isaacs was arrested on April 2, 1888 for committing a violent assault on a porter at the Bishopsgate Station.

ROW AT BISHOPSGATE STATION.

There was a very extraordinary scene at the Bishopsgate Station of the Great Eastern Railway yesterday afternoon, in which Joseph Isaacs, of Windsor-terrace, City-road, and John Hadler, of Hanbury-street, Mile-end, were the principal actors. At about five o'clock these two individuals, with six others, entered the ladies' waiting-room, and commenced placing the chairs upon the tables. They were ejected from the room by a porter named Smith, and while the latter was walking away to follow his ordinary duty, Isaacs ran up to him, struck him a violent blow in the mouth, and knocked him down. The foreman porter (Alfred Feathers) went to his assistance, whereupon Hadler ran up and struck him in the face and tore his coat, and followed that up by striking another porter named Kentwoods. Two constables were called, and they took Isaacs and Hadler into custody. They were charged with assault at the Worship-street Police-court, today, and fined 40s. or one month's imprisonment with hard labour.

Source: The Echo, Tuesday April 3, 1888, Page 4

A POLISH JEW'S CURIOUS ANTECEDENTS.

The police are continuing their enquiries into the antecedents of Joseph Isaacs, said to be a Polish Jew, who is now in custody on a charge of watch stealing. Mary Cousins, the deputy of a lodging house in Paternoster-row, near Dorset-street, and Cornelius Oakes,
a lodger, state that the conduct of the prisoner was frequently strange. Although he had a violin and several other musical instruments he was never known to play any of them. Oakes says prisoner used often to change his dress. He heard him threaten violence to all
women above 17 years of age.
A London evening paper says an appalling discovery has been made in connection with the Whitechapel murders which explains the method and motive of the criminal, while it leaves his identity as mysterious as ever.

Source: Cardiff Times, 15 December 1888, Page 6