Emily Barker - Pinchin Torso

THE PINCHIN-STREET DISCOVERY.
SUPPOSED IDENTIFICATION.

It is believed the identity of the last Whitechapel victim has been established. The father and mother of the girl named Emily Barker, of Northampton, say they feel convinced the remains found beneath the arch in Pinchin-street were those of their daughter. The girl, it is said, had lived a wild life, and the last heard of her was that she was picked up off a London doorstep in a destitute state by a London missionary. She escaped suddenly from his charge two days before the murder was discovered. The mother says she is convinced of the identity, and that she made one of the garments which were found by the police. Her suspicions are, she says, confirmed by a mark on the finger. The police, however, point out that the garment in question which has been cleansed, was hand stitched in a very indifferent manner. The opinion of the medical men, moreover, is that the remains found are those of a woman between 30 and 40, and the missing girl from Northampton is much younger. There seems to be no doubt, however, about the fact that the girl Emily Barker did find her way to Whitechapel, that she was friendless there, and that she endured some terrible privations after she left home.

A WANDERER IN WHITECHAPEL.

The Rev. Mr. Winter, Curate of St. John's Church, Bethnal-green, who had some knowledge of Miss Barker, says: - It was about six o'clock on the first Friday evening in this month that I was told that a young girl wanted to see me. I asked her what she wanted, and she told me that she wanted to know if I could assist her back to Northampton. She wanted me to pay her fare, as she said she wanted to go back home to her father. I was very short with her, and told her I had no funds for any such purpose. She told me she came to London on the previous Monday, and as she did not know where to go she went and procured a night's lodgings at the Salvation Army's shelter in Whitechapel. I have no home for girls, and as so many are given to lying, I preferred not to have much to say to her, but I got one of my female helps to interview her. She said that on the first night she had to pay 3d. for her night's lodging at the Salvation Army, but when she went the second night she had no money, and they would not take her in. They told her that if she was a fallen girl, and if she would admit it, they would send her to one of their homes. She, however, persistently refused to make such an admission. As she did not possess any money, she said that the next night she then walked about Whitechapel, and at last got into Hanbury-street, where one of the murders was committed. She walked about in that dark street all one night. As I had no place to send her, I gave her the addresses of several places for girls. She, however, elected to go back to the Salvation Army, and I gave her 3d. I telegraphed to her father, and he replied he could not have her back, as it would only cause another row in his house. She did not return to me the following morning, and what became of her I do not know. In appearance she was rather short, dark, and plump.

Source: The Echo, Monday September 30, 1889, Page 3

THE WHITECHAPEL TRAGEDY.

Some excitement was occasioned on Saturday when it was known the father and mother of a girl named Emily Barker, of Northampton, were convinced that she was the Whitechapel murderer's latest victim. The girl had led a wild life, and the last heard of her was that she had been picked up on a London doorstep in a semi-nude state by a London missionary. She escaped suddenly from his charge two days before the murder was discovered.
Our reporter, on making special inquiries last night, learned that Mrs. Barker was positive the chemise found on the murdered remains corresponded with that which she herself made for her daughter Emily. The chemise in question, it should be stated, has been cleansed, and it was alleged by Inspector Moore that it is hand-stitched in a very indifferent manner. As, however, the opinion of the medical men is that the remains are those of a woman between 30 and 40, the police do not think the murdered body is that of the missing girl from Northampton, who is said to be much younger; in fact, under 20. It is considered by some, and also by the mother of the girl, that there has been a mistake in reference to the supposed age of the murdered woman. There is no doubt, however, about the fact that the girl Emily Barker did find her way to Whitechapel, that she was friendless there, and that she endured some terrible privations, after she left home. The Rev. Mr. Winter, curate of St. John's church, Bethnal-green, who had some knowledge of Miss Barker, says: - It was about six o'clock on the first Friday evening in this month that I was told that a young girl wanted to see me. I asked her what she wanted, and she told me that she wanted to know if I could assist her back to Northampton. She wanted me to pay her fare, as she said she wanted to go back home to her father. I was very short with her, and told her I had no funds for any such a purpose. She told me she came to London on the previous Monday, and as she did not know where to go she went and procured a night's lodgings at the Salvation Army's shelter in Whitechapel. I have no home for girls, and as so many are given to lying, I preferred not to have much to say to her, but I got one of my female helps to interview her. She said that on the first night she had to pay 3d. for her night's lodging at the Salvation Army, but when she went the second night she had no money and they would not take her in. They told her that if she was a fallen girl, and if she would admit it, they would send her to one of their homes. She, however, persistently refused to make such an admission. As she did not possess any money she said that the next night she then walked about Whitechapel, and at last got into Hanbury-street, where one of the murders were committed. She walked about in that dark street all one night. As I had no place to send her I gave her the addresses of several places for girls. She, however, elected to go back to the Salvation Army, and I gave her 3d. I telegraphed to her father, and he replied he could not have her back, as it would only cause another row in his house. She did not return to me the following morning, and what became of her I do not know. In appearance she was rather short, dark and plump.
Mr. Barker came up to London on Monday, and had a long interview with the detectives, but Mr. Barker's description of his daughter by no means tallied with that of the murdered woman, and he returned to Northampton satisfied that the deceased was a stranger to him. In the first place, there was an important discrepancy in the matter of height. According to Mr. Barker's statement his daughter was about 5ft. 4in., and, whilst plump and well nourished, was distinctly petite in appearance. So far as can be gathered from the characteristics of the dismembered trunk the murdered woman must have been a person of very different physique. Her height would be at least 5ft. 8in. or 9in., her limbs above the average size, and her frame generally that of an almost abnormally developed female. But the most important feature in the case is the absence from the mutilated body of a peculiar mark known to exist on that of Emily Barker.
On Saturday evening one of the well-known news agencies received a letter bearing the East London post-mark, purporting to be from the notorious "Jack the Ripper." The envelope was apparently written by a different person from the text of the note, which was written on a torn single sheet of notepaper, and which ran as follows: -

"E. 28th Sept. - Dear Editor, - I hope to resume operations about Tuesday or Wednesday night. Don't let the coppers know. - JACK THE RIPPER."

The envelope was smeared with red ink, and the words "Jack-the-Ripper" were underlined with red ink. The whole affair is very like a coarse joke.

Source: Lloyd's Weekly London Newspaper, October 6, 1889, Page 7

The authorities at Scotland Yard (headquarters of the metropolitan police) have obtained proof that the mutilated corpse found recently in Whitechapel is one by the name of Emily Barker.

Source: Le Temps, October 2, 1889, Page 2