Mary Chappell

Mary Chappell was a friend of Mrs. Fiddymont and she also claimed that she saw a suspicious-looking man with blood on his hands on the morning of Chapman's murder:

If a mistress wishes her servant-maid to wear caps, she must, in future, make it part of her stipulations of hiring that that must be done. In the Westminster County Court last week Mary Chappell, a domestic servant, sought to recover nine days' wages, at the rate of 16s. a week, from a Mr. Kennedy, her late master. She proved the engagement by defendant's wife, and said she was discharged because she refused to wear a cap. The Master said that when he engaged the plaintiff no mention was made of the dress she was to wear, but he took it as a recognised thing between mistresses and servants that the latter had to wear caps. The maid, among other things, had to open the door to visitors, and he could not allow a capless maid to answer his door. He dismissed her for disregard of lawful orders: -

The Judge - What were the lawful orders?
Defendant - That she should wear a cap.
His Honour - I do not think she was bound to wear a cap.
Defendant - It is a recognised custom for servants to wear caps.
Plaintiff said she never refused to do her work, but she did emphatically refuse to wear a cap. She was dismissed after she gave notice to leave. She was with the defendant nine days. His Honour thought the plaintiff was entitled to her wages, and gave judgment accordingly, with costs.

Source: The Guardian, August 5, 1891, Page 1283