ALFRED GEORGE CROW

HE SAW A BODY ON THE LANDING

Resident Of George Yard Buildings

Witness At Martha Tabram's Inquest

Alfred George Crow, was a resident of George Yard Buildings, the location where the body of Martha Tabram was found on the morning of Tuesday, 7th August, 1888.

A cabdriver by trade, he returned home at 3.30 am on the 7th of August, 1888.

As he was going the stairs, he noticed somebody lying on the floor of the first-floor landing, but, because he often found people sleeping on the lading, he paid so little attention that he was unable to say whether it was a man or a woman.

The East London Observer, published the following synopsis of his inquest testimony on Saturday, 11th August, 1888:-

Alfred George Crow was the next witness.

In appearance, he was a young man of about twenty-three or four, with closely cropped hair, and a beardless, but intelligent face, and wore a shabby green overcoat.

Said he:-

I live at 37, George Yard Buildings, and am a cabdriver, my number being 6, 609.

I came home at half-past-three on Tuesday morning, which is about my usual time, although I am on day duty. I went straight up to my lodgings. I had no light with me, and went up the same staircase as the last witness.

On my way up I noticed that there was somebody lying on the first landing.

My eyesight is very good, and I noticed a body lying there, just as I turned the landing. I am accustomed, however, to find people lying sleeping there, and so I took no notice at the time - not even to ascertain whether the body was that of a male or female.

I don't know, therefore, whether the deceased was alive or dead at the time I saw her.

I went to bed, and did sot come out again before half-past nine, and up to that time I heard no noise at all of any kind.

When I went down the stairs then, the body was gone, and I did not know what had been done with it.

When I first saw the body, I took so little notice that I am not prepared to say whether or not it was the body of this female at all."

Source: The East London Observer, Saturday, 11th August, 1888.