ALFRED, EDWARD OR PATRICK MULSHAW

THE MYSTERIOUS MR. MULSHAW

Nightwatchman In Winthrop Street

Mulshaw's first name appears as either Edward, Patrick or Alfred, depending on which newspaper account you read about his appearance at the inquest into the death of Mary Nichols.

He was employed as a nightwatchman by the Whitechapel Board of Works, and, on the night of the 30th - 31st August, 1888, he was guarding sewage laying or repair works that were taking place in Winthrop Street, the adjacent thoroughfare to the East of Buck's Row. It should be noted that virtually every newspaper account of his testimony spelt the name of the thoroughfare as Winthorpe Street.

On Monday 17th September, 1888, he appeared as a witness at the resumed inquest into the death of Mary Nichols.

Although confessing that he sometimes dozed at his post, he was adamant that he had been awake over the course of the hour in which the murder must have occurred.

According to some newspaper reports he neither saw nor heard anything untoward during that night, whereas others reported that he was informed of the murder by a mysterious stranger.

I BELIEVE SOMEONE'S MURDERED DOWN THE STREET

Patrick Mulshaw, a night porter in the employ of the Whitechapel District Board of Works, living at 3, Rupert-street, Whitechapel, said that on the night of this occurrence he was at the back of the Working Lads' Institute in Winthrop-street.

He went on duty about a quarter to 5 in the afternoon, and remained until about five minutes to 6 the next morning, when he was relieved. He was watching some sewage works. He dozed at times during the night, but was not asleep between 3 and 4 o'clock. He did not see any one about during that period, and did not hear any cries for assistance, or any other noise. The slaughterhouse was about 70 yards away from where he was.

Another man then passed by, and said, "Watchman, old man, I believe somebody is murdered down the street." Witness then went to Buck's-row, and saw the body of deceased lying on the ground. Three or four policemen and five or six working men were there.

By the CORONER. If any one had called out for assistance from the spot where the body was he might have heard it. Nothing suspicious occurred during the time he was watching, and he saw no person running away. There was no one about after 11 and 12 o'clock, and the inhabitants of the street appeared to be very orderly persons.

He did not often see the police there. During the night he saw two constables, including Constable Neil. He was unable to say what time he saw that officer."

Source: The Times Tuesday, 18th September 1888.

HE HEARD NO CRIES FOR HELP

Alfred Mulshaw, the nightwatchman to the Board of Works for the Whitechapel district, stated that he was on duty in Winthorpe Street all the night of the 30th Ult. till six o'clock the next morning. He was watching some sewerage works that were going on there.

He heard no cries for help that night.

The slaughter-house was about fifty yards off.

Source: The Pall Mall Gazette Tuesday, 18th September 1888.

HE WAS NOT ASLEEP

Alfred Mulshaw said he was employed by the Whitechapel Board of Works.

On Thursday, 30th August he was in Winthorpe Street acting as a watchman at some sewage works.

He was not asleep between the hours of three and four on the morning of the murder. he saw nobody about at that time, and he did not hear any cries for assistance. Had the deceased cried out he was not sure that he would have heard her."

Source: St James's Gazette Tuesday, 18th September 1888.

A DIFFERENT ACCOUNT AND NAME

Edward Mulshaw said that he was a nightwatchman employed by the Whitechapel District Board of Works.

He was in Winthorpe Street during the night of the 30th ult. He went on duty at a quarter-to-five in the afternoon, and remained there until five minutes to six on the following morning. he was watching some sewage works. Sometimes he dozed at his post, but he did not think he slept between three and four o'clock on this particular morning.

He saw nobody about and heard no noise.

Source: The Tewkesbury Register, and Agricultural Gazette Saturday, 22nd September 1888.

HE DID NOT SEE ANYBODY

Alfred Mulshaw, night watchman for the Board Works, Whitechapel district, said that he was on duty in Winthorpe-street, Buck's-row, all the night of the murder. He was watching the sewage works.

Between three and four o'clock on the morning of the murder he was awake, but did not see anyone about at that time, nor did he hear any cries for assistance, or any other noise.

He was stationed not very far from the place where the murdered woman was found.

About 20 minutes to five o'clock a man came and said, "Old man, I think a woman has been murdered," and he immediately went round to Buck's-row, where he saw the deceased lying the ground."

Source: The Bury Free Press Saturday, 22nd September 1888.