A WHITECHAPEL POISONING CASE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 810, 9 September 1887, Page 29

A WHITECHAPEL POISONING CASE.

EXTRAORDINARY FEATURES. A tragedy of a mysterious nature has occurred in Batty-street, Commercialroad, Whitechapel. At 16, Batty-street, reside several Poles of the poorest description. Amongst these was a man named Isaac Angel, a boot-rivetter, who, with his wife, Rachel, occupied the two rooms on the first floor. On the top floor were two rooms, one of which was rented by a single young man named Israel Lipski, aged 22 years, a walking-stick maker. Lipski was known by the other inmates to be a hardworking and respectable young man, and when he retired to his room on Monday night nothing unusual was noticed in his appearance or manner. About half-past 6 on Tuesday morning Angel got up and left home, as usual, to go to his employment, leaving his wife in bed, apparently fast asleep. Mrs Angel, who was 24 years of age, was near her confinement. About half-past 11 Mrs Leah Levy, another lodger, not seeing or hearing anything of Mrs Angel, became alarmed, and went up to the bedroom and burst open tlie door. Mrs Angel was lying on the bed apparently dead. She was terribly burned, evidently with some acid, about the head, face, neck, and breast. An alarm was at once raised, and Dr J. Kay, of 100, Commercial Road, sent for. He found that Mrs Angel was dead, the cause of death being, in his opinion, from a cursory outward examination, poisoning by nitric acid. That opinion was further strengthened by the finding of an empty phial in the room, which had evidently contained some of the acid in question. Dr Kay then saw a man lying on his back under tjhe bed, apparently in a dying condition. This proved to be Lipski, whose clothing was much burnt by the same acid. Dr Kay being of opinion that Lipski would be better treated at the London Hospital, ordered his removal to that institution. An ambulance was procured and Lipski conveyed to the hospital, where he was treated by Dr Dobree Calvert, one of the house physicians. After some time the patient was able to write his name on a piece of paper, hut soon afterward relapsed into a state of insensibility. Israel Lipski made the following extraordinary explanation at the London hospital : —‘ ‘ At 7 o’clock in the morning a man who had worked for me asked me to give him some work. I told him to wait; that I would buy a vice for him, so that I could give him work. I went to purchase a vice, hut when I got to the shop it was

too soon. As I was going along I met another workman whom I knew, at the corner of Backchurch Bane. I went back to the shopkeeper, who wanted 4s for the vice ; I offered 3s. He said he would not take it. I returned to Batty-street, and got into the passage. I there saw the man I had seen in Backchurch Lane. He said, ‘ Will you give me work or not ? 1 said,’ ‘ Come to the workshop. I am o-oinc to breakfast ; then I will give you work.’ I told my landlady to make some coffee, and I sent the two men for some brandy. I afterward went upstairs. I there saw both these men, and saw them open a box. They took hold of me by the throat, throw me down, opened my mouth, and poured . some poison into it. They said, 4 That is the brandy. ’ They got my hands behind me, and asked me if I had any money. I said, ‘ I have got no more than the sovereign which I gave you to get the brandy, They then asked, ‘ Where is your gold chain ?’ I said, ‘lt is in pawn.’ They said, ‘lf you don’t give it you will be as dead as the woman.’ They put a piece of wood in my mouth. I struggled, and they then put their knees on me against my throat. One of them said to the other, ‘ Bon t you think he is quite dead yet ?’ The reply was, ‘Yes, he don’t- want any more ! They then threw me under the bed, and I then lay as if dead. One of the men I have known by the name of Simon. Lipski did not explain how it was that the bedroom door was locked on the inside, and that the only persons found in the room were himself and the dead young woman. A further examination of the place led to the discovery of Lipski’s hat and coat in the room. The bed was very much disarranged. . Dr J. W. Kay, of 100, Commercialroad, Whitechapel, made the following statement :— ‘ ‘ The man Israel Lipski occupies a room over that where I saw the dead woman, his occupation being that of a manufacturer of walking-sticks. At about 11 o’clock, the mother-in-law of Airs Angel made her customary call at the young woman’s door with a cup of tea. It so happened that the mother-in-law was not very well, and did not get up so early as usual. Not being able to get into the room, she made an alarm, called down a workman (who was at work overhead for this man, Israel Lipski), and the door was burst open. Then a most horrible sight presented itself. I was sent for, and discovered that the young woman seemingly a Jewess —was dead, and very much burnt and excoriated about the mouth, neck, and chest. This had been occasioned by some corrosive poison—probably nitric acid. The bed and the room generally were very much disarranged ; acid was spilt all over the floor, and holes were burnt in the poor woman s underclothing. All this led us in the room to believe" 3 that there had been foul play. Upon searching we found the man Lipski under the bed. He was only partially comatose. On waking him he was very much surprised, and said nothing. A -police-constat le was then called, and he was removed to the police station, -where he was seen by the divisional surgeon, and soon after sent off to the London Hospital. Ihe •room "was a horrible sight. The deceased was a fine healthy young woman. My opinion, so far, is that nitric acid was administered to lier, and that she died from shock caused by the great pam. There were on the bed three or four pillows, and she might have been partially or wholly suffocated before the poison was put into her mouth. The husband and wife lived on very affectionate terms. Had not the bedroom door been locked on the inside, and the man Lipski discovered under the bed, it would have been an awkward affair for the poor husband They were comfortable living people, and were very fond of each'other.

An old gentleman being asked what he wished for dinner, replied: “An appetite, good company, something to eat, and a napkin.”