Full 'Statements' of Louis Diemshitz
Daily Telegraph 1 October 1888
'I have been steward of the club six or seven months. I am also a traveller in common jewellery. I went yesterday to Westow-hill Market, a place I usually visit on Saturdays, and I came back about one and two in the morning. I drove home in my own trap. My pony is rather shy, and as I turned into the yard it struck me that it bore too much to the left-hand side against he wall. I bent my head to see what it was that he was shying at, and I noticed that the ground was not level. I saw a little heap, which I thought might perhaps be some mud swept together. I touched the heap with the handle of my whip, and then I found that it was not mud. I jumped off the trap and struck a match, when I saw the body of a woman. I did not wait to see whether she was drunk or dead, but ran indoors and asked whether my wife was there. I did this because I knew she had rather a weak constitution. I saw my wife was sitting downstairs, and I at once informed the members that something had happened in the yard. I did not tell them whether the woman was murdered or drunk, because I did not then know. A member named Isaacs went down into the yard with me, and we struck a match. We saw blood right from the gate up the yard. Then we both went for the police; but, unfortunately, it was several minutes before we could find a constable. At last another member of the club, named Eagle, who ran out after us and went in a different direction, found one somewhere in commercial-road. This policeman blew his whistle, and several more policemen came up, and soon after the doctors arrived. The woman seemed to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. She was a little bit better dressed, I should say, then the woman who was last murdered. Her clothes were not disarranged. She had a flower in the bosom of her dress. In one hand she had some grapes, and in the other some sweets. She was grasping them tightly. I had never seen her before. She was removed about a quarter to five to Cable-street Mortuary. When I first saw her she was lying on her left side two yards from the entrance with her feet towards the street. I do not keep my trap in the yard, but I keep my goods at the club.'
Evening Standard, 1 October 1888
'I have been steward of this Club for six or seven years, and I live on the premises. It had been my habit, for some time past, to go on Saturdays to Westow-hill, Crystal Palace, where there is a market, at which I sell my wares. This morning I got back from Westow market, as usual, about one o'clock. I drove up to the gate of the Club-house in my little cart, drawn by a pony, after being at the market. When I was passing through the double gates into the yard. I saw something on the ground, and struck a match. Then I saw that there was a woman lying there. At that time I took no further notice, and did not know if she was drunk or dead. I ran indoors, and told some of the members of the Club that something had happened in the yard. One of the members, who is known as Isaacs, went out with me. We struck match, and saw blood running from the gate all the way down to the side door of the Club. We had the police sent for at once, but I believe it was several minutes before a constable could be found. There was another of the Club, named Eagle, who also ran out to get a policeman. He went in a different direction to the others, and found two officers somewhere in Commercial-road. One of them was 252H. An officer blew his whistle, and several more policemen came. One of them was sent for a doctor. Dr. Phillips. The police surgeon, of Spital-square, and Dr. Kaye, of Blackwall, both came. The police afterwards took the names of all the members of the Club, and they say that all of us have to give evidence about it. It was about five o'clock before the officers left us. I should think the woman was about 27 or 28 years old. It seemed to me that her clothes were in perfect order. I could see that her throat was fearfully cut. There was a great gash in it over two inches wide. She had dark clothes on, and wore a black crape bonnet . Her hands were clenched, and when the doctor opened them I saw that she had been holding grapes in one hand and sweetmeats in the other. I could not say whether she was an unfortunate, but if she was I should judge her to be rather better class than the women we usually see about this neighbourhood. I do not think anybody in this district, and certainly none of our members, had ever seen her before. When I first saw the woman she was lying on her left side. Her left hand was on the ground, and the right was crossed over the breast. Her head was down the yard, and her feet towards the entrance, not more than about a yard or so inside the gates. I keep my pony and trap in Cable-street, but I went down to the Club first to deposit my goods there.'