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Carrie Brown : Murder In The East River Hotel
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#Post#: 6829--------------------------------------------------
May 1891- Begins With A Burial
DIR By: HowBrown1953
Date: May 1, 2026, 5:16 am
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Carrie is buried in Harmony Grove Cemetery, Salem,
Massachusetts.
There were a few onlookers.
Boston Globe
May 1, 1891
&
Boston Post
May 1, 1891
***********
Click on attachments
#Post#: 6832--------------------------------------------------
Re: May 1891- Begins With A Burial
DIR By: HowBrown1953
Date: May 2, 2026, 6:57 am
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Philadelphia Inquirer
May 2, 1891
***********
IMPORTANT LINKS MISSING
Insufficient Testimony at Hand to Hold "Frenchy" for Murder.
Byrnes Refuses to Say He Has Evidence to Convict Him.
Desirous of Finding the Man Who Was the Companion of Carrie
Brown on the Night of the Horrible Butchery.
SPECIAL TO THE INQUIRER.
NEW YORK, May 1.—Acting Superintendent Byrnes is not inclined to
remain satisfied with the work already done toward proving the
identity of Frank Sherlick, or Frenchy, as he is more familiarly
known, as the murderer of the unfortunate old woman, Carrie
Brown, who was found brutally butchered in one of the rooms of
the East River Hotel, on Catharine street. The chain of
circumstantial evidence which connects the accused man with the
commission of the murder is very strong, but there are two very
important links missing, which the police authorities will
endeavor to find if possible. Superintendent Byrnes to-day was
inclined to be reticent about the affair. He said that he had no
opinion to express as to the guilt or innocence of the accused;
that the facts upon which the authorities rested their
justification for arresting Frenchy have been laid before the
public so that every one can draw his or her own inference.
THE SEARCH KEPT UP.
"I will state, however," said Mr. Byrnes, "that our search for
the man who accompanied the unfortunate woman to the hotel on
the night she was murdered is being made thoroughly and
systematically." The Superintendent had no explanation to offer
why the inquest had been adjourned when there is plenty of
evidence to satisfy any Coroner's jury that Frenchy should be
held for the action of the grand jury. This fact, together with
the peculiar way in which the circumstances that point toward
Frenchy as the guilty man were allowed to become public, coupled
with Inspector Byrnes' refusal to express his belief in
Frenchy's guilt, have caused the impression that, after all, the
prisoner may not be the man wanted for the crime.
Lawyer Levy, of Levy, Friend & House, the law firm assigned by
Judge Martine to look after the legal rights of the accused man,
said to-day: "The previous character of the man who is now our
client will not have the slightest weight in the matter. If he
is innocent of this crime it is our duty to save him from
conviction, if possible. So far we have not had any extended
talk with the man, and all I know of the facts in the case is
what I have read in the newspapers. The story of the crime and
the theory which makes Frenchy the principal actor in it, as
told by Inspector Byrnes in to-day's papers, are certainly
interesting, and read like a synopsis of one of Gaboriau's
novels. But granting all the actual facts narrated therein to be
true, if they are all the authorities have to prove the guilt of
the accused man, then I will say right here that he will never
be convicted of the crime.
WILL NEVER BE TRIED.
"It is absolutely necessary that the man who accompanied Carrie
Brown to the hotel be produced, or that it be proven beyond all
doubt that he left the hotel as alleged, before midnight on
Thursday. And now let me make a prediction, and that is, if this
unknown man is found our client will never be placed on trial
for the murder. Inspector Byrnes is too busy a man to lose time
unnecessarily upon a case, and if the facts that prove Frenchy's
guilt are as strong as he wishes the public to believe, he would
have handed the case over to the Coroner to be disposed of in
the routine way."
"Old Shakespeare's" Remains Placed in a Receiving Vault at
Salem.
SALEM, Mass., May 1.—The remains of Carrie Brown, alias "Old
Shakespeare," arrived in this city at 5 o'clock yesterday
afternoon and were taken to Harmony Grove Cemetery and placed in
the receiving tomb. The body will be privately interred in the
family lot tomorrow. Undertaker Smith, who had charge of the
remains, states that he had to obtain permission from the New
York Board of Health and the Coroner, and to swear to an
affidavit issued by the Police Department that he would take
charge of the remains for the relatives and see that they were
buried decently.
#Post#: 6834--------------------------------------------------
Re: May 1891- Begins With A Burial
DIR By: HowBrown1953
Date: May 2, 2026, 11:43 am
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Passaic Daily News
May 2, 1891
***********
HE GOES TO THE TOMBS.
Frenchy No. 1 Has Counsel Who Thinks
He Is Innocent.
NEW YORK, May 2.—“Frenchy No. 1,” the man charged with being the
murderer of Carrie Brown, has been transferred from Police
Headquarters to the Tombs. His counsel, E. M. Friend, was
allowed to see him there and had a long interview with him,
conducted with the aid of an interpreter.
Frenchy declares that he is an Algerian, having been born on the
Barbary coast 35 years ago. He said that he served with the
Germans in the Franco-Prussian war, and in proof of this
exhibited two scars on his body made by bullets. Frenchy says
his name is George Frank, and that he has been but a short time
in this country.
Mr. Friend is of the opinion that no case can be made out
against the alleged “Jack the Ripper.”
Trenton Times
May 2, 1891
***********
FRENCHY’S KNIFE
A Black Outlook for New York’s Ripper.
HE USED IT WHEN HE WAS IN JAIL.
Two Prisoners Whom He Attempted to Kill Identify the Weapon as
the One He Drew Upon Them—The Chain of Evidence Is Now Complete.
**NEW YORK, May 2.—**Inspector Byrnes has established the
identity of the knife with which Carrie Brown was murdered in
the East River hotel. Frenchy No. 1 owned it. He had it while in
jail in Queens county and assaulted two other prisoners with it.
He Assaulted Fellow Prisoners.
When the details of the horrible murder were printed the two
prisoners who had been assaulted by Frenchy [sic] and the
sheriff of the assaults made upon them said he had a knife at
the time which answered the description of the one found in
Carrie Brown’s room. Two of Byrnes’ men went to the Queens
county jail with the knife. Both prisoners gave an exact
description of it and Inspector Byrnes says that the chain of
circumstantial evidence against Frenchy No. 1 is now complete.
The prisoner was transferred from the police headquarters to the
Tombs. His counsel, E. M. Friend, was allowed to see him there
and had a long interview with him, conducted with the aid of an
interpreter. Frenchy declares that he is an Algerian. He was
born on the Zarbay coast thirty-five years ago. He said that he
served with the Germans in the Franco-Prussian war, and in proof
of his exhibited two scars on his body made by bullets. Frenchy
says that his name is George Frank and that he has been but a
short time in this country. Mr. Friend is of the opinion that no
case can be made out against the alleged “Jack the Ripper.”
#Post#: 6842--------------------------------------------------
Re: May 1891- Begins With A Burial
DIR By: HowBrown1953
Date: May 3, 2026, 4:38 am
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Truncated Tribune article. Full article in PDF below.
This has Ali as the father of twelve kids... ;D
New York Tribune
May 3, 1891
**********
#Post#: 6846--------------------------------------------------
Re: May 1891- Begins With A Burial
DIR By: HowBrown1953
Date: May 4, 2026, 5:16 am
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May 4
An example of low-class commentary about Carrie Brown.
One other example below
Poughkeepsie Eagle News
May 4, 1891
***********
It is to be hoped the New York detectives have caught the
murderer of the unfortunate woman, Carrie Brown. The London
police, which has been baffled by Jack the Ripper, although he
has returned a dozen times to the same locality to snatch a
victim almost from under the eyes of the conservators of the
peace and lives of the English metropolis, has its eyes on
Inspector Byrnes and his men, and the result of hunting the
murderer is awaited over there with bated breath. Whether the
crime committed in New York was by an imitator of the London
fiend, or whether it was the work of the originai "Jack the
Ripper," we cannot allow a repetition of the Whitechapel
atrocities in this country, and we have confidence that
Inspector Byrnes will be able to arrest the per-petrator of the
murder of the Brown woman before he shall be able to repeat his
work, although it is directed against the lowest class of
outcasts. The character of the victim makes the perpetration of
the crime more awful. It gives no time for repentance, but the
victim is rushed into the presence of her maker with the
accumulation of years of sin and shame upon her head.
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#Post#: 6847--------------------------------------------------
Re: May 1891- Begins With A Burial
DIR By: HowBrown1953
Date: May 5, 2026, 5:10 am
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May 5th...
Rome (NY ) Daily Sentinel
May 5, 1891
**********
The position of "Frenchy No. 1," who is charged, upon what seems
to be indisputable evidence, with having committed the "Ripper"
murder, is not so serious as it would at first thought appear to
be. As things are going in the cases of something like a dozen
murderers sentenced to die by electricity in this state,
Frenchy's chances for an indefinite lease of life, although
convicted of the murder, would be excellent. Frenchy is enjoying
himself in the tombs, where he is having better food and more of
it than his department of the interior has known for years. His
prospects might be a great deal worse than they are.
Taglicher Buffalo Volksfreund
May 05, 1891
************
In English:
The suspected Jack the Ripper in
New York.
New York, May 4. Frenchy No. 1, believed to be the murderer of
Carrie Brown, is in the Tombs prison. He was questioned by a
reporter but vehemently denied murdering the woman. He admitted
to being at the East River Hotel on the night of the murder, but
said he was tired all day from walking around on the Dods and
went straight to bed. He left at 6 a.m. and no one saw him. The
bloodstains on his clothes were already old. He also denied
having a knife
Frenchy is 34 years old and was born in Algiers. He is married
and left his wife behind in Algiers. He served in the French
army for 8 years and came to America 2 years ago. First he went
to Brazil and 8 months ago he came to the United States. His
real name is said to be Bel Ali, but here he is known as Frenchy
or George Frank
Click attachments
#Post#: 6849--------------------------------------------------
Re: May 1891- Begins With A Burial
DIR By: HowBrown1953
Date: May 6, 2026, 4:37 am
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May 6th
Frenchy... living it up in Cell 63.
New York Evening World
May 6, 1891
***********
EXTRA.
2 O'CLOCK.
MAY INDICT.
Grand Jury in Session to Act Upon the East River Hotel Murder.
Frenchy's Fate May Be Settled Before the Coroner's Inquest.
Drag Net of Witnesses for the House of Detention.
Eddie Fitzgerald, the East River Hotel Bartender, Now Run In.
The attitude of the Metropolitan police regarding the East River
Hotel murder is becoming more mysterious than ever.
The Chief of the Detective Bureau today positively declined to
answer any question put to him by reporters, and
Capt. O'Connor of the Oak Street station and all his other
lieutenants, while free enough to talk on other subjects,
were absolutely dumb on the subject of New York's Jack the
Ripper
The police are especially reticent as to the identity of a man
who was committed to the House of
Detention by Coroner Schultze, under the name of William
Bekkle, in company with Mary Miniter
and other witnesses, the day after the murder was discovered.
The police declined to say who or what Bekkie was or where he
lived, and at the East River Hotel
and other Fourth Ward resorts nothing is known of any such man.
C. Knicio, the man who accompanied old Shakespeare up to room
81, is not known in the Fourth
Ward either, and there are many who think it not unreasonable to
suppose that Knicio and Bekkie
are one and the same. Others intimate that Bekkie may be Frenchy
No. 2, who has been
mysteriously missing since a day or two after the murder, and
who, according to a typewritten
statement read to reporters by Capt. McLaughlin, the police
first suspected was old Carrie Brown's murderer.
If, within a week, too, the Chief of the Detective Bureau
announced that "Frenchy No. 2" was found very
drunk after the murder, but he was released, as informed by the
police, it would appear trifiely strange
that he has not been seen in any of his old haunts in the
Fourth Ward for over two weeks.
This belief is strengthened, too, by Detective Sergeant
McCloskey's statement at the time of the arrest
of another "Frenchy" in Jersey City, who himself claimed to be
"Frenchy No. 2," although he was never
known by that soubri-qurút in the Fourth Ward, but as plain
John. Detective McCloskey then declared positively:
"We do not want Frenchy No. 2." Again, the utter indifference of
the police to the arrest of the man
Holland as the suspected C. Kniclo" may mean that he is now in
custody and none other than Bekkie,"
for there are many people who insist that the Detective Bureau's
Chief is too wary to lose sight of the
fact that the man "Kniclo's" testimony is absolutely necessary
to clear up the mystery of the Fourth Ward butchery.
No one can positively identify Knielo," except Mary Miniter, the
housekeeper, who let room 31 to him
and old "Shakespeare." She and her other companions in the House
of Detention, Mary Reilly, Lizzie Carter,
Mary Ann Lopez, Alice Sullivan, Mary Harrington, and Dublin's
Mary Briscoe could easily tell whether
"Bekkie" is Frenchy No. 2 or not, and it is not impossible that
Mary Miniter might be able to testify that
Bekkie, Frenchy No. 2, and Kuiclo are one and the same man.
All, however, are safe from reporters
who are unable to get at the exact facts in the case.
It leaked out today that Eddie Fitzgerald, the boy who entered
Kuiclo's name on the register, had also been dragged into the
police net.
He is now locked up at the House of Detention as an important
witness against Ben All, also known as Frenchy No. 1.
Fitzgerald will be called at the inquest at 2:30 Monday
afternoon in company with the other witnesses at the House of
Detention
Other witnesses will be Proprietor Jennings, bartenders Shine
and Thompson, of the East River Hotel,
and Dr. Cyrus Edson, of the Board of Health, whose discoveries
in relation to the bloodstains on
Frenchy's clothing and on the bed and floor of his room are
considered unanswerable facts by the police.
An Evening World reporter asked permission from the Chief
Inspector of Police this morning
to examine Dr. Edson's detailed report of his microscopical
investigations, but it was refused.
Neither could any information be gathered from rooms 31 and 83
at the East River Hotel this
morning, as both were locked with padlocks and the keys were
said to be at Police Headquarters.
"Frenchy," the suspect, is taking life rather easy at the Tombs.
He has plenty to eat and plenty
of exercise, but is reluctant to leave his cell (63) on the
second tier of the old prison to allow visitors
His attorneys, Levy, House & Friend, have furnished him with a
pair of striped trousers, of which he
is very proud, and he spends most of his spare time smoking
cigars from Lawyer House's private
stock. His lawyers are more confident than ever today that he
cannot be convicted, and are anticipating
any possible surprises that the police may have in store for
them.
The Grand Jury met this morning, and it was reported that
Frenchy's case would be presented for
their immediate consideration, with the idea of
​​obtaining an indictment against the Algerian
before the commencement of the Coroner's inquest next Monday
#Post#: 6851--------------------------------------------------
Re: May 1891- Begins With A Burial
DIR By: HowBrown1953
Date: May 7, 2026, 5:41 am
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May 7
Twentieth Century
May 7, 1891
**********
Twentieth Century
VOL. VI.
NEW YORK, THURSDAY, MAY 7, 1891.
No. 19.
Published every Thursday at 7 Clinton Place.
HUGH O. PENTECOST, Editor.
J. W. SULLIVAN, Associate Editor.
"Hear the Other Side."
Editorial.
The editor is responsible for no opinions found in this paper
except his own.
As everybody knows, there has been a "Jack-the-Ripper" murder in
this city. At the time of writing this, the murderer has not
been discovered, although the police have made extraordinary
efforts to find him. Inspector Byrnes is "on his mettle," for it
is generally understood that he has said that no murderer like
this could escape the New York police, as one like this has
eluded the London police. About a dozen innocent people are in
prison for the misfortune of being supposedly useful witnesses
if the criminal is finally caught. How long these innocent
people will be kept in prison, nobody knows. A large number of
"suspects" are also in prison, many of them having been secretly
arrested and secretly imprisoned. Not even the reporters know
who they are, where they are, or what is being done to them in
their secret confinement. This power to secretly arrest and
imprison people is a terrible power in the hands of the police.
Who is safe when the police have such power? A policeman can
walk into any house and arrest any person, secretly confine
them, and, if he chooses—and he sometimes does choose—secretly
torture them to extort confessions. The danger in this present
instance is that the police, in order to demonstrate their
efficiency, will get hold of some poor fellow who cannot give a
satisfactory account of himself and fix the crime on him. This
is by no means an imaginary danger, and the public will do well
to watch the case closely with this danger in mind.
#Post#: 6860--------------------------------------------------
Re: May 1891- Begins With A Burial
DIR By: HowBrown1953
Date: May 8, 2026, 3:17 am
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May 8
The Arabian interpreter mentioned at the end of the article was
Emile Sultan.
New York Evening World
May 8, 1891
**********
MORE EVIDENCE PROMISED.
Byrnes Said to Have Made New Discoveries as to Frenchy's Guilt.
Not to Be Disclosed Until the Inquest Monday Afternoon.
No new developments are expected in the case of Ben Ali, better
known as "Frenchy No. 1," who is now confined in the Tombs as
the suspected murderer of old Carrie Brown, until the beginning
of the Coroner's inquest next Monday.
It is reported on good authority, however, that Inspector Byrnes
has been doing some quiet additional work since the inquest was
adjourned a week ago to-day, and that the fruits of his labors
may result in the placing before the Coroner of some new
evidence in addition to that now in his possession.
Just what this new evidence will be is difficult to say, for the
Inspector still preserves a complete silence, and even at the
District-Attorney's office to-day no definite confirmation of
the report could be obtained.
The Grand Jury continued its sitting to-day, but did not, it was
said, take up the consideration of the East River Hotel murder.
Levy, Friend & House, Frenchy's counsel, said this morning that
now that Mr. House was through with the case of Dramatic Agent
Elbogen, he proposed to devote his entire attention to the case
of their Algerian client in the Tombs.
An Arabian interpreter has been secured, and by the time the
Coroner's inquest is held the firm hope to be in a position to
make a successful defense for him.
#Post#: 6861--------------------------------------------------
Re: May 1891- Begins With A Burial
DIR By: HowBrown1953
Date: May 9, 2026, 3:39 am
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May 9...
New York Evening World
May 9, 1891
***********
FRENCHY IS AMEER BEN ALI.
Identity of the Alleged Jack the Ripper Established.
Inspector Byrnes Ready for the Inquest on Monday.
"Frenchy No. 1," who is charged with the assassination of old
Carrie Brown at the East River Hotel, is passing his time
comfortably in the Tombs.
He has been very suspicious of every one, and seems to think
that there is some plan to entrap him. In addition to this, his
apparent inability to make himself understood, either in English
or French, of both of which languages he only possesses a
smattering, has been a great obstacle in the way of obtaining
any definite information from him.
Most all of the consultations have been conducted in the sign
language, and the gesticulations which the prisoner makes show
him to be an expert in this form of expression.
Lawyer Levy held a two-hour conversation with "Frenchy" to-day
without an interpreter, and although he did not succeed in
drawing from his client much additional information, he said
that he seemed to show greater confidence in his counsel, and
was beginning to appreciate the fact that his interests were
being protected.
Mr. House has secured an interpreter who understands Arabic
perfectly, and of whom much is expected. He has not yet been
introduced to "Frenchy," but an interview will take place soon,
according to the lawyers, when a very thorough examination will
be made.
There has been up to the present time a great deal of
uncertainty as to the prisoner's real name. He has been known as
Francois, Frank Sherlick, George Frank and various other names,
and he has stated since his arrest that his name was Ben Ali.
Mr. Levy says that he has settled the question of "Frenchy's"
real name, and that it is Ameer Ben Ali.
His client told him this, and also informed that his father's
name was Ahmed Ben Ali, and that his mother's name was Fatima.
The lawyer believes that he is also on the track of other
friends and relatives of the prisoner.
Within the past few days, Frenchy has been provided with a new
pair of trousers, of which he seems to be very proud. They are
of a pattern that is well calculated to strike the Oriental
fancy so far as color and tint go.
In addition to this, he has been furnished with cigars, which he
is allowed to smoke and which seem to give him the most supreme
satisfaction.
He still wears the tennis shirt and coat which he had on when he
was arrested.
It is stated that the police have obtained all the evidence
which they require to proceed with the inquest, which will begin
on Monday. Inspector Byrnes is close-mouthed and mysterious and
will not say what additional facts he has discovered in regard
to the supposed murderer. They will all come out at the inquest.
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