The Case of the 'Oxford Ripper'? (1827, Oxfordshire)

THE CASE OF THE 'OXFORD RIPPER'?

On the morning of 12th December 1827, a night-watchman made a grim discovery in a street behind Christ Church, Oxford.

A 23 year old woman known as Ann Crutchley was found 'in a state of insensibility', lying in the street. She was covered in devastating injuries. The poor woman recovered her senses just enough to disclose that she had spent the previous evening in the company of two men, and that they'd been drinking until the early hours of that morning. The men had then led the by then extremely drunk Ann down the street in which she was found, and set about inflicting 'such wounds as left no chance of her life being saved'.

Ann was then left for dead, and although she lingered on for a few hours afterwards, she eventually succumbed to her horrific injuries.

An inquest was quickly held, during which it transpired that although the victim was known in the locality as Ann Crutchley, her real surname was actually Preest. She had come from a respectable and well-off family in Herefordshire, when a young man had seduced her to leave her parents' house, and run away with him to Oxford. Ann's beau had subsequently abandoned her.

Depressed, alone and vulnerable in a strange city, Ann had begun drinking and socialising with some decidedly dodgy characters, although many who knew of her remarked upon her 'mildness of manners'. She was described as being 'of great personal beauty', and thus many of the gentlemen residing in the city's various colleges would regularly pass liquor to her through the bars of their windows.

On the night of her tragic demise, students from Brasenose College admitted passing Ann a teapot full of strong brandy, rendering her 'intoxicated to insensibility'.

The post-mortem revealed that there were two cuts, both around two inches long, inside Ann's womb; these were probably inflicted with some sort of double-edged instrument. The lacerations were enough to cause haemorrhage, and ultimately, death. There were also multiple external injuries, and on her left breast was a discoloured mark in the shape of a man's four fingers and thumb. She was described as being 'much disfigured'.

Some witnesses came forward and told police that another watchman called Mr Field had apparently refused to help Ann prior to her death, when passers-by had told him that she was too drunk to stand; Field's alleged response was: "No, I'll see her dead first!".

Another person by the name of Williams was noted as being in Ann's company at some point on the night in question, but there was insufficient evidence with which to charge him. Due to a lack of any concrete evidence, the jury returned a verdict of 'willful murder by person or persons unknown'.

A reward of 200 guineas was offered to anyone who would come forward with information leading to the apprehension of the culprit(s), but it was never claimed.

Poor Ann Preest, alias Crutchley, was buried in the cemetery of St Thomas' Church, Oxford, 3 days later; her mother travelled from Herefordshire to lay her to rest.

The Oxford Journal reported the following:

"We learn from the medical gentleman who saw the body that the murder must have been committed with the utmost deliberation. It could not have been a stab; indeed, it appears that the light of the moon was necessary for what we may call 'the operation'. Had she not been so much intoxicated, it could not have been effected. The girl was seduced from her friends and brought to Oxford by a young gentleman. Crutchley, who brought her to Oxford, is a notorious pickpocket, and has been once transported. The deceased had lived for some time at Hereford as a prostitute, and was discharged from the Magdalen about 9 months since. Many examinations have taken place, but most certainly nothing has been proved, either from circumstantial or positive evidence, which could authorise the magistrates to affix the guilt upon any individual whatsoever."

Around a week after Ann's burial, the magistrates issued a warrant to have her coffin exhumed in order to confirm her cause of death; the findings corroborated the results of the initial post-mortem, although it did raise the possibility of a different weapon being involved, and some extra injuries were also noticed.

A few days after the exhumation, a man named John Williams was apprehended, and sent to Oxford Gaol. He had apparently been seen with blood stains upon his clothing on the morning that Ann was found, and could not satisfactorily account for this. He was described as 'about 30 years of age, working as a picture-frame maker, and with the exception of the indiscretions of youth, generally a good character'.

Williams' washerwoman attested to the fact that she had washed similarly stained garments of his before, and that she did not find it unusual. He himself vehemently denied all involvement.

Another account of that fateful night mentions that Ann was a prostitute, and had been in the company of another called Harriet Mitchell when she had accepted brandy from the students of Brasenose College. One of these students was Houstonne John Radcliffe, who left the college at around the same time that Ann was killed, returning to his room shortly afterwards. Radcliffe was expelled from Brasenose College in their fear of a scandal, and died in 1829.

Ultimately, John Williams was released, and no one was ever convicted for this abhorrent crime; but I have to say, I am curious as to why the police seemingly disregarded Crutchley - Ann's former boyfriend - as a possible suspect! Radcliffe also appears to have been a very strong contender, as was Field if his incriminating speech was indeed factual! 

The story was followed nationwide, and a report published by The Times said the following:

"Within the passage called the vagina, leading to the mouth of the womb, there were most evident marks of two wounds - one on the left, the other on the right side; which wounds appear to have been made either by a blunt and powerful instrument or by a sharp instrument, which had been forcibly moved in different directions after the wounds had been inflicted."

The Times also implied that Radcliffe had been expelled due to leaving Oxford 2 days after the murder of his own volition...

It also transpired that the exact street in which Ann met her fate was Blue Boar Street, pictured below. The two men Ann told the night-watchman about were never found. 

Who do you think was responsible for Ann's murder?