Isaac Jacob

Witness at Alice McKenzie's inquest.

Isaac Lewis Jacob, a boot-maker of 12 Newcastle Street, Whitechapel, was seen and stopped by Walter Andrews (PC) after he (Andrews) had discovered the body of Alice McKenzie in Castle Alley shortly after 12.50am, 17th July 1889.

His inquest statement read:

"About ten minutes to 1 this morning I left home to buy some supper in M'Carthy's in Dorset-street. I had occasion to pass Newcastle-place into Old Castle-street. When I got to Cocoanut-place a constable ran up to me; I stopped. He said, "Where have you been?" I replied, "I have been nowhere, I am just going on an errand, and have just left my home." The constable then said, "Come with me; there has been a murder committed." I went with him and when we got to Old Castle-street he blew his whistle. I believe a sergeant then came up. We then hurried down to the lamp-post in Castle-alley. I saw a woman lying there in a pool of blood, with a wound in the throat, and another wound in the side. I waited there until another police-constable came, and afterwards saw the body removed. Then I went home.

[Coroner] Did you see any one before you saw the constable? - No, sir.

[Coroner] Does your house look over Castle-alley? - No. That is Castle-street. [Newcastle Street]. I had not been there during the night."

One may reasonably assume that Jacob was on his way to John McCarthy's shop at 27 Dorset Street.