The Times, Tuesday, May 02, 1871

THE ELTHAM MURDER

    The young woman found frightfully mutilated in Kidbrooke-lane, near Eltham, on Wednesday morning last, expired in Guy's Hospital about half past 9 o'clock on Sunday night. At 3 o'clock on the afternoon of the same day Inspector Mulvany of the Detective department of Scotland-yard took into custody the son of a very respectable tradesman carrying on business in the town of Greenwich, on suspicion of being the murderer. From information which has been obtained by our reporter it appears that the body of the murdered girl has been identified as that of Jane Maria Clenson, aged 17 last Friday, and that she had lived as domestic servant in the family of the father of the accused for a period of a year and ten months. She left this situation a fortnight ago, being pregnant at the time. . . . Acting upon information obtained that the deceased, on leaving her lodgings on the night previous to her body being found as stated, had remarked that she was going to meet the son of her late master, the accused was taken into custody at his father's place of business. When told the charge, he declared himself innocent.

Times, May, 1871