John Schalfer

John Schalfer died after being attacked by a gang of roughs in Bethnall Green, London.

He had been attacked in Gibraltar Walk on the Sunday night 7 October 1900 and died in the local infirmary on Thursday 11 October 1900.

He had been a labourer.

His father, a German bootmaker who lived in Baxendale Street said that John Schalfer had not been able to do much work as he was so often ill. He said that John Schalfer arrived home at about 12.45am on the Monday morning and told him that he had been knocked down and kicked in Gibraltar Walk.

He said that when John Schalfer told him that that he replied, 'Serve you right. What did you want out so late at night?'.

He said that John Schalfer was injured about the face and head and that he was later removed to the infirmary on the Tuesday.

He said that John Schalfer had been perfectly well when he had gone out on the Sunday and that he had had no enemies that he knew of.

He said that he noticed that John Schalfer's face was badly bruised and swollen on the Monday morning but that he had later gone out that morning but had to go to bed in the afternoon. He said that on the Monday night John Schalfer kept calling out, 'Father, I'm dying' and that on the Tuesday the doctor was called who then ordered him to the infirmary. 

It was noted that when John Schalfer had kept calling out to his father that he was dying that he had replied, 'It is a good job' and a member of the jury said that he seemed rather glad that his son was dead.

He said that John Schalfer didn't say who had assaulted him but said that he had heard that he had been to the Royal Oak public house with a big woman and a man.

A pathologist said that John Schalfer's death was due to concussion of the brain brought about by external violence.

The jury at the inquest returned a verdict of murder against some person or persons unknown and added a rider that in their opinion the police force in that neighbourhood should be strengthened at night.