On This Day, 14 January 1918

Birmingham Mail

Monday 14 January 1918

BIRMINGHAM HOTEL SENSATION

BELGIAN WOMAN’S FOURTEEN WOUNDS

A sensational occurrence at the Shaftesbury Hotel Birmingham, last night, is engaging the attention of the police.

Shortly after nine o’clock last night two Belgians – a man and a woman – went to the hotel, registering, it is stated in the name of Verelst as man and wife. Shortly afterwards a commotion was heard in a bedroom on the top floor of the building followed by screams. These attracted the attention of a servant girl, who gave an alarm, and on the assistant boots going to the room found the door locked. He knocked and the door was open by a man, and it was discovered that the woman, Clemance Verelst (35) was suffering from no fewer than 14 wounds in various parts of the body. These are said to have been inflicted by a jack knife.

The man, Louis Van de Kerkhove (32), 3, Tower Street Dudley, was taken into custody by the police and enquiries were made by Detective-inspector Macaulay.

The woman was removed to the General Hospital, where it was stated this morning she was in a critical condition. One of the stabs had penetrated the lungs, and it was from this that danger was apprehended; but an examination goes to show that this wound was not so serious as it was first believed to be. She was, however, suffering severely from loss of blood.

Van de Kerkhove, a short thick-set, clean shaven man, was brought before Messrs J. Phillips and C. Combridge in the Second Court of Birmingham Police this morning, charged with causing grievous bodily harm.

Detective-superintendent Burnett briefly narrated the circumstances and on his application the man was remanded in custody for a week. It was stated that the woman was now considered to be out of danger.