WHITECHAPEL HORRORS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 224, 20 November 1888, Page 2

WHITECHAPEL HORRORS.

THE EXCITEMENT NOT YET ABATED. London, Nov. 17. Nothing of further importance has transpired with regard to the Whitechapel murders, but there is still great fear among the class known as “ unfortunates,” FURTHER PARTICULARS BY MAIL. “ JACK THE RIPPER’S ” EPISTLES. The Daily News’ American correspondent sends the following suggestion :— Not many months ago a series of remarkably brutal murders of women occurred in Texas, the victims being chiefly negro women. The crimes were characterised by the same brutal methods as those of the Whitechapel murders. The theory has been suggested that the perpetrator of the latter may be the Texas criminal, who was never discovered. A leading Southern newspaper thus puts the argument:— { In our recent annals of crime there has been no other man capable for committing such deeds. The mysterious crimes in Texas have ceased. They have just commenced in London. Is the man from Texas at the bottom of them all ? If he is the monster or lunatic he may be expected to appear anywhere. The fact that he is no longer at work in Tex is argues his presence somewhere else. His peculiar line of work was executed in precisely the same manner as is now going on in London. Why should he not ba there? The more one thinks of it the more irresistible becomes the conviction that it is the man from Texas. In these days of steam and cheap travel distance is nothing. The man who would kill a dozen women in Texas would not mind the inconvience of a trip across the water, and once there would not have any scruples about killing more women.’

The superintendent of the New York police 'admits the possibility of this theory being correct, but does not think it probable. On Tuesday another horror was added to the list. About twenty minutes past three o’clock on Tuesday afternoon Frederick Wi dborn, a carpenter employed by the contractors for the new Metropolitan Police head-quarters on the Thames Embankment, was working on the foundation, when he came across a neatly done up parcel in one of the cellars. It was opened, and the hody of a woman, very much decomposed, was found carefully wrappod in a piece of what is supposed to be a black petticoat. The trunk was without head, arms, or legs, and presented a horrible spectacle. The divisional surgeon, and several othar medical gentlemen were communicated with, and from what was ascertained the conclusion has been arrived at by them that these remains are those of a woman whose arms have been discovered in different parts of the metropolis. The building which is in course of erection is the new police depot for London. The prevailing opinion is that to place the body where it was found the person conveying it must have scaled the 8 ft. hoarding which encloses the works, and, carefully avoiding the watchmen who do duty by night, must have dropped it where it was found. The body could not have been where it was found above two or three days, because men are frequently passing the spot.

The following letter bearing the “E.C.” post-mark, and directed in red ink, was delivered to the Central News Agency two days before the murders :— “Sept. 25, 1888. “Dear Boss, —I keep on hearing the police have caught me, but they won’t fix me just yet. I have laughed when they look so clever and talk about being on the right track. Great joke about Leather Apron. Gave me real fits. lam down on [bad women), and I sha'n’t quit ripping them till Ido get buckled. Grand work the last job was. 1 gave the lady no time to squeal. How can they catch me now ? I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me, with my funny little games. I saved some of the proper red stuff in a ginger-beer bottle over the last job to write with, but it went thick, like glue, and I can’t use it. Red ink is fit enough, I hope. Ha, ha ! The next job I do I shall clip the lady’s ears off and send to the police officers, just for jolly, wouldn’t you ? “ Keep this letter back till I do a bit more work, then give it out straight. My knife’s so nice and sharp. I want to get to work right away if I get a chance. Good luck.— Yours truly, ‘‘Jack the Ripper. “ Don’t mind me giving the trade name. “ Wasn't good enough to post this before I got all the red ink off my hands ; curse it. No luck yet. They say I’m a doctor now. Ha. ha !”

The whole of this extraordinary epistle is written in red ink in a free, bold, clerkly hand. It was of course treated as the wo«k of a practical joker, but it is singular to note that the latest murders have been committed within a few days of the receipt of the letter, that, apparently, in the case of his last victim the murderer made an attempt to cut off the ears; and that he actually did mutilate the face in a manner which he has never before attempted. The letter is now in the hands of the Scotland-yard authorities. On Monday the same agency received a post-card bearing the stamp “London, E., October 1.” The address and subject-mat-ter were written iu red, and undoubtedly by the same person from whom the abovn letter was received. It runs as follows :—“I was not codding, dear old Boss, when I gave you the tip. You’ll hear about Saucy Jacky’s work to-morrow. Double event this time. Number one squealed a bit ; couldn’t flu sh straight off. Had not time to get ears for police, Thanks for keeping last letter back till I got to work again.— Jack the Ripper.” The card was smeared on both sides with blood, which has evidently been impressed thereon by the thumb or finger of the writer, the corrugated surface of the skin being plainly shown. th© back of the card some words are nearly obliterated by a smear.