WHITECHAPEL HORRORS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 244, 8 January 1889, Page 3

WHITECHAPEL HORRORS.

NEW SUPPOSITION AS TO JACK THE RIPPER. London, Nov. 2. Since the seventh East End murder—the most revolting of all—was committed in London the following (additional particulars have been elicted:— The police at Leman-street, Whitechapel, have received by post the following letter:—“ Dear Boss,—Just a line to let you know that I got over that job all right. I shall do another job about 200 or 300 yards from the same spot in three or four days.— Jack the Ripper.” The police of H, or Commercial-street, division have received a letter, as follows :—“Dear Boss,—You shall have a nice parcel when I do the next job in NE. I have thirteen booked fur blood, and will give myself up.—Jack the Ripper.” On Thursday morning two tradesmen near the scene of the last murder in the Eas’-end each received a post-card bearing the Islington post mark, and signed “ Jack the Ripper.” The cards were written in red ink, and bore the only word “ Beware.” The agitation in regard to the alleged insufficient police protection is taking a definite form, and it is expected that within a few days the Home Secretary will be waited upon by the deputation representing ths district. No fresh arrests have been made, and although the police are investigating the statements made by the fruiterer, Packer, they have not yet discovered the men who spoke to him as stated. Mr Matthew Packer, the fruiterer who sold some grapes to a man ia company with the murdered woman just before the Bernerstreet murder, has made the following extraordinary statement: — “ On Tuesday evening two men came to my house and bought 12s worth of rabbits of me. They then asked me if I could give them an exact description of the man to whom I sold the grapes, and who was .supposed to have committed the Berner street and Mitre square murders, as they were convinced they knew him aud where to find him. “In reply to some questions, one of the men then said, • Well, I am sorry to say that T firmly believe it is my own cousin. He is an Englishman by birth; but some time ago he went to America, stayed there a few years, and then came back to London about seven or eight months ago. On his return he came to see me, and his first words were, “Well boss, how are you’’ He asked me to have some walks out with him, aud I did, round Commercial-street and Whitechapel. I found that he was very much altered on his return, for he was a thorough harum-scarum. We met a lot of Whitechapel women, and when we passed them he used to say to me, “Do you see those ? How do you think we used to servo them where I came from ? Why, we used to cut their throats and rip them up. 1 could rip one of them up and get her inside out in no time.” He said, “ We Jack Rippers killed lots of women over there. You will hear of some of it being done of here soon, for I am going to turn a London Jack Ripper.”, The man added, * I d d not take much notice then of what he said, as he had had a drop of drink, and I thought it was only his swagger aud bounce of what he had been doing in America, at some place, which he mentioned, but I forget the name, but,’ continued the man, * When I heard of the first woman being murdered and stabbed all over, I then

began to be very uneasy, and to wonder whether he really was carrying out his threats. I did not, however, like to say anything about him, as he is my own cousin. Theu, as one murder followed after another, I felt that I could scarcely rest. He is a perfect monster towards women, especially when he has a drop of drink. But in addition to what he said to nu about these murders in America, and what was going to be done here, I feel certain it is he, because of the way these Jack Ripper letters which have appeared in the papers begin. They all begin “ Dear Boss,” and that is just the way he begins his letters. He calls everybody “Boss” when he speaks to them. I did not want to say anything about him if I. could help it, so I wrote to him, but he did not answer my letter. Since this last murder I have felt that I could not remain silent any longer,, for at least something ought to be done to put. him under restraint." Packer states he feels sure the men are speaking-the truth, as they seemed very much concerned, and hardly knew what to do in the matter. Ho knew where to find the men. One is employed at some ironworks and the other at the West India Docks, and the man they allude to lives somewhere in the neighborhood of Whitechapel.