New York Times
October 1, 1888
DISMAY IN WHITECHAPEL
"Two More Murdered Women Found"
from our own correspondent.
London, Sept. 30.-- The Whitechapel fiend has again set that district and all London in a state of terror. He murdered not one woman but two last night, and seems bent on beating all previous records in his unheard-of crimes. His last night's victims were both murdered within an hour, and the second was disemboweled like her predecessors, a portion of her abdomen being missing as in the last case. He contented himself with cutting the throat of the other, doubtless because of interruption. Both women were street walkers of the lowest class, as before.
These crimes are all of the most daring character. The first woman was killed in the open roadway within a few feet of the main street, and though many people were within a few feet distance, no cry was heard. This was at midnight; before 1 o'clock the second victim was found, and she was so warm that the murder must have taken place but a few minutes before. This was in Mitre-square, which is but a few blocks distant from the Bank of England, in the very heart of the business quarter. The square is deserted at night, but is patrolled every half hour at least by the police.
These make six murders to the fiend's credit; all within a half-mile radius. People are terrified and are loud in their complaints of the police, who have done absolutely nothing. They confess themselves without a clue, and they devote their entire energies to preventing the press from getting at the facts. They deny to reporters a sight of the scene or bodies, and give them no information whatever. The assassin is evidently mocking the police in his barbarous work. He waited until the two preceding inquests were quite finished, and then murdered two more women. He has promised to murder 20 in all, and has every prospect of uninterrupted success.
As London Press Dispatches
London, Sept. 30.-- This morning the whole city was again startled by the news that two more murders had been added to the list of mysterious crimes that have recently been committed in Whitechapel. At an early hour it was known that another woman had been murdered, and a report was also current that there was still another victim. This report proved true. The two victims, as in the former cases, were dissolute women of the poorest class. That the motive of the murderer was not robbery is shown by the fact that no attempt was made to despoil the bodies.
The first murder occured in a narrow court off Berners-street at an early hour in the morning beneath the windows of a foreigners' Socialist club. A concert was in progress and many members of the club were present, but no sound was heard from the victim. The same process had been followed as in the other cases. The woman had been seized by the throat and her cries choked, and the murderer, with one sweeping cut, had severed her throat from ear to ear. A clubman on entering the court stumbled over the body, which was lying only two yards from the street. A stream of warm blood was flowing from the body into the gutter. The murderer had evidently been disturbed before he had time to mutilate his victim.
The second murder was committed from three to four hours later, in Mitre-square, five minutes' walk from the scene of the first crime. Policemen patrol the square every 10 minutes. The body of the unfortunate woman had been disembowled, the throat cut, and the (head?) severed. The heart and lungs had been thrown aside, and the entrails were twisted into the gaping wound around the neck. The incisions show a rough dexterity. The work of dissection was evidently done with the upmost haste. Pending the report of the doctors it is not known whether or not a portion of the viscera was taken away. The doctors, after a hasty examination of the body, said they thought it must have taken about five minutes to complete the work of the murderer, who then had plenty of time to escape the patrol.
Mitre-square, the scene of the second murder, is a thoroughfare. Many people pass through the square early on Sunday morning on their way to prepare for market in the notorious Petticoat-lane. The publicity of the place adds to the daringness of the crime.
The police, who have been severly criticised in connection with the Whitechapel murders, are paralyzed by these latest crimes. As soon as the news was recieved at Police Headquarters a messenger was dispathed for Sir Charles Warren, Chief Commissioner of Police, who was called out of bed and at once visited the scene of the murders. The inhabitants of Whitechapel are dismayed. The vigilance committees which were formed after the first crimes were committed had relaxed their efforts to capture the murderer. At several meetings held in Whitechapel to-night it was resolved to resume the work of patrolling the streets in the district in which the murders have occurred.
The Berners-street victim was Elizabeth Stride, a native of Stockholm, who resided in a common lodging house. The name of the other victim is not known. In consequence of the refusal of Home Secretary Matthews to offer a reward for the arrest of the Whitechapel murderer the people of the East End on Saturday petitioned the Queen herself to authorize the offering of a reward.
Dr. Blackwell, who was called to view the remains of the Berners-street victim, gave it as his opinion that the same man, evidently a maniac, had committed both murders. The Berners-street victim had evidently been dragged back by a handkerchief worn around the throat. The inquest will be held at 11 o'clock Monday morning. Four doctors will be on the jury. The inquest on the Mitre-square victim will probably be held on Tuesday.
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