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Irish Times
Dublin, Ireland
Friday, 19 October 1888

THE WHITECHAPEL MURDERS
ALLEGED LETTER FROM THE MURDERER
(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM)

LONDON, THURSDAY

From inquiries made in Mile End to-night we are enabled to give particulars of communications made to members of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee. Mr Lusk, builder, of Alderney road, has received several letters purporting to be from the perpetrator of the Whitechapel murders, but believing them to be the product of some practical joker he has regarded them as of no consequence. On Tuesday evening, however, he received the following letter in a cardboard box, containing some fleshy substance :-

"From Hell. Mr Lusk, - Sir, I send you half the kidney I took from one woman, praesarved it for you; 'tother piece I fried and ate. It was very nice. I may send you the bloody knife that took it out if you will only wait a while longer. Signed, CATCH ME WHEN YOU CAN, MR LUSK."

The receiver was at first disposed to think that another hoax had been perpetrated, but eventually decided to take the opinion of the Vigilance Committee. This morning that body decided to ttake the contents of the cardboard box to a medical man whose surgery was near. Mr F.S. Reed, assistant to Dr. Miles, examined the contents of the box and declared the substance to be half a human kidney divided longitudinally, but in order to remove any reason for doubt, he conveyed it to Dr. Openshaw, who is pathological curator to the London Hospital Museum, who examined it, and also pronounced it to be a portion of a human kidney, a ginny kidney - that is to say, it had belonged to a person who had drunk heavily. He was further of opinon that it was the organ of a woman about 45 years of age, and that it had been taken from the body within the last three weeks. It will be within the recollection of the public that the left kidney was missing from the body of the woman Eddowes, who was murdered and mutilated in Mitre square. Mr Lusk and another member of the Vigilance Committee took the parcel to-day to Scotland Yard, but the police authorities there referred them to Leman street. At the latter place the officer who is directing the inquiries took down Mr Lusk's statement, which he considered to be of great importance, and the box and contents were left in care of the police pending further investigation. Mr Lusk states that a day or two before receiving the box he had sent to him a postcard which he now considers of sufficient importance to make public. It is in the following words:-

"Say, boss, you seem rare frightened. Guess I'd like to give you fits, but can't stop. Time enough to let you box of toys play copper games with me; but hope to see when I don't hurry too much. Good bye, boys."

The Vigilance Committee held another meeting to-night, when this new feature in the case was considered.




THE WHITEHALL MYSTERY
(BY TELEGRAPH)

LONDON, THURSDAY

Contrary to expectation, the search at the new Police Office Buildings, in Whitehall was resumed late last night by means of candles. A bloodhound, one of those which had been used in the Hyde Park experiment, was brought from King street Police Station, and a staff of constables, with Inspector Peters and Marshall, were engaged for an hour and a half turning over the earth, but on the work being suspended at 10 p.m. no new discoveries had been made.

Dr. Bond has examined portion of the leg found yesterday, and believes it belongs to the trunk already in the mortuary. He also expresses his opinion that both portions of the body have been in the place six weeks.

A Woolwich correspondent says - The bloodhounds hired by Sir Charles Warren were out for practice at Tooting to-day and were lost. Telegrams this afternoon have been sent to all metropolitan police stations that if they are seen anywhere information is to be immediately sent to Scotland Yard.


Related pages:
  Ripper Letters
       Dissertations: An Inspiration From Hell 
       Dissertations: Another Look at the Lusk Kidney 
       Dissertations: Dear Boss: Hoax as Popular Communal Narrative in the Case... 
       Dissertations: Thomas Bulling and the Myth of the London Journalist 
       Message Boards: Letters and Communications 
       Press Reports: 22 January 1889 
       Press Reports: Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser - 16 August 1889 
       Press Reports: Atlanta Constitution - 18 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Atlanta Constitution - 31 January 1889 
       Press Reports: Atlanta Constitution - 5 February 1889 
       Press Reports: Bournemouth Visitors Directory - 14 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Brandon Mail - 16 October 1890 
       Press Reports: Brandon Mail - 29 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Brandon Mail - 8 November 1888 
       Press Reports: City Press - 17 October 1888 
       Press Reports: City Press - 19 December 1888 
       Press Reports: Daily News - 12 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Daily News - 15 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Daily News - 19 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Daily News - 2 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Daily News - 20 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Daily News - 3 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Daily News - 8 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Daily Telegraph - 13 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Daily Telegraph - 3 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Daily Telegraph - 4 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Daily Telegraph - 5 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Decatur Daily Republican - 29 June 1891 
       Press Reports: Decatur Daily Republican - 9 March 1891 
       Press Reports: East London Advertiser - 19 October 1889 
       Press Reports: East London Observer - 1 December 1888 
       Press Reports: Eastern Post - 20 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Echo - 10 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Echo - 12 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Echo - 15 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Echo - 19 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Echo - 20 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Echo - 29 September 1888 
       Press Reports: Echo - 5 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Echo - 6 October 1888 
       Press Reports: El Tiempo - 30 October 1889 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 12 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 12 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 2 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 22 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 23 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 26 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 29 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 3 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 4 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 5 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 6 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening News - 8 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening Standard - 1 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Evening Star - 26 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel - 29 October 1890 
       Press Reports: Freemans Journal and Daily Commercial Advertiser - 1 Octo... 
       Press Reports: Freemans Journal and Daily Commercial Advertiser - 10 Oct... 
       Press Reports: Freemans Journal and Daily Commercial Advertiser - 8 Octo... 
       Press Reports: Galveston Daily News - 2 December 1888 
       Press Reports: Hackney Standard - 13 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Hackney Standard - 6 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Irish Times - 13 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Irish Times - 14 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Irish Times - 16 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Irish Times - 20 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Liverpool Daily Post - 11 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Macclesfield Courier and Herald - 6 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Manitoba Daily Free Press - 20 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Manitoba Daily Free Press - 23 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Manitoba Daily Free Press - 26 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Manitoba Daily Free Press - 3 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Mitchell Daily Republican - 19 December 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Advertiser - 12 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Advertiser - 13 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Advertiser - 14 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Advertiser - 19 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Advertiser - 20 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Advertiser - 22 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Advertiser - 27 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Advertiser - 4 December 1888 
       Press Reports: Morning Oregonian - 26 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Munster News - 20 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Munster News - 3 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Newark Daily Advocate - 18 September 1889 
       Press Reports: Newark Daily Advocate - 9 March 1889 
       Press Reports: News of the World - 7 October 1888 
       Press Reports: North Eastern Daily Gazette - 3 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Ogden Standard - 1 February 1889 
       Press Reports: Ogden Standard - 27 June 1891 
       Press Reports: Pall Mall Gazette - 06 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Pall Mall Gazette - 08 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Pall Mall Gazette - 17 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Pall Mall Gazette - 26 November 1888 
       Press Reports: People - 4 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Port Philip Herald - 26 November 1889 
       Press Reports: Qu'Appelle Vidette - 13 December 1888 
       Press Reports: Qu'Appelle Vidette - 27 December 1888 
       Press Reports: Salem Daily News - 7 February 1889 
       Press Reports: Sandusky Daily Register - 18 July 1889 
       Press Reports: Sandusky Daily Register - 19 July 1889 
       Press Reports: St. James Gazette - 10 November 1888 
       Press Reports: St. James Gazette - 19 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Star - 16 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Star - 19 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Star - 2 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Star - 20 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Star - 23 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Star - 3 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Star - 6 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Statesville Landmark - 9 October 1890 
       Press Reports: Te Aroha News - 16 January 1889 
       Press Reports: The Bush Advocate - 5 January 1889 
       Press Reports: The Two Republics - 9 October 1890 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 16 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 20 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 8 January 1895 
       Press Reports: Trenton Times - 18 September 1889 
       Press Reports: Trenton Times - 21 January 1889 
       Press Reports: Trenton Times - 29 January 1889 
       Press Reports: Trenton Times - 4 October 1888 
       Press Reports: Walthamstow and Leyton Guardian - 21 March 1891 
       Press Reports: Woodford Times - 19 July 1889 
       Press Reports: Woodland Democrat - 5 December 1890 
       Ripper Media: Dear Boss... Three letters attributed to Jack the Ripper 
       Ripper Media: Three Letters From Hell 
       Witnesses: Emily Marsh