St. James Gazette
London, England
19 October 1888
THE MURDERS AT THE EAST END
A STRANGE PARCEL
Mr. G. Lusk, builder, of Alderney road, Globe road, Mile end, has received several letters purporting to be from the
perpetrator of the Whitechapel murders; but believing them to have the production of some practical joker, he had regarded
them as of no consequence. It is stated that a letter delivered shortly after five o'clock on Tuesday evening was accompanied
by a cardboard box, containing some flesh like substance. The receiver was at first disposed to think that another hoax had
been perpetrated, but he decided to take the box to a medical man whose surgery is near. The subject was declared by the
assistant to be a portion of a human body. In order to remove any reason for doubt, however, Dr. Openshaw, pathological
curator of the London Hospital Museum, was consulted, and he pronounced it to be a portion of a human kidney. He was further
of opinion that it was the organ of a woman of about forty five years of age, and that it had been taken from the body within
the last three weeks. It will be within public recollection that such an organ was missing from the woman Eddowes, who was
murdered and mutilated in Mitre square. The handwriting of the postcard and letter differs altogether from that of Jack the
Ripper, specimens of whose calligraphy were recently published. The writing is of an inferior character, evidently disguised,
while the spelling is indifferent.
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 you when I don't hurry too much. Goodbye Boss.
Mr. Lusk, Head Vigilance Committee, Alderney street, Mile end."
The letter and postcard are in the hands of the police.