Echo
London, U.K.
19 October 1888
WHITEHALL MYSTERY
NO FURTHER DISCOVERY
No further remains have been discovered as a result of the search which has been ordered to be made at the new Police Building, Whitehall. The employment of bloodhounds has not as yet led to any result. As far as is possible, an examination will be made of the earthen floor in every part of the vaults. The adjacent well has been pumped out, but nothing has been discovered therein. Yesterday morning Dr. Bond, in conjunction with Dr. Hibberd, made a further examination, at the mortuary, Millbank-street, of the leg and foot found on Wednesday. The examination lasted for some time, but no marks which might lead to identification were discernable. The foot and leg are well moulded. There is no doubt that these remains belong to the trunk and arm previously found, although, of course, it is impossible to fit them to the trunk, the upper portion of the leg not having been discovered.
THIS DAY'S NEWS
THE EAST END MURDERS
MR. LUSK'S GRUESOME PARCEL
DR. SEDGWICK SAUNDERS' OPINION
THINKS IT A STUDENT FREAK
The "kidney incident" is regarded by Dr. Gordon Brown and the police as a hoax. Even if the kidney forwarded to Mr. Lusk, the chairman of the Vigilance Committee, should prove to be the half of a human organ - and there is medical discrepancy on this point - it could not have been the one extracted from the body of the murdered woman Eddowes. A medical man is said to have ventured to assert - relying upon a microscopic examination - that the organ showed indications of disease from drink. Dr. Sedgwick Saunders - Medical Officer of the City of London - accepting this at once disproves the theory that the organ could have belonged to Eddowes by stating that the right kidney of the woman was perfectly healthy and presumably the left would be in a similar condition.
DR. SAUNDERS' OPINION
An Echo representative called this morning upon Dr. Sedgwick Saunders, who, alluding at first to the report that a medical man declared the half kidney had belonged to a female, remarked:- "It is a pity some people have not the courage to say they don't know. You may take it there is no difference whatever between the male and female kidney. As for those in animals, they are similar. The cortical substance is the same, and the structure differs in shape. I think it would be quite possible to mistake it for a pig's. You may take it that the right kidney of the woman Eddowes was perfectly normal in its structure and healthy, and, by parity of reasoning, you would not get much disease in the left. The liver was healthy, and gave no indications that the woman drank. Taking the discovery of the half of the kidney, and supposing it to be human, my opinion is that it was a student's hoax. It is quite possible for any student to obtain a kidney for the purpose."
HOW THE PARCEL WAS RECEIVED
The circumstances under which Mr. Lusk received the gruesome parcel were as follow: - A few days ago a postman delivered at Mr. Lusk's residence in Alderney-road, Globe-road, Mile-end, a postcard, which read as follows:-
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.
Bye-bye, Boss.
The card was addressed "Mr. Lusk, Head Vigilance Committee, Alderney-street, Mile-end." As Mr. Lusk has received other communications of the same kind since he has been connected with the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee he paid no attention to the communication; but on Tuesday evening there reached him through the post a small parcel, similarly addressed, which on examination to contain some meaty substance that gave off a very offensive odour. A closer inspection showed that the article was a portion of a kidney. Enclosed in a box with it was a letter worded in revolting terms. It was in the following terms:-
From Hell. - Mr. Lusk. - Sir, I send you half the kidney I took from one woman. Prasurved 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 only wate whil longer. - (Signed) CATCH ME WHEN YOU CAN, MR. LUSK.
The cardboard box which Mr. Lusk received is about 3½in. square, and was wrapped in paper. The cover bears a London post-mark, but the stamping is not sufficiently clear to enable it to be stated from what postal district of the metropolis the article was sent. On this point it is expected that the assistance of the Post Office officials will be invoked. The portion of the kidney which it enclosed has, according to the medical experts, been preserved for some time in spirits of wine. 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, as will be seen, is indifferent.
THE HOUSE-TO-HOUSE SEARCH
The force of police, dressed in private clothes, who have been told off to make a house-to-house search in Whitechapel and Spitalfields, were busily engaged yesterday. At every house or tenement visited they left a copy of the subjoined police notice:- "To the Occupier. - On the mornings of Friday, Aug.31, Saturday, 8th, and Sunday, Sept. 30, 1888, women were murdered in or near Whitechapel, supposed by some one residing in the immediate neighbourhood. Should you know of any person to whom suspicion is attached, you are earnestly requested to communicate at once with the nearest police-station." The police have everywhere been received with the greatest good-feeling, even in the poorest districts, and have had difficulty in obtaining information.
THE BERMONDSEY STORY.
The City Police have informed a Press Association reporter, to-day, that there is no truth whatever in the story that a man, supposed to be an American, had been arrested or was being followed in Bermondsey; and that no such statement as reported had been made at the City Detective Office.
THE BELFAST ARREST
At Belfast, to-day, John Foster was charged on remand with being connected with the Whitechapel murders. Evidence was given that the chain and locket in his possession had been stolen from a house in the vicinity of Bootle. Prisoner who is wanted for housebreaking, was remanded another week for further inquiries.
HEAR ALL SIDES
DRUNKEN WOMEN - SUGGESTIONS
SIR, - Seventy-five per cent of the drunkenness of women - of the domestic misery, and of the pressure of police duty - has arisen and continues, and will continue, through Gladstone's Grocers Licences Act, which enables wives of the middle classes and others to obtain brandy and its companions as part of the family requirements, so avoiding the open exposure and disgrace of sending direct to the licensed drink stores.
Till that domestic blight Act is repealed, and women and men compelled to get their drinks at the right place - the licensed dram stores - the talk and sentimental efforts of district temperance societies throughout London and the kingdom are practically useless.
Lat a Vigilance Anti-Liquor Committee be at once chosen by the National League and the Church Temperance Societies, to examine the wording and bearing proposed Acts of Parliament, and put the needed opposition in action at the right places and times.
The distillers and brewers now in Parliament - ready to assist in promoting Bills and securing the passing of clauses that will personally enrich them and their trade companions - must be met by men of sharp, dogged energy - men who, like Clarkson and Wilberforce against slavery, will devote themselves heart and head to (1st) preventing liquor-providing clauses in new Acts of Parliament, and (2nd) modifying existing liquor Acts, so as to only fairly and squarely provide for the educated drink propensities of the population.
The licensed victuallers would, if fewer in number, be more respectable in grade and richer in purse by the change of front; our domestic life nationally would be happier. And the reduction of drunkard cases would materially reduce the rate-payers' outgoings for police, infirmaries, workhouses, &c.
Drunkards' Prisons: As Parliament for its Budget obtains a large sum annually for duty and licences to sell spirituous drinks, and those drinks unfit the drinkers for home life and for business, meet and right it is that forthwith it pass as Act in Parliament empowering the arrest of habitual drunkards by the State, under such clauses as its wisdom and knowledge may decide.
Having personally for sixty-two years been a pledged member of the Temperance Society that abstains from spirituous liquors, and thereby secured a continued flow of health while around me hundreds on hundreds of jolly, moderate, and immoderate personal acquaintances have soaked themselves into their coffins; the havoc done in the past, and the fearful mischief now doing to our young men, and through them to our young women, by the drink shops on our suburban railway platforms is a national disgrace.
J. ENMORE JONES
NOT "JACK THE RIPPER" - BUT P.C. WEST.
Constables West and Fleurster, plain-clothes officers, gave this incident from their experiences in Commercial-street, Whitechapel, this morning, to the Thames Magistrate. It occurred at half-past one. They saw two young fellows, named Frederick Platell and James Kelly, "working round a crowd" who were watching a fire. When the crowd commenced to disperse the pair went into the High-street where they stopped a drunken man. When they left the man they walked as far as Mansell-street. They then returned to Messrs. Gardner's, clothiers, when Kelly got on Platell's back, and looked over a gateway that led into the house. Kelly got down, and they remained in the gateway some time. They then followed some people. At last Platell caught sight of West, and at once run away, but was caught by Fleurster. West then caught hold of Kelly, when he threw himself down. "What are you doing?" asked West. "Oh," said the man, "I thought 'Jack the Ripper' had hold of me." Platell had a similar excuse to offer to the Magistrate. He said they found their house locked against them, and went for a walk. The officers pounced on them, and they thought "Jack the Ripper" had got hold of them. - They were remanded.
