A LETTER FROM "JACK THE RIPPER."
The following letter, bearing the Uckfield postmark of October 27, has been received by the Earl of Sheffield: "England, Oct 27, '88.-Dear Loard Sheffield-I am sorry but feeling it my duty to let you know as I do not think you would do, or you would not have the Heart to turn an old tennent like poor old Mrs. Grover out of her Home after such an hard struggle to maintain and bring up her family, not only that, but not allowing anyone to get an honest living there in the butchering line, as they have done for a great number of years, but it seems to me as though you and your faithful steward want it all, and if you had my wish you would get more than you wanted. Remember, this is a warning to you, but, at the same time, I should be much obliged to you if you could arrange it for your steward to sleep under the same roof as yourself on Monday night, October 29, or else I shall have to bring an assistant. My knife is nice and sharp. Oh for a gentleman this time instead of a lady. I am sorry for troubling you, but don't forget the 29th.-I remain, yours truly, JACK THE RIPPER."-Lord Sheffield has for some time past so frequently been annoyed by anonymous letter writers that he has resolved to make a special effort upon this occasion to capture his cowardly assailant. The above letter has, therefore been reproduced in facsimile, and his lordship has offered a reward of £250 for information leading to the arrest of the writer.
Upon inquiry at the Whitechapel Police-station, yesterday, it was stated that nothing was known there of any discovery of knives in connection with the East-end murders. If, they say, the reported "find" had any possible relation to the Whitechapel crimes, they would have been informed of it. The authorities state that altogether a large number of weapons, each of which has been at first mentioned as used by the murderer, have been discovered at different parts of London since the outrages. The authorities think that these discoveries are mainly the work of practical jokers. The "kidney incident" has been pronounced an entirely fictitious "clue."
It is said that in London and different parts of the country about 360 persons have at various times been temporarily detained on suspicion of being connected with the crimes. In each case inquiry proved that there was no ground for supposing any of the men to be the murderer.
NEGROES MURDERED AND MUTILATED.
The people of Birmingham, in America, are very much exercised over a series of mysterious murders which have taken place in that neighbourhood. They are similar in character to the Whitechapel atrocities. The victims selected are negroes. There have been four or these tragedies within the last three weeks. No motive for the crimes is apparent, and in each case the body of the victim has been horribly mutilated.
