London, U.K.
26 November 1888
The Press Association says: It was reported in Scotland-yard, yesterday, that Mr. Monroe had been appointed Commissioner of Police, in the stead of Sir Charles Warren.
The official announcement of the name of the new Commissioner of Police cannot be received until to-day. After the Cabinet Council, on Saturday, a communication was made to the Queen by special messenger at Windsor. Her Majesty's reply will not be received at the Home Office until to-day.
AN EXTRORDINARY LETTER.
An extraordinary letter, of considerable length, and signed, "Jack the Ripper's Pal," has been received by an old gentleman, Mr. Robert Porter, residing at Hucknall Torkard, Notts. The envelope bears the London East Central post-mark, and the writer states that he is a Notts man, has been in America some years, and since leaving Colorado has been carrying on "a deadly game" in the East-end. Most people thought that there was only one in the affair, but there are two, and the other taught him how to do it: but he was as bad as he was now, if not worse, for he never felt frightened in cutting a woman up now. When they went into a public-house and heard some one reading about the Whitechapel affairs he had many a laugh. His "pal" was a wild wretch. There was not one soul in Nottingham who thought that a man who had lived in Huckall some years ago was doing all this. His "pal" was a Bavarian; they met on board a steamship, and he was mesmerized. When he found out his hideous calling they had become very intimate, and his "pal" cast a sort of spell over him. It was amusing to see the police arresting "Leather Aprons" every day. His "pal" was a great magician, and a very clever man. The letter has been handed over to the police authorities.
Another abortive arrest in connection with the East-end murders was made last night. A man observed to enter Angel-alley, Whitechapel, with a woman, and his resemblance to the man whose description has been circulated caused some men to follow him. He ran out of the other end of the alley and entered a public-house, where he was arrested. He was taken to Commercial-street Police-station, but succeeded in establishing his innocence, and was liberated.
As regards the assault made upon Annie Farmer in a common lodging-house at George-street, Flower-and-Dean-street, by a man who afterwards made his escape, nothing further of him has been seen, and the police are inclined to believe that the affair was only an ordinary brawl, and that the woman is aquainted with the man who assailed her, but will not give information which will lead to his detection.