THE POLICE PARALYZED
London, Oct. 1.
The two women found murdered Saturday night near the scene of the former butcheries in Whitechapel have been recognized as dissolute characters who have long frequented that vicinity. One of them was found in Berner street with her throat cut from ear to ear. The other was discovered lying in Mitre square. She, like the first mentioned victim, had her throat cut, but in addition she had been disembowelled and her nose had been cut off. The murderer had evidently been disturbed in his work in Berner street and had no time to mutilate the body of his victim. The discovery of the bodies completely paralyzed the police, and Gen. Sir Charles Warren, chief commissioner, was at once called out of bed. He repaired immediately to the scene of the murder and gave orders to have the police force in that district strongly reinforced. The inhabitants of Whitechapel are dismayed. The vigilance committees, which were formed after the first crimes were committed, had relaxed their efforts to capture the murderer. At several meetings held in Whitechapel last night, it was resolved to resume the work of patrolling the streets in the district in which the murders have occurred.
The first murder occurred shortly after midnight in a narrow court leading from the street, and directly beneath the windows of a socialist club, composed of foreigners. A concert was in progress in the clubroom at the time, at which a large number of persons were present. The second murder occurred three hours later in Mitre square, five minutes walk from the scene of the first tragedy.
The Berner street victim was Elisabeth Stride, a native of Stockholm, who resided in a common lodging house. The name of the other victim is not known.
Both victims are women of the same class as in the former crimes, and there is no doubt that the murderer is the same. His handiwork is not to be mistaken. The murderer is safe, gloating somewhere over his cleverness, and enjoying the peculiar sensations of delight which the indulgence of his horrible love of killing must undoubtedly cause him. Not the least thing is known, or even legitimately suspected, as to his identity. Scores of women are hysterical. Tens of thousands could not possibly be induced to step out alone. Every one, of course, expects fresh atrocities, and that is how things stand at present. It is not flattering to the police, nor comforting to Londoners, who imagined themselves well protected.
This theory that the murderer, whether a maniac or not, must possess some knowledge of surgery, is accepted as proven. The attempt to connect the crime with some American medical student, who is supposed to have offered large sums to various hospitals for a certain anatomical specimen which was missing in a recent victim, has been given up as ridiculous. The anatomical specimens in question can easily be obtained for a few shillings. It is suggested that the murderer must be a respectable looking individual, as in the present state of terror the most degraded Whitechapel women would not dare trust themselves with a rough, But that is rubbish, for every social law in Whitechapel is based on want and hunger, and the lowest brute on earth with means to procure gin would quickly find a Whitechapel woman eager to help him drink it. The murderer must be very strong, since he appears to have been able in each case to have overcome his victim with ease, and to stifle any loud outcry. Besides being strong, the murderer must have had a terribly sharp knife, for I have just come from the mortuary, where the first of Saturday night's victims lies. The gaping wound in the throat shows plainly the division of the jugular vein and the windpipe and the notch caused by the knife coming in contact with the vertebrae. The wounds on the throat of the Mitre square victim are almost identical. It is evident that the police here are not going to do much, and if the legendary instinct which sniffs out crime out crime still exists in America, its owner had better come over here, humiliate Scotland Yard, earn the thanks of all England and also ear the £300 reward, which would pay for his expenses. A detective leaving New York now might arrive just in time for the next batch of murders.
In consequence of the refusal of Home Secretary Matthews to offer a reward for the arrest of the Whitechapel murderer, the people of the East End on Saturday petitioned the Queen herself to authorize the offering of a reward.
