London has a Sensation Rivalling the Jesse Pomeroy Crimes
London, Dec.30.
The crime of Jesse Pomeroy, known all over America as the "boy murderer", who nineteen years ago brutally murdered and horribly mutilated on the Dorchester marshes, near Boston, two children under six years of age and for which he is now undergoing life imprisonment at Charlestown, Mass., has a parallel in this city. About nine weeks ago the wife of a surgical instrument maker named Dowling, living in this city, paid a brief visit to a neighbor, leaving her baby, aged two years and four months, playing in the front garden. Half an hour later its naked body was found in a bag in a garbage box of an adjacent alley. The baby had been choked to death, and portions of the body had been horribly mutilated. Police investigation resulted in the arrest of a boy named Alfred gamble, fifteen years of age, who resided with his parents in the vicinity. There was no proof against him, and he was released. Ten days ago another sensation was caused by a crime of a similar character. This time the victim was a three year old boy, and the circumstances were similar in the main to the first tragedy. A knife found near the infant was recognized as being the property of the lad Gamble, and he was again arrested.
Since then evidence has developed tending to show conclusively that young Gamble was the murderer of both children. When arrested a few hours after the child had been found, he was enjoying himself at a variety theater. Surgeons who have studied the case believe that the boy has a monomania similar to that of Jack the Ripper, and this theory is borne out by the nature of the mutilations inflicted upon his two innocent victims. He will be tried for his life at the next sessions of the central criminal court.
