15 November 1888
The police were occupied yesterday in endeavouring to obtain a clue to the movements of the man with whom the woman Kelly was last seen. Their search up to last night had not resulted in any definite information. An arrest was made in Old Kent Road, but the man whose movement had excited suspicion does not answer to the description of the person wanted. he was a curious person, nevertheless. He left a black bag at the Thomas a Becket public-house. The police were communicated with, and on the bag being examined it was found to contain a dagger, a clasp knife, two pairs of scissors, and two life-preservers. Meanwhile the man had gone to a pawnbroker's, and on emerging from the shop was taken into custody.
The correspondent of the Independance Belge at Berne sends the following remarkable communication:--"A curious coincidence taken in connection with the London murders is now the topic of conversation at Lucerne. A possible author for the Whitechapel horrors has been discovered. It appears that some sixteen years ago the population of Paris was greatly excited by the murderous exploits of a mysterious assassin who chose his victims among the class of demi- mondaines. He was finally discovered, and turned out to be a certain Nicolas Wassili, of Russian origin, who was born at Uraspol in 1847. He had received an excellent education at the University of Odessa. The murderer was examined by a council of physicians, who declared him insane. He had committed his horrible crimes under the influence of religious fanaticism. Wassili was consequently placed in an insane asylum, from which he received his discharge only last January. The question is, whether this religious maniac has gone to London and recommenced his curious method of saving souls."