Manchester Guardian
15 November 1888
"THE
WHITECHAPEL MURDER"
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."