London, July 17.--The woman whose body was found in Castle-alley, in the Whitechapel district, last night was a middle-aged female of the disreputable class. Her throat had been cut to the spine. When the body was found it was lying on its back. The abdomen had been slashed in a horrible manner in several places. No part of the body was missing. Warm blood was flowing from the wounds when the body was discovered.
A policeman, who with the watchman of an adjacent warehouse must have been within a few yards of the spot when the crime was committed, heard no noise. Policemen have been placed at fixed points in Whitechapel since the murders of this character began there, and since the one preceding that of last night officers have been stationed at a point within a hundred yards of the scene of the last tragedy. An old clay pipe smeared with blood was found alongside the body. It is supposed by the police that this will furnish a clue to the murderer, although it may have belonged to the victim.
Several arrests of suspected persons have been made but they were discharged from custody, there being no proof on which to hold them.
It is stated that a letter was recieved by the police officials before last night's murder in Whitechapel signed "Jack the Ripper," in which the writer said that he was "about to resume his work."
