Weekly Herald
October 19th, 1888

STRANGE OCCURENCE IN LIVERPOOL
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The following curious story is vouched for as being strictly correct, at least so far as the young lady referred to is concerned. On Wednesday evening the young lady in question was walking along Shiel Road, Liverpool, not far from Shiel Park, when she was stopped by an elderly woman aged about 60, who, in an agitated and excited manner, urged her most earnestly not to go into the park. She explained that a few minutes previously she had been resting on one of the seats in the park when she was acosted by a respectable-looking man dressed in a black coat, light trousers, and a soft felt hat, who inquired if she knew if there were any loose women about the neighbourhood, and immediately afterwards he produced a knife with a long thin blade, and stated that he intended to kill as many women in Liverpool as in London, adding that he would send the ears of the first victim to the editor of the Liverpool Daily Post. The old woman, who was trembling violently as she related this story, stated that she was so terribly frightened that she hardly knew how she got away from this man. She could not see anything of either a policeman or a park keeper, but in addition to warning the young lady she appears to have mentioned the matter to some workmen whom she met afterwards in Shiel Road.

The steamers leaving Liverpool for American and other ports are now being carefully watched by the police, and the passengers are closely scrutinised by detectives, there being an idea that the perpetrator of the Whitechapel murders may endeavour to make his escape via Liverpool.