The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-05
THE wHIrECHAPEL MURDERS.
Excitement Running High-An Arrest
Made which May Prove to be the Fiend.

Made which May Prove to be the Fiend.
LONDON, October 4-The excitement
over the Whitechapel murders Is run
ming very high now, having received a
fresh impetus from the events of last
night, when a watchmsn, following a
suspicious couple, was murdered. Last
nights tragedy occurred in Shadwell,
the district adjoining Whitechapel, to-
wards the Thames. A watchmsn
who was on duty there saw man
accompanied by woman OF low char
acter 90 behind boarl fence,
which had been placed in front OF a
building in process Of erection. The
WAtchman becoming suspicious OF
the mans actions, followed the couple
at the same time summOning a police
man to his assistance. The man seeing
that he was shadowed turned sayagely
on the watchman and stibbed him, kill
ing him instantly After a desperate
struggle the murderer was arrested amid
much excitement.
HIS HORRIBLE WORK.
Although the perpetrator Of the mur-
ders may continue to remain undiscoy-
cred, his horrible work has been the
means of directing general attention to
the utter inefficiency OF the police, and
the lesson taught is possibly worth the
sacrifice of life required to teach II. The
police organizations, never on the best OF
Terms with one another, are bandying
charges Of inefiiciency, and the result
will, or certainly should be, an overhaul
ing of ths entire police system, the
merging of the city Of London force with
the Metropolitan, and the putting in
command Of an official thoroughly yersed
in the complex duties required OF such a
body, and not a deiested martinez like
Sir Charles Warren.
he interval between the first four
murders, followed by an almost similar
tragedy near New Castle.on-Tyne, gave
cause for the belief that the monster has
fled from London, convinced that the
class selected for his victims had become
so awak ened TO their danger, and the po-
lice and people so aroused that his course
of crime in the Metropolis was ended.
Furnished with whistles TO summon as
sistance, and walking in pairs, the wo-
men felt assured of freedom from attack,
when the double assassination of Sunday
morning awakened such mingled feel
ing of appalling fear and impotent rage
as has perhaps never been known IN the
modern Babylon.
THEORIES ADVANCED.
Among the theories advanced, some by
an American journalist, have the merit
OF novelty, and ii is the opinion here that
a few trained men of that class would be
of more service in solving the horrible
mystery than all the muddled policemen
of London. 1t has all along been assured
that the murderer is man. Granting
the condition generally accepted that the
perpetrator is insane, there is pOssibli-
ty that the person is a woman. One of
the latter sex would not he suspected by
the prospective victim, after tie commit
tai of the deed, in case an alarm was
given, and her garments would much
more easily allow the concealment OF
blood stains.
As second venture, allowing the lat
ter consideration to be one of consider
able importance, man in womans
clothes would possess advantages for es
cape infinitely superior to those Of one
dressed in the habiliments OF his own
sex, and an offer Of drink from a bot
tie would lure many an unfortunate to
secluded spot, who would be suspicious
Of a strange man, watchful of his slight
est move, and would not suffer him to at
tack her from behind, as these women
have been killed.