The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-19

WHlTECHAPEL
The Latest Victim Horribly Gashed-Theories
Concerning the Perpetrator and His Crimes.
LONDON, July 1S.-At the inquest held en-
the body of the woman found murdered in
the Whitechapel district yesterday morn.
ing the fact was developed that in addition
to two large gashes, there were fourteen
other wounds on the body. The greater
number of the wounds, however, were only
skin deep.
Jack the Ripper has sent several letters
to the police lately. after long cessation
of these epistles. They were in the usual
braggadocio form and bear the old sigma
ture. A letter was also received by Albert
Brackett. leader of the vigilance commit
tee movement. three weeks ago. All the
letters stated the author would begin work
again in July. Many theories regarding
the Whitechapel murders have been ad-
vanced by detectives, criminal philoso-
piers. court experts. newspaper men and
experts ON insanity. The theory that most
prevails is that the murderer is religious
crank, who imagines he has a mission to
perform. and like the fanatics of Mahomets
time, the more atrocious the butcheries
he performs the greater saint he thinks
himself. 1t is fact that all the
Whitechape1 murders have occurred about
the 8th of the month or on the very last
days of each month, and it is claimed that
every new outbreak has occurred with the
changes of the moon. This, it Is thought,
indicates that the murderer Is maniac.
and has periodical fits of insanity. Who
he is and what he is is problem to be an
swered.
Many officials of the detective service
hold the theory that the murdernr is
crazy butcher. The fact that the victims
of the horrible fiend have been selected
from the lowest class of women is consid-
cred proof by many that the murGerer is
religious fanatic. Others are suIe the as
sassin is an escaped lunatic. Careful IN
vestigation certainly leads a stranger to
feel that no mere visitor or outside person
not only have been acquainted with the
locality and the inhabitants, but was,
without doubt, an old settler of the slums
of that region, and as familiar with its
dark cellars and underground. passage
ways as rats in the sewers Even person
who has spent weeks III the locality study
ing its geography would not venture to
lose himself in the intricacies of its gloomy
and dangerous labyrinths, especially when
ON mission of murder.
Robert Buchanan, while engaged in re-
hearsal at Haymarket Theater said: II
do not think Jack the Ripper the murderer.
He seems TO lack the atrOciOus skill dis
played. There is none of the really dis
tinctive handiwork OF the original fiend.
He is probably an imitator-sOme weak
Drained creature rendered crazy by gloat-
ing over the details of the horrible affairs
of last year. Of course that is very loose
guess-work, but the evidence at present is
George Moore. engaged in correcting the
manuscript of his forthcoming novel.
thought the murderer was Jack. Could he
imagine the mOtiyel Very easily.
made up a theory almost from the first and
still believe in it. The absence of motives
which generally lie at the root of murder
is very remarkable. These crimes are not
committed for gain. That at least is GER
tain. They are not, think equally GER
tain, committed for revenge. My theory is
that they are the work of some weak
Drained zealOt of the purity class. Perhaps
tins unspeakable wretch thinks he is Great
ing panic among the poor women of the
class he preys on, and he may frighten
them from the profession. 1t is an insane
idea, of course, but conceivable one. He
is the loathsome outcome of the puritan SIN
of the day: That is my idea"
Mr.. Wells, author of Fatal Physic,"
thought the murderer Jack. He could not
believe in two such hunters.
The novelist, James Payn, had no theory.
To have theory in such cases Is the po-
Hceman's duty.
1T is obvious" said Mr.: Walter Besant.
think, is proved by the status of the vic
Tins. 1t is also obvious that he has at
least rough and ready knowledge of
anatomy; also. he would seem to be bird
of passage. 1t is hsr rdly conceivable that
with that horrible lust of blood constantly
tOrturing him and spurring him on to com
nit fresh Outrages, he ewould have remained
in London so long without it mastering
him. Here then we have three cOnsidera-
tions-lowness of class. knowledge of
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be united in ships butcher. Not many
ships carry live cattle for slaughter now-a-
days. The great liners are all provided
with ice-r0oms: but there are still to be
found ships without those conveniences.
have made a voyage around the cape IN a
ship on which we slaughtered our cattle
for the table. doctor friend of mine
made suggestion at the time when Jack
was busy in Whitechapel last year. There
is a certain class of disorders which some-
times turn to homicidal mania, especially
directed against women. 1t might be
worth while to make inquiries at the hos
pitals as to whether any man with symp-
toms of such disorder was discharged at
about that date"
Mr.. Henry Labouchere said: "It does not
seem possible to form q theory which will
hold water. have seen and heard scores,
but never one without hole in it. In fact,
the most of them were all holes. AS to
whether Jack the Ripper is one person or
more-well, even that is doubtful. / shall
say that he or they, live at a distance from
Whitechapel. The man must have some
hiding place in which to conceal his clothes,
which can hardly escape blood-stains, and
in that district everybody was so much on
the qui vive that he could not have found
such secrecy as was needful. Madi Well.
no. / should say he was conspicuously
sane. have seen somethingof mad people,
and they all talk. They can't keep secret.
Of course, this man has very particular
reasons for keeping his tongue between his
teeth. IL he were caught Whitechapel
mob would make. short work of him; but
still his silence speaks for sanity. Then,
he is clever enough to laugh at the police.
though that doesn't take any great amount
of genius. The police have bungled the
affair terribly. But don't see. apart from
the individual points of the case, which in
cline me to think the man sane. why muir.
derer, even such murderer need be mad.
1t is a taste, like any other. The fellow
committed the first murder, perhaps if We
only knew, from some perfectly understand
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