The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-02-04
THE WHITECBAPEL NrgDERS.
An lKlraorainar. celneiaenen

An Extraordinary Coincidence.
Il has been truly said that history re-.
peais itself, and nowhere has this pro.
verb been so often verified as In the de-
lighiiui realm of fiction. 4 striking i'm
stance 0f this occurs iu Robert Louis
Sieyenson's startling story of Dr. Jckyll
and Mr.. Hyde. which trenches on the
domain oi the Bizarre and, if original
with him. would have done credit 10 the
regions of Nightmare" for 1T has been
stated that Alr Stevenson alleges that
the plot or m0ff of tine story was sur-
eested t0 him by "a dream OF course
this statement is within the range ofI
possibility. bur in connection with this
allegation lt may Doe said that about forty
years ago The celebrated actor Frederic
Le Mairc ON the stage OF the
Amhigu Comiquc. in Paris, held spell.
bound ihe audience in q mclO-drama
which WIS fic-smie OF Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde The plot was the same. A
physician noted for his scientific attain.
menis famed for bis benevolent actions
and respected and loved by an who
knew him, was the subject OF demOniacal
possession during the silent watches of
the night I'M the daytime he was husilv
engaged in the practice of his profes.
sion and by bis charitable actions reaped
golden opinions from all men. but when
thc shadows of might enyel0ped the
earth, repairing tO bis laboratory. bv
some cahail-tic means his graceful form
assumed the proportions of q deiOrmed
and mis-hapcn mOnster his classic fea-
lures were changed into the coarse and
revolving lincamcnts of "a savage nature.
and with eyes glaring with the ravening
lust of blood bee rushed forth on his mis-
sion of slaughter Tie genius of lie
Mailfe feyeIlcd in the pers0nation of
this character iIis audience were thrill.
cd and fascinated Dy ihe weird interest
of the play, and all theatrcgoiug Paris
was attracted to witness the representa-
ton of This dual existence.
\ feature which added 10 its interest
was that lie Maitre. in his makeup OF
the doctor copied the dress and appear
aucc of famous chemist who was the
CynOsurc OF ail scientific eyes, and SO per
feet was the likeness that &c became the
subject of public criticism The chemist
himself vas attracted 90 witness the play,
and so fascinated was De by the master
ly rendition OF the character and the
genius OF the actor that he became "a
nightly yisitant 60 the scene Shortly
after "a succession of murders startled an
Paris They were peipcimtet I'm diiier-
ent parts of The city. The victims were
females -uigm-prowlers-and a5 far as
could be ascoriancd The murders were
commi1ed without any motive except
craving for blood
The Partisan police though noted for
tbeir intelligence and activity were for
some time unable 90 detect the perpCtra-
tons bul clue 40 las. being found and
iutcli rcntlv worked up. Tho murderer
was finally caught in the commission OF
4 similar crime. lie proved TO be the I
celebrated chemist, whose reason, already /
tOttcriug ON its throne from The Intensity
of his studies, had been completely /
wrecked by the diabOlical fascination OF
This drama and hc bad lhus essayed 90
portray in real lil3 thc fictitious repre-
-cuiatiOn of the stage. Now, rs the story
Of Dr. Jckyil and ,r Hyde is an exam
pie %! history repeating itself in The
realm of fiction. may not the white
Chapel MURDERS which are now con-
Aulsing London 20 It's centre, and puz- I
zling The Wiseacres of its police, bc an
example OF history repeating itself in /
the domain of Reality. For it will be
remembered that Mr. Stevenson story
has been dramatiscd. and during the
month Of July acted IN London by Mr. F..
Richard Mansfield with "a yiyidncss and /
realistic representation which the genius
OF Le Maitrc could hardly have eXcelled;
and 10 win also De rec0llected that during
the months OF August and September
those terrible assa,siuati0ns occurred
which hOrr.ded the London world.
Now, may IL not with some show OF
reason, be assumed that what happened
in Paris some forty years ago may now
be taking place in Lond0n I'm other
words that as the murders in Paris were
caused hy the acting of a drama similar
in all It's details to the story OF Dr Jekyll
aad Mr. Hyde, may not tho White
chanel murders be The "Out0me OF the
public representation OF Mr. Steyensons
story I'm London,
May not some poor wretch in London,
whose brain was diseased with morbid
fapcies. have bg0oded over those terrible
scenes which he perhaps often witnessed,
until homicidal mania became the result
and he was led 90 vic iu deeds OF blood
with his French prototype: Surely
there i. nothing very improbable in this
suggestion and besides, If we err not, IL
has been stated that 10 was highly prob
able thar O. medical man was the actor ia
those scenes Of slaughter judging from
he precision and skill with which his
victims were disscctcd, as well as from
the instrument used, which was found ai
the locality of one of the murders. And
moreover the cunning and ease with
which be bias dehed detection, render it
hiyhiy probable thai again iunaiic has
been engaged in causing history 10 re-
peat itself
II this assertion should prove to be
true, it isa question whether it would
not be well t0 establish a censorship OF
the drama. X. l.. ALLEN.