The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-03-11

could have spoken to her. What is that
woman doing in Whitechapel? How
comes a lady in this God-forsaken quarter
OF the town."
And Mrs. Desmond had been interested
in the Whitechapel murders.
Musing thus, / walked ainilessly on I'M
I'll | suddenly found / was again approach
ing Castle alley. / had unwittingy made
complete circuit. i stopped by a street
lamp and looked at my watch. 1t was lilo.
There was an oppressive hush in the
air. Absolute silence enveopsd the night.
Gradually from q distance the sound OF
footsteps broke on my ear. II was the
patrol making his rounds. An instant
later sharp. shrill whistle cleft the still
ness-the officer was whisting for assist
ance.
rushed through the black archways
and into Castle alley. saw him STOPPING
and flashing his lantern over something.
He staggered back with an exc amation OF
horror, and turned his livid face toward
me- lie did not speak; he only pointed
at what lay at his feet. And rs looked it
seemed as il the night found tongue and
from every corner myriad voices seemed
to shrek thai awful word-"Murder! !"
Then came the running of feet, the
! opening and slamming Of doors, and like
an army OF rats people swarmed upon Us.
| stood over 1t for five minutes until the
| polire came and drove back the maddened
| crowd
| OF all black deeds, this was the fou'e est.
| Such wantoness OF mutilation-such in
| genuity Of cruelty had never been con-
| ceived. The unfortunate was identified
as Carrie Mackenzie. the woman | had
| seen at about IL o clock.
noV 4hnt fo-f4 he
dreadful details OF the murder. the re-
moval OF the body, the rows Of frightened
faces, the curses and imprcca,ions hurled
at the unknown murderer and my own
| despair. When | realized that the crime
had been committed while l was wander
| ing aimleSslv about, disturbed by an ap-
| partition, perhaps. my rage knew no
bounds. Possibly, too, as | returned TO
| Castle alley the mul derer was Sinking
away within a stones throw.
Idiot. fool that I wasl' I cried, over
/ and over. "Why did 1 imagine that l saw
that woman and waste my time following
her. But mol saw her. How narrowly
she missed this murder, and how she II re-
greet she was cheated OF that awful sight!
| How she would have enjoyed"
| broke oil. / grew quite cold.
For moment thought was dying.
\ hlNtNilui NiOl4 NOull IL Dt. Nv. uOs Atn-
| possible! And yet-those poor animals
those iright;ul bookseller presence hero
the silence and swiftness with which she
| disappeared-wha could it all mean?
l must be going mad
| Months after walled into the Office at
| Scotland Yard, still weak and trembling
from my long illness. Overwork, the
| physicians SAID, and brooding too much
/ upon the WhiIechapei mysteries precipi-
tated an attack OF brain fever. But
knew better. | knew that what set my
| head rreling and brain on fire was the
fearful suspicion Of the identity of Jack
the Ripper"
Sometimes wonderedif it had not been
| part of my feversh fancies, but ] dis
tinctly recall the powerful figure OF Mrs.
! Desmond, her cruel eyes and clutching
white hands. Beatrix Desmond certainty
stood before me on that awful night.
From the day ! reported for work until
| now have watched her as closely as pos
sibe. Scarcely day has passed without
| my catching glimpse of her. ! have
| known her 0utgoings and mornings
| With nothing tangible to build my theory
upon L have waited. believing l should
| find some clew which would be contirma-
ton of my suspicious. Why should she
murder7 Why should she have killed
! those inoflensive beasts? The woman is
morbidly initiative. She saw her husband
| killed and absorbed from that spectacle a
pas ion for blood. From brooding over
that sight she came TO wonder what 1t
would be to kill, and then to desire to do it.
|
Three weeks ago Frances Coleman, a
| wretched wayiarer, was found murdered
| in the Swallow Gardens. The noise the
constable made as he approached evil
IDENTIFY alarmed the assassin, for the body
was yet warm when discovered. ! was
very soon on the ground and assisted in
| lifting the poor creature into the wagon.
AS placed my hand under her head it
came in contact with an object tangled in
the unkempt hair. I still have it, aud it is
| TO me positive clew. But | am unable
to convince my chief.
|
The drunken sadiler has accounted for
his whereabouts on the night of the
crime. The murderer, in my opinion, is
| Raafrix DeEnond