New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-17
MAY BE "JACK THE RIPPER"
A FIvE-FOLD MURDER UNEARTHED IN
LIVERPOOL
THE BODIES OF WOMAN AND -FOUR CHlLDhEN
FOUND UNDER VILLA ONCE OCCUPIED BY
THE SUSPECTED MAN-HIS TRIPS 10
LoNpoN-UNDER ARREST IN MEL
BOURNE As A wIFE-MURDERER


Liverpool, March l6-The police of this town
have been pursuing an inquiry into the dsap
pearance of woman and her children VINO lol-
merly lived at Rain Hill, part Of Liverpool
The inquiry was started in conjunction with the
arrest at Melbourne, Australia, OF man h&nicu
Williams who is charged with numbering woman
there and who, it is supposed may De JACK the
Ripper" Information of this arrest and OF GER
tain matters that had come TO the knowledge
Of the Melbourne police was cabled to Liverpool
and an investigation was at once set on 1oo''
The police to-day went to the house formerlN
occupied by the woman and children. 1heS
lifted a hearthstone from its place, proKe ouV '"c
cement upon which the stone had rested. ana ""R
away the earth below il. After hall-nouI
digging they found the body of the missing
woman. Immediately beneath it were iound 'ue
bodies of two children. The murderer nau ch-
desvored by the use of chloride of lime 10 ue-
stroy the bodies Of his victims The mouse was
once occupied ny Williams :. ,.;nr
The police continued their digging IL oe','r
rr,nored that the bodies OF other women "'
had visited Williams were missing. Finally 'he
bodies of two other children were loun"' O''S
the Kitchen was searched TO-DAY. The ground
,,dor tho other rooms will be excavated to-
morrow. The body OF the woman found to-day
WAS fully dressed. except that boot ard STOCKING
vere missing The clothes were OF fine quall'y.
The woman wore wedding ring and Keeper
The rome with which she had been strangied was
arourd the neck and the throat had been cut
The discovery of the murders has caused an
Intense sensation.
Tie further the affair is investigated the
rroncer grows the belief that Williams IS none
,ther than Jack the Ripper Williams, While
= resident of Liverpool made frequent visits 10
London. The police have traced his movements
between the two places, and 1t has been louh"
that the dates of his visits TO London correspond
with the dates on which the women in the White
chapel district were found with their throats cut
and their bodies mutilated. 1t will be remem-
bered that description was given to the ponce
of the appearance of the man who was seen IN
the company of several of those women. lhis
description tallies exactly with the appearance OF
Williams as given by people in Liverpool VIII"
were well acquainted with him.
The question of Williams's identity remains
mystery. On his first appearance at Ram I'M le
STAYED at hotel, where he led roillcklng hle'
and appeared to have plenty of money. lie was
fond of society, good story-teller ana was
always willing 70 spin yarn; put Wheh 's"'"
about himself he Immediately became tacltuih'
A local newspaper, on the occasion OF MS mar
rape 10 Miss Matker, whom h. murdered in Mel
bourne, ulcu 10 Stt u ShS'NA Va ''-'
Williams refused 70 give any information regard
ing himself He first net Miss Mather at her
mothers while making inquiries as 10 the Ientln9
of villa. Williams pretended 10 act for Il
mythical Colonel Brooks. and obtained the tenancy
of the villa. paying six months rent in advance
q He furnished only single room IN the house
Immediately after he had taken possession OF tne
villa an unknown woman, with two children, was
seen about the house. Nobody saw them arrive
or depart At about the same time announcer woman
visited him at q hotel. and the two took lGlcHeoh
together. Williams told the landlord that ms
comnanion was his sister. This woman was seen
twice when she also vanished. Alter taxing one
villa Williams often lett the hotel IN the morn
ing and would not return untlI the eNehn5'
His cloth ing and person used 10 De covered WIZ
dirt and his hands were much Diistered ~
explained his untidy appearance 10y saying th2t
bc Ind been engaged in putting down new floors
in house. a laborer has been found VINO
deposes that this statement was true lie SAYS
thai Williams called upon him 10 assist IN the WoIk
of taking up the floors Of a kitchen ana TWO
other rooms. and hired pasterer TO relay mem h
In cement. These preparations had Dceh cohlie @
ders must have been effected withoui, uei'N
Williams left the hotel TO occupy the via; out
in a few DAYS he returned, soNlng tnat ne c0u!H
not slrcp there: that his Sister and the chii'ieh
had gone to Port Said, and that his plans we're
unsettled He af'erward returned 70 III, VIA
but finally came back again to tht hotcli tle h'ii,
ried his marriage with Miss Mather. In iact, ne
went 10 STAY at her mothers three weeks prior
to the ceremony. lie did not take ms pIloe ~ 10
the villa He caused lot OF heavy poAes 10 pc
left there which were afterward 10 DE remoVeu
10 a place unknown lie left at the hotel TWO
,ravellinQ-bags They are now being clos;H sciu-
tinized There are blood stains INSIDE theih.