The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-01-18
JACK THE SLASHER.
New York's Midnight Assassin
Run Down. ...
IDENTIFIED AS HENRY G. DoWD.

He Is Well Connected, So Far as His
Family Is Concerned, but His
Habits Have Long Made Him a
( Social Outcast Caught While
blashing His Seventh Victim.
+ New YORK, Jan. IS. = Jack the
Slasher, that mysterious individual, who
since Dec. 30 last has amused himself
by cutting the throats of drunken men
with razor and has been the terror of
night travellers in the Fourth ward, was
captured at an early hour yesterday
morning, red handed. He inveigled his
victim, a drunken man, to an unfre-
quented street, and then, catching the
man around the neck with one hand,
with the other he drew a keen razor
across his throat. He then skunked
away, but an officer who had been
watching him for some time and who
had been unable to come up in time to
save the drunken man from injury, gave
pursuit, and with the aid of other officers
soon captured the slasher.
His Name Henry G. Dowd.
Inspector Byrnes has no doubt that he
has the right man at whose door is also
laid the death of John Carson, the Balti-
more ex-lawyer, and the dangerous
wounding of five othes men. The pris-
oner's name is Henry e. Dowd. He is
well connected, SO far as his family is
concerned, but his habits have long
made him social outcast, and for two
years at least he has had no other home
than the cheap lodging houses on the
Bowery afforded. He is about 80 years
old and is believed to be insane. Dowd's
seventh victim is a man named William
Miller, 45 years old, of 1923 West Third
street, who was walking along James
street in drunken condition. His
throat was badly cut, and he was taken
to the hospital. Dowd was arraigned
yesterday morning in police court and
was from there remanded to the care Of
Inspector Byrnes.
List of the Victims.
Inspector Bynes gave the following
as the list of victims of the man who
has been dubbed by the police us "Jack
the Slasher," because of the peculiar
methods pursued by the criminal.
John Heflin, of 31S East Eighteenth
street, cut by some person unknown on
the night of Dec. 29 last
=. Louis Lawson, of s Albany street,
throat cut on Jan. 8.
cut on Jan. 0.
George Williams, of Brooklyn, throat
slashed on Jan. IL.
Edward Christensen, Swede, throat
slashed ON Jan. 10.
John Carson, throat cut from ear to
ear, found dead Jan. Is.
When caught the prisoner had one
hand in his overcoat pocket and in this
hand he had q razor covered with blood.
An ambulance was called and the
wounded man was taken to hospital.
He had an ugly wound in his throat and
was in semi-conscious condition, but
managed to give his name and address.
After his preliminary examination in
the police court Dowd was taken to
Bellevue hospital where Clark, the man
who was cut on Jan. 0 is being treated
for the injuries inflicted by the slasher,
Clark positively identified Dowd as the
man who assaulted him.
The Prisoner Confesses.
The prisoner was then conveyed to
police headquarters, where he made a
confession of his crime; or crimes, some
of them. He said that the impulse to
kill under some circumstances was un-
controllable. He said that he wanted to
kill all the Dutchmen, for whom he was
seeking all the time. The reason for
THIS WAS Lildb 6eTIldIl nhu once raw
ished his mother at her home In Brook
lyn. The face of the rayisher still
haunted him, and when he saw man
who looked like the one he was pursu-
ing he tried to kill him.
"Why did you kill Carson2 He wasn't
o German the inspector asked.
81 couldn't help it" was the reply.
Then seeing his error, he quickly cor
rected himself, saying he did not kill
Carson at ALL
Dowds room was searched by the po-
lice, who found blood stained clothing
there.
Henry G.. Dowd, the slasher, is an
Englishman by birth and is one of the
children Of Patrick M. .Dowd, the civil
engineer who was engaged in laying
out the Central Park. He is relative,
on his mothers side, of Samuel N. Hoyt,
brother Of the late jesse Hoyt, the
famous millionaire, whose will was
vigorously contested by his daughter,
Marienne Hoyt All who know the
prisoner say they always considered
him insane.
May Be Jack the Ripper"
1t is limited that it will be shown
eventually that Dowd is identical with
slack the Ripper" and it was he that
murdered the old woman known as
.'Shakespeare,m known also in early days
as Annie Brown" for the murder Of
whom a poor Algerian known as
"Frenchy" is serving life sentence.
Mrs. Quackcnbush Dead.
n T.. =