Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-20
REIGN OF TERROR.
Belief That the Vandal Slasher is
Still at Large.
A WOMAN IMIFAF0R CAUGHT.
Police Are Mystified and the
Public Alarmed and Enraged.
7 H E L ATEST OUTRAGES.

Jack the Slasher," II can safely be said.
is still at large. and the police force Of the
District are apparently as deeply ignorant
as to his identity and whereabouts as ever
This, too, despite the fact that of late many
persons upon whom at least suspicion rest
ed have been placed behind the bars Ii
Is very doubtful If ever before the force
was so greatly aroused as at the present
time in the case Of the daring marauder.
and IL is as certain that never before has
the force been SO mystified and helpless in
the effort TO detect and apprehend. The
mysterious Jack has now been at his
work for more than a month, and as the
days pass and no tangible clue TO the bold
rascal is discovered, the local detective
force are growing despairingly desperate
in their effort to capture the burglar, and
the fellows immunity from arrest is SEEM
ingly as secure when he first inaugu-
rated the veritable reign Of terror which
| mas now enveloped every section of the
4 District The capture OF "The Slasher''
Is the one purpose OF the detective force
now. and has been during every moment
OF the last week or so; the slightest and
strongest of clues have been faithfully
worked, but without success and now the
force is truly sick at heart, apparently
hopeless. catching. like q drowning man, at
every straw which might save the force
from the humiliation and chagrin which
comes from failure after failure.
Citizens Indignant.
1t cannot be denied that the failure to
capture the mysterious burglar has aroused
/ intense indignation in the minds of the
! citizens OF the District nor can IL be de-
MED that Inspector Hdilinberger and his
iorce OF detectives are aware of such in
! dignation. But not only is the whole de-
tective force busily engaged night and day
in the effort TO locate and capture The
Slasher," but also the entire police for,e
OF the District Indeed the police force. al
ways an overWorked one because of its
smallness and the great territory to d.
/ covered, has during the past week or 80
been overworked as it probably never WAS
before Nightly the streets of the city and
the roads of the suburban districts are ia
trolled by officers in uniform and officers
IN citizens clothes. Every person acting
1 the least bit suspiciously is stopped ana
! unless that suspicion is then and there
! dispelled, the person is locked up until in
/ nocence or good character is established
beyond all doubt and question.
This drag net work while IL has not Vet
effected the capture OF the "Slasher'' has
proven to be very good thing and MANY
Offenders have thereby been apprehended.
/ Every officer who thinks he has a clue.
and hardly a man thinks otherwise is given
| every opportunity to work out his clue and
permitted 10 go Wherever he thinks neces-
sary and proper.
The People Alarmed.
1t is generally conceded that never before
have the operations of a criminal I'm the
/ District so thoroughly alarmed and kept
IN nightly dread and fear its people as have
those of Jack the Slasher" The purchase
OF burglar alarms and additional locks and
bolts of late by the aroused householder
giaddens the hearts of the hardware deal
ers to an extent never before known here
and more than one dealer has been re-
quired TO hire additional clerks to meet the
I increasing demands Of his customers. The
gas company Is also reaping unexpected
harvest, for in hundreds OF houses the gas
1 burns all night long because OF the eN-
ploits of the unknown burglar. In many
families nightlong watches are maintained
the different members of the affrighted
FAMILY doing, in the language of watch
men, their trick" of watching throughout
the night Even the teachers in the public
schools receive. through the excuses OF
Their scholars, intelligence OF the fear which
I pervades the District for the other morn
ing when certain teacher inquired into
the tardiness of one Of her pupils the
youngster replied with some hesitation:
PLEASE, miss, papa and mamma watched
all night for Jack the Slasher' and then
slept SO late in the morning that i couldn't
get my breakfast I'm time" The boys ex-
cuse was deemed sufficient.
Has Imftators.
1t has become very evident that Jack
the Slasher'' has more than one imitator.
for at several houses where attempts at
wrecking household effects have been made
/, indications were not wanting 10 show that
the work did not by any means reach his
expert standard. Indeed, there is little. n
any, doubt of the fact that Jack the
Slasher' has been given credit for visits to
several houses of which he was unques-
; tionably guitless. 1t is a well known fact
that criminals are themselves imitators.
and IL is now believed that when the mys-
} terry which now surrounds the operations
of the past month has been wholly cleared
away il will be found that there was more
J than one individual who aspired to the dis
tinction of being known as The Slasher.
for while the theory that the original
Jack had a partner and they operated
together without imitators for a time IL is
probably true that the success and daring
other rascals that they decided TO embark
In the same line OF business.
: An Early Visit.
Among the latest work OF the vandals
, was the outrage at the home OF Mr.. Samuel
Johr son. a member OF the U. s. Marine
Bard No. At 7th street southeast Mrs.
Johnson like so many other females about
: the city, was completely unnerved, even
: before the house was visited She had
been living in constant fear that the Grim
. inals who were wrecking so many homes
would not miss hers. Feeling she did
. about the affair she made every effort pos
. siblc to protect her home against the
, notorious thieves. Her husband also had "A
r feeling of uneasiness and on Saturday some
, of the valuables in the lower part OF the
/, house were removed to the bed room and
all the doors in the house were kept
curely fastened. Early In the evening Mr..
Johnson left home TO go 10 the barber shop
and attend some little matters pertaining
/ to the comfort of his family for Sunday.
and shortly after he left Mrs. johnson went
out to call on a neighbor. not caring to re-
, main i'm the house alone. The doors and
windows were securely fastened. and al
though she did not care to remain alone
she felt that everything was safe.
Scene of Ruin.
But Jack the Slasher'' or his imltators
cared not for closed doors and windows.
for the forcing open of a window was but
a minutes work. and that is what they did
TO get into the kitchen, which is In the
basement Of the house. The Sunday mar
keting had been left in the kitchen, but
after the guests had departed IL was found
necessary to pay another visit TO the mar
ket. 1t was only about 7:S0 O'Clock In the
evening when the house was entered and
the police station is only short distance
from the house. But the visitors to the
house did not fear detection and so they
went about their work in the boldest man
Having entered the kifcheu