The Helena independent., 1893-11-20
1T is JACK THE SLASHER
Burglary That Is Attended With
Vandalism Is Alarming the
National Capital.
Tho Green Room at the White
House Entered and
Despoiled.
II Nay Have Bse. the Work Of Crank Of
1t May Have Bson =
Warning,

WASHINGTON. Nov. 13.---Ths vandalism cs
. miserssns who has been. designated as
Jack the slashsr," js bseoming m ore bold
and outrageous. Fo, many weeks past
shore has been q series of robbie riss Of q
mysterious and peculiar kind In Washing
ton. The burglar or burglars have stolen
bat few things. but have ~ each visit de-
stroyed . considerable amount of farnit-
urs. slashins pianos and chairs and cut
ting MP table linen and clothing. Every
effort 10 trace the criminal or criminals
has failed. Last night he or they
| entered the house Of Samuel John
son. Al Seventh street. The family
was out at the time. Mrs. Johnson
returned home late in the evening. and no
sooner had she gone into the dining room
than the whole neigh boEhood was startled
BY her cries. People in the imms-
diats vicinity ran into the house
and found the poor woman living
on tho floor in the dining room
suffering from q violent attack Of Mysteries.
All the drspsTiss In the room. the mantsls,
chairs. curtains. portierss, table linen and
other cloth materials had been slashsd into
shreds and thrown on the floor in hesp.
That was only the beginning of the outrage.
In the kitchen the scene At nrst glance
represented chaos. In the middle Of the
floor the family larder had been smptisd.
The Sunday meats. groceries. ETC.. were In
heap. Over the mass the vandals had
thrown at random huge quantities of lard
and butter and then to make the rain moro
complete picked up gallon can Of oil and
thoroughly saturated the mass. The oon-
diion of Mrs. johnson tonight is serisus.
Without any thought of burglars, but
solely for the protection Of The president.
the White house has been guarded by sps-
DIAL detectives and policemen. in addition
TO the regular watohnen. and evsYy prsoau-
tion has been taken to prevent any unAs-
thorized person from entering tbs build
| ing. The east room has alone been open
to visitors. None have been permitted to
enter there Who locked suspioious. and
| those Who have been permitted 10 sxamine
! the room have been In charge OF WATCH
mon. All other portions of the house have
besn kept closed to visitors except on sps-
| ciAl occasions.
Notwithstanding all these precautions II
has been demonstrated that the house may
| be entered without the knowledge of the
guardians. u has been discovered that
some person or persons. possibly crank,
| had entered the green Tosna, where visitors
are not allowed except with q guard in at
tendance. and slashed the furniture with a
knife. Great slashss In the form Of or oss
have been cut into the beautiful satin mp
holstery. and other acts Of vandalism have
been committed upon tho furniture.
Whether this was wanton vandalism with
no other object in view. or whether It was
done by somo Drank ~ . warning or threat
against the president IL not known.
The supposition 10 that the cutting Of
crosses in the furniture il intended 40
anonymous letters convey BY oross-bones
and skulls. Whatever may be the motive,
the fact that an entrance could be made TO
tie building and this aot of vandalism oom-
mitted and the oulprit escape without being
discovered. has served to frighten The pEssi-
| dents household.