The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-21
A ~JACK THE RIPPER IR."
COLLECTS THE CLOTHING OF
BLOOD-STAINED MURDEHERS.
Copyright, 1879

chapel or the strand.
Copyright, 1879
London, Feb. 10.-London possesses
slack the Ripper" of whom 1t is proud.
This man is Mr. Howard Denver, of Wey-
mouth street member Of the prominent
London clubs and of an excellent family
He is wealthy. belongs to the leisure
classes and is unmarried. To his friends
he is known as Jack the Ripper, Jr'
This man earned his title by purchasing
from every source. where they could by
any amount Of effort be obtained. the
suits of crlminals-the trousers, the coat
the shoes, the hat which the murderer
wore when he committed the deed. These
suits are in demand by collectors Of odd
things. and often Mr.. Denver has had TO
pay heavily for a suit, but in the end he
has out-distanced his competitors. except
in one or two famous instances.
A suit worn by the original Jack the
Ripper" when he murdered a girl in
Whitechapel without dishguring her feat
ures, doing the work by quick and scien-
tihc disembowelment was hidden over
his head by another enthusiastic London
collector. This greatly worried Mr.. Den
yer, but ne rallied and outbid his rival
when the next chance occurred.
Sales of murderers' clothing are not adj
vertised. so one wonders how collector
can obtain them. To get possession he
must work harder than most collectors
for his prize is not offered for sale in any
public way He must watch for 1t, see IT,
grab il and possession becomes ten points
Once when the case was on trial of a
German butcher who murdered his wife
by deity chopping off her head with one
neat stroke Of a butchers ak. Mr.. Den
Yer haunted the courtroom night and day
When the clothing was produced in eVi-
dence IL was horribly bOod-stained and
the front showed one deluge of blood
from the shirt front to the knees Of the
trousers
The evidence was so convincing that
all knew the verdict would be guilty"
Mr.. Denver realized that as soon as the
prisoner was found guilty he would he
removed and the clothing thrown away
as having done its work. To be on hand.
therefore, at the right moment was an
absolute necessity.
Sure enough the verdict went for the
crown and the prison warden ordered the
old clothes thrown away. They were
consigned to an ash heap for transporta-
ton to the city dumping place This was
a rare chance for the collector of criminal
wardrobes. Stealing into the area where
the ash cans were kept he deftly fished
out the clothing. getting the suit entire.
even 10 the bloOd-stained undershirt-and
all for nothing. That is the only suit in.
his collection that did not cost him a
penny The keepers of the prison were
of fortune
A fad is Of but little use if you can not
put i TO some practical test occasionally.
Mr.. Denver enjoys his to the utmost for
II Is source of neVer-endng amusement
to him in a certain way. Being a gentle
man of leisure, time hangs heavily on his
hands, or would hang heavily were it not
for this fad and his delightful way of put
ting II to good account.
In ledger which he keeps in his bache-
Tor apartments there is a page giving the
date of the murders that were committed
Opposite the date is a description of the
SUIT OF clothes the murderer wore. Below
follows an account of the murder and the
steps the guilty man took that day.
As the anniversaries come around Mr.
Denver dresses himself in the suit indi-
Gated IN the book and marches out TO re
peat the murder" He first goes to the
clubs for he belongs to every club of
prominence in London. and greets his
friends. They look him over and APP
plaud or turn away in horror, according
as the fad strikes them. A bottle of wine
Follows. Then, stimulated by his refresh
ment the Ripper, jr.," goes out to White
chapel, or any other spot where the muir
der was committed. and walks over the
haunted path. His routes lie mostly in
they take him down Piccadily. or along
the Strand. He is unabashed, however
no matter what his guise and plods merri-
ly along, often followed by a crowd of Gu
rious hoodlums, if the clothing is very
dlsreputahle. If only slightly blood
stained, and not torn it passes in the
flEDflnU
quiet, well-conducted though badly dress
ed man. would realize that he was a fadist
OF the most pronounced type
Mr.. Dcnyer's companion upon all his
rambes is a collie of intelligent counte-
nance. This dog is at once companion
and protector. Often in the midnight
excursions OF his master-for the hour of
the murder is closely obserVed-the collie
has had all he could do to protect his
master Through the lower quarters of
London he has gone with him at hours
Wnen 9 n agra I'd aVa g.
be abroad, and i'm quarters where each
new face Is viewed with suspicion.
once, while going through a lane near
Lhe one described by Stevenson in Or
Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde"-perhaps the very
same one-the collie was lassoed from a
window above, while Inquiries were made
OF the collies master Where was he go
mgr On what errand2 why did he not
take some other route? Then suspicion
apparently lulled, the collie was reiea sed
ami the two hurried on very much fright
ened this time.
The favorite suit. of this collector of the
gruesome IS a suit worn by a Frenchman
who murdered his mistress. All hut the
boots We're obtained of the prison warden
at the completion of the trial Put the
boots fell into the hands of a German
workman In the prison, who wanted them
because they were good boots. He wore
them 10 his work one day and on return
ing nome found that a fine gentleman had
boots. Wv
AT first the German was alarmed. think
ing ne nau obtained stolen property in
making his selection from the garbage
heap Of the prison. A short talk with tbe
hne gentleman" next day convinced him
that ne had a treasure in his hands He
put the boots away and held hts price on
then, which was many pounds sterling.
and the collector would not pay IT.
Gradually Mr.. Denver raised his SIM,
FINALLY II reached figure when the Ger,
man consented TO part with his treasure
But III sell you only one boot" he said
One boot Is now owned by Mr. Denver
ana on the anniversary Of the murder he
parades quiet, orderly suburb of Lon
don IN suit horribly fnger-stained ana
wearing one blood blotched boot
MT. Denver is no longer a young man.
He has reached an age when fad he.
comes a grand passion and the desire for
collecting the paraphenalia Is strong unon
nun. he owns ninety suits, and nipetv
times year goes out dressed in his odd
rags. More murders were committed In
winter than in summer. three TO one. and
on a certain day every February this self
designate murderer is Obliged Ia make
SIX changes within twenty-four hours In
order 70 celebrate all the anniversaries >"
l. would not be startling 10 hear thai Tho
ORIGINATOR or 50 queer a fad were n war.
IKE man, bellgerent. fun Of whims am
Iancies, OF freaks and follies. Ruf Mr.
DeuNer does not answer this descrir,tion
He IS quiet. modest and almost shv III
makes few new friends and clings 10 oi(
ones. lie Ia mpfhOdiea1 Ia 10. -