The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1897-08-26

per, Jr.,' says the Philadelphia In
quirer.
This man earned his title by pur-
chasing from every 1ource where they
could by any amour of effort be OBJ
tanned the suits of criminals-the
trousers, the coat, the shoes, the hat
which the murderer wore when he COM
mitted the deed. These suits are in de-
mand by the collectors of odd things,
and often Mr.. Denver has had to pay
heavily for a suit, but in the end he
has outdistanced his competitors, ex-
cept in n or two famous instances.
A suit worn by the original Jack
the Ripper" when he murdered a girl
in Whitechapel without disfiguring her
features was hidden over his head by
another enthusiastic London collector.
This greatly worried Mr.. Denver, but
he rallied and outbid his rival when
the next chance occurred.
Sales of murderers' clothing are not
advertised, so one wonders how a col
lector can obtain them. To get pos
session he must work harder than most
collectors, for his prize is not offered
for sale in any public way. He must
watch for it, see it, grab it and pos
session becomes ten points of law.
Ono when the case was on trial of
a German butcher who murdered his
wife Mr.. Denver haunted the court
room night and day. When the cloth
ing was produced in evidence it was
horribly stained.
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
be removed and the clothing thrown
away, as having done its work. To be
on hand, therefore, at the right mo-
ment 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
transportation to the city dumping
place. This was a rare chance for the
collector of criminal w%ardrobes. Steal
ing into the area where the ash-cans
were kept, he deftly flshed out the
clothing, getting the suit entire, even
to the 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 not clever
enough to realize their chance to make
an honest bit of fortune.
A fad is of but little use if you can
not put it to ONE practical test oc-
~casionally. Mr.. Denver enjoys his to
the utmost, for it is a source of never
ending amusement to him in a certain
way. Being a gentleman of leisure,
time hangs heavily on his hands, OF
would hang heavily were it not for this
fad and his delightful way of putting
it to good account.
In a ledger which he keeps in his
bachelor 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 follow san &C.
count Of the murder and the steps the
guilty man took that day.
AS the anniversaries come around
Mr.. Denver dresses himself in the suit
indicated in the book and marches Out
to repeat the murder" He first goes
to the clubs, for he belongs to ever
club of prominence in London, anG
greets his friends.
They look him over and applaud OF
turn away in horror, according as the
fad strikes them. A bottle OF wine
follows. Then, stimulated by his re.
freshment, the Ripper, Jr.," goes on
to Whitechapel, OF any other spor
where the murder was committed, anC
walks over the haunted path. Hi.
routes lie mostly in the poorer parts O
London, but sometimes they take hin
down P~iccadilly or along the Strand
He is unabashed, however, no matte,
what his guise and plods merrily along
often followed by a crowd of curious
hoodlums, if the clothing is very dis
reputable. If only slightly blood
stained and not torn it passes in III,
crowd unnoticed. No one meeting thi
quiet, we~ll-conducted though badl,
dressed man would realize that he wa
a faddist of the most pronounced type
Mr.. Denver's companion upon all hi
rambles is a collie of intelligent coun
tenance. This dog is at once a com
panion and a protector. Often in tn
midnight excursions of his master-fo
the hour of the murder is closely OBJ
~served-the collie has had all he coul
do to protect his master. Through tn
lower parts of London he has gon
with him at hours when no well-mean
ing man can afford to be abroad, an
in quarters where each new face !
viewed with suspicion.
MI. Denver is no longer a young mar
He has reached an age when a fad be
comes a grand passion; and the desir
for collecting the paraphernalia /
strong upon him. He owns ninet
suits, and ninety times a year goes on
dressed in his old rags. More muI
ders were committed in winter than i
summer-three to one-and on a Gel
tain day every February this sell
designated murderer is obliged to max
six changes within twenty-four hour
in order to celebrate all the anniveI
saries.
Irreco cilabIe Differences.
Alice-Why did she refuse him-be
! nauSp thew Wera of diffarent faiths