The times., 1899-11-06

famous Jack the SlaSher committed dur
ing the fall of 1893, are not without feelings
Of apprehension and dismay at a renewal
Of similar crimes in this city. The past
month has witnessed more cases of wanton
slashiug OF womens dresses and furniture,
all committed by mysterious individual
one whom the entire Police Department is
endeayorlug to apprehend.
He has been reported from several thea
tres. and his depredations have until re-
Gently been confined to the cutting of
dresses and othzr clothing Now it would
appear that the vaudal had tired Of this,
and he is charged with more serious work.
Several days ago this mysterious person
created havoc among the outside display Of
an uptown merchant slashing furniture, a
fine sofa. and numerous smaller articles
a wider field OF action is slowly but surely
being occupied By this destroying iend, to
the CONSERVATION OF the public and wonder
ment Of the police.
Several detectives from headquarters and
many detailed from the various precincts
together with the entire uniformd force
Of the Police Department have started or
the trail of Jack" With each report of
his appearance, from various sections of the
relinquished when thoroughly investigated
by Inc detectives. Il is TO be noticed that
the slasheT" works only in crowds, where
! he is comparatively secure from capture,
| At the present stage of his operations there
IS single exception to This rUle-the case
Of the Seventh Street merchant. This
work was done in broad daylight on the
open street. and it is regarded as remark
able that the 'sIasher' was not detected.
That next Tuesday should be sele- ted by
| the destroyer as a fitting time for his op-
/ eraions appears obvious to the police
/ The annual parade of the Police and Fire
/ Departments, TO be followed at night by
( the reception Of bulletins announcing the
! elections in many States, viii attract large
! crowds along Pennsylvania Avenue and
/ other downtown JhOroughfares. Around
/ the reviewing stand at the White House
( along the route OF the procession, during
4. the day, and in the crush near the news
! paper Offices at night people should be-
ware Of the destroyer. His work is quick
/ ly and quietly done. when the attention
| of his victim is absorbed with surrounding
objects.
The work is done by a crank" said
! Major Sylvester last night During the
/ Grand Army encampment in Philadelphia
/ there were numerous cases of slashing re-
ported to the police. The ''siasher'' or
I crowds which attend such celebrations. If
/ the vandal here has not become frightened
/ by the newspaper reports of his depreda-
/ tious, he viii most likely be on hand dur
. ing Tuesdays parade VIII have men in
/. plain clothes on duty among the crowds
/ ana every effort VIII be made 10 capture
/ the guilty party.
Major Sylvester is the author of his
tory OF the District Police Department In
rFrfge of Tnr ND
I among them is the story of Jack the
Siasher.' OF 1888. j is in part as follows:
Early in the month of October, 1893,
series Of depredatOns was begun in the
District which for d time bafied all efforts
Of the police, frightened men, women, and
children, and resulted in the destruction Of
a large amount Of personal property. The
work was inauguarted at the residence of
President Nick Young of the National
Baseball League, Mount Pleasant. His
residence was entered and the bricabrac
and furniture almost completely destroyed,
I While silver watch and few articles of
value We're taken The primary object Of
entry seemed to have been for the purpose
of damaging his household effects. The
walls and pictures were besmeaTed with
mud, while chairs and carpets had been
cut with a keen instrument No motive
could be ascribed for such an outrage
The announcement of this piece OF van
dalism brought 10 mind the depredations
that had shortly before been committed in
Maryland and Virginia among the farmers,
and al Fort Myer, near this city and a
striking similarity was found in the meth
DDS Of the miscreaDts. No sooner had talk
about the matter partially subsided than
Judge Miller OF the Police Court. at his
home in TakOma experienced visit from
I the intTuders and this was followed by re-
ports from first one quarter Of the city and
then another, where houses had been en-
tered and clothing. furniture, and carpets
destroyed. Police patrols were doubled
Every suspicious person was overhauled,
detained. or locked up Still the detesta-
be work continued Iu the excitement
many servants and others seeking revenge
for real or faucied wrongs initiated the
original miscreants, but were captured and
sent TO jail.
Anonymous notes signed Jack the
Slasher, which name had been given The
unknown villain. were left in some houses.
The city was cleared of tramps and vicious
characters. All kinds OF suggestions were
freely given the authorities The clever
ness in eifectIng entrance, the stealth of
the r0bbeT OF robbers, prompted some to
| suggest that an educated monkey was al
work, and the man who owned him should
be looked FOR. Another suggested The use
/ OF blOodhounds to track the intruder.
The vaudal carried away no property
| in these raids, which made his or theil
identity difficult unless caught in the act
Three boys were among those arrested
on suspicion They were found secrete,
near the dumping grounds On their per
sons were found TWO sharp knives. one o
them besmeared with putty as if uset
about the sash OF a window The knive
We're scratched as If they had been scrape,
against glass OF other brittle substances
Another odd instrument made from st e
corset stay shaTpened on a gTindstone Ik
/ a knife made by convict from the stee
sJiflening Of the shoe, was among heir ef
fects. After they were sent TO Jail 20
carrying concealed weapons the outrage
which had for six weeks disturbed the com
munity suddenly ceased. There the
ended. Those who wonder what became O
Jack would believe, with the writer
that be was captured when the above de
scribed implements were taken from hin
They now adorn the museum at headquar
ters."
= Now that Jack" has rcappaared In thi
city. the police recall complaints of out
RACES similar TO those charged TO him dur
ing the recent G. A. K. celebration at Phil
9 adelphia. There an active campaign va
- undertaken against the yaudal, and afte
a time. he disappeared from that cit,
4 While the Dewey festivities were in pro
| gress here. several weeks ago slashing
4 was INDUCED in by mysterious individua
1 who finally ceased his work when the pC
| lice began q thorough investigation OF ii
/ cases.