Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-06
HE MAY CONFESS.
Jack the Ripper Will Go tc
the GaIlows, Today.
Believed That He Will First Confess
His Many Murders.
Writing Statement Which May Solve
Whitechapel Mysteries.

London, April 5.-Before Severino
klosowski, known as George Chapman,
an East End rumseller, goes to the gal
lows on Monday, it Is believed he will
sign a confession not only of the pois-
Oning of three common law wives in
quick succession, but also will admit
he committed the atrocious Whitechap-
el murders and similar crimes in Amer
ica--that, in fact, he is the unspeak-
ably savage human bloodhound noto-
rions the world over as Jack the Rip
per- =.
Klosowski, who is Pole, will be
hanged specially for the murder of
Maud Marsh, n pretty barmaid to
whom he paid wages only until he in
duced her to live with him and work in
his groggcry. When he was arrested
for that crime the bodies of two women
with whom he had held the same rela
tions were exhumed. It was found he
had given big doses of antimony to all
three.
While ne was on trial it was proved
that when he arrived here in 1888, the
year "Jack the Ripper sprang into in
ternational notoritey, the prisoner
went to live in George Yard, White
chapel, where the mutilated body of
the "Ripper's first victim was found.
Moreover, he lived there during the pc
Rod covering all the sensational butch
cries.
Lucy Brederski, the Poles first and
only lawful wife, was found by Scot
land Yard detectives and appeared at
the trial. She swore Klosowski once
had tried to kill her with long knife,
just such a weapon as the Ripper
used. The woman also testified she
and the prisoner spent several months
in the. United States, separating soon
after their return here.
Another important clue developed at
Klosowskis trial is that the murderer
studied medicine in Russia, and at one
time was an assistant surgeon. One
of the features of all the Ripper muir
ders was the precision with which the
victims bodies were carved, leading
everyone connected with the investiga-
ton to the belief the assassin was a
physician. or at least had some knowl-
edge of surgery. Klowsowski, further
more. throughout the time he lived in
Whitechapel never was seen in the
street in any headgear save a peaked
cap. The Ripper" wore such a cap
and like the Pole, was a man of middle
height, described as "foreign-looking."
Former Chief Inspector F. G. Abber-
line. who headed the hunt for the
Ripper" publicly announces his belief
that Klowsowski and the Whitechapel
murderer-are identical, offering further
support of his conviction an anecdote
of interest to Americans as well as
Fnglishmen. f''-
While the coroner was investigating
one of the East End murders" says
the former inspector, "he told the jury
a very queer story. You will remem-
Der that the surgeon who made
the post-mortem examination not
only spoke of the skillfulness with
which the knife had been used, but
stated there was overwhelming evil
dence to show the criminal had mutt
lated the body SO that he could pos
sess himself of one of the organs.
''The coroner, in commenting on this
said he had been told by the sub 9urater
of the pathological museum connected
with one of the great medicai schools that
a few months before an American had
called upon him and asked him to eptain
several specimens. He announced his
willingness to give S100 for each. Although
impossible of :ultllment, he still urged his
request. 1t was known that the request
was repeated at another institution of n
similar character in London. The coro-
ner at the time said:
:" is ii not possible that a knowledge of
this demand may have inspired some
abandoned wretch to possess himself of
the specimense 1t seems beyond belief
that such iuhuman wickedness. could enter
the mind of any man; but, unfortunately.
our criminal annals prove that every
crime is possible.
And 1t is Il remarkable thing Abbci-
line adds, that after the Whitechapcl
horrors America should have been the
place where a similar kind of murder was
begun, as if the miScreant had not sup
Piled fully the demand of the American.
When convicted of the poisoning of his
three wives, Eiosowski. who so far had
assumed a careless attitude. broke down
completely and wept as sentence was be-
ing p;ssed upon him. His lawyer who
visited him in the condemned cell, report
ed the criminal employed In writing a long
statement of some kind. 1t is believed
Eiosowski has decided to reveal himself
as one Of the most famous of modern
criminals and is the man of all men upon
whom the London police. since the COM
mission of the CHASTITY series of butcheries
i'm Whitechapel have been most anxious
to lay their hands.