The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-11-10

women and possibly a fourth were
attacked early Wednesday night in
ot' petersburg by man of small
stature or a boy. who adopted the
tactics OF what is known in police
circles as Jack the Ripper. None
was seriously injured, although two
OF the three known to have been at
tackled were cut or stabbed with a
KNIFE or some sharp instrument
While the third was kicked in the
abdomen The victims of st. Peters
burg's Jack the Ripper were:
Mrs. Leland Hess, Ninth avenue
north between Fourth and Fifth
streets, stabbed in the back; painful
ly but not seriously hurt.
Miss Elizabeth Pearson, 434 Fourth
avenue north. cut on the arm, when
she sought to protect herself from
a thrust at her breast.
Miss Natalie Fry, 450 Eighth ave-
nue. north, kicked in the abdomen,
when man or boy of same description
given by other women riding bicy-
Gle, passed by.
Detectives Nichols and Sloat of
the police department spent several
hours investigating the strange ac.
tions of the Jack the Ripper" last
night, but hampered by the fact that
no report was made to police head
quarters until some time after the
last attack had been made. Several
clues were followed Persons sus
pected of being Jack the Ripper
are under close surveillance and ar
rests are expected today
| Miss Pearson, who is prominent
socially, being member of severa
of the exclusive clubs of the city
was probably the last of three at
tackled She is a daughter of w. H
Pearson of 434 Fourth avenue north
and was not far from her home whel
the attack occurred She was walk
ing near the corner of Fourth avenu
and Fifth street shortly after
o'clock when person, whom sh
described as apparently a full-face
boy or a man of small stature al
preached her and after speaking in
, familiar manner, struck at her wit
, what she supposed was knife Sh
, threw up her hand to protect hersel
/ from injury and suffered a slight Gu
on her forearm. Before her assai
ant could strike again she screame
| and ran toward her home. The ma
or boy mounted a bicycle, which h
had left nearby, and fled before an.
: one could come to Miss Pearson's a.
sistance. When the alarm had bee
given the man had disappeared. Tn
police were informed and investig'
ton then revealed that two othe
women had been attacked. Ther
were also rumors of fourth attacl
but no report was made of this to tn
police and no names could be ver
, fed when they attempted to ru
! down the various stories told ther
Mrs. Leland Hess, wife of an e
pert tile layer, employed at the POI
settia hotel annex building now b
ing completed on Central avenu
was en- route to her home after
shopping trip downtown. When ne'
the corner of Williams park, ma
or boy answering the same descri
tion given by Miss Pearson a
proached her from the rear 81
: had noticed him following her Il
. eaveral blocks. but paid no attentlt
tn him until he quickened his pa
and suddenly lurched toward her al
punged a sharp instrument into u
small of her back. The wouhu
ficted was apparently made by son
= round instrument and not by knil
: Mrs Hess ran away from her assa
- ant who. seeing other persons q
nroaching. fled, this time ON 1o'
Mrs Hess proceeded to her nor
following the attack which occurr'
shortly after 4 o'clock 1t was TN
still daylight and the boldness OF I
attack indicated that 1t was 'lat
crazed person.
Miss Natalie Fry, a hlgh scho
gir, was the third victim, OF wh
saams TO have been the same her
cbe was enroute to her home apo
/. o'clock and was near the Congres
,ionaI church at Fourth street a
Third avenue north. just two bloc
from where Mrs Hess was attack