Widnes Examiner. — 1888-11-17 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

OVEIVBER 17, 1888.  THE WHITECHAPEL TRAGEDIES.THE DORSET-STREET VICTIM.  In reference to the murder of Mary Jane Kelly, in Dorset-street, Spite Melds. many persons state that she never left the house 26, Dorset-street, after she entered it at .midnight on Thursday. Others, who were companions of the deceased, state that she came out of her house at eight o'clock on Friday morning for provisions, and that they were drinking with her in the Britannia Tavern at ten—an hour before her mutilated body was found. The hour at which the murder was committed is thus a matter of the first importance. A woman, named Kennedy, who was staying with her parents at a house in the court, opposite the room in which the body was found, makes a statement, which, if trustworthy, fixes conclusively the time ef the murder. She says that about three o'clock, on Friday morning, she entered her parents' house, and noticed three persons at the corner of the street, near the Britannia public-house. There was a young man, respectably dressed, with a dark moustache, talking to a woman, whom she did not know. There was also another woman, poorly clad, and without any head covering. The man and woman appeared to be the worse for liquor, and she heard the man ask, "Are you coming ?" whereupon the woman went the opposite way from that the man wished her to go. Kennedy did not retire to her parents' house for some time, and about half-past three, she heard a cry of " Murder " from the direction of Kelly's room. The cry was not repeated, and she took no further notice, until she heard of the murder. There is good reason to believe that the unhappy woman Kelly was a native of Cardiff, where her family, according to her statement, were well-to-do people. She is stated to have been very well educated, and an artist of some pretensions. On her arrival in London, she made the acquaintance of a French person residing at Knightsbridge, who initiated her into the Course winch has led to so tragical an end. At this time, she drove out in a carriage, and made several visits to Paris. It is not known precisely how she drifted from this position to the life she led at the East End; but she appears to have lived with a woman named Buky. The two women shortly afterwards went to the house of the female at Knightsbridge, and demanded her trunk, containing dresses of a costly description. At this time Kelly is stated to have indulged very freely in intoxicants. She next resided with a Mrs. M‘Carthy, Pennington-street, which placa she left about eighteen months ago, for her last residence in Dorset-street. Mrs. Mc.Carthy believes that Kelly, when she left her, went to live with a man in the building trade, who, Mrs. McCarthy believes, would have married her. Some short time ago she was aroused about two o'clock one morning by Kelly, who was accompanied by a strange man Mrs. Mc.Caithy admitted them to her house. Since then Mrs. Mc.Carthy has never seen her. . .  Mrs. Mc.Carthy, the owner of the house in which the murder was committed, received, on Monday, the following postcard, bearing the Folkestone postmark : " From 'Jack the Ripper.' Folkestone (the word Folkestone is printed). November 11th, 1888. Dear Boss,—l am getting on the move lively, baint I man, good job lact time. Get better each time. A good job I played off three ladies. One died, two frightened. Next time a woman and her daughter. Ta ta. dear hoes." At the foot is made a sketch of a man stabbing a woman, who is lying on the ground. The postcard, as the bad spelling indicates, is the work of an illiterate person, who is desirous of adding to the terror which • exists among the residents in Dorset-street No importance can be attached to this silly communication; but Mrs. Mc.Carthy, whose nervous system has received a severe shock by the events of the past few days, is greatly alarmed at the threat which it contains.