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"Jack the Ripper" mentioned twice in the report...
"Jack the Ripper" mentioned twice in the report...
Item # 705700
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October 20, 1888
THE TIMES, London, England, October 20, 1888
* Jack the Ripper Whitechapel murders
* Best title to be had (very rare as such)
During the last half of 1888 the East End of London, primarily the Whitechapel district, was terrorized by a murderer who came to be known as Jack The Ripper. His infamous & brutal crime spree was reported in newspapers around the world--indeed, most American newspapers from 1888 reported his deeds.
But certainly the very best newspaper to find such reports would be from London--and "The Times". This is that very newspaper.
The top of page 7 has a report headed: "The Murders In London" which is very rare in that it is one of just a few we've found thus far which actually mentions the words "Jack the Ripper" within the body of the text, and this issue has the words mentioned twice. The report takes less than 5 inches, portions including: "...The house-to-house search is completed and has led to no discovery of any value...Intelligence was received by the detectives that yesterday afternoon in Islington a strange man was observed to write on a wall the words, 'I am Jack the Ripper.' He was pursued for some distance but got clear away. The horrible incident of the box containing a portion of a kidney sent to Mr. Lusk...is not generally regarded as a practical joke...the last letter sent by 'Jack the Ripper' was read over to them...the writer intimated his intention of committing further murders last night..." with a bit more.
Complete in 16 pages, very nice, clean condition.
AI notes: On October 20, 1888, The Times in London carried a serious update on the Whitechapel murders that had gripped the city, reporting that no suspect was in custody and that recent house‑to‑house searches in the East End had yielded no discoveries of value despite the full cooperation of local residents; the paper noted with alarm that a man in Islington had been seen writing “I am Jack the Ripper” on a wall and then evaded capture, and that part of a human kidney — sent in a box to George Lusk of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee — was being examined by the police surgeon rather than dismissed as a prank, reinforcing fears the correspondence might be genuine. It described how extra police precautions were still in force, especially with the weekend approaching — traditionally the days the murderer had struck — and detailed how policemen on night duty were assembled and read the latest letter purportedly from “Jack the Ripper,” in which the writer intimated his intent to kill again, with officers strongly urged to maintain special vigilance; the report also mentioned a painstaking search of the area between Victoria Embankment and Cannon‑Row, aided by a bloodhound and even the draining of an old well, but no additional remains or clues were found, leaving the public anxious and the investigation at a frustrating standstill.
Category: Post-Civil War
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