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The consternation which has been excited all over the country by the terrible outrages which the past month has witnessed in the East-end has been intensified by the committal, within a brief period of time, of two very similar murders in the same quarter of the metropolis. The discovery of one dead body yesterday morning preceded the discovery of the other by only three quarters of an hour; one woman has been mutilated as well as murdered; and both belong to the class which furnished the victims of the preceding tragedies.
These events have produced something very like terror in the East-end, and the popular excitement manifested itself in the large crowds which all day yesterday attempted to visit the two places where the bodies were discovered. Impromptu meetings were held during the afternoon in Victoria park and at Mile-end, at which resolutions were passed complaining of the conduct of the Home Secretary in declining to offer a reward for information. The vigilence committee which has been formed since the murder of the woman Nicholls was summoned last evening, when resolutions of a somewhat similar character were carried.
The scene of the first outrage is a narrow court in Berners-street, a quiet thoroughfare running from Commercial-road down to the London, Tilbury, and Southend Railway. At the entrance to the court are a pair of large wooden gates, in one of which is a small wicket, for use when the gates are closed. At the hour when the murder was committed these gates were open; indeed, according to the testimony of those living near, the entrance to the court is seldom closed. For a distance of 18ft. or 20ft. from the street there is a dead wall on each side of the court, the effect of which is to enshroud the intervening space in absolute darkness after sunset. Further back some light is thrown into the court from the windows of a workmen’s club, which occupies the whole length of the court on the right, and from a number of cottages occupied mainly by tailors and cigarette makers on the left. At the time when the murder must have taken place, however, the lights in all of the dwelling-houses had been extinguished, whilst such illumination as came from the club, being from the upper story, would fall on the cottages opposite, and would only serve to intensify the gloom of the rest of the court. From the position in which the body was found, it is believed that the moment the murderer had got his victim in the dark shadow, near the entrance to the court he threw her to the ground, and with one gash severed her throat from ear to ear. The hypothesis that the wound was inflicted after and not before the woman fell is supported by the fact that there are severe bruises on her left temple and left cheek, this showing that force must have been used to prostrate her, which would not have been necessary had her throat been already cut. When discovered the body was lying as if the woman had fallen forward, her feet being about a couple of yards from the street, and her head in a gutter which runs down the right hand side of the court, close to the wall. The woman lay on her left side, face downwards, her position being such that, although the court at that part is only 9ft. wide, a person walking up the middle might have passed the recumbent body without notice. The condition of the corpse, however, and several other circumstances which came to light during yesterday, prove pretty conclusively that no considerable period elapsed between the committal of the murder and the discovery of the body. In fact, it is pretty generally conjectured that the assassin was disturbed while at his work, and made off before he had completed his designs. All the features of the case go to connect the tragedy with that which took place three-quarters of an hour later a few streets distant. The obvious poverty of the woman, her total lack of jewellery or ornaments, and the soiled condition of her clothing, are entirely opposed to the theory that robbery could have been the motive, and the secresy and despatch with which the crime was effected are equally good evidence that the murder was not the result of an ordinary street brawl. At the club referred to above – the International Workmen’s Educational Club – which is an offshoot of the Socialist League, and a rendezvous of a number of foreign residents, chiefly Russians, Poles, and continental Jews of various nationalities, it is customary on Saturday nights to have friendly discussions on topics of mutual interest, and to wind up the evening’s entertainment with songs, &c. The proceedings commenced on Saturday about 8:30, with a discussion on the necessity for socialism amongst Jews. This was kept up until about eleven, when a considerable portion of the company left for their respective homes. Between 20 and 30 remained behind, and the usual concert which followed was not concluded when the intelligence was brought in by the steward of the club that a woman had been killed within a few yards of them and within ear-shot of their songs. The people residing in the cottages on the other side of the court were all indoors, and most of them in bed by midnight. Several of these persons remember lying awake and listening to the singing, and they also remember the concert coming to an abrupt termination; but during the whole of the time from retiring to rest until the body was discovered, no one heard anything in the nature of a scream or woman’s cry of distress. It was Lewis Diemshitz, the steward of the club, who found the body. Diemshitz, who is a traveller in cheap jewellery, had spent the day at Westow-hill market, near the Crystal Palace, in pursuance of his calling, and had driven home at his usual hour, reaching Berner-street at one o’clock. On turning into the gateway he had some difficulty with his pony, the animal being apparently determined to avoid the right hand wall. For the moment, Diemshitz did not think much fo the occurrence, because he knew the pony was given to shying, and the thought, perhaps, some mud or refuse was in the way. The pony, however, obstinately refused to go straight, so the driver pulled him up to see what was in the way. Failing to discern anything in the darkness, Diemshitz poked about with the handle of the whip, and immediately discovered that some large obstacle was in his path. He got down from the trap and struck a match, and, without waiting to ascertain whether the woman whose body he saw was drunk or dead, Diemshitz entered the club by the side door higher up the court, and informed those in the concert-room upstairs that something had happened in the yard. A member of the club named Kozebrodski, but familiarly known as “Isaacs,” returned with Diemshitz into the court, and the former struck a match while the latter lifted the body up. It was at once apparent that the woman was dead. The body was still warm, and the clothes enveloping it were wet from the recent rain, but the heart had ceased to beat, and the stream of blood in the gutter terminating in a hideous pool near the club door showed but too plainly what had happened. Both men ran off without delay to find a policeman, and at the same time other members of the club who had by this time found their way into the court went off with the same object in different directions. The search was for some time fruitless. At last, however, after considerable delay, a constable, 252H, was found in Commerical-road. With the aid of the policeman’s whistle more constables were quickly on the spot, and the gates at the entrance to the court having been closed and a guard set on all the exists of the club and the cottages, the superintendent of the district and the divisional surgeon were sent for. In a few minutes Dr. Phillips was at the scene of the murder, and a brief examination sufficed to show that life had been extinct some minutes. Careful note having been taken of the position of the body, it was removed to the parish mortuary of St. George’s-in-the-East, Cable-street, to await identification. The woman appears to be about 30 years of age. Her hair is very dark, with a tendency to curl, and her complexion is also dark. Her features are sharp and somewhat pinched, as though she had endured considerable privations recently, an impression confirmed by the entire absence of the kind of ornaments commonly affected by women of her station. She wore a rusty black dress of a cheap kind of satteen, with a velveteen bodice, over which was a black diagonal worsted jacket with fur trimming. Her bonnet, which had fallen from her head when she was found in the yard, was of black crape, and inside, apparently with the object of making the article fit closer to the head, was folded a copy of a newspaper. In her right hand were tightly clasped some grapes, and in her left she held a number of sweetmeats. Both the jacket and the bodice were open towards the top, but in other respects the clothes were not disarranged. The linen was clean and in tolerably good repair, but some articles were missing. The cut in the woman’s throat which was the cause of death was evidently effected with a very sharp instrument, and was made with one sharp incision. The weapon was apparently drawn across the throat rather obliquely from left to right, and in its passage it severed both the windpipe and jugular vein. As the body lies in the mortuary the head seems to be almost severed, the gash being about 3 in. long and nearly the same depth. In the pocket of the woman’s dress were discovered two pocket-handkerchiefs, a gentleman’s and a lady’s, a brass thimble, and a skein of black darning worsted. In addition to Dr. Phillips, the body was examined both before and after removal to the mortuary by Dr. Kaye and Dr. Backwell, both of whom reside in the vicinity of Berner-street. On the arrival of the superintendent from Leman-street Police-station, which took place almost simultaneously with that of the divisional surgeon, steps were immediately taken to ascertain whether the members of the club were in any way connected with the murder. The names and addresses of all the men present were taken, and a rigorous search of person and premises was instituted. The residents of the court had to submit to a similar scrutiny. In neither case, however, was any incriminating evidence discovered. It was five o’clock before the police had finished their investigation at the club, for, in addition to the search referred to, inquiries were made, which resulted in a number of written statements which had to be signed by members. The fact that another murder had been committed soon became known in the neighborhood, and long before daybreak the usually quiet thoroughfare was the scene of great excitement. Extra police had to be posted right along the street, and owing to this precaution locomotion from an early hour was a matter of extreme difficulty. A large crowd followed the body to the mortuary, and here, again, it was found necessary to take unusual precautions to keep back the crowd. As the news circulated further afield immense numbers of people flocked to Whitechapel, and before noon the neighbourhood of Aldgate and Commercial-road was literally invaded by persons curious to see the spots selected for this and the other murders of the series. Several matters have transpired which tend to fix precisely the time at which the unfortunate woman was murdered. Morris Eagle, one of the member of the club, left Berner-street
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about twelve o’clock, and after taking his sweetheart home returned to the club at about 20 minutes to one with the intention of having supper. He walked up the yard and entered the club by the side entrance, but neither saw nor heard anything to make him suspect that foul play was going on. Of course he might have passed the body in the darkness, but the probability is that he would have stumbled over it if the murder had been committed before that time. Another member of the club, a Russian named Joseph Lave, feeling oppressed by the smoke in the large room, went down into the court about 20 minutes before the body was discovered, and walked about in the open air for about five minutes or more. He strolled into the street, which was very quiet at the time, and returned to the concert-room without having encountered anything unusual. During the day there have been many persons at the mortuary, but up to last night one one had succeeded in identifying the body. Several policemen on duty in the district declare that they have seen the woman about the locality, and it is believed that she belonged to the unfortunate class; but although the visitors to the mortuary have been drawn mainly from that class, all have up to now failed to identify her. Mr. Wynne Baxter, the coroner of the district, was communicated with as soon as the details were ascertained, and he has fixed the inquest for to-day, at eleven o’clock, at the Vestry-hall, Cable-street. It is believed in police circles that the murderer was disturbed at his work by the arrival of Diemshitz, and that he made off as soon as he heard the cart at the top of the street. Sir Charles Warren and Major Smith, of the City police, visited the scene of the murder in the course of yesterday morning. The following description has been circulated by the police of a man said to have been seen in company of the dead woman during Saturday evening:- “Age 28, slight; height 5 ft, 8in.; complexion dark; no whiskers; black diagonal coat, hard felt hat; collar and tie. Carried newspaper parcel. Respectable appearance.”
Lewis Diemshitz yesterday made the following statement to a reporter :- “I have been steward of the International Club for six or seven years. I am also a traveller in common jewellery. I went yesterday to Westow-hill Market, a place I usually visit on Saturdays, and I got back about one o’clock this morning. My usual time for getting home from market is between one and two in the morning. I drove home in my own trap. My pony is rather shy, and as I turned into the yard it struck me that he bore too much too the left-hand side, against the wall. I bent my head to see what it was that he was shying at, and I noticed that the ground was not level. I saw a little heap which I thought might perhaps be some mud swept together. I touched the heap with the handle of my whip, and then I found that it was not mud. I jumped off the trap and struck a match, when I saw that it was the body of a woman. I did not wait to see whether my wife was there. I did this because I knew my wife had rather a weak constitution, and anything of that kind shocks her. I saw my wife was sitting downstairs, and I at once informed the members of the club that something had happened in the yard. I did not tell them whether the woman was murdered or drunk, because I did not then know. A member named Isaacs went down into the yard with me, and we struck a match. We saw blood right from the gate up the yard. Then we both went for the police, but unfortunately, it was several minutes before we could find a constable. At last another member of the club, named Eagle, who ran out after us and went in a different direction, found one somewhere in Commercial-road. This policeman blew his whistle, and several more police-men came up, and soon after the doctors arrived. The woman seemed to be about 27 or 28 years old. She was a little bit better dressed I should say than the woman who was last murdered. Her clothes were not disarranged. She had a flower in the bosom of her dress. In one hand she had some grapes, and in the other some sweets. She was grasping them tightly. I had never seen her before. She was removed about a quarter to five to Cable-street mortuary. When I first saw her she was lying on her left side, two yards from the entrance, with her feet towards the street.. I do not keep my trap in the yard, but I keep my goods at the club.”
Messrs. Eagle and Lave, two members of the club, have also made statements. The former left at twelve o’clock and returned in about 40 minutes; the latter about 20 minutes before the alarm went into the yard. “to get a breath of fresh air,” and walked about there for five minutes more. Neither saw nor heard anything unusual.
Mrs. Mortimer, living at 36, Berner-street, four doors from the scene of the tragedy, says :- “I was standing at the door of my house nearly the whole time between half-past twelve and one o’clock this (Sunday) morning, and did not notice anything unusual. I had just gone indoors and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a commotion outside, and immediately ran out, thinking that there was another row at the Socialists’ Club close by. I went to see what was the matter, and was informed that another dreadful murder had been committed in the yard adjoining the clubhouse, and on going inside I saw the body of a woman lying huddled up just inside the gates with her throat cut from ear to ear. A man touched her face and said it was quite warm, so that the deed must have been done while I was standing at the door of my house. There was certainly no noise made, and I did not observe anyone enter the gates. It was just after one o’clock when I went out, and the only man whom I had seen pass through the street previously was a young man carrying a black shiny bag, who walked very fast down the street from the Commerical-road. He locked up the club and then went around the corner by the board school. I was told that the manager or steward of the club had discovered the woman on his return home in his pony cart. He drove through the gates, and my opinion is that he interrupted the murderer, who must have made his escape immediately, under cover of the cart. If a man had come out of the yard before one o’clock, I must have seen him. It was almost incredible to me that the thing could have been done without the steward’s wife hearing a noise, for she was sitting in the kitchen, from which a window open four yards from the spot where the woman was found.”
Dr. Blackwell has made the following statement :- “At about 10 minutes past one I was called to 40, Berner-street by a policeman, where I found a woman who had been murdered. Her head had been almost severed from her body. She could not have been dead more than 20 minutes, the body being perfectly warm. The woman did not appear to be a Jewess, but more like an Irish woman. I roughly examined her, and found no other injuries, but this I cannot definitely state until I have made a further investigation of the body. She had a black velvet jacket and black dress of different material. In her hand she held a box of cachous, whilst pinned in her dress was a flower. Altogether, judging from her appearance, I should say she belonged to the immoral class; at least, her general get-up would lead me to suppose that. I have no doubt that the same man committed both these murders, and should say he is a maniac, but one at least who is accustomed to use a heavy knife. I should say that as the woman had held sweets in her left hand that her head was dragged back by means of a silk handkerchief she wore round her neck, and her throat was then cut. One of her hands, too, was smeared with blood, so she may have used this in her rapid struggle. I have no doubt that the woman’s windpipe being completely cut through, she was unable to make any sound. I might say it does not follow that the murderer would be bespattered with blood, for as he is sufficiently cunning in other things he could contrive to avoid coming in contact with the blood by reaching well forward.”
The woman murdered in Berner-street has been identified as Elizabeth Stride, who had resided latterly in Flower and Dean-street, in a common lodging-house inhabited by men and women of the poorest class. Her occupation was that of a charwoman. She had the misfortune to lose her husband in the Princess Alice disaster on the Thames some years ago. She was identified at the mortuary yesterday morning by John Arundell and Charles Preston, who reside at 32, Flower and Dean-street.
The authorities at Leman-street Police-station are very reticent, and stated in reply to an inquiry late last evening that they had no further information to impart.
Shortly before two o’clock yesterday morning, or about three-quarters of an hour after the crime described above, it was discovered that a second woman had been murdered and mutilated. This body was found in Mitre-square, Aldgate, within the City boundaries, but on the confines of the now notorious district. It appears that Police-constable Wakins, No, 881, of the City police, was going round his beat when, turning his lantern upon the darkest corner of Mitre-square, he saw the body of a woman, apparently life-less, in a pool of blood. He at once blew his whistle, and several persons being attracted to the spot, he despatched messengers for medical and police aid. Inspector Collard, who was in command at the time of Bishopsgate Police-station, but a short distance off, quickly arrived, followed a few moments after by Mr. G. W. Sequeira, surgeon, of Jewry-street, and Dr. Gordon Brown, the divisional police doctor for Finsbury-circus. The woman was lying on her back, quite dead, although the body was still warm. Her head was inclined to the left side, her left leg being extended, whilst the right was flex. Both arms were extended. The throat was cut half-way round, and blood had flowed from the wound in great quantities, staining the pavement for some distance. Across the right cheek to the nose was another gash, and apart of the right ear had been cut off. The woman’s clothes had been pulled up over her chest, the abdomen ripped completely open, and part of the intestines laid on her neck. After careful notice had been taken of the position of the body when found, it was conveyed to the City Mortuary in Golden-lane. Here a more extended examination was made. The murdered woman is apparently about 40 years of age, and about 5ft. in height. One of the policemen who saw the body expressed his confident opinion that he had seen the woman several times walking in the neighborhood of Aldgate High-street. She was of dark complexion, with auburn hair and hazel eyes, and was dressed in shabby, dark clothes. She wore a black cloth jacket, with imitation fur collar and three large metal buttons. Her dress was made of green chintz, the pattern consisting of Michaelmas daisies. In addition, she had on a thin white vest, bright drab lindsey skirt, a very old dark green alpaca petticoat, white chemise, brown ribbed stockings (mended at the feet with white material), black straw bonnet, trimmed with black beads and green and black velvet, and a large white handkerchief round the neck. In the pockets of the dress a peculiar collection was found. Besides a small packet containing tea and other articles, which people who frequent the common lodging-houses are accustomed to carry, the police found a white pocket handkerchief, a blunt bone-handled table knife, a short clay pipe, and a red-cigarette case with white metal fittings. The knife bore no traces of blood, so could have no connection with the crime. When the news of this additional murder became known the excitement in the crowded district of Aldgate was intense. Usually a busy palce on a Sunday mourning, Houndsditch and the connecting thoroughfares presented a particularly animated appearance. Crowds.
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flocked to the entrances to the square where the body had been discovered, but the police refused admittance to all but a privileged few. Sir Charles Warren visited the spot at an early hour, and made himself thoroughly conversant with the neighbourhood and the details of the affair. Major Smith (acting superintendent of the City police), Superintendent Foster, Detective-inspector M’William (chief of the City detective department), Detective-sergeants Downes and Outram also attended during the morning. A little while after the finding of the body all traces of blood had been washed away by direction of the authorities, and there was little to indicate the terrible crime which had taken place. Mitre-square in an enclosed place in the rear of St. Katherine Cree Church, Leadenhall-street. It has three entrances, the principal one – and the only one having a carriage way – is at the southern end, leading into Mitre-street, a turning out of Aldgate High-street. There is a narrow court in the north-east corner leading into Duke-street, and another one at the north-west, by which foot passengers can reach St. James’s-square, otherwise known as the Orange Market. Mitre-square contains but two dwelling houses in one of which a City policeman lives, whilst the other is uninhabited. The other buildings, of which there are only three, are large warehouses. In the south-east corner, and near to the entrance of Mitre-street, is the back yard of some premises in Aldgate, but the railings are closely boarded. It was just under these that the woman was found, quite hidden from sight by the shadow cast by the corner of the adjoining house. The officer who found the body is positive that it could not have been there more than a quarter of an hour before he discovered it. He is timed to “work his beat,” as it is called, in from 10 to 15 minutes, and is spoken of by his superior officers as a most trustworthy man. Mutilation was evidently hurriedly performed, and does not appear to have been carried out so skillfully as was the case of the murder of Annie Chapman in Hanbury-street. Five minutes, some of the doctors think, would have sufficed for the completion of the work, and the police theory is that the murderer was thus enabled to leave the ground before the return of the constable. None of the police on duty early that morning appear to have had particular attention drawn to the man and woman together, and this would seem to be strange at first when it is remembered that within the last few weeks the police have been keeping a particularly keen watch on suspicious couples. One of the most extraordinary incidents in connection with this – as of the other – crime is that not the slightest scream or noise was heard. A watchman is employed at one of the warehouses in the square, and in a direct line only a few yards away on the other side of the square a City policeman was sleeping. Many people would be about in the immediate neighborhood even at that early hour, making preparations for the market which takes place every Sunday in Middlesex-street (formerly Petticoat-lane) and the adjacent thoroughfares. The woman, up to the time of writing, had not been identified, and the police admit that they have no information which can possibly be termed a clue.
A man named Albert Baskert has made the following statement :- “I was in the Three Nuns Hotel, Aldgate, on Saturday night, when a man got into conversation with me. He asked me some questions which now appear to me to have some bearing upon the recent murders. He wanted to know whether I knew what sort of women used the public bar at the house, when they usually left the street outside, and where they were in the habit of going. He asked further questions, and from his manner seemed up to no good purpose. He appeared to be a ‘shabby genteel’ sort of man, and was dressed in black clothes. He wore a black felt hat, and carried a black bag. We came out together at closing time (twelve o’clock) and I left him outside Aldgate Railway Station.”
The post-mortem examination of the woman found in Mitre-square was made yesterday afternoon at the City mortuary, Golden-lane. The proceedings lasted from half-past two until six o’clock. Dr. Brown, of 17, Finsbury-circus, surgeon to the City Police Force, conducted the operations, and was assisted by Dr. Sequiera, of 34, Jewry-street, and Dr. G. B. Phillips, of 2, Spital-square. Dr. Sedgwick Saunders was also present. The doctors decline to say whether any portion of the body is missing, or to give any information as to he autopsy until the inquest is held. This will probably be to-morrow at the mortuary in Golden-lane. During yesterday the police thoroughly searched the empty houses in Mitre-street, and also the yard where the body was found, and took up a grating near the spot where the woman was found. Nothing, however, in the shape of a weapon was found, nor did the investigation lead to anything likely to throw light upon the matter. The public were not admitted to the square until late in the afternoon, after an official plan of the square had been made for production at the inquest.
The following is the official description of the body and clothing :- “Age about 40, length 5ft., dark auburn hair, hazel eyes; dress, black jacket with imitation fur collar, three large metal buttons, brown bodice, dark green chintz (with Michaelmas daisy and Gordon lily pattern) skirt (three flounces), thin white vest, light drab linsey underskirt, dark green alpaca petticoat, white chemise, brown ribbed stockings, mended at feet with piece of white stocking, black straw bonnet trimmed with black beads and green and black velvet, large white handkerchief round neck, a pair of men’s old lace boots, and piece of course white apron. The woman had T.C. on left fore arm, tattooed in blue ink.
Another account says :- The police have no clue to the murderer, nor do they profess any hope of discovering one. He has disappeared without leaving a trace of the faintest kind, and there is nothing whatever upon which the detectives can work. A woman’s apron was found on Sunday in Goulston-street, which was believed to have belonged to the woman first discovered. It was suggested, therefore, that the murderer travelled to Mitre-square, the scene of the second murder, by way of Goulston-street, and took away the apron for the purpose of cleansing his weapon upon it. It has turned out, however, to belong to the woman murdered in Mitre-square.
The Central News says :- On Thursday last the following letter, bearing the E.C. postmark and directed in red ink, was delivered to this agency :-
“25th September, 1888.
“Dear Boss, – I keep on hearing the police have caught me, but they won’t fix me just yet. I have laughed when they look so clever and talk about being on the right track. That joke about ‘Leather Apron’ gave me real fits. I am down on –, and I shan’t quit ripping them till I do get buckled. Grand work the last job was. I gave the lady no time to squeal. How can they catch me now? I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me with my funny little games. I saved some of the proper red stuff in a ginger beer bottle over the last job to write with, but it went thick like glue, and I can’t use it. Red ink is fit enough I hope. Ha, ha! The next job I do I will clip hte lady’s ears off and send to the police officers, just for jolly. Wouldn’t then give that out straight. My knife’s so nice and sharp. I want to get to work right away if I get a chance. Good luck. –
Yours truly — JACK THE RIPPER
“Don’t mine me giving the trade name. Wasn’t good enough to post this before I got all the red ink off my hands; curse it. No luck yet. They say I’m a doctor now. Ha! Ha!.”
The whole of this extraordinary epistle is written in red ink in a freely bold, clerkly hand. It was, of course, treated as the work of a practical joker, but it is singular to note that the latest murders have been committed within a few days of the receipt of the letter, that apparently in the case of his last victim the murderer did mutilate the face in a manner which he has never before attempted. The letter is now in the hands of the Scotland-yard authorities.
AN ARREST
It is stated that shortly before midnight a man, whose name has not yet transpired, was arrested in the Borough on suspicion of being the perpetrator of the murders. Yesterday morning a tall, dark man, wearing an American hat, entered a lodging-house in Union-street, known as Albert-chambers. He stayed there throughout the day, and his peculiar manner attracted the attention of his fellow lodgers and certain observations he made regarding the topic of the day aroused their suspicions. The deputy-keeper of the lodging0house sent for the policeman, who questioned the stranger as to his recent wanderings, but he could give no intelligible account of them, though he said he had spent the previous night on Blackfriars-bridge. He was conveyed to Stone’s End Police-station, Blackman-street, Borough.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING POST
Sir, – As members of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, who communicated without result with the Home Secretary with the view of obtaining on behalf of the public at large the offer of a Government reward for the apprehension and conviction of the assassin or assassins in the recent East-end atrocities, we shall be glad if you will allow us to state that the committee do not for one moment doubt the sincerity of the Home Secretary in refusing the said offer, as he apparently believes that it would not meet with a successful result. If he would, however, consider that in the case of the Phoenix-park murders and the man Carey, who was surrounded by, we may say, a whole society steeped in crime, the money tempted him to betray his associates. In our opinion, if Mr. Matthews could see his way clear to coincide with our views the Government offer would be successful. The reward should be ample for securing an informer from revenge, which would be a very great inducement in the matter, in addition to which such offer would convince the poor and humble residents of anxious to avenge the blood of these unfortunate victims as they were the assassination of Lord F. Cavendish and Mr. Burke. – Yours, &c.
– GEORGE LUSK, JOSEPH AARONS; 1,2, and 3, Alderney-road, Mile-end, Sept. 29.
