Evening News, Oct 29 1888

[Guest]

Hello all,

There are 2 interesting pieces that Ive read before but caught my eye again in a glance through, I was wondering if anyone might have further information on either...

"The Central News learns that Private-detective Slater, of Basinghall-street, has submitted to the Scotland-yard authorities information of a most valuable character in connection with the personality of the Whitechapel murderer. It is believed that a most important arrest will shortly be made.

Up to last night, the police had made no special arrest regarding the late murders. The various districts are being patrolled by extra constables, and their zeal has led them into several excesses, notably an arrest of three young men made on Thursday night in Berner-street. The police have so much in mind the vague stories of an American perpetrator of the dastardly crimes than (sic) any person in a wide-a-wake or soft felt becomes an object of suspicion."

The second snippet is this...

MORE WRITING ON A WALL.

"It is stated that the words, "I shall do another murder and will receive her heart," have been found written in chalk on the footway in Camplin-street, Deptford. "

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Cheers.

[perrymason]

And.......If anyone has information about a Charity Dinner for the East End residents in the Great Assembly Hall that was scheduled for November 9th? Organized by a local Beer Baron heir, and a man who personally saw to it that something like 200 brothels were closed during 87/88/89.....according to his biographer.

This was to seat 3000 locals a meal-sitting.

Thanks again.

[Robert]

Michael, Times Nov 10th 88.

[perrymason]

Thanks Robert, I did know it was Charrington, but not that the dinner went on as planned.

Thanks again.

[Dan Norder]

The second snippet you mention above was mentioned with a little more detail in my "Heartless" article/dissertation.

[sdreid]

Hi Michael,

That cryptic chalk message does sound a lot like a plan for Kelly. I wonder if they took a photo of that one or were still up to their old crime of spoliation of evidence. Do you know where this would be located on a map?

[perrymason]

Hi again,

Stan, I know nothing more about the location than you do...so thanks Dan for pointing out you have piece on this subject here. I'll be reading it shortly.

It seems an interesting message, as I think its the only "message" I recall that suggests a specific action that is done to an alledged Ripper victim in the near future....and remember Stan our dicussion of that 10 day window each month where he is active.

Best regards.

[Dan Norder]

The message was not so much a plan for Kelly as a rehash of false rumors that were already in circulation about what the Ripper had supposedly done to Eddowes and Chapman. In addition to the hoax letters we all know about, hoax chalk messages claiming to be from the killer were also popping up all over the place. The police had no reason to think this one was special, and it very likely wasn't... at least until the Ripper decided to make the rumors come true.

"Heartless" covers all that and more.

[perrymason]

Interesting article Dan, particularly finding all those references to a "hart".

I think due to the press, and the nature of the community...compressed, depressed and poor and angry..I would be very surprised if at least one of the attributed, and one or more of the non-canonicals, were not crime scenes that were influenced by prior press details.

Best regards.

[23Skidoo]

Hi Michael,

That cryptic chalk message does sound a lot like a plan for Kelly. I wonder if they took a photo of that one or were still up to their old crime of spoliation of evidence. Do you know where this would be located on a map?

Are you asking where Camplin St was or where Deptford is?

[sdreid]

Hi 23,

Yes.

[Barnaby]

The message was not so much a plan for Kelly as a rehash of false rumors that were already in circulation about what the Ripper had supposedly done to Eddowes and Chapman. In addition to the hoax letters we all know about, hoax chalk messages claiming to be from the killer were also popping up all over the place. The police had no reason to think this one was special, and it very likely wasn't... at least until the Ripper decided to make the rumors come true.

"Heartless" covers all that and more.

Fair enough. Could this be evidence, in light of Kelly, that the Ripper was reading his own press and acting accordingly.

[Dan Norder]

Could very well be, yes.

[perrymason]

Dan,

Im curious about something, you may or may not know the answer, or have an opinion.....but Im curious as to why this wall message didnt become very high profile within the context of the investigations, or at least Marys. Isnt this communique the only one that is accurate and specific about actions taken with a future alledged Ripper victim?

Why isnt this up there with the GSG, or Dear Boss or Saucy Jack in terms of prominence?

Best regards.

[Dan Norder]

Well, it certainly wasn't the only communication that promised something that came true. All sorts of letters claimed that another woman would have her throat cut soon, and so forth. You might argue that those aren't significant because everyone already knew that the killer slit throats and could just make that claim without being the murderer... but the problem is that at the time everyone also "knew" that the Ripper removed his victims' hearts. That idea may have been incorrect when this message was written, but it was what was reported in the papers and talked about by East End residents. There isn't anything to link this chalk writing to the actual killer.

If you were the police, when you first get the report that writing was found making this claim, the first thing they're going to think is that it's obviously from a hoaxer because there were lots of hoax letters and graffiti at the time. On top of that it mentioned taking the heart, and the police knew that the Ripper hadn't actually taken any hearts, so they had even more reason to think it was just somebody's stupid idea of a joke. By the time that Kelly's heart was actually taken and they knew about it, the message would have been a couple of weeks old and undoubtedly erased already. It's not like they could go out and photograph it, even assuming they remembered it and thought it might be significant.