News item, 1892, re suicide in prison

[Pcdunn]

From the Boulder Daily Camera, September 30, 1892 (Boulder, CO.):

"Supposed to be Jack the Ripper"

"Vienna, Sept. 29-- The police of Pesth, Hungary, believe that the alleged lunatic, Szemerdy [sic], who committed suicide in his cell at Pressburg, after being arrested for a number of atrocious murders, was known as Jack the Ripper in London. They say that he was in London at the time of each and every murder attributed to Jack the Ripper was [sic] committed."

[Errata]

From the Boulder Daily Camera, September 30, 1892 (Boulder, CO.):

"Supposed to be Jack the Ripper"

"Vienna, Sept. 29-- The police of Pesth, Hungary, believe that the alleged lunatic, Szemerdy [sic], who committed suicide in his cell at Pressburg, after being arrested for a number of atrocious murders, was known as Jack the Ripper in London. They say that he was in London at the time of each and every murder attributed to Jack the Ripper was [sic] committed."

Why does Boulder Colorado of all places have so much Jack the Ripper news?

[Pcdunn]

"Jack" sells papers

Why does Boulder Colorado of all places have so much Jack the Ripper news?

LOL, Errata! I'm looking in the Colorado Historic Newspapers Database. So far Aspen and Boulder have produced snippets I've posted on Casebook in various threads, but, trust me-- it is difficult finding a "Jack the Ripper" phrase that actually relates to the London cases!

People all over the USA seemed to fancy themselves either Jack, or his "pal", and write threatening letters to all and sundry authorities. Any murder with a knife was called a "Jack the Ripper" murder. In some newspapers, the editors just put in the phrase at random, apparently expecting it to get more attention.
He (or the idea of him) was far more influential than I'd thought at first.

[Rosella]

Perhaps all the attention was due to the fact that they didn't have a Jack of their very own, not that there weren't plenty of murders in the US at the time!

[Pcdunn]

Hmmm... Maybe so. We're fascinated by stories of the Royals, too, though we have none of our own...

[GUT]

Why does Boulder Colorado of all places have so much Jack the Ripper news?

Plenty in the Papers in Aus and NZ too.

[GUT]

I think the real fascination was that this was something new.

But just watch the TV news today with the reports of anything horrific all over the world.