JACK THE RIPPER.

Grey River Argus, 24 November 1910, Page 2

JACK THE RIPPER.

A phase of the. famous "Jack the Ripper" case j:-s . presented in the re-, iiiiniscences of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Henry Smith, late Commissioner of Pol.cc for the City of London.. Sir Henry does not believe the stories that have been told lately regarding- the discovery of the identity^ of the famous murderer. He has no more idea now who the culprit ; \vas than he. 'had twenty years ago. On© clue that mvght .have been very valuable w.is lose owing to the rather stupid act of a man high in authority. A woman had been murdered in the usual brutal fashion and. a piece ; of, her apron ; was ■'•■mossing. ■ One of the detectives who were dealing with .the case Was scouring Whitechapel, and in. a main street he found, a constable of . the Metropolitan Police looking at the 'imporant fragment of -cloth. It was lying, foded up, in the door of one of the Peabody model dwellings, and on •the woodwork, written in chalk were the words: -."The Jews are .the men that won't be blamed :,for .anything." The 'find seemed to show that the murdurer ■ had. passed that way, and the ■hand- writing might have assisted the ■police to trace his identity. . A constable was left to guard, the door .while arrangements were -made for.; photorraphing the inscription, but before the; camera had been secured, a high officer 'fro-pi! headquarters axrived and promptly ordered that the chalk marks should be obliterated. He feared that riots against the Jews might be caused, and at the touch of a handkerchief the- clue d,isappeared. On another occasion Sir Henry- got into com>mun.ication with : a man .who indicated that he could give • some information in reprard to the murderi;, biit^he indivld ual failed -tp.keep a second appoint-, ment arid could' not be traced. Even •at" tliis^late pe'rldd would give tlie >old Police - Gommissiorier r pleasure .; to touch "Jack, the' Ripper" upon the, shoulder. : \ . ' . : • ! '