"LEATHER APRON" AND THE WHITECHAPEL MURDERS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1977, 23 October 1888, Page 2

"LEATHER APRON" AND THE WHITECHAPEL MURDERS

Ramor is busy amony the dooiaena of Wblteobapel »■ to a mysterious being baring the name of "Leather Aproa" to whom popular suspicion points ai-the probable perpetrator of the rcoant murders, of the " Star," vrho has been mafcug some inquiries among a number of polyandrous wcmen In the Bast Sod, gives the following description of tha man :— He li sft 4ln or sft 51q la height and wean a dark dose-fitting cap. He is thickset, and has an unusually tbiok neok. His hair Is block, and olosely oHpped, hla age belnß abotz 1 38 or 40. He has a email black momtaobe. The dlstln--Bnlflhlng fettare of Mb coitame is a leather apron, whloh he always wears, and from whioh he getshU nickname, tils expression Is sinister, and seems to be fall of terror for the women who described it. His eyes are amall and glittering. His lips are usually parted In a grin whloh is not only not reassuring, but exoes ively repollant. He is a slipper maker by trade, but does not work. Hlb business la blackmailing women late at nfght. A number of men In Whlteo^apel follow this Interesting profession. Hn has never out anybody, bo far aa is known, but always oarrles a leather knife, presumably as aharp as leather knives are wont to be. Tbiß knife a number of the women have seen. His name nobody knows, but all are united m the belief that be is a Jew or of Jewish parentage, hio face being of a marked Hebrew type. But the most singular characteristic of the man ia the universal statement that m moving about he never makei aoy noiae. What he wears on his feot the women do not know, bnt they agree that be moves noiselessly. His uncanny peculiarity to them is that tb©y never nee him or know of his presence nntll he is close by them. . " Leather* A.pron" never by any chance attaoks a man. He runa away on the slightest appearance of reßoue. One woman whom be assailed some time ago boldly prose* outed him for it, and he was sent up for seven days. He has no settled place of residence, but haa slept oftenant In a fourpenny lodging house of the lowest kind m a disreputable lane leading from Brick lane. The people at this lodging house denied that he had been there, and appeared disposed to shield him. "Leather Apron's" pal, " Mlokeldy Joe," was In the house at the time, and his presence doubtlets had something to do with the unwillingness to give Information. *' Leather Apron " was last at this house some weeks ago, though this aoooant may be untrue. He ranges all over London, and rarely assails the same woman twice. He has lately been seen In Leather lane, whioh is m the Holburn dlstrlot.