Thursday 27th Sep 1888 - The First Use of 'Jack the Ripper'
9.00pm
Good evening from Whitechapel on Thursday 27th September 1888. Tonight we are concerned with a piece of paper, and a woman.
At the central News Agency, a letter has landed on a journalist's desk. A letter that will make history. The author gloats of Annie Chapman: "Grand work the last job was. I gave the lady no time to squeal. How can they catch me now. The red writing continues, "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 cant use it. Red ink is fit enough I hope ha. Ha. The next job I do I shall clip the ladys ears off and send to the police officers just for jolly wouldn't you. Keep this letter back till I do a bit more work, then give it out straight. My knife's so nice and sharp. I want to get to work right away if I get a chance. Good Luck."
And then this anonymous man has to sign off with something. At the bottom are three words which will live in infamy and finally give our killer a name of sorts:
"Jack the Ripper."
He then notes, "Dont mind me giving the trade name" - the author seemed to be smiling to himself as he adds a post script. "Wasnt good enough to post this before I got all the red ink off my hands curse it No luck yet. They say Im a doctor now. Ha ha" The newspaper men look fearfully at the letter and its contents. It could be a hoax. They should probably treat it as such. However it comes at a time when nearly three weeks have passed without incident. If anything happens soon it may prove real. The blood red ink and terrifying contents are too strong to ignore. They will have to report it to the police.
10.00pm
Meanwhile across the capital, two friends - "unfortunates" - are just about to cross paths on a typical night at their lodgings. At the common lodging house at 32 Flower and Dean Street a woman called Catherine Lane meets Elizabeth Stride, or "Long Liz." Long Liz is Swedish but has lived in London for some time. Catherine Lane has known Liz for six or seven years. Liz seems down.
Liz explains that she has argued with her man, and he's left. Lane offers some comfort and they chat a while longer before bed. Last night a man called Dr Barnardo came to the lodgings house as he has a scheme to rescue children from squalour. Dr Barnardo heard that the discussion between the girls was one of the Whitehchapel murders. They each think they'll be next.