Annie's Sister Conveys Her Story

A WHITECHAPEL VICTIM.

The Story of Annie Chapman, as Told by Her Sister.

LONDON, May 22. - The history of one of the Whitechapel victims of Jack the Ripper is a sad illustration of the fearful power of inherited alcoholism. It appears that there were four or five children in the family. The parents were intemperate. It is the sister of the poor creature who tells the rest. The unhappy woman had unfortunately inherited the craving, and before she was 14 had taken to drink. The others became converted, and did all in their power to cure their sister, but it was of no use. The sister at length married comfortably and children were born. But the craving for drink grew greater and greater and at length she was sent to a home for inebriates, where she stayed for a year. She left apparently, said the sister, a changed woman.
Soon after, however, her husband caught a severe cold and before going out one morning drank a glass of hot whisky - taking care, however, not to do so in the presence of his wife. Then, as was his custom, before leaving he kissed his wife. At once the fumes of alcohol passed into her, and in an hour she was a drunk and roaring woman. She went from bad to worse, and at last left her husband and children, one of them a cripple through her drunkenness. The husband died two years ago a white-haired and broken-hearted man, though only 45 years of age. "Need I add," said the sister in a letter, "what became of her?" Her story is that of Annie Chapman, one of the recent Whitechapel victims. That was my sister."

Source: Newark Daily Advocate, Wednesday May 22, 1889

A STRANGE, SAD, TRUE TALE.
(Pall Mall Budget.)

In his speech at the Presbyterian Synod on Tuesday evening, the Rev. John MacNeill created quite a sensation by telling the following tale: - He was speaking of temperance, and said that last Sunday (when he preached a temperance sermon at the Tabernacle) he received a letter that had been written by a lady on the danger
of the use at communion of fermented wine. The lady in her letter told a sad story of an inherited passion for drink. There were four or five of them - several brothers and two sisters - the children of intemperate parents. Her sister had unfortunately inherited the craving, and before she was 14 had taken to drink. The others became
converted, and did all in their power to cure their sister; but it was of no use. The sister at length married comfortably, and children were born. But the craving for drink grew greater and greater, and at length she was sent to a home for inebriates, where she stayed a year. She left apparently, said the sister, a changed woman. Soon after,
however, her husband caught a cold, and, before going out one morning, drank a glass of hot whisky, taking care, however, not to do so in the presence of his wife. Then, as was his custom before leaving, he kissed his wife. At once the fumes of alcohol passed into her, and in an hour she was a drunk and raving woman. She went from
worse to worse, and at last left her husband and children, one of them a cripple through her drunkenness. The husband died two years ago, a white-haired and broken-hearted man, though only 45 years old. "Need I add," said the sister in her letter, "what became of her? Her story is that of Annie Chapman, one of the recent Whitechapel
victims. That was my sister."

Source: Oamaru Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 4407, 28 June 1889, Page 1