Jack the Ripper a Chinaman/American Hatred

The Whitechapel Murders.

It has never been suggested that a Chinaman might be responsible for that terrible butchery known as the Whitechapel murders. This is probably owing to the difficulty there is in associating the bland and mild-mannered Ah Sin with deeds exhibiting extreme ferociousness and brutality. But there is intelligence from the States of Montana, in America, of a murder combining all the revolting features of the "Jack the Ripper" tragedies, which has been committed by a Chinaman. If the crime had taken place in London it would at once have been put down to the mysterious fiend whose presence a little over a year ago created such panic in the metropolis. The victim was of the unfortunate class; she was done to death in the centre of the town, yet without any one hearing a cry or sound. The body was mutilated and hacked almost beyond recognition. The Police, however, found a clue to the murderer. The woman had during the evening been seen in the company of a Chinaman and they were heard to quarrel. The man was tracked to his lodgings, but it was found he was only one of thirty Chinamen who lived there, and to the European eye the Asiatics are so much alike that no one can be found to identify the man who was seen with the woman. It is a perplexing situation. There are no bloodstains or any other marks on any of the men which might be held as establishing identification. So for the present the thirty Chinamen are in gaol on a charge of murder. The danger is that the American hatred of the Mongolian element will lead to the lynching of the whole lot.

Source: The Thames Advertiser, Thames, N.Z., Monday June 23, 1890, Volume XXIII, No. 6643