The Times - 11th September 1889

SPATE OF MURDERS

Police Baffled Again !

Four prominent men were cruelly murdered last night in their homes, despite police protection. An English man's home is no longer his castle.

The Right Rev. Challenger ex Bishop of London and eminent critic of the Church of England, was found lynched in his bedroom. The bishop had been bundled from his bed, his hands tied, then he was hung. A wooden cross was nailed to his forehead.

Cardinal Bloodgate was found by his butler, shot dead with a high calibre pistol and a wooden cross thrown at him. The butler saw the murderer escaping across the lawn and described him as wearing foreign clothes and as very tall.

The Dali Lama, visiting Britain and the Queen this week, was discovered with a bowie knife through his chest and a cross nailed to his forehead.

These murders are thought to be the work of some fanatical Christian religious group, due to their similarity to each other.

The fourth murder, was also religious in nature, but not believed to be connected. Rabbi Goldberg was shot, three times, while people in the next room heard nothing. The killer made his escape over the roof tops. Rabbi Goldberg was involved with the Polish Vigilance Committee and his murder is likely to be related to that.

ANARCHIST TIME BOMBS

Bombs exploded around the city yesterday outside Government buildings and military barracks. Five men are reported dead and many injured.

The anarchists used very high quality time bombs and it is thought that explosives from Woolwich were used. The bombs were left in boxes outside the buildings and army experts were able to defuse many. The public are warned to be on the alert for suspicious packages.

TWO FURTHER RIPPER KILLINGS

Police are examining the files of the murders of Elizabeth Smith in April and Martha Tacram in August in the belief that they are the work of the Ripper. The murders bear some of the Ripper's hallmarks. More criticism of the police's handling of the case came from the novelist Gaborian; Who said the police should be more like his detective 'Le Coq'.

SUEZ CANAL OPEN

The Conference of Constantinople this week declared the Suez Canal to be open at all times, by ships of all nations.

LORD CAVERSWALL OPENS OBSERVATORY

Lord Caverswall of Dymchurch, Kent, opened the largest observatory in the country after Greenwich yesterday. The telescope is a thirty inch refractor and Lord Caverswall is planning to explore the far reaches of the solar system with it.

He said, "We must be prepared at any time to travel to the end of our system and beyond. I will be ready and willing when the times comes !"

WORK STARTS ON CIRCLE LINE

A new underground railway is to be built under London. The line will be a large circle with stops, including Paddington, Euston, Victoria, and Liverpool St.

The works will take five years to complete and cause widespread disruption to traffic in the Capital.

WHIGS DESERT TO E.N.W.P.

Fifteen prominent Whig members of Parliament, today abandoned their liberal principles for the rigid nationalistic doctrines of the E.N.W.P. The Whig party at this time are refusing to disclose the identities of the traitors to their cause. However it is rumoured that they contain three members of the shadow cabinet. The Whig party has been seriously weakened by these resignations and the E.N.W.P. proportionally strengthened in intellectual areas.

FREDERICO PLUTIUS TO SING AT ALBERT HALL

The world famous opera singer Frederico Plutius from Mexico is to host a star studded concert next month, with singers coming from all over the world to expound their talents in what will be a great test of their skills.

LOST WORLD DISCOVERED IN VENEZUELA

A team of five Englishmen, led by Prof Challenger of Oxford University, exploring deep on the Venezuelan rain forest has discovered a remote plateau, full of primitive dinosaurs. These lizards, which are very similar to those now found on Venus, are believed to be an enclave of Earth's own dinosaurs, which became extinct millions of years ago. The Professor is staging a lecture tour and displaying a live pterodactyl !