Ripper Suspect Arrested

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On July 6, 1911, the Atlanta Georgian reported on the arrest of a pedophile named Henry Wiliams for the sexual assault and robbery of three black girls. The article states that the Fulton County police were investigating the possibility that he was the Atlanta Ripper.

$5.27 in 1911 is worth $143.73 today

Two days later the Journal reported that Henry was brought before Emma Sharpe for identification and she was positive that he was not the man who stabbed her. The paper mistakenly refers to Emma by her mother's name, Lena.  The article incorrectly claims that seven of the Ripper victims were killed on seven Saturday nights. Truth is that the first two victims, Marie Gilliard, and the first Jane Doe were killed two years ago in 1909. Victim Maggie Brooks was slain in 1910. Rosa Trice and another Jane Doe were murdered in January and February 1911, respectively. It wasn't until Mary Belle Walker was cut down in May 1911 that the Ripper started killing every week. One of those victims, Addie Watts was killed on a Thursday. 
According to the fourth paragraph, the police were considering placing officers on undercover duty but were having difficulty because of the fact that the Ripper was killing women all over Atlanta. Later on, the subject of plainclothes cops would be brought up again. 
One thing the paper gets right is the prediction that the Ripper was prowling that night, hunting for a new kill. 

 

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