The Manchester Standard
October 24th, 1887
Moore Family Demands Responsibility Upon Constantine
Edwin Moore, brother of the late Mr. Addison Moore, has approached The Standard with the following statement, "Have the police so fallen to incompetence that they no longer investigate crime? My brother lies dead, and the last woman with whom he has associated walks about with no one asking a single question? It is both shocking and unbelievable! Must Manchester take justice into its own hands?" The Manchester Standard was denied comment from Miss Constantine upon the matter, as well as from Inspector Charles Pond .
Henderson Smithy closed, "Iron Bill" Henderson to move to London
"A shame," stated the famed blacksmith to The Standard, "but my noble city of Manchester seems to have outgrown me. I shall always remember with great joy the building of this great city, and also with bitterness at my departing." After refunding much of the damages to horses and other iron goods - much out of his own pockets - Mr. Henderson confided to this reporter that it was no longer an option to operate a business. He hopes that London will provide some opportunity, as his reputation in Manchester has been well and truly sullied. "Justice well served," stated Inspector Billingsly, chief inspector assigned to the case, "It goes to show that shoddy work bears never a sterling reward!"
The Wigan Sickness drawn to a strange conclusion
In a manner most strange, the Wigan sickness has seemed to depart in a single night. When prompted for comment, most of the inhabitants of the sleepy village professed for remember little - either of their recovery or the whereabouts of Doctor Bertrand Hollis, or his assistant nurse. Even the constables in the area seemed to be perplexed, leaving The Standard without much reliable information. The local church - a relic from the early founding of the small village - stands empty as well, the attendant priest having departed as mysteriously as the illness.
-Excerpt from the Manchester Standard, Alice Mulholland reporting.
Dear Madame Mulholland,
ReplyDeleteEven though you have spurned my initial offer to give you additional insight to some of these sinister-goings-on, I will presume it is because you doubt the sincerity of my offer and the astonishing aspects of my information. I assure you, Madame, I can give you unrefutable proof that I have exclusive information relevant to the resolution of these infernal matters-- for I am one of the "perfect gentlemen" who have rallied to remove these rapscallion rawheadandbloodybones boogaloos from Manchester's gritty streets.
Once again, I offer to send you not only the relics of the cemetery matter; but I also propose to share with you, for an additional ten pounds, several physical items of note related to the Wigam Miracle and supplemental details of its incarnation. However, as the services of the supernatural samaritans of my acquaintance are increasingly in demand, you must understand the urgency of your reply.
Perhaps my previous designation of rendezvous was not appropriate. Therefore, you may inscribe an address, date, and time in graphite upon the cornerstone of the Manchester Cathedral and I, your obt. svt., shall send my messenger with the promised artifacts (unless I determine it best for me to appear myself). I beseech you, my Madame, to heed me well. For there is a great darkness and danger afoot in Manchester, and without the intrepid reporting of the resolution of the Standard's dire headlines, innocent souls shall continue to perish, crushed by their ignorance!
Do we not have a responsibility to share the essential knowledge that can preserve life? Is my demand for pounds too great a cost to spare the populance from the senseless proliferation of suffering and superstition?
I know that as one of the premier journalists of our region, you would not squander this opportunity. However, I do empathize with the frustration many lady-writers may have in not gaining equal largesse or literary authoritarianism from their male editors. If that be the case, I shall be forced to go to your rival, the Mancunian Extra-- however I am willing to consider a split should you wish to ghostwrite the article for kind submission to that paper.
Yours very truly,
-A Disposable Hero.
PS. I am obtaining a Camera to further enhance my record of resolving the evil events betiding this city.
PPS. The Mancunian Extra doesn't quite publish yet but I will look into obtaining the proper licenses, printing presses, etc if you are interested and also want to provide capital expenditure of 100 pounds starting funds?