Jack the Ripper

He did on at least one victim. The mutilations got more extreme with each killing.

That's Hollywood. Nobody knows if Jack The Ripper wore a cloak or anything else. Cloaks were popular men's wear in the Victorian Age so I can imagine that is where the cloak and top hat image came from.

Unless a bloody cloak was left at one of the crime scenes there would be know way to tell what the Ripper wore. In all probability, the Ripper would have worn clothes that would have let him blend in. The alternative would have been detection.

Everybody seems to have their own favorite suspect as Jack the Ripper. There has never been a shortage of suspects or opinions on the identity of this notorious killer. I have studied the crimes of the Ripper and read many books on this subject including modern investigations using 21st century investigative tools and my opinion is that Walter Sickert was the Ripper. There is DNA evidence that links letters of Sickert's to some of the Ripper letters. This is but one example of the many "coincidences" that ties Sickert to the Ripper crimes.

Only one item was ever discovered linked to the killer. Jack the Ripper was otherwise meticulous in ensuring he left no trace of himself, indicating that he was largely an Organized serial killer.

Several items were reputed to have been left at the scene of some of the murders. Popular rumor has it that the victim Liz Stride was found clutching a sprig of grapes, but the recorded testimony of three witnesses whom viewed the body have refuted this. She was, in fact, carrying a small packet of "sweetmeats"; breath mints.

In the vicinity of the victim Annie Chapman a folded leather apron was discovered, causing the press to label the Whitechapel Murderer by the term 'Leather Apron.' Leather Apron was, in fact, suspect John Pizer whom was cleared when it was discovered at the inquest of Annie Chapman's murder that he was staying with relatives, and during the Kate Eddowes murder he was on the London Docks, watching the fires and discussing them with two dock workers and a police constable. Finally, the apron found in the yard where Annie Chapman's body was discovered was revealed to belong to the home owner's son whom lived in the home.

One very intruguing piece of evidence was a fragment of victim Kate Eddowes' skirt in the alley near where her body was found. Directly above this material on the wall were printed the words 'The Juwes are the men that will not be blamed for nothing.' It is widely believed that the Whitechapel murderer wrote these words himself, but several witnesses among the local constabulary whom saw the writing indicated on testimony that the writing was blurred and faded, which causes the speculation that the message had been there for a least a few days prior. It is believed by many that the slip of skirt was used by the killer to clean his hands and then discarded near the writing by happenstance.

Keep in mind Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character who "lived" at 221B Baker Street (not even a real address), but it would have been about 13 kilometres (8 miles) west of Whitechapel.

Most of the Ripper's murders were found in one small geographical area, about 1 square mile, in London's poverty-stricken east end. But there were other murders outside that area around the time of Jack The Ripper's killings that have not been ruled in or out as Ripper murders.

How Lewis Carroll was ever added to the list of suspects in the Ripper crimes is a mystery to all who have studied the case. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to many of those on that list. Carroll just happened to be in London around the time of the Ripper murders, as were millions of others. The population of London in 1888 was about five million.

Carroll was not Jack The Ripper, nor was the Queen's grandson Albert, Joseph Merrick the Elephant Man, or Sir William Gull, physician in ordinary to the Queen. Carroll was just a celebrity in London at the wrong time.

It is a little known fact, but the name "Polly" is a variant of the name "Mary". The combinations "Mary Ann", or "Marianne", or "Pollyanna", etc., are common because St. Anne was the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary: "Mary Ann" simply means "Mary, daughter of Anne". "Polly" is derived from "Molly", which is another form of "Mary". The consonant changes are not unusual for baby-talk, or the Celtic languages (the original languages of the British Isles). That is why Mary Ann Nichols, the first Jack the Ripper victim, was also known as Polly Nichols. Molly fell into disuse because a Moll was a prostitute. Also the p replaces m in other nicknames like Peg for Meg (Margaret)

Born Mary Ann Walker, father Edward Walker (blacksmith), mother Caroline. She married William Nichols on January 16, 1864. Five children-Edward John, born 1866, Percy George, born 1868, Alice Ester, born 1870, Eliza Sarah, born 1877 and Henry Alfred, born 1879.

A serial killer murdered and mutilated at least five prostitutes in the East End of London in 1888 and because no one was ever arrested or tried for the murders, crime buffs are still fascinated with the Jack the Ripper case more than 115 years later.

"Jack The Ripper" is the name given to unknown killer due to correspondence at the time from someone claiming to be the killer signed with that name. But while the murders were taking place, the assailant was know as the Whitechapel Murder or "Leather Apron."

There is some dispute concerning how many victims Jack The Ripper claimed. Some believe that he killed only four prostitutes during his spree, while others think that he may have killed as many as nine. It is generally accepted that there were five victims.

Victims of Jack The Ripper

These are the Ripper's victims that most experts agree on:

Mary Ann (Polly) Nichols, murdered on Bucks' Row, Friday, August 31, 1888.

Annie Chapman, murdered at 29 Hanbury Street, Saturday, September 8, 1888.

Elizabeth Stride, murdered on Berner Street, Sunday, September 30, 1888.

Catharine Eddowes, murdered in Mitre Square, Sunday, September 30, 1888.

Mary Jane (Marie Jeanette) Kelly, murdered at Number 13 Miller's Court, Friday, November 9, 1888.

Although there were 13 other women murdered in the East End area from December 1887 until April 1891, most observers agree that they were not the victims of the Ripper.

Casebook: Jack The Ripper

For those interested in the Jack the Ripper case, the CASEBOOK: Jack the Ripper web site, Stephen P. Ryder, executive editor, is the most exhaustive online resource of information related to the 1988 murders. The site cuts through the myths and misconceptions about the case, and presents all the known evidence and continues to report new findings.

As Ryder reports in the mission statement for the Casebook, "The Ripper's victims remained faceless until the 1960s, when their mortuary photographs were finally rediscovered... indeed, even more photographs have been unearthed in the past decade. Perhaps most promising is the discovery of the Littlechild letter in the early 1990s, revealing for the first time in over a century the name of one of Scotland Yard's top suspects. If current trends are anything to go by, there is much more to discover in the coming millennium."

The Casebook site contains information, original manuscript copies, and photographs that have rarely, if ever, been displayed in the mass media. A few examples of what is available on the massive web site include:

The Victims

Profiles of the five generally accepted Ripper victims, including biographies, police reports, autopsy reports, crime scene photographs, autopsy photographs and even photos of their grave sites.

Suspects

Profiles of 27 different men suspected at the time or later in history as being Jack The Ripper. Some profiles are still being developed.

Ripper Letters

Hundreds of letters were sent to the police and local press purporting to be written by the Whitechapel, most of which were hoaxes, but some are believed to be from the killer, including the Dear Boss letter, Saucy Jacky postcard, and the From Hell letter. They are reproduced on the site.

Official Documents

The Casebook provides copies of hundreds of official documents related to the Whitechapel investigation. Included is the Macnaghten Memorandum, one of the most quoted documents in Ripper investigations.

In the context of literature or storytelling, a character who never forgets their purpose in going to see Jack often embodies determination and clarity of intent. This could refer to a person or character who is driven by a specific goal or mission, ensuring that they remain focused despite potential distractions or challenges. Their unwavering commitment highlights the importance of purpose in achieving one's objectives.

There were some major stumbling blocks for the police investigating the murders of Jack The Ripper. Catching a criminal in any large city can be very difficult. He could have been hiding in plain sight. Next was the basic science of crime detection was not only in it's infancy but was barely born yet. The science was just not available to detectives in 19th century London. The factor that law enforcement had not dealt with serial murder made this difficult case almost impossible to solve. There is so much information on serial murder now that its hard to imagine not knowing how to deal with this type of crime. But to the London police at that time, they were really working in the dark. It was made worse by the fact that these murders were replayed over and over in the press. That was also a first. The publicity from this case was world-wide. Every mistake made by police was read about by the entire world in a matter of hours sometimes. There was immense pressure from all sides to bring this case to a close.

Although the world would like an answer to the mystery that is Jack The Ripper, it may never happen.

There is no evidence to suggest that Hornibrook, a character from the video game "Dead by Daylight," is Jack the Ripper. Jack the Ripper was a real unidentified serial killer active in London in the late 1880s, while Hornibrook is a fictional entity. The two are not connected in any historical or factual manner.

There have been several 'deathbed confessions' , the most famous being from James Maybrick. In the 1970s a journal turned up labeled Jack The Ripper's Diary. It was proven to have come from the Victorian Age, the Ripper's time, and many believe it was written by Maybrick. That's not the problem though. Maybrick claimed to be the Ripper but has to be ruled out. He was not even availabe for several of the murders.

Maybrick was a English businessman and was also an arsenic addict. He was well into his 50s at the time of the murders and had many health problems, mostly due to his addiction.

Arsenic poisoning causes numbness and weakness and the Ripper crimes called for a younger killer, and most definitely a stronger one. Maybrick may have been an addict but he was not Jack The Ripper.

All other 'confessions' have proven to be false, and so we still must wonder exactly who the Ripper truly was.

Although opinions may differ I believe JTR is the most mysterious killer in the world. Over a century later the Ripper has become a household name. Zodiac and the Black Dahlia killer have their place in criminal history but none are as well known or as enduring as Saucy Jack.

That theory does not appear in the records. Remember that many evidence and records have been lost.

With few exceptions Jack The Ripper killed prostitutes in the Whitechapel district of London located in the east end of the city. Katherine Eddows was murdered in what is known as The Mile. The Mile was policed by the City of London police while the other murders were in the Metropolitan Police jurisdiction.

Although it is difficult to get an accurate diagnosis on a 'person unknown' the Ripper's crimes and letters do give insight into his twisted mind. Most serial killers (not all) are now considered to have some traits of APD or anti-social personality disorder. This is not considered a mental illness. The Ripper was probably very sane. A personality disorder, on the other hand, is an affliction of the personality. A person much over the age of 3 has already established his personality, good or bad.

A person with a personality disorder as apposed to mental illness, can not be 'fixed', he is what he is. Mental illness can be treated in a variety of ways and many mentally ill people go on to have happy, healthy lives.

His crimes, his victims tell us this man had emmence rage, mostly toward women. He thought of them as less than human. He had no respect for them as people or humans. His choice of weapon is also telling. A knife is a personal weapon. You must be up close and personal with your victim. Most of them he mutilated the faces. This is very important. When he cut up their faces he took their identity.

The way he left the bodies, where they would be found very quickly and in provocative poses. This is to shock police and public, alike. He took great pleasure thinking about how these women where going to be found, and what the reaction would be. For him it was part of the fun. His letters to the police and press were taunting and dirisive. This tells us the Ripper had contempt for most people in general. This is also typical behavoir for APD.

Jack The Ripper is a facinating case. It has been studied for over a century and we will probably never fully know all there is to know about this elusive criminal.

He did have a funeral but no one knows what kind of funeral he got because the identity of Jack the ripper was never known. Wherever hes was cremated, buried in a expensive casket or left in a mass grave, we will never know.

Although Kosminski was known to be a 'woman hater' and a slightly deranged one at that, he seemed to look like the type of man that could slice up prostitutes. Had anybody checked they would have found that Kosminski could not have been the Ripper for the fact that he was not available for several of the killings, spending some time in an asylum for the insane.

The police had no prior serial killer experience, nothing of past cases that fit the Ripper crimes. In the 21 century it's easy enough to blame Scotland Yard for what looks to be a sloppy investigation. But the truth is they just did not have the tools needed to apprehend this kind of killer.

The east end of London at the time of the Ripper murders, which consisted of the areas known as Whitechapel and Spitalfields, was mostly blue collar. The immigrant population was very high, with many different languages being spoken. The streets were lined with cart mongers selling their wares from a pony cart. Furriers, butchers, textiles, manufacturers, importing and exporting (the docks were very close by), and many other businesses occupied the east end during Queen Victoria's reign.

It was common to see very young children hard at work or working hard at begging or stealing. Anything to get a meal. Women would sell flowers or handmade trifles. Prostitution was for many women of the east end, not a choice, but a way to survive in this hostile urban jungle. It was a hard-scrabble life where infants often times never lived to their first birthday, and the men and women were old at forty, many died before turning fifty.

A fascinating look at London's less fortunate can be found in Jack London's personal experiences, chronicaled in his book 'The People Of The Abyss'. Not a light subject, and not for the squeemish, but a realistic telling of the forgotten people that shared a piece history with the notorious Jack The Ripper.

The first victim was most likely Martha Tabram, killed on August 7, 1888, weeks before Mary Ann Nichols.

Mistakes are made in virtiually every murder investigation and the Ripper case was no exception. At the Eddows crime scene Commissioner Charles Warren ordered the infamous chalk writing off the wall of a nearby building.

Against orders and common sense Whitechapel Workhouse inmate Robert Mann removed Mary Ann Nichol's clothes as she lay in the mortuary awaiting autopsy. After that he and a chum scrubbed the body to remove blood and any other evidence that was present.

But probably the biggest mistake was to assume the killer must look a particular way. They were looking for an insane, drooling maniac spouting gibberish. Jack The Ripper most likely looked average and/or nondescript. Had he looked like the former description he would have aroused suspicion and may have been caught.

"A Violet I Plucked from Mother's Grave When a Boy"