The Whitechapel Murderer

[CONTAINS GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF VIOLENCE UPON WOMEN]

The scene of the murders was the Whitechapel District, an area with a backdrop of poverty and a proclivity of violence in 1888. While others believe he took 11 lives, most believe he only killed five. With these murders a morbid fascination was evoked from the public; sending them into a fearful frenzy.

The five attacks ascribed to The Whitechapel Murderer were all women. Due to the endemic poverty of Whitechapel, most of these women are believed to have had to turn to prostitution for survival.

The Canonical Victims

This deaths were grouped together as they were committed between a short space of time as well as maining the same pattern with the same modus operandi.

31st August 1888 / Mary Ann Nichols

3:40 am two men would approach the body of Mary Ann Nichols in Bucks Row (renamed Durward Street). Believing her to be simply unconscious they'd leave her in the hands of the authorities. Upon the arrival of a surgeon, she was confirmed to be dead for roughly a half hour time of discovery.

Her throat severely slashed twice left to right, her stomach mutilated with one deep jagged wound, several incisions across the abdomen, and three or four similar cuts on the right side.

Her death was instantaneous with a quick slit across her throat. The time between her demise and discovery indicated the possibility of the murderer still lingering close by.

Word spread of the murder and unbeknownst to London, Mary Ann Nichols would be the first considered victim on the string of murders perpetrated by The Whitechapel Murderer; ushering in the Autumn of Terror with a madman prowling the streets of Whitechapel.

8th September 1888 / Annie Chapman

Just minutes before 6am, the second victim was discovered at 29 Hanbury Street (now entrance to Truman Brewery) by a resident of the building. With Annie Chapman, the violence and brutality evidently escalated.

Her throat was disservered deeply with abdominal wounds, disembowled with her intestines thrown over her shoulders. Upon a morgue examination, it was found that a section of her uterus was sliced out. Regarding this, there was an opinion of the killer possessing anatomical knowledge due to the manner in which the womb was removed.

All that was recovered from the crime scene was:

• Two pills (for Chapmans lung condition)

• Part of a torn envelope

• A piece of muslin

• A comb

• A leather apron

All of which led to nowhere in the investigation. Looking into the subject of the apron, as coming up fruitless, Leather Apron became a moniker for the killer given by the media.

The brass rings Chapman had been wearing prior were not recovered. Either having been pawned off or ripped from her fingers was never discovered.

27th September 1888

Central News Agency recieved a letter supposedly from the killer.

Dear Boss,

I keep on hearing the police have caught me but they wont fix me just yet. I have laughed when they look so clever and talk about being on the right track. That joke about Leather Apron gave me real fits. I am down on whores and I shant quit ripping them till I do get buckled. Grand work the last job was. I gave the lady no time to squeal. How can they catch me now. I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me with my funny little games. I saved some of the proper red stuff in a ginger beer bottle over the last job to write with but it went thick like glue and I cant use it. Red ink is fit enough I hope ha. ha. The next job I do I shall clip the ladys ears off and send to the police officers just for jolly wouldn't you. Keep this letter back till I do a bit more work, then give it out straight. My knife's so nice and sharp I want to get to work right away if I get a chance. Good Luck.

Yours truly

Jack the Ripper

Don’t mind me giving the trade name

PS Wasn't good enough to post this before I got all the red ink off my hands curse it. No luck yet. They say I'm a doctor now. ha ha

The letter wasn't released to the public until October 1st and was forwarded to Scotland's Yard on 29th September. Initially it was considered a hoax, believed to be fabricated by a journalist until the discovery of the fourth canonical victim. From this Jack the Ripper supplanted Leather Apron as the publics favoured moniker.

30th September 1888 / Elizabeth Stride & Catherine Eddowes

Body of Elizabeth Stride was found on Berner Street by Louis Diemschutz. Unlike the brute mutilations of the prior bodies, Strides throat had only been cut. Causing speculation from the police that the murder had been interrupted by Diemschutz, whilst others however, believe this was not The Rippers work.

When examined around 1:15am it was determined Stride was dead for half an hour. On that same night, another body was found in Mitre Square 45 minutes after the discovery of Elizabeth Stride.

West of the Stride murder, Catherine Eddowes was found with her uterus and left kidney removed. Along with this, her body was severely mutilated; including her face. One striking detail was particularly noticed:

The lobe and auricle of the right ear were cut obliquely through.

As the 'Dear Boss' letter was not yet visible to the public and Eddowes body was found a mere three days after the post mark, the promise to clip the ladys ears off gained the notion that it was written by the perpetrator of these attacks.

During this double murder, The Ripper left one of the few solid clues of the entire case: A piece of Eddowes bloodied apron. This piece of evidence was found close to Goulston Street, east of the Eddowes murder site in the direction of the Stride murder site. Due to the location of the apron, it is known that The Ripper went back in the direction of the Stride murder. This perplexing detail could infer that the killer willingly entered an area of investigation and officers; indicating that he resided in the East End London area as he demonstrated evasive capabilities.

Near the piece of apron there was a message written in chalk that read:

The Juwes are the men that will not be blame for nothing

Whether this was done by the killer or just merely incidental was not confirmed as anti-semitic vandalism was common in the area.

1st October 1888

A post card was received by the police department written by someone also claiming to be the murderer with similar handwriting to the 'Dear Boss' letter.

I was not codding dear old Boss when I gave you the tip, you'll hear about Saucy Jacky's work tomorrow double event this time number one squealed a bit couldn't finish straight off had not the time to get ears for police. thanks for keeping last letter back till I got to work again.

Jack the Ripper

16th October 1888

George Lusk received a letter. Lusk was the head of the mile End Vigilance Committee. A group comprised due to the dissatisfaction of the lack of progress made by the police of the investigation.

From hell.

Mr Lusk,

Sir

I send you half the Kidne I took from one women prasarved it for you tother piece I fried and ate it was very nice. I may send you the bloody knife that took it out if you only wate a while longer

Catch me when you can Mishter Lusk

It was delivered in a box with a half human kidney. Believed at the time to be Catherine Eddowes missing kidney. Most experts weren’t convinced this to be the case.

9th November 1888 / Marie Jane Kelly

The body of fifth and final Canonical Victim was found in her bed at 13 Millers Court. Marie Kelly was found by her landlords assistant who was seeking to collect rent. Her body was disembowled and virtually skinned down, her mutilations more extensive of any of the canonical victims. Eviscerated, genitals mutilated, face hacked beyond recognition and her throat cut to the bone. This likely due to the murderer having more privacy and time.

The sight that we saw I cannot drive away from my mind. It looked more like the work of the devil than of a man.

- The landlord upon seeing the state of Marie Kelly

Possible Suspects & Theories

With all aggregated eyewitness testimonies of those believing to have seen Jack the Ripper, a rough outline of the killer was made and can be visualized. He was assumed to be between the age of 25 to 35. He was stocky at the height of 5'5 to 5'7. Said to be fair skinned and having a moustache. From most sightings he was allegedly donning a dark hat and overcoat in reports of apparent sightings.

There are many conflicting and varied theories on the occupation and identity of The Whitechapel Murderer. Due to the killings happening around/on weekends and occurring in a concentrated area, it is widely believed that The Ripper lived locally with regular employment. With over a hundred possibilities of who the perpetrator could be, the list of suspects has been narrowed to the most famous and likely theories.

Montague Johnson Druitt

With no physical evidence to link Druitt to the murders he is still regarded as a possible suspect with circumstantial attributes.

With no solid confirmation, he was said to be living with his cousin who was practicing medicine in the area of the murders. Druitt supposedly had an interest in murder. A month before the first Canonical murder, Montagues mother went insane. In a letter regarding this, Montague stated that he feared he was also going insane.

After the final murder, he disappeared and was found dead within four weeks of Marie Kelly’s demise. He was found floating in the Thames 3rd December 1888.

Aaron Kosminski

He was a resident of whitechapel and was proven to have spent time in an asylum in 1889 after the last murder; he’d continue to reside in asylums until dying in 1919. His physical appearance would match the skeleton outline of a man in Mitre Square provided by the police.

A possible motive would be his known hatred towards women, specifically those in prostitution.

Prince Albert Victor Christian Edward

It should be stated that this theory has no substantial evidence to indicate its credibility and is perpetuated due to its wild popularity. As he was known to frequent the Whitechapel District some posit that he fathered a child with a local woman. Queen Victoria ordered that those who knew of this child to be 'taken care of'. Either he (having been believed to have gone insane after contracting syphilis) or his Royal Aids were theorized to have committed the murders in an effort to cover his indiscretion.

The Mad Midwife

This theory allegory was initially just a hunch postulated by Inspector Abberline after the discovery of Marie Kelly. Commencing after an eyewitness report claiming to have seen Kelly twice several hours after her estimated time of death. This eyewitness describes remembering 'Kelly' wearing 'a dark shirt, velvet bodice and a maroon-coloured shawl', further confirming she had seen Kelly wearing the shawl prior her death. Thus leaving suspicion of a woman having worn Kelly's clothing to remain undetected.

Though this is an unlikely case of a woman committing these crimes, it would explain The Ripper being able to continuously elude the authorities. A midwife would've also had the elementary knowledge and practice to have committed the mutilations. To walk around the streets at late hours with bloodly clothes would've raised no suspicion.

Joseph Barnett

Of all possible murderers Barnett is the only one to have a relationship with one of the victims; having shared a roof with Marie Kelly; believed to have been in love with Kelly. If sources are correct and Barnett resided in 10 different locations in East London, he would've been well acquainted with the area.

According to an issue of the Daily Telegraph 10th November 1888, Barnett referred to her as 'his wife'; she was only a roommate. It was known that he disagreed with Maries way of work. Even striving to make an income to keep her off the streets.

"Marie never went on the streets when she lived with me"

Some speculate that Barnett committed the first murders to scare Kelly off the streets. For a time it worked. But when Barnett lost his job as a fish porter, Kelly returned to work to keep them sustained. Financial struggles often led to arguments. This culminated in one final fight over Kelly bringing home two different prostitutes, which Barnett found unacceptable. The fight was apparently violent resulting in a broken window. Barnett moved out shortly after and 10 days later Marie was found slaughtered. Barnett was questioned for 4 hours but was released due to no evidence.

It should be mentioned that due to living there, Barnett would've had intimate knowledge of the household including how to unlock the door from the outside. Also aware of her schedule and tendencies. Details from the scene suggest Kelly was asleep, not by an outsider she invited in. As a fish porter he would of had a coarse anatomy knowledge. As an associate of Marie Kelly, he would've been familiar to local prostitutes. Allowing him to get in close proximity to kill them. From one newspaper article of the time, it stated his friends referred to him as Jack.

The murders allegedly stopped after Marie Kelly. After her death Barnett would've had no further reason to continue killing.

James Maybrick

From all possible killers, Maybrick is considered to be the most damning despite contrasting in the much believed profile of The Ripper. Maybrick was an educated upper-class cotton merchant. Residing in an estate in Liverpool called Battlecrease House.

The most incriminating aspect of Maybrick being the culprit would be the biggest physical piece of evidence to link him to the crimes.

It was a diary reportedly discovered underneath the floorboards of his estate.

An excerpt of its contents read:

I give my name that all know of me, so history do tell what love do to a gentleman born.

Yours truly,

Jack the Ripper

In addition to this, the diary reports intimate details of each of the murders. The diary was found by Mike Barrett however from his claims the authenticity of this evidence weakens. Barnett admitted to fabricating the diary but later recanted the statement under the claims of not wanting the publicity.

Backing up the diaries legitimacy are scientific tests confirming the diary seem to roughly match the era of the Autumn of Terror.

If the claims of Barrett are correct and the evidence was found underneath the floorboards, the possibility of Maybrick being the culprit is highly reasonable. It's worth adding to further drive this theory that the murders occurred on or around the weekend; a wealthy merchant such as Maybrick would have the time to venture into Whitechapel and also have the benefit of not committing crimes in their own locale. Also worth mentioning is his death coincided with the closing of the murders, having died one year from them.

Proceeding the discovery, a golden was was found and reported as potential Ripper evidence. It is said to have scratched initials of the Canonical Victims, along with this is the phrase 'I am Jack' and 'J. Maybrick'

More investment was made into the research of this watch and analyses suggest this weren't made in modern times.

Today

Despite the continued interest in the investigation, the Rippers identity remains unknown to this date. With over one hundred named suspects and many differentiating theories the authorities have not agreed with any. Baffling policeman and ripperologists alike. Whoever the culprit is it’s agreed they’re a figure of a sinister nature, whose purpose and design are stil unknown.