Trevor Marriott, a former Bedfordshire police detective has used modern police procedural techniques, to come up with a new theory about the Jack the Ripper murders (Jack the Ripper: the 21st Century Investigation).

Marriott challenges the conventional wisdom that the murderer was a skilled surgeon. Moreover, Marriott says the location and timing of the killings - not far from London docks with gaps of several weeks in between - suggest the killer may have been a merchant seaman.

Marriott thinks he may have identified the ship he arrived on - the Sylph, a 600-tonne cargo vessel which arrived in Britain from Barbados in July 1888, before the killing of the Ripper's first victim, Mary Ann Nichols, and which returned to the Caribbean on November 22, two weeks after the Kelly slaying, from where the same killer could have committed several similar murders in Managua in January 1889 described in a report in the Times as "six of the most atrocious murders ever committed within the limits of this city".

According to the Times report, two of the victims were "butchered out of all recognition" with their faces "horribly slashed". Both the mutilation of prostitutes' bodies and face slashing were a hallmark of the Whitechapel murders and a feature which led detectives to believe the Ripper was a serial sex attacker. Marriott also argues that the Ripper may have been responsible for a later murder of a Whitechapel prostitute not included in the usual five canonical Ripper slayings.

Alice McKenzie was found mutilated in Castle Alley, north of Whitechapel Road, on July 17 1889. Like the other Ripper victims there were signs that she had been throttled before having her throat slit and her body mutilated. One of the police pathologists who conducted the postmortem on McKenzie concluded she should be counted as the sixth Ripper victim - a verdict with which the divisional surgeon disagreed at the time.

If Marriott is right and the Ripper was a merchant seaman it might also explain that the Washington Star, bearing the dateline, Hamburg, 18 October 1889, reported the discovery of "the mutilated body" of a woman in Flensburg, a seaport with frequent sailings to London.

The report was headlined, Jack the Ripper: has he left England to continue his crimes in Germany?

You can read a full account of this at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,...1475062,00.html

According to the article about 140 people have been accused of the Ripper's crimes over the years, including:

* George Chapman A Polish immigrant arrested in 1902 for poisoning several women, including his wife. Chapman's arrival in England coincided with the start of the Whitechapel murders and the killings ceased when he went to America.

* Prince Albert Victor According to one theory, Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's grandson, committed the murders after being driven mad by syphilis. According to another, the murders were committed with the aid of Victoria's physician, Sir William Gull, as part of a cover-up to protect the royal family from Albert's affair with a Catholic commoner whose nanny was Mary Kelly.

* Walter Sickert German-born painter who supposedly trawled the East End for prostitutes to model for him. One of his paintings, The Camden Town Murder, is said to bear a striking resemblance to the Mary Kelly murder scene.

* James Maybrick Liverpool cotton merchant who frequented brothels and was addicted to arsenic and strychnine. In the early 1990s Michael Barrett, a former Liverpool scrap merchant, "discovered" a diary in which Maybrick confessed to the Whitechapel murders. Barrett later confessed to forging the diaries.

* Francis Tumblety An American quack doctor who was in London at the time of the murders. Named as a suspect in 1913 by former special branch chief JG Littlechild, Tumblety was a sadist and homosexual who kept female body parts in a cabinet in his home.

* Sir John Williams Queen Victoria's former obstetrician and founder of the National Library of Wales, Williams is the latest Ripper suspect. According to his great-great nephew, Swansea author Tony Williams, he was obsessed with female anatomy and infertility because of his wife's failure to conceive. He also worked at the Whitechapel workhouse infirmary, where he treated Mary Ann Nichols and three other Ripper victims.

John..

This is an interesting theory, but I have some problems with it.

Most serial killers operate from a base within their "killing grounds" The first murder is nearly always closest geographically to this base.The reason police at the time belived in a local "ripper" was the knowlege of the locality, the killer displayed when making his escape. This scenario does not bode well for a relative stranger to the area. The killer's cloths & hands must have been literally covered in blood, feaces etc. how therefore, in the cramped, overcrowded conditions of a galley did the killer clean,& hide his cloths without raising suspicion

Another problem arises with the addition of Mckenzie to the rippers cannon. Mckenzie's killer was by medical accounts, right handed, the ripper apparently was left handed & are we to belive that the man who eviserated Kelly, was responsible for the few, superficial scratches on Mckenzie's torso?

John and Steve,

Marriot's theory is interesting. The ship's timetable and the murders in Managua are curious but I agree with Steve's observations about the killer needing familiarity with the crime scene localities. Also, I can't recall witness sightings of a colored man (assuming he be of Carribean background), although one witness did describe a man who was seen talking with one of the victims as looking like a sailor. IMO the killer was well dressed and must have had access to discreet lodgings in order to "clean up" as you point out, Steve. This doesn't rule out a family man, however. It only indicates he was a man of some means. Couple of things, 1. Dishevelled, babbling hoboes rummaging through trash cans (Aaron Kosminski) are no chance and 2. The royals or any of their extended family are as much chance as LHO pulling off the JFK, MLK and RFK trifecta.

Mark...

LOL Spot on. as we JFKR types say," That dog dont hunt."........

Have you folks ever thought about or have, looking into the Zodiac killer?

Ryan.

The zodiac killer is indeed a strange case. when time permits I will start a
thread on him/her. Some strange coincidences with an Italian serial killer
nick-named, Il Monstro.

Steve..

I have two problems with the bum or common laborer or sailor theories:

1. The detailed anatomical knowledge and skill with which the victims were cut. Yes, a butcher might have this sort of info, but he will fail on #2.

2. Many of the mutilations and victim positions are suggestive of the very specific acts detailed in various Masonic oaths. How would some immigrant sailor or butcher have knowledge of these rites and oaths?

There is an amazing book (that I can no longer remember the title of) about Dr. Tumbletee, who does satisfy these concerns.

Hi Norman.

I belive the book your refering to is "The Lodger"by Stuart Evans. Care to expand
your theory, I am starting a Seminar section and would welcome a contribution
from you on DR Tumblety. Send me an Email if this is O K, and I will reserve a place for you.
Regards Steve...

P S, Not that I buy the Maasonic connection for a minute, but many small business
traders in the 19th Century, would have belonged to a lodge.

I read the book years ago, not sure if I still have it, but I will look. A real interesting character who apparently fit the Ripper profile.

Regarding small business traders as Masons, yes that seems possible, I don't know how restricted by class was Masonic membership in England at that time. But, how is the small business man to aquire the medical knowledge to cut these gals so precisely?

Norman. Except at the highest levels,33rd Degree, Rose croix, etc, The Masons are
a fairly Democratic institution. Even in the 19th Century it was not uncommon for
a man of lesser social status, to become Master of his lodge. & therefor be aware
of all Masonic ritual, Apprentice, Entered, Brother Mason. As I said though, I dont
belive these murders had a Masonic overtone.

Also the supposed "Surgical skill" of the wounds is a myth, as old as the murders themselves. If we leave Stride, & Kelly out of our considerations ( Both are
unrepresentative of the profile) Then very little skill is demonstrated,if you check
out "The media myth of Jack." I have posted all the Post Mortem results. Jack was
no Doctor, or Freemason,overseas sailor, or Black Magician.

Steve.

Re Jack the Ripper, prime suspect in my book is Joseph Barnett.

Just an opinion of course.

James

Hi James, Do you have a photo..

Mr Barnett was as you,know the recent ex of Mary Kelly, last of the excepted
canonical victims. I shall say no more, but ask you to explain your thinking
if you feel so inclined..

Steve.

In fact I will say some more about Mr Barnett. My Wife had a theory that old Joe
had murdred Mary Kelly, but only Mary, And had used the Ripper murders for
cover. She belived that he returned to Millers Court, later that night, and caught
Mary "In flagrenti delecto" with a client, possibly the one Hutchinson see's her
with, The client leaves, and an almighty row ensues,To cut a long story short
Joe, in a rage, Kills Mary, and realising what he has done butchers her, to make it
look like another ripper murder. He then burns his bloodstained cloths in the grate
and changes into a fresh set, which he had left, when he moved out.

Three further points, 1 Solves the riddle of the locked door, Joe had a key.
2, The taking of the heart is a very personel statement. 3,The original client is
caught between a rock & a hard place, and simply decides that discresion is
better than valour... As I said this is my Wife's theory, so any complaints to her.

Hi James, Do you have a photo..

Mr Barnett was as you,know the recent ex of Mary Kelly, last of the excepted
canonical victims. I shall say no more, but ask you to explain your thinking
if you feel so inclined. (Stephen Turner)

Hi Steve,

You are very well versed on the Ripper case so I know you will be aware of the following information.

http://www.casebook.org/suspects/barnett.html

I drew my conclusions based on lots of independent reading in which I felt the Ripper was either Barnett or Tumblety.

After an email exchange with Ian Griggs who would have to be one of the more learned individuals on the topic, I was convinced that Barnett was the man. I do believe Ian is a member of the forum and if he reads this, hopefully he will comment.

Interesting discussion. BTW, the photo crack was a classic.

James

James,

Very interesting. However, I can't have Barnett. He wouldn't have done that to his ex girlfriend. Also, he lived on in Whitechapel for years. With this kind of serial killer, they just don't get bored with it and move on to something else. IMO, he continues until he dies, gets caught or incarcerated for some other reason.

Steve,

Your wife poses an interesting scenario, more likely than JB committing all the murders, IMO, although I still don't buy it. MK's the ripper's work--only with more time. The locked door business is no mystery--the ripper just locks the door on his way out. BTW, has there ever been a handwriting comparison of MJD's suicide note (or other writing) and the ripper letters?

James,

Very interesting. However, I can't have Barnett. He wouldn't have done that to his ex girlfriend. Also, he lived on in Whitechapel for years. With this kind of serial killer, they just don't get bored with it and move on to something else. IMO, he continues until he dies, gets caught or incarcerated for some other reason. (Mark Stapleton)

You may well be right, Mark.

From my limited understanding, I have (possibly incorrectly) put Jack the Ripper in the catagory of being a psychopath, in which subtle differences exist to that of a serial killer. A serial killer operates to fulfill some despicable fantasy in which normal society won't afford him. This person knows the difference between right and wrong and attempts to cover his tracks.

A psychopath is a person afflicted with a personality disorder characterized by the impulse to commit antisocial and violent acts and a failure to feel guilt. It is a diminished capacity where actually remembering details of their ghastly deeds can elude them.

Maybe Barnett was operating out of a personal hatred for Mary Kelly and her profession, which finally escalated into eliminating the original cause of his twisted mind-set, the violent destruction of Mary Kelly.

Once that was done, there was no real need to kill anymore. Maybe in his warped mind, the memories of the murders eventually escaped him.

All speculation of course.

James

James.

All serial killers are Psychopaths, not all Psychopaths are serial killers, thank God..
many are politicians Mass murderers on the other hand tend towards
Psychosis- Brain damage or brain stem tumours.

Mark, the issue of the missing key is easily resolved,its contained in Barnett's
testimony to the Police. He talks of a catch lock, the fore-runner of the Yale,which
could be opened by reaching though the window, and dropping the catch.So whilst
it would be locked on the outside, it could be easily opened from within. Thus no
need for a key.The reason the Police waited for more than three hours to break in,
is that they had sent for Barnaby, and Bourgo, the Bloodhounds, and did not want
to spoil the scent trail. Steve.

James,

You might be right about Barnett--we'll never know. Sometimes a fresh idea can crack the case, but I would always rank Barnett low, near the bottom of the list.
1. The extent of MK's wounds. That's a stranger not an ex-boyfriend.
2. The murders displayed an unmistakable escalation in ferocity. Whoever did that to MK had gone over the edge. No way he could have stopped. Death, incarceration, capture or continuation are the only four logical progressions, IMO. Ruling out the last two, that leaves only the first two. JB's not in either group, so he's out for me.

Like others, I doubt if JTR's identity resides in any of the known suspects.

Steve,

I don't know if I'm reading your post right but are you saying the key imbroglio is one of the reasons for suspecting Barnett i.e. didn't you point out that Barnett's guilt solves the "key mystery"? I'm skeptical but defer to your greater knowledge of the case and say I'm looking forward to your posts. Maybe you know something I don't.

Mark. Sorry about any confussion, your right it was'nt my clearest post.Lets clear
it up. I was rebuting the theory I had posted earlier ( My other half's) Part of the
reasoning is that as the door was locked, the killer must have had the key. ergo,
who more likely than Joe. As my post shows, no key is needed, as the door is self
locking, from the outside at least. I, like you, find Barnett an unlikely suspect, the
police questioned him for five hours, and must have been satisfied with his version
of events. The theory that he killed her in a rage, then decided to brutally mutilate
the body, does not IMHO hold water. Why go to that extreme? A few slashes to the
abdomen would have suficed. And your correct in saying that serial killers do not
stop of their own violition. A much longer post coming up, to lay out part of my theory, before we begin the seminars...Steve.

Lets lay out my top three suspects..

1, William Henry Bury. 2, Frederick Baily Deeming. 3, George Chapman, AKA
Severin Klosowski.

Why? All three were in Whitechapel at the time of the murders. All three were
convicted killers of woman, a crime for which they all rode the rope.

1, W H Bury. Bury fits the profile of JTR completely, he is the rippers psychological
photograph. He fits the general physical descriptions, short, respectably dressed
moustachioed, and between 25-35, years old. Bury was short 5ft 5ins, dressed
well, wore a moustache, and was 29 at the time of the murders.
The ripper was a thief, who ransacked his victims bodies, Bury was a thief, and
obsessed with money, Bury resided in the east end though out the murders,they
did not begin until he came to London,and they ended when he left.Bury fled
london in early 1889, he lied about where, and why, he was going

Ellen Bury, and Eddowes were ripped up in exactly the same manner. Ellen Bury
Annie Chapman, and Eddowes sexual organs were identically mutilated, almost
all serial killers have a "Trade mark" Jack the ripper ceased to exist after Bury's
death.

Steve,

I think Bury's a chance. I hadn't looked at him before. After browsing the site that James added to his post, I think I like someone else now, even more than I like MJD. One Jacob Levy, not to be confused with Joseph Levy, is very interesting indeed. His rundown is in the "suspects" section but strangely he is not included in the poll. If you read his "resume" you'll see why I think there's a lot to recommend him. Very, very interesting.

quote]

Steve,

I think Bury's a chance. I hadn't looked at him before. After browsing the site that James added to his post, I think I like someone else now, even more than I like MJD. One Jacob Levy, not to be confused with Joseph Levy, is very interesting indeed. His rundown is in the "suspects" section but strangely he is not included in the poll. If you read his "resume" you'll see why I think there's a lot to recommend him. Very, very interesting.

[/quote]

Mark.. Yeah, he's an interesting one, I have brushed up against him a couple of times in my research, but never really dug deep.Care to do a bit of digging, maybe a Seminar peice? BTW, Ive got lots more on our Mr Bury,IMHO he's right at the top of my suspect list. Dont want to give to much more away at this stage,

Ive started posting on that site "JTR Casebook", they seem like a friendly bunch.

Steve.

[quote=Stephen Turner,Jun 2 2005, 04:39 PM]
quote]

Steve,

I think Bury's a chance. I hadn't looked at him before. After browsing the site that James added to his post, I think I like someone else now, even more than I like MJD. One Jacob Levy, not to be confused with Joseph Levy, is very interesting indeed. His rundown is in the "suspects" section but strangely he is not included in the poll. If you read his "resume" you'll see why I think there's a lot to recommend him. Very, very interesting.

[/quote]

Mark.. Yeah, he's an interesting one, I have brushed up against him a couple of times in my research, but never really dug deep.Care to do a bit of digging, maybe a Seminar peice? BTW, Ive got lots more on our Mr Bury,IMHO he's right at the top of my suspect list. Dont want to give to much more away at this stage,

Ive started posting on that site "JTR Casebook", they seem like a friendly bunch.

Steve.

[/quote]

Steve,

I've been googling for more info on Levy but the only thing that's popping up is the Casebook site. It's going to be difficult. BTW, do you subscribe to "Ripperologist"?
The info re Levy is from the Dec 1999 issue. I think I'll have to post on the Casebook site for more info. I'll have to change my seminar as now I don't think MJD is on top (I was always going to have trouble explaining how he got to that cricket match at 10am on the morning of the double event anyway) (stats for his matches are available on the "Cricinfo" site, btw, it's amazing) I don't know the URL but you can google it in.

Re Levy, from the info available, if it's accurate, I don't know how he isn't on top of everyone's list. Cop these juicy nuggets:
1. Born Aldgate 1856. He's the right age.
2. Butcher by trade.
3. Sent to an asylum, 1886. Released after one year.
4. Wife claimed he "heard voices" and "would wander the streets at all hours". She also states that he was ruining their once successful butchery business. I would love to be able to positively verify all those statements.
5. Institutionalised again in August 1890. Dies of syphillis July 1891. Police close the Ripper file also in 1891. Very curious.
6. From the available description of Levy (5'3", about 30-35, prosperous but slightly shabby appearance etc), he's the person Hutchinson saw with MK who "looked at him stern". Also matches the description of the person seen talking with Stride.
7. Lived in Middlesex street. Right in the centre of the murder scenes.

Please correct me if I'm wrong on any of these facts. If he is the Ripper, then some of the post MK attacks, such as Alice Mackenzie, must be included. Importantly though, did any attacks occur after August 15, 1890? That's very important. There's almost enough material for a book here. Naturally, the title will be "Revealed at last; Jake the Ripper". Hello fat city.

Mark.

13th Feb 1891, Frances Coles is found dying, her throat cut, in SWallow Gardens (Now Royal Mint St).

16th Feb, Thomas Sadler (Boyfriend) Is charged with her murder.

27th Feb, Sadler is acquitted.

Now this doesnt mean that your boy cant be Jack, If it did it would put Bury out of the frame as well, But if Coles was a Ripper victim..........

Im off to London for the w/e, Im going to walk the killing grounds. (Not much of the original left) There are some good independant book shops to visit, Ill also go to the London Library, see if I cant cant get my mitts on some original source material. I will keep my eyes open for anything to do with Mr Levy.

Steve..

PS, I dont know if your a led Zep fan, but couldnt you call the book "When the Levy Breaks"

The theories on the identity of Jack the Ripper are as diverse as the theorists themselves. As the mystery of the identity of the Whitechapel murderers will never be solved the field is ripe for hypothesis, speculation and opinion. A good aspect of all this theorising is that it leads to closer examination of what records have survived and more detailed research into all the players in the drama.

The theory of a sailor as Jack the Ripper is not new and is, in fact, as old as the murders themselves. A great early exponent of this idea was E. K. Larkins of H.M. Customs who wrote a detailed thesis that included the timetables of the ships he believed were involved.

It is great to see sensible discussion of the Ripper case - perhaps some more minor mysteries will be solved here.

A very good point. When I was at school I found history dreadfully boring. It was just about telling stories about the past. My role was to listen and to remember. It was only after leaving school that I discovered that history was in fact an exciting subject. It came about because I was trying to find out information about my grandfather who had been killed on the Western Front in 1916. They had not found his body so I could not even visit his grave. In fact, I found out very little about him. He left very little documentary evidence of his existence.What made history fascinating was that it was incomplete. As a result I had a role to play. This was in stark contrast to the way that the subject was taught at school.

This is the reason why people are drawn to subjects like Jack the Ripper, the assassination of John Kennedy, Watergate, etc. In all these cases the story is incomplete. It gives the opportunity for all of us to be historians. We are active rather than passive learners. It would be great if we could solve these mysteries. However, the important thing is the journey we take in finding the answer. Much better than doing crossword puzzles.

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