Jack the Ripper

[Guest Stephen Turner]

I in tend to start a thread on the history of Jack the Ripper. I have been researching the case for 20 years. Areas I shall post on will include.The Victims, Police Investigation, Socio-economic factors, Life in the East End in Victorian era, Historical suspects, A psycological profile of the killer-killers, Media handling of the case & any other relevant areas people might suggest. My first post will be titled, people of the abyss. Please post comments,suggestions.

[Guest Stephen Turner]

I feel it may be useful, to begin with a complete chronology of the Whitechapel murders. Hopefully this will provide people with a frame of reference, which may prove useful during any debate of this complex case.

7 Aug 1888 4-45am, Martha Tabram 39, hawker& prostitute, is found murdered in George Yard off Whitechaple High street. She has been stabbed an incredible 39 times.

9 Aug. Inquest on M.Tabram. Verdict,"Wilful murder by some person or persons unknown."

31 Aug 2-30am Mary Nichols is seen by Ellen Holland,at the corner of Whitechapel Rd & Odborn St. 3-40am, Nichols Mutilated body is found by Charles Cross in Buck's Row, Whitechaple.

1 Sept. The Nichols inquest opens

5 Sept"Leather Apron"is identified as prime suspect by the "star"Newspaper

6 Sept Mary Nichols is buried.

8 Sept.5-30am, Elezabeth Long see's Annie Chapman talking with a man by 29 Hanbury St, Spitalfields. 5-15/5-32am, Albert Cadosh hears a voice from the back yard of number 29, then the sound of something falling. 6-00am John Davis, Carman, finds Chapmans body mutilated in the back yard of number 29.

9 Sept. William Henry Piggott, 53, suspect, is arrested

10 Sept,Chapman inquest opens. Discrition of suspect is circulated by police

(Liz Long witness).

11 Sept John Pizer is arrested suspected of being "Leather Apron", he is later released without charge.

14 Sept Annie Chapman is buried.

16 Sept, the newly formed "Whitechapel Vigilance Committee", begins street patrols, against police advice.

22 Sept, The Nichols inquest is concluded.

26 Sept, The Chapman inquest is concluded. Both findings "Murder by person or

person's unknown.

TO BE CONTINUED.

[Don Jeffries]

Stephen,

Great idea; Jack the Ripper has fascinated me for many years as well. As befits my conspiratorially inclined nature, I am intrigued by the possibility of Royal involvement, either via the Duke of Clarence himself, or the freemasonic connection (with Sir William Gull as the actual murderer), as postulated by the late Stephen Knight in his "Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution" and the recent film "From Hell." I realize most of the respectable researchers into the case have dismissed such theories, but they make a lot of sense to me. An unsolved mystery is always the best kind!

[Guest Stephen Turner]

Stephen,

Great idea; Jack the Ripper has fascinated me for many years as well.  As befits my conspiratorially inclined nature, I am intrigued by the possibility of Royal involvement, either via the Duke of Clarence himself, or the freemasonic connection (with Sir William Gull as the actual murderer), as postulated by the late Stephen Knight in his "Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution" and the recent film "From Hell." I realize most of the respectable researchers into the case have dismissed such theories, but they make a lot of sense to me. An unsolved mystery is always the best kind!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don,

Thank's for the nice comments. Yes I am aware of the Gull, Netley, Sickert Theory (have you read Patricia Cornwalls book naming Sickert as JTR). Before I debate these issues,Iwant to lay out all that is known about the case. This is helpfull for beginers & seasoned Ripperologists. Wounds, placement of bodies, eyewitness accounts etc, so grab your deer-stalker, wake Watson, there's a killer in the fog, & the game's afoot.

[Don Jeffries]

Stephen,

Yes, I've read Cornwell's book. I wasn't very impressed with her Sickert theory, not the least of which because she never even mentioned Stephen Knight, who first mentioned Sickert in connection with the Ripper murders. I also saw her on t.v a few times promoting her book, and wasn't taken by her personality, either.

[Guest Stephen Turner]

Chronology of Whitechapel Murders continued.

27 Sept, First "JTR" letter-"Dear Boss"-arrives at the Central News Agency dated 25th Sept.

29 Sept

11-00pm Elizabeth Stride seen by 2 witnesses J Best & J Gardner, leaving the "Bricklayers Arms" pub in the company of a man

11-45pm, William Marshall see's a man talking to Stride by 58 Berner St the pair walk past him to Ellen St. 1

1-00pm???-Matthew Packer supposedly sells grapes to a couple walking up Berner St (much disputed testimony)

30 Sept

12-30am PC 425H William Smith, See's Stride talking to a man in Berner St.

12-45 am Israel Schwartz, see's a man walk up to & argue with Stride. Then throw her to the ground.(very immportant witness IMHO) 1-00am, Louis Diemschutz, steward at the International Workmans Club, discovers Strides body.

1 -30am, a man is seen in Church Lane near Berner St (Reported in the "Star" 1st Oct). Washing his hands in a drinking fountain.

135-am J Lawende, J Levy & H Harris, See Catherine Eddowes talking with a man at the corner of Church Passage. 1-45 am the mutilated body of Eddowes is discovered in Mitre Sq, by PC881 Edward watkins of the city police.

2-55am, PC254 A Alfred Long, discovers a piece of Eddowes apron stained with blood & faecal matter in the entry to a staircase at 108-119,Wentworth Dwellings Goulston St. The words "The Juwes are the men that will not be blamed for nothing"are written in chalk on the edge of the doorway.

5-30am,the words are wiped off on Sir Charles Warren's express orders (another Warren obscuring evidence?)

1 Oct: The " Saucy Jack"postcard is received at the Central News Agency.

6 Oct: Elizabeth Stride is buried.

8 Oct: Catherine Eddowes is buried in an unmarked grave.

13 Oct: the East London Observer claims that Eddowes stated two days before

her death, that she knew the identity of JTR, & intended to claim the reward

NEXT, HORROR IN MILLERS COURT.

[Guest Stephen Turner]

Stephen,

Yes, I've read Cornwell's book. I wasn't very impressed with her Sickert theory, not the least of which because she never even mentioned Stephen Knight, who first mentioned Sickert in connection with the Ripper murders. I also saw her on t.v a few times promoting her book, and wasn't taken by her personality, either.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don.

Very true! John Netly could have driven a coach & horses through the holes in her theory. Mr Knight's is an interesting case in it's self (very strange death,A high

ranking freemason said before he died "his light will go out very soon") but I

guess what with,JFK JTR,& 9-11 we have our hands full already. keep posting.

[Ryan Crowe]

Excellent stuff Stephen,

I guess I read into these serial killers etc. from my father being a Homicide Det (Ret.)

Have you ever researched the Zodiac killer??

Edited March 7, 2005 by Ryan Crowe

[Guest Stephen Turner]

Excellent stuff Stephen,

I guess I read into these serial killers etc. from my father being a Homicide Det (Ret.)

Have you ever researched the Zodiac killer??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ryan

Glad you like it! Yes I have had a look at Zodiac interesting similarity here with

an Italian serial killer il Monstro,please excuse my poor Italian. My Wife has

devised an interesting theory onZodiac which I will post when iv'e finished

JTR chronology(Great ballistic stuff on JFK by the way you & Al Carrier ROCK!)

[Guest Stephen Turner]

Whitechapel Chronology Contiued.

8 Nov:

During the evening, Joe Barnett Fish porter, visits Mary Jane Kelly at Millers court for the last time, leaving at around 8-00pm. At 11-45 Mary is seen by Mary Anne Cox A widow of 5 Millers Court, coming home with a "livid faced man with a carrotty moustache"

9 Nov:

1-00am: Mrs Cox hears Mary singing in her room.

2-00am: George Hutchinson, on his way to Flower & Dean St see's Kelly & strikes up a conversation. She walk's off toward Thrawl St, & is joined by a man whom Hutchinson observes very closely (very immportant witness IMO). Kelly & the man disappear into Millers Court.

2-30am: Sarah Lewis laundress,o f Millers Court, sees Kelly with a man (presumably Hutchinson).

4-00am: Sarah hears a single loud scream of "MURDER".

4-00am: Elizabeth Prater, living above Kelly hears a cry of "MURDER".

8-30am: Caroline Maxwell see's & speaks to Kelly (highly disputed testimony) at the corner of Millers Court. Kelly says she has the "horrors of drink on her" (alocoholic shakes.)

10-00am: Maurice Lewis, tailor of Dorset St "sees Kelly drinking in the Britannia Public House in Commercial St (highly DT).

10-45am: Thomas Bowyer retired soldier, collecting rent for landlord, John Mcarthy, dicovers Kellys terribly mutilated body.

12 Nov: The Kelly inquest opens.

19 Nov: Mary Jane Kelly Is buried in Walthamstow, over 200,000 people line the route many openly weeping,

NEXT "OTHER RELATED FACTS".

[Guest Stephen Turner]

Whitechapel Murders Other significant facts

17 Jan,The Star a new radical newspaper is founded.

3 April 1888 Emma Smith,45 Widow,of Spitalfields, is assaulted & raped with a

blunt instrument

4 april Emma dies of peritonitis. Oswald Puckridge trained as a surgeon but

confined since threatening to "rip people up" is releasedfrom Colney Hatch

asylum.

28 aug, Annie Chapman confined to spitalfields workhouse.

11 Sept, John Pizer, is charged with indecent assault. Questioned about

Nichols murder, he is later released without charge.

14 Nov,Micheal Ostrog (suspect)is convicted of theft in Paris.

17 Nov Nikaner Benelius (suspect) is questioned in relation to Liz Strides

murder. no charges are brought.

31 Dec, John Druitt,s (suspect) body is found in the Thames.He has commited

suicide.

17 July,1889 Alice Mckenzie is found murdered in castle alley her throat cut

abdomen & genitals mutilated.

13 feb 1891, Frances Coles is found dying her throat has been slashed.

END OF CHRONOLOGY.

My next post will be to examine victims & witnesess in depth including

examination of wounds ect I warn you it's not for the faint hearted.

[Guest Stephen Turner]

FIRST CANONICAL VICTIM MARY ANNE NICHOLS (1845-88)

Commonly known as Polly,she was born on 26 Aug 1845. She was the daughter

of Edward Walker & wife Caroline

Mary Anne married William Nichols in 1864.They had 5 children, but the

relationship did not last because of a brief affair by William, & mary's love

of the bottle.

By the time of her death she was working as a prostitute in Whitechapel.

THE MURDER.

30 AUGUST 1888,11pm

Mary seen walking in Whitechapel Rd

31 August 12-30am

She is seen leaving the "Frying Pan" public house

1-20am She is sat in the kittchen of the common lodging house at 18, Thrawl St

She did not possess the 4 pence needed for a bed,& is thrown out. She claimed

she would soon get her doss money,saying "see what a jolly bonnet ive got.

2-30am, She was seen by, Emily Holland at the corner of Osborn St & Brick lane. Nichols was extremely drunk & leaning against a wall.

3-15am PC John Thain passed the entrance to Bucks Row on his beat. at a

similar time,PC John Neil,walked down Bucks Row.neither of them saw anything suspicious.

3-40am Charles Cross,was walking along Bucks row when he saw somthing lying in the street.he thought it was a sheet, & crossed the road to see if he could

salvage it.He soon realised it was the body of a woman,lying on her back,with

her hands by her sides.her legs were extended & her eyes wide open.

THE POST MORTEM.

1 Sept 1888 10am

Dr Llewllyn made a full post-mortem examination of Mary Nichols. A bruise on

the right side of her face looked as if it was created by the pressure of a thumb.

This was a recent injury,which lead the doctor to sumise that the killer had

steadied Mary's head before slitting the throat. there were 2 cuts in the throat,

both started on the leftside of the neck below the ear & ran below the jaw, one

4 inches 7 the other 8 inches in length. both cuts reached through to the

vertebrae. the large vessels on both sides of the neck were severed.

Aknife had been thrust into the lower part of the abdomen,creating a very

deep wound.There were several more cuts across the genital area.

All the cuts were caused by the same weapon,& the killer was left handed

& appeared to have a rough anatomical knowledge.

,

[Guest Stephen Turner]

THE SECOND CANONICAL VICTIM ANNIE CHAPMAN (1841-88)

[Guest Stephen Turner]

SECOND CANONICAL VICTIM ANNE(dark annie) CHAPMAN (1841-88)

Anne Chapman was born in Paddington in 1841,her parents were Geo &

Ruth Smith. She married John chapman,a Coachman, in 1869 & had three

children. the relationship had broken down by 1881,due to Annie's heavy

drinking.by the time of her death she was residing at, Crossinghams

lodging house 35, Dorset St, Spitalfields. & was working as a hawker, &

prostitute.

THE MURDER.

7 Sept 5pm ,Annie is seen by Amelia Palmer in Dorset St (very drunk.)

8 SEpt 21-12am She was seen by William Stevens in the kitchen of her lodging

house (by now roaring drunk.)

1-35am, Seen by John Evans the nightwatchman at crossinghams. He evicted

her asshe had no money for her doss.

3-30am-5-30am All the following people were in the vicinity of Hanbury St

(the murder site) at these times, none heard or saw

anything suspicious.Mr Thompson a Carman, Mr John

Richardson Market trader, Mr Albert Cadosh,Carpenter,

5-30am Elizabeth Long,saw a man and woman standing on the pavement.she

could not see the mans face, but she later identified the woman as

Annie Chapman.The man asked Annie will you?,& Chapman replied,

yes.

5-45am Butcher John Davis, finds Annies mutilated body in the back yard of,29,

Hanbury St, her left arm was placed across her left breast. her face

was covered in blood, & her throat had been slashed. Her clothing was

up to her abdomen.

NEXT THE POST MORTEM.

[Guest Stephen Turner]

POST-MORTEM OF ANNE CHAPMAN ( 8 Sept 1888 ).

Dr Phillips performed the P/M.

Dr Phillips observed that the face & tongue were swollen,& that the throat had

been sliced from left to right thru to the spine.

There was a fresh bruise over the right temple, & a bruise on the left eyelid.

The abdomen was laid open & the intestines had been severed, lifted out,

& placed on the ground above the right shoulder.

The uteris with the upper portion of the vagina & two thirds of the bladder,

had been completely removed from the body & the murder site.

Phillips asserted that the killer had some anotomical knowledge,stating that

he could not have performed all of the injuries himself in less than 15 mins

The murder weapon was a knife with a sharpe, thin, blade at least 6-8 inches

long. Phillips further surmised that the murderer strangled chapman to death

before making the first cut into the neck.

NEXT "LONG LIZ"