Who was Jack the Ripper?

There have been many suspects in the sensational 19th century case of "The Whitechapel Murders", the real question is: Which one, if any of them, was it?

Here is a list of suspects:
1 Contemporaneous police opinion

1.1 Montague John Druitt
1.2 Seweryn Kłosowski alias George Chapman
1.3 Aaron Kosminski
1.4 Michael Ostrog
1.5 John Pizer
1.6 James Thomas Sadler
1.7 Francis Tumblety

2 Contemporaneous press and public opinion

2.1 William Henry Bury
2.2 Thomas Neill Cream
2.3 Thomas Hayne Cutbush
2.4 Frederick Bailey Deeming
2.5 Carl Feigenbaum
2.6 Robert Donston Stephenson

3 Proposed by later authors

3.1 Joseph Barnett
3.2 Lewis Carroll
3.3 David Cohen
3.4 William Withey Gull
3.5 George Hutchinson
3.6 James Kelly
3.7 James Maybrick
3.8 Alexander Pedachenko
3.9 Walter Sickert
3.10 Joseph Silver
3.11 James Kenneth Stephen
3.12 Francis Thompson
3.13 Duke of Clarence
3.14 Sir John Williams

What a list, eh? There are a few notable names in that list, and many authors and investigators throughout the years have put forward their cases against them.

Based on what I've read and watched, those that raise the eyebrows the most to me are:

Aaron Kosminski, Frederick Bailey Deeming and James Maybrick. I do realize that Patricia Cornwell has put postulated that Walter Sickert was the Ripper, but over time, I feel that her case doesn't hold water.

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Aaron Kosminski is a name that came up often within the police ranks during the time of the investigation. He is of interest to me due to his mental condition (Schizophrenia), but somehow he seems to be too easy to point the finger at, not to mention the fact that he was Jewish, which automatically made him suspect in the eyes of the public in Victorian England. Not to mention, he was supposedly housed in an insane asylum during the time of the Whitechapel Murders.
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Frederick Bailey Deeming was an English-born Australian gasfitter, and known murderer. He killed his first and second wife, as well as his four children, had as many as 20 different aliases, and traveled the world fairly extensively.

The ritualistic manner of how he killed his first wife Marie, and their four children (he arranged the bodies of the children around the corpse of their mother in a macabre circle), seems to fit with the way in which the Ripper would arrange (or remove) body parts of his victims. Deeming also was rather fond of knives, often keeping quite an impressive collection with him at all times. It should also be noted that strangulation was employed in the murder of Bertha, Deeming's 9 year old daughter, which fits as well with the postulation that the Ripper did, in fact use strangulation as well in some of his murders, though the rest of the family had had their throats slit.

There is also the matter of Deeming matching, almost perfectly, to physical descriptions of the Ripper.

So, what's the problem? Some sources state that Deeming was incarcerated in South Africa at the time of the Ripper murders.

*NOTE* There is evidence that Deeming had been released prior to the time of the Whitechapel Murders and was, in fact, in England at the time.

It should also be noted that Deeming had Syphilis which can lead to psychotic breaks. A break such as this could easily account for the ferocity of the Ripper murders and, if not a psychotic break, his hatred of disease-spreading prostitutes could also account for said ferocity. I feel it that it could have been a combination of both.

Deeming was eventually hanged for the murder of his second wife, Emily Mather Deeming in Australia.
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James Maybrick is the supposed author of "Jack the Ripper's Diary". There are a great many reasons to denounce the book as a hoax, but there are also reasons to accept it as true.

The alleged admittance of Michael Barrett (the publisher of the diary) that it was a hoax, is the main reason to assume illegitimacy, thus accounting for all of the factual accuracies of the entries regarding the Whitechapel Murders that the general public would not have known at the time. Barrett later denied admitting that the diary was a hoax.

Maybrick fit the physical descritpion of the Ripper nearly as well as Deeming did. He also have opportunity via railway to reach London (to see his mistress). As far as motive, Maybrick's wife had supposedly (according to the diary) taken a lover. That, combined with Maybrick's apparent drug addiction, may have fueled him to commit murder against women that, for the most part, no one would miss.

There is a later peice of evidence that may indicate that either Maybrick was the Ripper, or that he fantasized about being him; the pocket watch.

From Wikipedia:

In June 1993, a pocket watch was presented by Albert Johnson of Wallasey, Merseyside. The watch has "J. Maybrick" scratched on the inside cover, along with the words "I am Jack", as well as the initials of the five canonical Ripper victims. The watch was examined in 1993 by Dr Stephen Turgoose of the Corrosion and Protection Centre at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, using an electron microscope. He stated:

"On the basis of the evidence...especially the order in which the markings were made, it is clear that the engravings pre-date the vast majority of superficial surface scratch marks...the wear apparent on the engravings, evidenced by the rounded edges of the markings and 'polishing out' in places, would indicate a substantial age...whilst there is no evidence which would indicate a recent (last few years) origin...it must be emphasised that there are no features observed which conclusively prove the age of the engravings. They could have been produced recently, and deliberately artificially aged by polishing, but this would have been a complex multi-stage process...many of the features are only resolved by the scanning electron microscope, not being readily apparent in optical microscopy, and so, if they were of recent origin, the engraver would have to be aware of the potential evidence available from this technique, indicating a considerable skill and scientific awareness."

In 1994, the watch was taken to the Interface Analysis Centre at Bristol University and studied by Dr Robert Wild using an electron microscope and Auger electron spectroscopy. Dr Wild found that:

"Provided the watch has remained in a normal environment, it would seem likely that the engravings were at least several tens of years age...in my opinion it is unlikely that anyone would have sufficient expertise to implant aged, brass particles into the base of the engravings."

The odds are that Maybrick did fantasize about being the Ripper, but then again, was it just a fantasy?
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So, there you go guys. I personally am leaning toward Deeming being Jack the Ripper, but if the hoax label can be swept away, Maybrick may be the culprit.

What do you guys think? Do you have a "pet suspect" of your own?

By the way, I realize that I kind of gave this the fast and loose treatment, but I just wanted to get the "bullet points" out there about these particular suspects.

reply to post by ProfessorChaos


Cool thread, and very interesting.

You seem to have left out the theory that Jack the Ripper never existed at all.

Forensic expert: Jack the Ripper never existed

Trevor Marriott, a former Bedfordshire murder squad police officer, says he's spent the last 11 years examining the evidence left behind in the cases and, using modern-day police techniques and forensic analysis, he believes a German merchant sailor committed many of the crimes thought to have been committed by Jack the Ripper, but that he wasn't solely responsible.

There is a good Q & A session in the link that expands on the theory further.

HLN: Did Jack the Ripper really exist? Marriott:

In my opinion, no. This killer has been singularly attributed to killing all these women, but my research proves that that is not the case. The facts surrounding the case have been totally distorted and blown out of proportion. People mainly believe in the name because of a letter allegedly penned by Jack the Ripper that was sent to the Central News Agency of London. I believe an overzealous newspaper reporter (Thomas Bulling) wrote it. Those letters were signed "Jack the Ripper," and that's where the name came from. But these murders were not committed by one person.

Interesting case though.

reply to post by ProfessorChaos


Good thread.

If you are interested, there is a really good website on Jack. It has information on just about everything concerning the case. The link: www.casebook.org...

reply to post by watchitburn


Yeah, I left that out. It has occurred to me that the murders may not have been commited by a single person, but for me, the idea of a "Jack the Ripper" is too appealing to push aside.

reply to post by SleepyOwl


Thanks for the link! I'll check it out.

reply to post by ProfessorChaos


You're welcome.

Do you have any theories or know if anyone else has theorized why the murders stopped since he wasn't caught?

reply to post by SleepyOwl


Well, there's actually some evidence that beyond the "Canonical Five", there were other murders that could conceivably be attributed to "Saucy Jacky", but because the fervor had died down, they weren't considered necessarily his work.

As to your question, maybe he felt he'd "completed his work"? Perhaps he was a sailor (which some have described as wearing the garb, at least), and left for parts unknown, only to die or be incarcerated?

If he wasn't Frederick Deeming (who, since he was hanged, wouldn't be able to continue), perhaps he was another syphilis sufferer, and passed away.

Coincidentally, Deeming was arrested for the murder of his second wife in March of 1892, and was hanged a couple months later, the Whitechapel Murders ceased as of February 1891, while he was most likely on the run.

My friend Jack has bad gas when he drinks cheap beer.

Actually, I thought they never knew for sure who Jack the Ripper was.

rickymouse
My friend Jack has bad gas when he drinks cheap beer.

Actually, I thought they never knew for sure who Jack the Ripper was.

They really don't know for sure, but if there was only one man committing those murders, my money is on Deeming or Maybrick.

After some considerable time exploring every possible suspect and angle of these killings I began to wonder if I was perhaps overlooking something. I applied the two old adages "follow the money" and "who benefits", and quite frankly I wish I hadn't. This didn't lead me to the killer or killers but it did however lead me to a possible driving force behind events in Whitechapel and London's east end during Eighteen Eighty Eight.

If your gut instinct tells you there is a note of warning in this post your intuition serves you well and I would advise you to use it for something good and worthwhile. JTR is an industry and I personally am content for it to remain just that. Taking the approach I took brought me to a conclusion which I am confident anyone would keep to themselves for all the right reasons, just like I am going to do.

I have thought this over for a few hours before deciding to post my experiences and eventually decided to post it because a great deal of time and energy has already been spent attempting to resolve what took place all those years ago and there is still no definite answer, and in my opinion, there never can be.

reply to post by hotel1


Well, I for one would love to hear what it is that you believe you've discovered.

reply to post by ProfessorChaos


S&F sir! Great post...you've touched upon one of my most favorite topics. Curious as to Deeming, especially since, as you said, he did travel the world pretty extensively...there is that curious notion of the murders hitting the US. Coincidental, sure, but it certainly worth a look. Has that been looked into? Whether Deeming, (although he had so many aliasas) has visited the US around the time of the supposed "copy cat" murders?

Lynx1102
reply to post by ProfessorChaos

 

S&F sir! Great post...you've touched upon one of my most favorite topics. Curious as to Deeming, especially since, as you said, he did travel the world pretty extensively...there is that curious notion of the murders hitting the US. Coincidental, sure, but it certainly worth a look. Has that been looked into? Whether Deeming, (although he had so many aliasas) has visited the US around the time of the supposed "copy cat" murders?

As far as I cureently know, Deeming never came to the United States. I will look further into it though.

good post i read up on this years ago and think someone in the know was involved probably someone who had something against -mary ann- a name common for prostitutes at the time someone well read on masonic lore who might be working in a gang with a carrige it was someone with surgical skills and the way the womens entrails were thrown about them suggested ritual .

and the dates that the killings took place places a certain aleister crowley in london at the time and the symbols that were carved into the bodies were masonic JOHN HAMER does some interesting work on this and prince eddy was supposed to have married a catholic street girl after getting her pregnant the woman ann crook was later given a frontal labotomy by the queens personal physician sir walter gull.

lord randolph spencer churchill was alleged to be the leader the FOX hunt and the first three were dealt with in the same way as the three juwes in masonic legend Jubela Jubelo Jublum the murderers of hirim abiff with the entrails thrown over their left shoulders

and the words that were scrubbed away THE JUWES THE MEN THAT WILL NOT BE BLAMED FOR NOTHING may tell who was responsible but who knows in a unsolved mystery

999zxcv
good post i read up on this years ago and think someone in the know was involved probably someone who had something against -mary ann- a name common for prostitutes at the time someone well read on masonic lore who might be working in a gang with a carrige it was someone with surgical skills and the way the womens entrails were thrown about them suggested ritual .

and the dates that the killings took place places a certain aleister crowley in london at the time and the symbols that were carved into the bodies were masonic JOHN HAMER does some interesting work on this and prince eddy was supposed to have married a catholic street girl after getting her pregnant the woman ann crook was later given a frontal labotomy by the queens personal physician sir walter gull.

lord randolph spencer churchill was alleged to be the leader the FOX hunt and the first three were dealt with in the same way as the three juwes in masonic legend Jubela Jubelo Jublum the murderers of hirim abiff with the entrails thrown over their left shoulders

and the words that were scrubbed away THE JUWES THE MEN THAT WILL NOT BE BLAMED FOR NOTHING may tell who was responsible but who knows in a unsolved mystery

edit on 3-2-2014 by 999zxcv because: (no reason given)

Yes, this is essentially the idea put forth in the movie "From hell" based on the work of the late Stephen Knight. It's an interesting theory to be sure.

reply to post by ProfessorChaos


i had no idea that it was movie i will need to hunt it down and watch it

stephen knight dead wow i never knew that either he was a good author i have many of his works

999zxcv
reply to post by ProfessorChaos

 

i had no idea that it was movie i will need to hunt it down and watch it

stephen knight dead wow i never knew that either he was a good author

i have many of his works

Yes, he died in 1985 after a battle with a brain tumor.

999zxcv
reply to post by ProfessorChaos

 

i had no idea that it was movie i will need to hunt it down and watch it

I found it to be a very well done movie.

Wow! Something that made me post!

Jack the Ripper was undoubtedly (in my mind) Herman Webster Mudgett AKA Dr. H.H. Holmes AKA America's first serial killer. For anyone who doesn't know of him or want to read Wikipedia: Dr. Henry Howard Holmes was a psychopath with a background in medicine (Degree from the University of Michigan Medical School). He stole corpses from the school, mutilated them then claimed they were someone else in order to collect their life insurance.

Either way, this guy went through the trouble of having a "Murder Castle" built specifically to house visitors of the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. From the Wikipedia entry:

Holmes purchased a lot across from the drugstore, where he built his three-story, block-long "Castle"—as it was dubbed by those in the neighborhood. It was opened as a hotel for the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, with part of the structure used as commercial space. The ground floor of the Castle contained Holmes's own relocated drugstore and various shops, while the upper two floors contained his personal office and a maze of over 100 windowless rooms with doorways opening to brick walls, oddly-angled hallways, stairways to nowhere, doors openable only from the outside, and a host of other strange and labyrinthine constructions. Holmes repeatedly changed builders during the construction of the Castle, so only he fully understood the design of the house... After the completion of the hotel, Holmes selected mostly female victims from among his employees (many of whom were required as a condition of employment to take out life insurance policies, for which Holmes would pay the premiums but was also the beneficiary), as well as his lovers and hotel guests. He killed them. Some were locked in soundproof bedrooms fitted with gas lines that let him asphyxiate them at any time. Other victims were locked in a huge soundproof bank vault near his office, where they were left to suffocate. The victims' bodies were dropped by secret chute to the basement, where some were meticulously dissected, stripped of flesh, crafted into skeleton models, and then sold to medical schools. Holmes also cremated some of the bodies or placed them in lime pits for destruction. Holmes had two giant furnaces as well as pits of acid, bottles of various poisons, and even a stretching rack. Through the connections he had gained in medical school, he sold skeletons and organs with little difficulty.

Emphasis mine.

Aaaanyway, his great grandson came out in 2012 I believe and said he had suspicions that his great grandfather was JtR. Sound like the usual family member trying to profit from a dead famous relative? Turns out HHH was allegedly in London for a good portion of 1888 pulling insurance scams and selling skeletons to schools. At the very least (different sources say different things) he was unaccounted for in Chicago for most of that year.

Merely a coincidence? Maybe. But...

One handwriting expert put the two samples into a computer program that stated there was almost a 98 percent chance that H.H. Holmes’ handwriting matched with an infamous Jack the Ripper letter was a match. The computer program used was one that is owned by the Department of Justice.

Source

Maybe a series of coincidences. Maybe not. I'm inclined to believe the latter. There's a lot of interesting info out there should anyone be curious.