Too Many Mistakes

The police simply made too many mistakes.  I will take into consideration the time period and the limited technology but still beyond that, the police really messed up the case.  The newspapers/media should not have found out intimate details of the investigation.  The police force should have known the area they were patrolling much better.  Washing away/erasing vital evidence to the case is inexcusable.  With the contradictory police reports, and lack of communication, the Metropolitan Police force might as well be called FEMA. 

 

 

 

 

Five Victims #6

6. I believe the five victims murdered in Whitechapel during late 1888 were all victims of Jack the Ripper. There are so many similarities surrounding the victims of the Ripper. Each of the five victims was a prostitute. They were all murdered during the early hours of the morning, and each was brutally killed. The women’s throats were all cut. Liz Stride is a victim who is sometimes not considered to be a Ripper Victim. Her throat was cut jagged, unlike the other female victims. I still believe that Stride was a Ripper victim. I believe that the Ripper was in a rush while killing Liz, and therefore had to do it quickly. After killing Liz, and possibly not being fulfilled enough with the quick murder, he moved on to kill Catherine Eddowes. I believe that each of the five women were killed by Jack the Ripper.

Final Paper

Michaela Marine        

April 17, 2009

Lavaughn Towell

Jack the Ripper’s London

 

                                                            Wanted: Big Foot

 

            With every strange occurrence, unexpected murder, or public scandal there are always those people who wish to theorize about what truly happened. When Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her home conspiracy theorists wanted the blame to be put on the Kennedy’s. There are tons of conspiracy theories involving the United Sates government that the list would be much too vast. The point is that we as a species thrive on gossip, lies, and deceit. We want so badly for there to be a bigger story or a cover-up. The fact of the matter is that most of the time the story is what it is and nothing more. People honestly still think that Elvis and Tupac are still alive out there somewhere and are just waiting to make a comeback. This stretching of the truth and sometimes just downright lying has been occurring for decades. This emphasis on the “what ifs”, can be seen in a very popular unsolved murder case from the 1880s. The story of Jack the Ripper has fascinated readers and captivated audiences for years. The appeal is because of the unknowns that exist. Because of these unknowns people began creating their own version of what they believe to have happened to those unfortunate women. The Royal conspiracy theory is a popular one amongst the public. However, this theory is filled with loose facts, un-supported claims, and outright lies. Although it makes for an entertaining tale, the conspiracy theory is one of little merit.

            The first and main suspect involved in the Royal Conspiracy is Prince Albert or Eddy as he was referred to as by his family. During his younger days Eddy is described as a ladies’ man and is suspected as being involved in many a scandal. Growing up Eddy was always described as a slow child and when he went to Cambridge he required a tutor and many historians now believe Eddy may have been mildly retarded. Party of Eddy’s difficulty in school could be attributed to the fact that he was partially deaf. This fact will be presented later to corroborate other evidence (1). As a young man Eddy was diagnosed with syphilis. The diagnosis was made by the royal family’s physician Dr. William Gull. The infection caused Eddy to go insane and caused him to commit the murders. This is the first of three theories that exist about Eddy’s involvement. It is believed that the Royal family knew of Eddy’s involvement after the second murder. It wasn’t until after the double event that anything was done to restrain Eddy. It was after the double event that Eddy was taken away in restraints to a private mental hospital. Somehow Eddy was able to escape and carry out the final murder of Mary Kelly. It was after this that he was apparently locked away yet again and died in 1892 (2). There are many things that upfront are obvious problems with this theory. Polly Nichols was murdered on August 31, 1888. The prince was staying with the Viscount Downe in Yorkshire from August 29th- September 7th. Annie Chapman was murdered on September 8; the prince was at the Calvary Barracks in York from September 7^th-10^th. Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes were murdered between 1:00 and 2:00 a.m. on September 30^th. Eddy was Abergeldie, Scotland where Queen Victoria has it noted in her journal that Eddy came and visited her from the 27^th to the 30^th of September (3). Mary Kelly was murdered on November 9^th; the prince was at Sandringham from November 2^nd- 12^th (3).

            Eddy seems to have proven that he was not the main mastermind behind the Ripper killings due to the fact that he was absent during every murder. However, Eddy takes on the role of accomplice in Michael Harrison’s biography of Eddy entitled Clarence. According to the book Harrison took the idea from Stowell’s article and made Eddy the accomplice to his tutor James Stephen. Harrison claims that Stephen’s motive was out of  “a twisted desire for revenge” because he was convinced that Eddy and he had a homosexual relationship (6). Harrison writes that a sexual relationship between teacher and pupil emerged while Stephen was Eddy’s tutor. Stephen apparently suffers some sort of trauma that leaves him with permanent brain damage. It was after this that he began to go mad and wrote two volumes of poetry that depicted extremely violent images of women (6). Harrison claims that it is the combination of the break up and the accident that caused Stephen to go mad and kill ten women. Harrison counts Alice Mackenzie, Frances Cole, Mellett and Annie Farmer. It is believed that Harrsion does this just to prove his own theory because he only counts the double event as one. The reason it has to be ten women is because of a poem that Stephen wrote entitled “Air Kaphoozelum” (6). In the poem the villain kills ten harlots.

            The last of the theories is one that first surfaced in 1973 in the BBC program Jack the Ripper. The directors of the show wanted to take some of history’s most famous detectives and have them try to figure out who Jack the Ripper was. Through a series of phone calls and recommendations the directors and writers were set up with a man by the name of Joseph Sickert. Sickert told them a story of how Eddy was having an affair with a common woman who lived on or around Cleveland Street. This woman’s name was Annie Crook (1). She was a poor Catholic girl who worked in a tobacco shop. Annie also was rumored to work as a prostitute at times. The two were married in a Catholic church and eventually had a child, Alice Margaret. When the queen found out about the marriage she immediately launched a plan to help eliminate the problem (1). The Queen found had Annie taken away and put in a mental institution. It is here that she became a test subject and was given a lobotomy to erase her memory. The baby was put in the care of Mary Kelly, a friend of Annie Crook. The problem with this theory is that in Rumbelow’s book Jack the Ripper: The Complete Casebook, Rumbelow proves that Annie Crook moved from workhouse to workhouse and that Alice Margaret was with her during most of this time (5). A marriage certificate of Alice Crooks was found and on the certificate Alice lists her father as being William Crook. William Crook is the father of Annie Crook, in other words William Crook is Alice Crook’s grandfather (5). One of the points that many conspiracy theorists make is that Alice Crook had a hearing problems and was prone to epileptic seizures. The point they make is that Eddie also had genetic hearing problems was prone to seizures however; it has been discovered that Sarah Crook (Alice’s grandmother) was deaf and had epilepsy (5). Mary Kelly left Alice in the care of nuns and they moved to the East End. Mary Kelly told the story of what she had witnessed to a few of her friends (Nichols, Chapman, Stride, Eddowes). Her friends encouraged her that it would be a good idea to try and blackmail the government and extort money from them. When the Queen heard of this she once again called on one of her subjects to take care of the problem. The problem with this theory is that there is no evidence that links Eddy to Cleveland Street or to a woman named Annie Crook. The other piece of information that is missing is that there is no proof that any of the victims knew one another.

            There are several theories that revolve around Eddy. The public would love to believe that this really is a conspiracy theory and that the Royal Family has done a brilliant job of covering it up all these years. The last theory about Eddy is the most popular and is extensively analyzed in Stephen Knight’s book Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution. This book supports the theory that Eddy had a love affair and a bastard child with an “unfortunate” but was not involved in the actually killing. The person who is mostly to blame in this tale is Dr. William Gull. As mentioned previously, Gull was the physician to the Royal Family. When Victoria first learned of the affair and secret marriage, she turned to the Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury. Salisbury then took the problem to Dr. Gull. Sickert claims that Nichols, Chapman, and Eddowes were all murdered because of what they knew about the situation (4). Joseph Sickert told Knight that Stride was a mistake because she often went by the name Mary Kelly. Because no one could know that the Royal Family had any involvement in the murders a scapegoat was chosen. Montague Druitt was chosen to take the fall and according to Sickert, was then murdered for it. Sickert also insinuates that Gull had help at each murder. It is believed that Gull acquired the help of John Netley a coachmen who used to chauffer Eddy to the East End. Gull needed a way to flee the scene with relative ease so Netley provided the getaway car so to speak (4). Because the murders were often committed in the middle of the street and required a decent amount of time, there had to be someone to would stand guard and warn Gull if anyone was approaching.

            The theory that is discussed in Knight’s book was originally brought to light by the producers of the BBC program when they found Joseph Sickert. Knight became fascinated with the story and asked Sickert if it would be possible to write an article on the story. Although Sickert didn’t want to be in the public eye he agreed to the interview. As the interview progressed Knight decided that an article would not do this story justice and decided to write a book. The difference between Knight’s book and the BBC program is that Knight suggests that the third man involved in the murders was not Sir Robert Anderson but Walter Sickert.

Walter’s connection to the case is that he was close a friend of the Royal family at the time. Princess Alex asked Sickert to watch out for Eddie. It is said that Sickert was the one who introduced Eddie to Annie Crook. Sickert was a painter and had used Annie Crook and some of her friends as models for his paintings. Knight implicates Sickert in the book because he believes that Sickert seems to know too much about the murders. Knight reasons that anybody who knows that much had to have some hand in the actual deed (4). One of the witnesses who gave details about the appearance of the suspect claims that the man was carrying a parcel. Knight argues that the parcel is actually a portrait that Sickert painted of Mary Kelly, the painting was being used as a way to recognize Mary Kelly (4). This is doesn’t make any sense because if Sickert had painted Mary Kelly then he would know what she looked like and therefore would not have to carry around a portrait of her (5). Almost the entire of basis of Knight’s theory is centered on a red handkerchief. One of the eyewitness testimonies claims that the last man who was seen with Mary Kelly gave her a red handkerchief. In many of Sickert’s paintings there is a red handkerchief painted in (1). The last point that Knight has against Sickert is that he was supposedly given “hush money” from Lord Salisbury. The story that is told is that Salisbury randomly visited Sickert’s studio one day and without looking at any of the paintings bought one for 500 pounds when it was apparently a worthless piece. Possibly the biggest problem with Knight’s entire theory is the fact that shortly after the book was published, Joseph Sickert admitted to fabricating the entire story (1).

The last piece of the puzzle when talking about the Royal Conspiracy is the inquiry as to the involvement of the secret organization known as the Masons. This is so typical of a conspiracy theory. Government involvement? Check. Secret ritualistic practices by a historically secret organization? Check. The Mason’s are a good way to top off a conspiracy theory because there is no way to prove or disprove involvement. Knight argues that the lack of evidence in this case is due to the fact the Mason’s and the government conspired to destroy any and all evidence that could possibly implicate them (1). “No marriage certificate for Eddy and Annie? Conspiracy. No evidence that Gull, Salisbury Warren and Anderson were Masons? Conspiracy. Evidence suppressed at the inquest? Conspiracy.” (1). Knight makes the argument that the murders were part of a ritual that the Masons used in the murder of Mason Hirem Abiff in Soloman’s Temple. The murder was committed by three members, Jubela, Jubelo, and Jubelum. In this ritual the victim’s throat is cut and their torsos are cut completely open in order to disembowel them (4). The other significant piece of Knight’s argument is the analysis of the location of the victim’s bodies. Mitre Square for example is said to be significant to the Masons because it was a popular meeting place and the words Mitre and Square are prominent symbols of the Masons (4). Many ripperologists have a problem with this because the method is neither sensible, nor discreet. If the Royal Family wanted to have something taken care of quickly and quietly this does not seem like the way to do it.

Conspiracy theories are definitely entertaining and provide great fiction novels. However that’s all that most conspiracy theories are, fiction. Marilyn Monroe dies from an overdose and I am sorry to report that Tupac and Elvis really are dead. It’s amusing to sit around and talk about all of the possible what ifs and the crazy explanations. When we get down to it though, chances are that Jack the Ripper is still some random guy that isn’t one of the prominent suspects and maybe he wasn’t ever even questioned. It is just about as likely that Big Foot or the Lochness Monster killed all those women in London, as it is that Prince Albert, a crazed doctor, a twisted painter, and a secret society of men did.

 

 

                                                                               Work Cited

 

Begg, Paul, and Martin Fido. Jack the Ripper A-Z. 3rd ed. United Kingdom: Headline Books, 1994. Print. (3)

Harrison, Michael. Clarence: The Life of H. R. H. the Duke of Clarence and Avondale (1864-1892).. 1st. London: W,H Allen, 1972. Print. (6)

Knight, Stephen. Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution. 1st. Chicago, IL: Academy Chicago Publishers, 1986. Print.(4)

Rumbelow, Donald. Jack the Ripper: The Complete Casebook. 1st. Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1988. Print. (5)

Ryder, Stephen P.. “Prince Albert Victor.” “Good Knight: An Examination of the Final Solution”  Casebook. 2009. Casebook. 5 Apr 2009 (1)

Stowell, Dr. Thomas. “A Solution.” The Criminologist 5(1970): 18. Print (2)

 

Into the Mind of Jack the Ripper: A Comparison of the FBI’s 1988 Criminal Profile to the Suspect Aaron Kosminski

The case of Jack the Ripper is considered to be one of the most infamous murder mysteries of the twentieth century. Many aspects of the gruesome murders that occurred during the fall of 1888 still remain a mystery today. Many individuals remain interested in the ripper case, and continue to investigate different aspects and evidence involving the case. However, despite ripperologists’ relentless investigation, the true identity of Jack the Ripper has yet to be unveiled. Over the century, numerous suspects have been suggested as the true ripper. Suspects range from individuals of various monetary backgrounds, nationalities, and motives. Some individuals point to conspiracy theories or claim that the ripper was a distinguished person such as author Lewis Carroll or Prince Albert Victor. However, with every suggested suspect, another wave of argument, inconsistencies, and discrepancies follow closely behind. In reality, no suspect fits the ripper case with enough certainty to be overwhelmingly deemed as the perpetrator. Thus, despite the numerous suspects of Jack the Ripper, it is doubtful that the real perpetrator was or has been a suspect in the investigation.
However, the passage of time since the murders has not deterred many legitimate investigatory services from lending their skills and opinions regarding the identity of the assailant. In 1988, the Federal Bureau of Investigation became involved in the ripper case and compiled a criminal profile of the ripper based on the evidence found at the crime scenes of the canonical five victims. Based on the FBI’s criminal profile of the perpetrator and evidence of the ripper case, the most likely suspect that currently exists is Aaron Kosminski, a polish Jew that lived in Whitechapel during the murders and was committed to a mental institution in 1891. Based on the current lists of suspects, Aaron Kosminski best fits the FBI profile. Since then, other professional investigators and ripperologists have stated their belief that Kosminski is the most likely suspect. Also, much case evidence exists to suggest that Kosminski’s guilt was the belief of lead investigators Sir Robert Peel and Chief Robert Swanson after the murders during the early twentieth century.
Due to conflicting records and a general lack of information, much of Aaron Kosminski’s early life remains unknown. It is generally believed that Kosminski was born in 1864 or 1865 in Klodawa, Poland. He lived briefly in Germany before emigrating to England in 1882 when he was seventeen (Begg 331). He had a brother named Woolf and at least two sisters named Betsy and Matilda. Little is known about his parents, and it is believed that his father was not present in his life from an early age (he did not emigrate with the family to England). Also, the whereabouts of Kosminski’s mother remain unknown until 1891, and it is possible that she was absent during much of his adolescence (Casebook 7).
Family interviews and records indicate that during the first few years after emigrating to England, Kosminski worked as a hairdresser in East End and never married (Begg 331). On July 12, 1890, Kosminski was admitted to the Mile End Old Town Workhouse at the insistence of his brother. According to workhouse records (which was probably information given by Woolf Kosminski at the time of admittance) states that Aaron Kosminski resided at 3 Sion Square and had been insane for two years (Begg 331).
Kosminski was discharged on July 15, 1890, only three days later, into the care of his brother (Begg 331). Little is known regarding his condition for the next several months until he was readmitted to the same workhouse on February 4, 1891. Again, he was discharged from the workhouse three days later and sent to the colony lunatic asylum at Colony Hatch (Begg 334). During his admittance to Colony Hatch, an initial physical and emotional examination was given. This proved to be a wealth of information regarding Kosminski’s mental status. According to Paul Begg, the examination noted that Kosminski had been “insane for six years (since 1885)”, suffered physically from self-abuse, was manic and incoherent, had a fair physical state, and was not dangerous to others, suicidal, or epileptic (Begg 334). Doctor E.K. Houchin declared Kosminski insane stating, “He declares that he is guided and his movements altogether controlled by an instinct that informs his mind; he says that he knows the movements of all mankind; he refuses food from the gutter for the same reason” (Sugden 402). Dr. Houchin continued commenting on his unclean, disheveled appearance and the fact that he had been unemployed for several years (Sugden 402). It was also noted in the report that Kosminski had allegedly threatened his sister with a knife (Begg 335, Sugden 402).
Kosminski’s approximate three year stay at Colony Hatch was marked by “aural hallucinations” (Sugden 403), visual hallucinations, refusal to work, uncleanliness, and before being discharged was described as “demented and incoherent” (Sugden 403). Only one report described him as being violent when he “took up a chair, and attempted to strike the charge attendant” on January 9, 1892 (Sugden 403). On April 19, 1894, Kosminski was transferred to Leavesden Asylum, where he remained for the last twenty five years of his life. His emotional and physical health deteriorated until he died March 24, 1919 (Scott 1).
The identity of Aaron Kosminski as a suspect remained unknown for many decades after the murder investigation had ceased. In 1907, Sir Robert Anderson’s book, Criminals and Crime, claimed that Jack the Ripper had been identified years ago, had been “safely caged in an asylum”, and had not written the ‘Jack the Ripper’ letter (Sugden 397). Further details were revealed in Anderson’s memoir, The Lighter Side of My Official Life, published in 1910. According to his writing, the ripper was a low-class Jew that lived in the vicinity of the murders. He continued stating, “The only person who had ever had a good view of the murderer” positively identified the suspect, but refused to testify once he learned “that the suspect was a fellow-Jew” (Sugden 398).
The identity of this suspect remained unknown until 1959, when a copy of Sir Mellville Macnaghten’s draft report of 1894 was released to the public. According to Macnaghten, Kosminski, a polish Jew suffering from insanity, was second on the list of probable suspects (Sugden 399). The latest evidence regarding Kosminski was revealed in 1981. Sir Robert Anderson’s memoirs, annotated by Chief Inspector Donald Sutherland Swanson, were found among some of Swanson’s old belongings. His annotations convey his belief that Kosminski was the polish Jew that Anderson had referred to in his writings. In the margins, Swanson had noted that the witness refused to testify because the suspect was a fellow Jew and he did not wish to be responsible for his execution. He also stated that “after this identification… no other murder of this kind took place in London” (Sugden 400). According to Swanson’s notes, Kosminski was watched by the police between workhouse stints and died shortly after he was admitted to Colney Hatch (Sugden 400).
Nearly seven years later, the FBI released a profile for the Jack the Ripper murders. When considering the suspects individually, each suspect possessed similarities with the profile. However, Aaron Kosminski possesses more similarities than any other suspect to date. He was a white male with 28 to 36 years of age. He was most likely single, never married, had poor hygiene/disheveled appearance, but blended in with the poor crowd of East End. As the FBI profile suggests, Kosminski is noted in medical records as possessing diminished emotional response and a low self-image (Sugden 403). He most likely lived and worked in Whitechapel, close to the murders. Also, Kosminski had no medical knowledge or surgical expertise necessary to commit the crimes, was of average intelligence (lucky not clever), and was a victim of a broken home (Rossmo 11). The profile stated that the perpetrator was interviewed by the police at some point during the investigation and did not write any of the “Jack the Ripper Letters”. Similar to the suggestions of the profile, Kosminski was mentally disturbed, behaved erratically, but did not commit suicide (Rossmo 11). This last point regarding the perpetrator’s mental status is especially crucial when distinguishing Kosminski from other suspects. Finally, the FBI profile indicated the belief that the perpetrator resided very close to where the murders took place, and it is apparent that Kosminski resided very near the center of canonical five murders (House 14).
Although the profile suggests many similarities, it is important to understand that the ripper profile does not fit any subject perfectly. Many aspects of the profile cannot be related to Kosminski, because details from his earlier life remain unknown. For example, the profile suggests that the perpetrator had difficulty interacting with individuals, especially women (Rossmo 11). However, no medical records indicate that Kosminski ever had difficulty with women in particular. It also suggests that the assailant desired control and dominance over others (Rossmo11). Medical records described that although Kosminski exhibited manic symptoms, he was docile and withdrawn at other times (Sugden 403). No evidence suggests indicating that he was of particularly controlling nature, and several hospital assessments indicated doctors’ beliefs that he was not violent. The profile suggests that the perpetrator most likely possessed a solitary menial job Monday through Friday, however, the hospital records indicated that Kosminski had been unemployed for years. Due to the fact that little is known regarding Kosminski’s childhood, it is difficult to corroborate the FBI’s beliefs that he was raised by “a dominant female figure who drank heavily, consorted with different men, and physically, possibly sexually, abused him” (Rossmo 11). It is not known if Kosminski set fires or abused animals as a child. Finally, the profile indicated that the perpetrator most likely was nocturnal, drank in local pubs, and was witnessed walking around Whitechapel at night. However, no known information regarding Kosminski exists to describe his sleep or living patterns, and only one witness positively identified Kosminski (Sugden 409).
There are other factual discrepancies that prevent Kosminski from being labeled the ripper as well. One such issue is the fact that Kosminski was not admitted to Colony Hatch until 1891, two years after the murders stopped. Thus, it is misleading for Swanson to have claimed that no brutal murders had occurred after Kosminski was admitted to an asylum. In reality, the murders ceased nearly two years before his admittance.
Secondly, Kosminski did not die soon after entering Colony Hatch, but lived there for twenty eight years (Sugden 401). Anderson’s unfortunate error casts a question of credibility on his all of his statements regarding the suspect.
Finally, that the positive identification of Kosminski by the unknown witness occurred nearly two years after the murder. Sugden, along with many others, believe that the witness was most likely Joseph Lawende (Sugden 407). Even though Anderson stated that the witness immediately identified the suspect, it is doubtful that this identification could withstand in a court of law.
Regardless of these controversial factors related to the investigation, Kosminski has been identified by many investigators as the most likely suspect for the murders. In his book, The Cases that Haunt Us, John Douglas, one of the most acclaimed FBI criminal profilers, identified Kosminski as the most likely candidate for the murders.
Although Kosminski seemed to fit my profile and evaluation, I cautioned…that a hundred years after the fact, I could not prove that he was the actual killer. What I said was that Jack the Ripper would either be Aaron Kosminski or someone like the man I was describing. And I stand by that (Douglas and Olshaker 79).
Other investigators have identified Kosminski as the most likely suspect as well. Christopher Scott, author of “Jack the Ripper: A Cast of Thousands”, described other incidences in which Kosminski was named as a lead suspect.
Of all the established suspects, one of the perennial frontrunners is Aaron Kosminski. A number of major works in the Ripper canon have taken Kosminski as their subject of choice and in a made for TV film entitled “The Secret Identity of Jack the Ripper” a panel of experts, including a barrister, an ex police officer and two FBI personnel, unanimously selected Kosminski as the most likely to have been the Whitechapel murder of the suspects whose cases were laid before them (Scott 1).
Despite the inconsistencies in historical records and the unanswered questions regarding his childhood and whereabouts between the murders and his institutionalization, Kosminski remains the most likely candidate out of the few most popular ripper suspects. This belief is shared by a variety of professional investigators and ripperologists, and it appears as if Sir Robert Anderson and Chief Inspector Robert Swanson believed this as well. The FBI profile, although created nearly a century later, suggests that Kosminski best fits the criteria for the ripper based on evidence found at the crime scenes. Discrepancy and controversy exist when questioning the validity of every popular ripper suspect. Thus, even though Kosminski is the most likely assailant, the ripper may have never been considered a suspect by police. Due to the continuing controversy and time that has elapsed, it is probable identity of Jack the Ripper will forever remain a mystery.

Work Cited
Begg, Paul. Jack the Ripper: The Definitive History. Great Britain: Pearson Education Limited, 2005.
Douglas, John and Mark Olshaker. The Cases that Haunt Us. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000.
House, Robert. “Aaron Kosminski Reconsidered.” Casebook: Jack the Ripper. 20 April 2009 .
Rossmo, Kim. “Jack the Ripper.” Center for Geospacial Intelligence and Investigation. 15 April 2009 .
Scott, Christopher. “Jack the Ripper: A Cast of Thousands.” 2004. Casebook: Jack the Ripper. 17 April 2009 .
Sugden, Philip. The Complete History of Jack the Ripper: New Edition. New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2002.

Lawende- Credible Source? #5

5. Joseph Lawende was identified as a witness to the occurances leading up to the murder of Catherine Eddowes. Many of Lawende’s information concerning the night of the murder were skeptical. When shown the clothing, he “…believed it was the same he had seen on the woman” (wiki.casebook.org) I do not believe that any of the information given about the night of the murders can be taken seriously. Believing the clothes were the same does not know, and therefore no one can be sure if the woman was in fact Catherine Eddowes. After Lawende had apparently seen Catherine Eddowes, he did not look back to see where she went, and did not hear what they were talking about. I do not believe he was a credible witness.

The Children in People of the Abyss

The one story that stood out most to me in People of the Abyss was “The Children”.  It was both touching and heartbreaking to read that the kids on the street still had that childlike glow about themselves. Jack London talks about the children playing in the street, laughing, smiling, and momentarily forgetting their everyday struggles.  What was terribly heartbreaking was that these kids would grow up entirely too quickly.  Living on the streets and surviving everyday was a tough thing for a child to learn; however, it was necessary during this sad time.  They had to lie about their age in order to get work, to feed their weak bodies.  These poor children had no other choice but to grow up quickly, and to know that these kids still had their imagination and innocence about them was very emotive.

The Ripper Letters #4

1. I personally do not believe  Jack the Ripper himself wrote any of the Ripper letters. I find this hard to believe because there are so many unanswered questions concerning the several letters. Little is known about Jack the Ripper, and I believe it would be impossible to deliberate if the actual Ripper in fact wrote a letter. After learning about Jack the Ripper, it is evident he left minimal clues as to who he was. The Ripper committed these murders secretly, as there are only a few witnesses, who are sometimes considered undependable. Because of the Ripper’s sneakiness and secrecy, I do not think he wrote any of the letters. I believe that if the Ripper wanted to share certain aspects of his identity with the public, he would have found a more efficient way. If he wanted to share his identity, or scare the police/public he would have done something very original. 

Police Investigation #3

3. During the investigation, the metro police worked with the London police to attempt to solve the Jack the Ripper mystery. Despite their lack of communication with each other, I do not believe that the police were at fault for failing to catch Jack the Ripper. The murders occurred at a time when crime-solving technologies were not as advanced as they are today. During the Victorian Era, people believed that the shape of the jaw, and certain head measurements could identify criminals. The idea of fingerprints was not popular during that time, nor was it understood well. The police had to solely rely on the clues left at the crime scene and eyewitnesses. They did not have scientific methods, or DNA testing that we have today, and therefore cannot be at much fault for failing to find Jack the Ripper.

People of the Abyss #2

2. In the People of the Abyss, there is one story that stands out to me the most. This story is “The Descent.” This story caught my eye because before learning about the Jack the Ripper, and the East End, I thought life was extremely prosperous in the entirety of England. The story mentions that even a short walk will bring you to a slum. Jack London illustrates the extreme poverty experienced in the East End of London. He mentions people scrambling for tiny scraps of food on the ground or in garbage cans. I originally assumed that most of London was thriving during the time of the Victorian Era, and was surprised to find out my assumption was false.

Maybrick? Maybe!

James Maybrick is a very good potential Jack the Ripper suspect. To many James Maybrick was just a suspect of circumstances, to others he is Jack the Ripper. James Maybrick came into the limelight when “the diary of Jack the Ripper” surfaced in 1992, before then he was not really considered as a suspect or even a person of interest. Whenever a person chooses a suspect and then tries to prove how he (or she) committed the murders there are many things that need to be assumed and looked over. The largest piece of evidence that we have that Maybrick committed this crime was the diary found, that was supposedly written by Maybrick.
James Maybrick’s life can be divided into four major steps: his life before Florence, meeting Florence and their life together, his addictions and the problems with the marriage, and finally how his death came about. Maybrick was born in 1838 in Liverpool and became a cotton merchant (Russo 109). Maybrick traveled back and forth from America to England; he had set up a branch of his business in the southern states and because of all the damage done by the Civil War, his business flourished (Russo 109). In the year 1877 Maybrick caught malaria in America, in 1877 the way doctors treated this disease was through “chloroquine, in conjunction with other drugs like quinine” (Russo 109) but somehow the correct dosage was not relayed to Maybrick so it did not work for him. He was then prescribed “arsenic and strychnine” (Russo 109), which is how he became addicted to arsenic. In 1880 Maybrick was aboard the SS Baltic and he then met the eighteen year old, southern bell Florence; when the two left the ship they were engaged to wed (Russo 110). Some people do claim that there was a Mrs. Maybrick before Florence, her name was Sarah Ann but no definite evidence of this marriage has surfaced. James Maybrick’s life with Florence was that of deceit: James supposedly had a mistress for many (if not all) of the years he and Florence were together; Florence also supposedly had an affair with James’ younger brother (Russo 110). After James contracted malaria he became addicted to the methods of treating the disease, arsenic. After a person uses a drug they become tolerant of the dosage and they then have to continuously up the dosage every time they try to get high. On May 9th, 1889 James died; many claimed Florence had murdered him and she was then put on trial for his death. Florence was convicted of the murder of her husband and placed into jail until she was proved innocent many years later. It was thought that she had killed him by boiling fly paper and then putting the chemicals from the paper into his food or drinks. It was later determined that he died from his addiction to arsenic, the dosages that he was taking were so lethal it was a wonder he did not die sooner.
In 1991, the “Diary of Jack the Ripper” surfaced and people were certain that the real killer had been found. The diary was supposedly found in the old house where Maybrick and his wife lived at the times of the Jack the Ripper murders, called the Battlecrease House. According to the stories, there was some restoration work going on in the house and after opening up the floor boards a man found the diary. He then hid it from everyone else and told no one about his find. The man who found the book regularly attended a bar; there he made a friend, and before his death he gave a package (all wrapped up) to his new friend. The new owner of the diary was the man who introduced it to the world. This scenario sound familiar? It should, it’s how the book The Lodger by Marie Belloc Lowndes came about. For Lowndes she claims she hear the story from her sister, who hear the story from a man at a party, who received the diary from a man in a bar, who found it in the house of the Ripper. Many people do not believe that the diary is real for a few simple facts. One, it’s written in a photo album not an actual journal or diary. Two, it could easily be a forgery. Third, the way it was surfaced (especially since the other workers inside the room claim they did not see anything there)- a man gives it to someone he hardly knows that he met in a bar. Lastly, much of the evidence in the diary is public knowledge and anyone who is able to do any research could have found the information. However, it is also believed by many people. Many people believe it is real because there are several facts within the diary, that while they are known, they are not widely publicized. There are things mentioned that help explain what certain things about the murders represent: in example, on Catherine Eddowes she has two slits under her eyes, if these two slits are placed side by side then they form the shape of an “M” which would stand for “Maybrick” as the diary describes. Also, there is supposed to be a “F” and a “M” on the wall behind Mary Kelly, and these two letters stand for “Florence Maybrick”.
There are many details within the diary that compel many people to believe that it is real, that James Maybrick did in fact write it, and that James Maybrick is Jack the Ripper. There are details within the diary that are so straight forward and are so accurate that the question of “Is this really the diary of Jack the Ripper?” has to be asked. When comparing the signature of Jack the Ripper from the “Dear Boss” letter, the signature of James Maybrick from an official document, and the signature of the writer of the diary (Feldman) all signatures are very similar and virtually identical. Which leads many Ripperologists to believe that James Maybrick did in deed write the diary and that he is Jack the Ripper (which would also prove that Jack that Ripper did in deed write letters to the police during the investigation). While testing on the ink and paper has been inconclusive that really does not prove anything. Just because a test does not come back positive or negative about the date or age of either does not disprove or prove the diary true or false. Also, the “Juwes” that was written on the wall at the scene of the crime is said to be actually “James” not “Juwes” according to the diary. In believing the diary persons have to over look many things, such as all of this evidence could just be circumstantial, or the fact that no one definitively knows whether or not James Maybrick wrote the diary; and even if he did, it does not prove that he truly committed the murders. The diary should be believed as fact though because all of the truths within the diary and because of all the explanations that are given within it, such as the slits below Catherine Eddowes eyes and the “Juwes”.
James Maybrick fits as the Ripper for many reasons: he physically fits some descriptions, mentally James fits, and he also has the motive. According to Isreal Schwartz the man who held down the victim was about 30 years old, 5 feet 5 inches tall, fair skin, dark hair, and a moustache. The second man was about 35 years old, 5 feet 11 inches tall, with light brown hair (casebook). James Maybrick was in his forties/ fifties when the murders took place, was about 5 feet 5 inches tall, he was fair skinned with darker hair and he had a moustache. Mentally James was unstable; he was fueled my his addiction to arsenic and any drug addiction can effect a person and make them do things that they normally would not do. Many people commit crimes while they are under the influence of drugs, so it would be to no surprise that James Maybrick would do something illegal (like kill someone) after he used the arsenic. The fact that he was addicted to this drug would also explain why the murders kept continuing. Maybrick also had motive for the murders; in the diary it is said that Maybrick/ Jack the Ripper kills because it is revenge on his wife for sleeping with another man. Maybrick’s wife did cheat on him and many men have committed “crimes of passion” and if the murders were acts of revenge then they would have been concluded as “crimes of passion”. If Maybrick would have killed his wife, then he would have been suspect number one; yet if he killed random prostitutes then no one would have suspected him.
Many find it hard to believe that Maybrick could have killed the prostitutes and not have been noticed because he would have been a higher class man in a lower class area. If a movie star would have walked into a diner then everyone in the diner would be able to recognize that they did not belong there; the same goes for a wealthy man in the Whitechappel area. James Maybrick had the motive because of his rage against his wife, and it makes sense that he would have killed prostitutes because his wife was sleeping around with someone else. The physical description of Jack the Ripper matched the description of James Maybrick: light skinned, dark hair, mustache, etcetera; James was also fueled by his addiction to drugs. Yes, the diary could be a hoax but the overwhelming circumstantial evidence that is found in the diary is hard to forget about and hard to push aside. Not only does the diary say why Maybrick killed the prostitutes, but it explains what some things like the misspelling of the word “Jews”. Yes, the diary could be a hoax but to find and convince anyone of any suspect in the Jack the Ripper case a person has to dismiss some evidence (like how did Maybrick go from Whitechappel back to his home without being suspected), and a person also has to assume other things (an example would be that “yes, Maybrick did write the diary and yes, he is the Ripper). Assuming the diary is not a fake and that it is one hundred percent real, then James Maybrick is Jack the Ripper. Bibliography
Feldman, Paul H.. Jack the Ripper: The Final Chapter. London: Virgin Publishing Ltd., 1999.
Lowndes, Marie Belloc. The Lodger. Chicago: Academy Chicago Publishers, 1988.
Russo, Stan. The Jack the Ripper Suspects: Persons Cited by Investigators and Theorists. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2004.
Ryder, Stephen P., and Johnno. Casebook: Jack the Ripper. 1996-2009. 6 April 2009 .