Special Sub-Topic: The Case of The Whitechapel Murderer Click Here To Play: The Case of The Whitechapel Murderer

Jack The Ripper is credited with five murders, but, according to Scotland Yard, Jack The Ripper killed a total of nine women. What is the name of the first victim?

Emma Elizabeth Smith. Emma Elizabeth Smith lived at 18 George Street in Spitalfields. She was a common prostitute who claimed she was a widow with a son and a daughter. On April 2, 1888, four months before the first official Ripper victim, Emma Smith was mutilated in Buck's Row, 300 yards from where police would later find Mary Ann Nichols. Smith was alive when she was taken to the hospital, but died the next day from peritonitis. Smith suffered a bloody face and and mutilated genitals. The police theorized that Smith was the victim of a gang who was terrorizing and mistreating prostitutes. Was Emma Smith the first Ripper victim? Considering that her injuries were almost identical to the murders that followed, I personally believe that Scotland Yard is correct in saying that Emma Smith was the first victim of Jack. Why he was never credited with Smith's murder, one can only wonder.

On Friday, August 31, 1888, George Cross was walking on his way to work when he discovered the body of Mary Ann "Polly" Nichols. In what area of Whitechapel was Nichols found?

Buck's Row. Mary Ann "Polly" Nichols was found in Buck's Row, Spitalfields around 3:40 A.M., near some stables. She was 42 years old at the time of her murder. When George Cross found Nichols, she was on her back with her skirt around her waist. One of her hands nearly touched the stable gate, and the other was touching her black straw bonnet, which was lying close by her. At first, Cross thought the woman had been raped. With this in mind, he began looking for her supposed attacker. As Cross was doing this, another man by the name of John Paul was on his way to work, also. The two men met each other and Cross told Paul to look at what he found. Paul told Cross that the woman was dead, and the two of them went to go find a policeman. When Police Constable 97J John Neil arrived at the scene, half an hour later, he was horrified at the site of the body. Mary Ann Nichols was horribly mutilated. When Dr. Llewellyn arrived at the scene, he made a quick examination of the wounds. Llewellyn noticed that there didn't seem to be much blood on the ground, although Nichols' main arteries were severed. Llewellyn ordered Nichols' body to be taken to the mortuary, which was next to the local workhouse. Her body remained in Buck's row until daybreak, when two pauper inmates arrived to transport her body. During the autopsy, Llewellyn felt that the murderer might be in the medical profession because of the murderer's know-how in making the incisions. Was The Ripper in the medical profession? Was he just a crazed mad-man? If he just wanted to kill Mary Ann Nichols, why did he have to mutilate her?

What is the name of the doctor who was called to the first few murders?

Dr. Llewellyn. Dr. Llewellyn was Whitechapel's coroner and local doctor. He became a suspect in the Ripper case because he lived in the area of the murders. When he was called to the scene of Annie Chapman's murder, he was incensed to find Dr. George Bagster Phillips there. When Detective Inspector Abberline asked why Dr. Llewellyn was there, he said that Chapman's murder occured in his jurisdiction and that he had the authoritative right to be there. Was Dr. Llewellyn the murderer? Abberline thought Llewellyn was suspicious enough to be a suspect.

Saturday, September 8, 1888, a woman was found in the backyard of 29 Hanbury Street, Spitalfields shortly after 6:00 A.M. What was the name of this woman?

Annie Chapman. Annie Chapman was 47 years old when she was brutally murdered. At one time Annie was married to a coachman by the name of John Chapman. Together they had three children. One died of meningitis and one was crippled. The couple divorced because both John and Annie were heavy drinkers. After her divorce, Annie's life became a mess. She was resorted to prostitution because she couldn't find a job. At the time of her murder, Annie was suffering from tuberculosis. She was discovered in the early morning hours of September 8, 1888, shortly after 6:00 A.M. No one in the Hanbury house heard a thing. Police theorized that Annie was strangled into unconsciousness and then mutilated. On this day the sun rose at 5:23 A.M., and Spitalfields Market opened at 5 A.M. Yet, no one heard a sound or saw nothing. Could someone driving a coach have murdered Annie and then dumped her body? Considering the fact that little blood was found at the crime scene this seems very plausible.

On Monday, September 10, 1888, Detective Sergeant Thicke arrested a man who was known as Leather Apron. What was Leather Apron's real name?

John Pizer. John Pizer, a professional boot maker, lived at 22 Mulberry Street with his wife and children. He was arrested by Detective Sergeant Thicke on September 10, 1888 for suspicion of murder. Pizer was known by the locals as Leather Apron. When Annie Chapman and Mary Ann Nichols were murdered everyone thought that John Pizer was responsible, but only because he was Jewish. Pizer was released a few days after he was arrested and testified at the Coroner's Inquest, clearing himself of any wrong doing. Was John Pizer really innocent? Considering the known facts of the case I think John Pizer really was innocent.

On Thursday, September 27, 1888, a letter entitled "Dear Boss" was sent to the local news agency. What was the name of the news agency?

Central News. The "Dear Boss" letter was written on Tuesday, September 25, 1888, and was addressed to The Boss, Central News Office. The letter said: "I keep on hearing the police have caught me, but they won't fix me just yet. I have laughed when they look so clever and talk about being on the right track. That joke about Leather Apron gave me real fits. I am down on prossies and I shan't quit ripping them 'til I do get buckled. Grand work the last job was. I gave the lady no time to squeal. How can they catch me now? I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me with my funny little games. I saved some proper red stuff in a ginger beer bottle over the last job to write with, but it went thick like glue and I can't use it. Red ink is fit enough I hope, ha ha. The next job I do I shall clip the lady's ears off and send to the police officers just for jolly, wouldn't you? Keep this letter back 'til I do a bit more work, then give it out straight. My knife's so nice and sharp I want to get to work right away, if I get a chance. Good luck. Yours truly, Jack the Ripper P.S. Don't mind me giving the trade name." On the same letter, written on the side was another message: "Wasn't good enough to post this before I got all the red ink off my hands, curse it. No luck yet. They say I'm a doctor now, ha ha." This letter was written in red ink, and was the first letter to give birth to the name of Jack The Ripper. Before this letter the name of Jack The Ripper wasn't known.

On Sunday, September 30, 1888 at 1:00 A.M., Louis Diemshutz was taking his pony cart to Dutfield Yard, off Berner Street in Whitechapel, when he noticed something on the ground. He lit a match, and was horrified to see the body of a women lying on the ground. Diemshutz immediately ran into the International Working Men's Educational Club for help. A member of the club went with him to look at the body. When they noticed blood all around the body, they both ran for help. What was the name of the woman whose body was found?

Elizabeth Stride. Elizabeth Stride, also known as "Long Liz," was born in 1843 in Sweden, and was 45 years old at the time of her death. Stride used to tell everyone that she was a survivor of the Princess Alice boating disaster that happened in 1873. The real story was that her husband, John Stride, was a survivor of the Thames river boating disaster, but he died in a poorhouse a few years later. Stride used to tell this story so she could get charity from the Swedish Church in London. On the night of her murder she left the lodging house she shared with Michael Kidney, with whom she had lived for three years with, and didn't tell anyone where she was going. Witnesses came forward to tell the police that they had seen Elizabeth shortly before her death. Constable William Smith said he saw Elizabeth talking to a man around 12:30 A.M. He said that the man was about 30 years old, with dark hair and a mustache. Smith also said the man was wearing a dark felt deerstalker hat with a black diagonal cutaway coat, white collar and tie. The man also had a package in his hand. Another witness, Israel Schwartz, said he saw Elizabeth talking to a man, and that the man tried to pull her into the street. Schwartz said he heard Stride scream three times, but not loudly. Dr. Blackwell and Dr. Phillips were called to the scene of the murder, as was Dr. Llewellyn. All three doctors agreed that Stride died from a severely severed throat. Stride was the only known Ripper victim that wasn't horribly mutilated. Did this mean that the Ripper didn't have enough time, or that that he was almost caught? Taking the evidence into consideration, it seems that before the Ripper got down to the job of mutilating Stride, he must have heard Diemshutz coming up the street with his pony and left in a hurry. I think this is plausible for the mere fact that Stride wasn't mutilated. If Diemshutz was a few minutes later in coming to Dutfield Yard, Stride, in all probability, would have been mutilated.

On Sunday, September 30, 1888, at 1:44 A.M., Police Constable Edward Watkins was walking his beat in Mitre Square when he came upon a woman lying on the ground, horrendously mutilated. What was the name of the woman whose body was found?

Catharine Eddowes. Catharine Eddowes, also known as "Kate Kelly," was born in 1842 in London. Eddowes lived with John Kelly from 1881 until the time of her death, and was considered Kelly's common law wife. The day before she was murdered, Eddowes was supposed to go to her daughter's house, but she never made it. Eddowes was arrested for drunkenness and placed in the Bishopsgate Street Police Station. At 12:30 A.M., Constable Hutt let her go after she slept off her alcohol intake. When Eddowes left the police station, a few minutes before 1:00 A.M., Hutt noted that she walked toward Mitre Square, which is an eight minute walk from the police station. At 1:30 A.M., Constable Watkins walked through Mitre Square and saw Eddowes talking to a man. At 1:35 A.M., Joseph Lawende left the Imperial Club and saw Eddowes talking to a man. Both witnesses described the man. They both said the man was dressed in a dark jacket, wearing a deerstalker's hat. They said he was young, medium height and with a small, fair-colored mustache. When Constable Watkins returned to Mitre Square on his beat at 1:44 A.M., he was mortified to find a woman's body, badly mutilated. Watkins ran over to a local business and asked George Morris, a retired constable, for help. Watkins sent Morris to find more policemen. When the City policmen arrived, they immediately began looking for Eddowes' murderer. At 2:18 A.M., Dr. Frederick Gordon Brown arrived at the murder scene, Dr. Llewellyn came to the scene a few minutes later. Both men agreed that Eddowes' stomach was ripped open, killing her. Her face was also severely mutilated. She was so badly mutilated that her identity was found out only because she had two pawn tickets with the name 'Kelly' written on them. Was the man that Catharine Eddowes was talking to the one who killed her? If so, then how can it be that no one heard her screaming? Is it possible that the man was talking to Eddowes long enough for his partner to arrive in a coach? This is possible since no one saw anything, and the fact that businesses in Mitre Square were still open at that time. Since it took about twenty five minutes to get to Mitre Square from Berner Street, walking, the coach theory is very possible. According to Scotland Yard, it only took between five and ten minutes to get to Mitre Square from Berner Street with a coach. Could it be possible that the coachman and his passenger killed Nichols, Chapman, Stride, and Eddowes? Considering all of the evidence, it does seem likely that there were two people involved in the Ripper murders.

On Sunday, September 30, 1888, at 2:55 A.M., Constable 254A Alfred Long discovered a piece of bloody apron in the entrance way to a building on Goulston Street in Whitechapel. When Long shined his lamp, he noticed that a message was written in chalk on the wall. The message had a word that was misspelled. What was that word?

Juwes. According to one witness, the message was written in "good schoolboy hand." The original message read: "The Juwes are not the men that will be blamed for nothing." Constable Long wrongly transcribed the message to read: "The Juwes are the men that will not be blamed for nothing." Detective Inspector Frederick Abberline, who was at Mitre Square investigating the murder with his partner, Inspector Godley, was called to Goulston Street to investigate the message on the walls. Abberline wrote down exactly what the message said. If it weren't for Abberline, no one would know exactly what was written. Abberline noted that the handwriting did not match the handwriting on the "Dear Boss" letter. Was it possible that the murderer doctored his handwriting? What did the message on the wall mean? Abberline theorized that the message meant exactly what it said, thus telling him that the murderer wasn't Jewish.

Who was the ground Inspector in charge of the case?

Detective Inspector Frederick Abberline. Detective Inspector Frederick Abberline was born to Edward and Hannah Abberline on January 8, 1843 in Blanford Hospital on Dorset Street in Whitechapel, England. Frederick was 20 years old when he joined the Metropolitan Police on January 5, 1863. According to Scotland Yard, Abberline was 5 feet 9 inches tall, with dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and a fresh complexion. Shortly after joining the police force, Abberline married a woman named Emma. On August 19, 1865, Abberline was promoted to Sergeant of the N Division, but transferred to the Y Division on October 30, 1865. On March 10, 1873, he was promoted to Inspector of the Y Division. On April 8, 1878, he was promoted to Local Inspector of the H Division, which is Whitechapel. Between 1878 and 1887, he was transferred to the A Division and then to the CO Division. On February 1, 1888, Abberline was appointed First Class Detective Inspector of the CO Division. After the last known Ripper murder, Abberline was appointed Chief Inspector on December 22, 1890. During his entire time on the force, Abberline never received an injury. Abberline was one of the first fourteen appointments to divisions when the CID was first formed. People who knew Abberline said he was a soft-spoken, portly man. Before Abberline was promoted to Scotland Yard, which was the CO Division, he was well known in Whitechapel as the best Inspector of the police. After the murder of Annie Chapman, Scotland Yard sent its best First Class Detective Inspector to investigate. Abberline's partner was Inspector Frederick Godley of H Division. Also working under Abberline were Inspectors Reid, Moore, Nairn, and Sergeants Thicke, McCarthy, and Pearce, all of H Division.

On Monday, October 1, 1888, a letter, in the form of a postcard, was sent to the local news agency, boasting of the double event of September 30th. What name was the letter given by the news agency?

Saucy Jacky. The postcard was postmarked Sunday night, September 30, 1888 and was addressed to The Boss, Central News Office. The postcard read: "I wasn't codding dear old Boss when I gave you the tip. You'll hear about Saucy Jacky's work tomorrow. Double event this time. Number one squealed a bit, couldn't finish straight off. Had not time to get ears for police. Thanks for keeping last letter back 'til I got to work again. Jack The Ripper." After this was sent, the police had facsimiles made of the letter and posted them outside every police station in the hopes that someone would recognize the handwriting.

In September 1888, after the second official Ripper murder, the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee was formed. Who was the head of this committee?

George Lusk. George Lusk, head of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, was known by the police, and by Abberline, as a drunk who knew how to get folks riled up. Lusk held meetings in local bars, and even offered his help in catching the murderer to Abberline, but Abberline refused his help. Abberline stated to Godley that Lusk could be the Ripper, and that offering his help in looking for the murderer would be something that Lusk was capable of doing.

On Tuesday, October 16, 1888, a letter was sent to the head of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee. What was the name of this letter?

From Hell. This letter, sent on October 16, 1888, and postmarked October 15th, was addressed to George Lusk. It was titled "From Hell." The letter read: "Mr Lusk, Sir, I send you half the kidney I took from one women. Preserved it for you, t'other piece I fried and ate. It was very nice. I may send you the bloody knife that took it out, if you only wait a while longer. Signed, Catch me when you can Mister Lusk." When Lusk received this letter, along with a piece of human kidney, he was extremely upset. Lusk immediately brought the letter and the kidney to Abberline's office. Abberline noted that the handwriting in this letter was not the same as the handwriting in the previous two letters. Considering this piece of evidence, is it possible that there were two Rippers?

On Friday, November 9, 1888, the day of the Lord Mayor's Show, Thomas Bowyer was sent to collect rent from 13 Miller's Court, in back of Dorset Street. Bowyer knocked a few times, and when no one answered, he pulled back the curtain inside the broken window. What he saw was so horrible that he would never forget it. Inside 13 Miller's Court was the grotesquely mutilated body of a young woman. What was the real name of this woman?

Mary Jane Kelly. Mary Jane Kelly, also known as Mary Ann Kelly, was born in 1864 in Limerick but grew up in Wales. Ripper historians tend to say either Mary Jane Kelly or Mary Ann Kelly, because her birth certificate was badly damaged. At 21 years old, Mary moved to London and worked in a local brothel. That same year, one of Mary's clients brought her to France, where she gave herself the name of Marie Jeanette Kelly, an alias, but she returned to London a few weeks later. In 1887, Mary met John Barnett, a market porter, and lived with him in different parts of London and Whitechapel. In the summer of 1888, Mary and John moved into 13 Miller's Court. A few weeks later, Mary and John had a major argument and John moved out. The argument regarded a prostitute that Mary had let move in to share their one bedroom flat and the fact that Mary had apparently returned to prostitution. Mary was described by acquaintances as being 5 feet 7 inches in height, with a slim build, blue eyes, and a very fine head of hair. On the night Mary was murdered she was desperate for money because she owed three months back rent and resorted to prostituting in the Aldgate and Leman Street areas. She was seen in public houses in Commercial Street. She was last seen at the Ten Bells where her protector got her a paying customer. At 11:45 P.M. on November 8, 1888, they were followed into Miller's Court by Mrs. Cox. Mrs. Cox described the man as being short, stout, shabbily dressed, with a billycock hat, a blotchy face, and a thick mustache. Cox said goodnight to Mary as the man closed the door to Mary's room. Cox then said she heard Mary singing "Only a Violet I Plucked From My Mother's Grave When a Boy." According to Mrs. Cox, Mary was still singing when Cox went out again an hour later. Elizabeth Prater lived directly above Mary in room 20, and about 3:30 or 4:00 A.M. on November 9th, she was woken up by her cat. At the same time she heard a low cry of "Oh! Murder!" coming from somewhere nearby, but she wasn't sure if it was Mary she heard. Sadly, such shouts were normal for Miller's Court, and Elizabeth Prater just fell back to sleep. When Prater woke up at 5:00 A.M. Miller's Court was quiet. At 10:45 A.M., John McCarthy, the landlord of Miller's Court, sent Thomas Bowyer to see if Mary could pay something on her rent. After Bowyer knocked on the door a few times, and getting no answer, he went to the side and put his hand through the broken bottom pane of glass, and pulled the curtain aside. What he saw was so horrible that he would never forget it. Bowyer immediately went back and told McCarthy about what he had seen. McCarthy and Bowyer both went back to 13 Miller's Court and looked through the window. The site was even more horrible than Bowyer had described. McCarthy sent Bowyer to the police station for help. Arriving at the scene were Abberline and Inspector Beck. Abberline immediately sealed off Miller's Court, and no one was allowed to enter or leave without his permission. Dr. Phillips and Dr. Llewellyn were called to the scene, and on their suggestion Abberline sent for bloodhounds. He sent a runner to Commissioner Sir Charles Warren to get permission for the bloodhounds. Unfortunately, the bloodhounds never arrived. Photographs were taken of Mary Kelly's eyes in the hopes that her eyes held the image of the person who murdered her. Dr. Phillips and Dr. Llewellyn concluded that the cause of death was a severely severed carotid artery. They also concluded that the horrific mutilations were done after she was murdered.

On Monday, December 31, 1888, the body of a man was found in the Thames River. The body was that of a doctor who disappeared after the Miller's Court murder. What was the name of the man found in the river?

Montague John Druitt. Montague John Druitt was a doctor from a good family. However, according to Commissioner Sir Melville MacNaghten, predecessor of Commissioner Sir Charles Warren, he was sexually insane and was the prime suspect of the Ripper murders. Was Druitt the murderer? Considering the facts that after his body was found, two more women were found murdered in almost the identical fashion as the Ripper victims, Druitt seems highly unlikely to be the Ripper.

This suspect was a Polish Jew and lived in Whitechapel. He had a great hatred for women, especially prostitutes, and had strong homicidal tendencies. What was the name of this man?

Aaron Kosminski. According to Commissioner Sir Melville MacNaghten, Kosminiski was insane due to living a solitary existence. In March 1889, Kosminski was placed in a lunatic asylum. Kosminski was also considered a prime suspect by MacNaghten. Was Kosminski the murderer? Considering the fact that after he was placed in the lunatic asylum, two more women were found murdered in almost the same identical fashion as the Ripper victims, Kosminski seems highly unlikely to be the Ripper.

On April 7, 1903, a man was hanged for poisoning his wife. The Inspector in charge of the Ripper case always believed this man was the Ripper. What was his name?

George Chapman. George Chapman immigrated to London in 1887, and opened a barber shop at 126 Cable Street, St. George's-in-the-East. He was at this address during the Ripper murders. In 1903, Chapman was hanged for the poison-murder of his wife Maude. Chapman was always one of Abberline's prime suspects. Was Chapman the murderer? In my personal opinion this seems unlikely.

One of the most popular theories about Jack The Ripper has to do with the Royal Family. The grandson of Queen Victoria was known for visiting the slums of Whitechapel. What was the name of Queen Victoria's grandson?

Prince Albert Victor. Prince Albert Victor, also known as Eddy, was known for visiting the slums of Whitechapel. He was seen with Mary Kelly quite often when he visited. It was suspected that Mary Kelly became pregnant with his child, and Eddy knew he wouldn't inherit the throne if it was found out. Theory has it that he sent someone to kill Mary. The problem was that the person he sent didn't know what she looked like, and this is how four women were murdered and mutilated. When Mary Kelly was found on November 9th, not only was her heart missing, but so was her uterus. Could this be because she was pregnant? If so, then this theory is probably true.

Scotland Yard documents state that all the murders were committed by a left-handed person.

t. According to Scotland Yard the person who committed the murders and authored the three authentic Jack The Ripper letters was left-handed. Only two suspects were left handed: Sir William Gull and John Pizer.

In 1992, Michael Barrett, a scrap metal dealer from Liverpool, claimed to have the diary of the man known as Jack The Ripper. What was the name of this man?

James Maybrick. Michael Barrett claims that his friend, Tony Devereux, gave him the diary. The diary is supposedly Jack The Ripper's diary. In 1995, Michael Barrett signed a confession stating, "I, Michael Barrett was the author of the original diary of 'Jack the Ripper' and my wife, Anne Barrett, hand wrote it from my typed notes." Even though the diary is a bold forgery, some people still believe it.

This suspect was a Russian doctor and a convict who was subsequently detained in a lunatic asylum as a homicidal maniac. His whereabouts at the time of the murders could never be proven. What was his name?

Michael Ostrog. According to Commissioner Sir Melville MacNaghten, Ostrog was a known thief who claimed he was a Jewish doctor and surgeon. Even though he was an habitual liar, MacNaghten still listed Ostrog as a suspect. Why was Ostrog a suspect? I think he was a suspect only because he could never prove his whereabouts for the Whitechapel murders. I don't think he was Jack The Ripper.

On May 23, 1892, this man was executed for the murder of his wife. While in prison, he claimed to be Jack The Ripper, although he was was locked up during the Whitechapel murders. What was the name of this man?

Frederick Baily Deeming. Frederick Baily Deeming killed his first wife in 1891 before moving to Australia. Shortly after arriving in Melbourne, Deeming murdered his second wife. When Deeming was executed, a plaster death mask was made and forwarded to Scotland Yard because the Australian police believed Deeming when he said he was Jack The Ripper. It is now known as Jack The Ripper's death mask and is held in the Black Museum.

In 1888 a man was arrested on homosexual activities. He was then put under suspicion of being the Whitechapel murderer. What was the name of this man?

Francis Tumblety. Francis Tumblety was an American doctor visiting London in 1888. He was arrested for homosexual activities and placed under suspicion of being Jack The Ripper. Tumblety eventually moved back to America and died in St. Louis in 1903. I don't believe that Tumblety was Jack The Ripper because no evidence suggests that he could possibly be.

According to another popular theory, Queen Victoria's Royal Doctor was Jack The Ripper. What was the name of the Queen's Royal Doctor?

Sir William Gull. Sir William Gull suffered a massive stroke in 1887. In 1890, Gull died at the age of 73. It was widely believed that Gull killed the prostitutes so he could try to control the monster that overcame him. The theory goes that Gull had his coachman bring the prostitutes to the coach, and once inside the coach, Gull would kill them. In the case of Elizabeth Stride, one could assume that Stride never reached the coach, thus not being mutilated. In the case of Mary Kelly she had her own flat, so it was easier for Gull just to go to her place and murder her there where he could take his time in mutilating her. One would think that with murders being performed in a coach the coach would be a bloody mess if it was ever stopped by a police officer. However, no police officer would dare stop this coach because it wasn't just a regular coach, it was a Royal coach. In my personal opinion Gull was more than likely Jack The Ripper.

Finish this everyday rhyme which is chanted in skipping games by children of the East End of London: "Jack The Ripper's dead, and lying on his bed. He cut his throat with _____________, Jack The Ripper's dead."

Sunlight Soap. This song is commonly performed by the children of the East End of London, particularly Whitechapel children. It is believed that if they chant it the spirit of Jack The Ripper will never harm them. All information can be found at www.crimelibrary.com and the book "Jack The Ripper: The Complete Casebook" by Donald Rumbelow.