The Crimes of Jack the Ripper

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JACK THE RIPPER - COLD CASE

I've always been interested in true crime, especially cases that have yet to be solved. I suppose there's a part of me that would love to be the first to discover the identity of the murderer, however unlikely it might be.

I've developed this lens for all the die-hard armchair detectives out there - enjoy!

Links to articles - VICTIMS

A Piece of Apron, Some Chalk Graffiti and a Lost Hour: AUTHOR: Jon Smyth

The Victims - Canonical Five

MARY ANN NICHOLS

Born Mary Ann Walker on August 26, 1845.
MURDERED on Friday 31st August 1888
FOUND at Bucks Row, Whitechapel.

Mary Ann, also known as Polly, was a middle-aged prostitute who spent most of her time fluctuating between the work house and the pavement. Polly was an alcoholic.

LAST SEEN by friend Emily Holland outside a grocer's shop on the corner of Whitechapel Road and Osborn Street. She was intoxicated. According to Emily, Polly was "very drunk and staggered against the wall." The two friends chatted on the corner for 7 or 8 minutes. The local church clock struck 2:30 am. Polly told Emily that "I have had my lodging money three times today and I have spent it...It won't be long before I'll be back." Polly then headed out to earn her doss money so she could return to the common lodging house at Flower and Dean Street.

She never made it.

At 3:40 or 3:45 AM Polly's body is discovered in Buck's Row by Charles Cross, a carman, on his way to work.

ANNIE CHAPMAN

Born Eliza Anne Smith in September 1841
MURDERED on Saturday 8th September 1888
FOUND in the rear yard at 29 Hanbury Street, Spitalfields.

Annie Chapman was described by friend, Amelia Palmer as a "sober, steady going woman who seldom took any drink." Although she was known to be a heavy drinker she was not considered an alcoholic.

Annie, known as 'Dark Annie' was a lonely, sick, prostitute who had come from a stable, secure home.

She was under nourished and suffering from tuberculosis and possibly syphilis. It is said that she was dying.

Hours before her murder, Annie had been sitting in the parlour of a common lodging house - 35 Dorset Street - eating potatoes with her fellow lodgers. As she had insufficient funds she asked Tim Donovan, the deputy, to keep her bed as "I shall not be long before I am in." She left the lodging house at around 1:50 a.m., and the deputy watched her go as she wandered off through Little Paternoster Row into Brushfield Street, turning then towards Spitalfields Church.

Annie's mutilated body was discovered only three or four hundred yards away from the lodging house, just after 6:00 a.m.

ELIZABETH STRIDE aka Long Liz

Born Elisabeth Gustafsdotter on November 27, 1843 in Gothenburg, Sweden.
MURDERED on Sunday 30th September 1888
FOUND in the yard at the side of 40 Berner Street, St. Georges-in-the-east.

Elizabeth Stride is described as a quiet woman who survived by cleaning, sewing and occasional prostitution. She had been arrested several times for drunken behaviour.

September 30th 1888

At 11:00 p.m. two laborers see Elizabeth leaving the Bricklayer's Arms Public House on Settles Street, with a short man sporting a dark mustache and sandy eyelashes. The man, dressed in a billycock hat, mourning suit and coat, embraces Stride.

Forty-five minutes later Stride is seen by labourer William Marshall on Berner Street, talking to a man in a short black cutaway coat and sailor's hat. They are kissing and Marshall hears the man say "You would say anything but your prayers."

At 12:35 am Police Constable William Smith sees Stride with a young man dressed in a dark coat and hard deerstalker hat. He is carrying a package wrapped in newspaper.

At approximately 12:40 a.m. Israel Schwartz sees a man stop and speak to a woman in the gateway where the murder is committed. The man attempts to pull the woman into the street before turning her round and pushing her down on the footpath. He also sees a man on the opposite side of the street lighting a pipe. The man committing the assault shouts "Lipski" as Schwartz turns to walk away. Schwartz reports that he is followed as far as the railway arch. He is unsure whether the two men knew each other. Schwartz describes the man as about 30 years old, 5' 5" tall. He has dark hair, a fresh complexion and a small brown mustache. He is dressed in an overcoat and a wide-brimmed black felt hat.

Another man, James Brown also says he sees Stride with a man at around the same time. The man is described as being stoutish and about 5' 7" tall. He is wearing a long black coat that hangs to his heels. Elizabeth is heard saying "No, not tonight, some other night."

Elizabeth's body is discovered at 1:00 am by Louis Diemschutz as he enters Dutfield's Yard with his horse and cart.

CATHERINE EDDOWES aka Kate Kelly

BORN April 14, 1842 in Graisley Green, Wolverhampton
MURDERED Sunday 30th September, 1888
FOUND Mitre Square, Aldgate, City of London

Approximately three-quarters of a mile (a walk of some 12 minutes) from the spot Elizabeth Stride was found, in a lonely, cobble-stoned square near to the city proper, Kate Eddowes met her end.

Kate, an intelligent but hot-headed woman, was suffering with Bright's Disease at the time of her death. She was known to drink but there is some question as to whether she prostituted herself. She was severely malnourished.

Two days before her death she had returned from picking hops in Hunton near Maidstone in Kent. She and her common-law husband, John Kelly had very little money left so Kate opted to spend the night of Friday 28th September at the casual ward in Shoe Lane. Although there is some speculation as to the truth of it, Kate was reported to have told the superintendent of the casual ward "I have come back to earn the reward offered for the apprehension of the Whitechapel murderer. I think I know him." The superintendent warned her to be careful he didn't murder her. "Oh, no fear of that." she replied.

On Saturday 29th September, Kate decides to go to Bermondsey to find her daughter and ask for some money. However at 8:00 p.m she is arrested by PC Louis Robinson outside 29 Aldgate High Street and taken to Bishopsgate Police Station with the help of PC George Simmons.

Kate leaves the station at 1:00 a.m.

At 1:45 a.m. her body is discovered by PC Watkins in Mitre Square.

Joseph Lawende, Joseph Hyam Levy and Henry Harris later report seeing Kate talking with a man at the corner of Duke Street and Church Passage. The man is described as 30 years old, 5 foot 7 inches tall and of a medium build. He has a fair complexion and mustache. He was dressed in a salt and pepper coloured, loose fitted jacket and a grey cloth cap, he wore a reddish handkerchief tied around his neck.

MARY JANE KELLY aka Marie Jeanette Kelly

BORN Limerick, Ireland
MURDERED Friday 9th November 1888
FOUND 13 Miller's Court, 26 Dorset Street, Spitalfields.
Possibly 25 at time of death.

Most of the information we have about Mary was provided by Joseph Barnett, the man she lived with just before her murder. This is likely to have come from Mary herself and we have little to corroborate it with; many people suspect that much of it was embellished.

An unconfirmed story states that Mary spent part of the evening drinking in the Britannia Public House. At approximately 11:00 p.m. she is seen with a young, well-dressed man with a dark mustache. At this point she is very drunk. Forty-five minutes later Mary Ann Cox sees Kelly ahead of her as she enters Dorset Street (from Commercial Street). Kelly is with a stout, shabbily-dressed man, in a long overcoat and billycock hat. In his hand is a pail of beer. He is approximately 5' 5" tall and aged around 35 years. His face is described as 'blotchy' and he has small side whiskers and a carrotty mustache.

The pair walk towards Miller's Court and Kelly's room, where Mrs. Cox passes them.

At 12:30 a.m. Catherine Picket hears Mary singing. When Mary Ann returns home at 1:00 a.m., Kelly is still singing.

At 2:00 a.m. Mary meets Hutchinson at Flower and Dean Street and asks him for money. "Mr. Hutchinson, can you lend me sixpence?" "I can't. I spent all my money going down to Romford". "Good morning. I must go and find some money", says Mary.

George then sees Mary stop and talk to a man he had passed earlier. He hears Mary say "All right", to which the man replies "You will be all right for what I have told you." The pair then walk towards Dorset Street. The man is carrying a small parcel in his left hand.

Hutchinson manages to get a good look at the man whilst he stands outside the Queens Head Public House. The man is 5' 6" to 5' 7" tall and about 35 or 36 years old. He is wearing a soft felt hat, long dark coat, trimmed in astrakhan, a white collar, black necktie with horseshoe pin, waistcoat and gold chain, with a red stone nesting in a large seal and dark spats over boots. In his right hand he carries kid gloves and a small package in the other.

Hutchinson follows Mary and the man as they cross Commercial Street and turn into Dorset Street. They linger outside Miller's Court for several minutes. Hutchinson watches them kiss. Mary is heard saying "All right, my dear. Come along. You will be comfortable."

Mary's body is found the next morning at 10:45.

Other Possible Victims of 'The Ripper'

Fairy Fay - 26 December 1887
Annie Millwood - 25 February 1888
Ada Wilson - 28 March 1888
Emma Smith - 3 April 1888
Martha Tabram - 7 August 1888
Annie Farmer - 20 November 1888
Rose Mylett - 20 December 1888
Elizabeth Jackson - June 1889
Alice Mackenzie - 17 July 1889
Frances Coles - 13 February 1891
Carrie Brown - 24 April 1891

Also
Whitehall Mystery - 3 October 1888
Pinchin St. Murder - 10 September 1889