Who was Jack the Ripper?

Victorian London's unidentified slasher of prostitutes reamains still today the object of study, discussions, and obsession for thousands of people. New writings and studies are published every year about Jack the Ripper even though his victim count was five.The reason being is simple, he got away with it.

On August 31, 1888, a woman's lifeless body was found on Buck's Row in the heart of Lindon's Whitechapel slum. Mary Nichols, who was also known as Polly to all her friends earned her living as a prostitute until one client took her life away. Slashing her throat, as well as possibly choked since there were bruises found beneath her jaw line. During the autopsy the medical examiner found deep slashes on her abdomen and well as on her genital area.

For Scotland Yard the murder of a prostitute was nothing to start panic over. In fact during the same time as the death of Mary Nichols, two other women were found. Emma Smith who had been attacked by 4 or 5 men, living long enough to give descriptions, and Martha Tabram who was found in Whitechapel, stabbed 39 times. None of the crimes had nothing to do with the other, but the police had to wait to see if a pattern would arrise.

And on September 8, 1888, the body of Annie Chapman was found on Buck's Row. Another prostitute who had been choke to unconscienceness, her throat cut and disembowled. Her intestines had been torn away and draped over her one shoulder. Portions of her bladder and vagina, as well as her ovaries and uterus had been missing from the scene. Detectives on the scene knew they were dealing with someone who obviously had or was in the medical field due to the clean cuts the person had made to the victims body.

On September 25, 1888 the first letter was received at London's Central New's Agency, it read as follows :

Dear Boss,
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 (unnamed suspect ) Leather Apron gave me real fits. I am down on whores and shan't quit ripping the till 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 from me and my funny little games. I saved some of the 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 is. 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 would'nt you. Keep this letter back till I do a bit more work, then give it out straight. My kinife is nice and sharp I want to get to work right away if I get the chance. Good Luck.

Yours truly,
Jack the Ripper

Don't mind me giving the trade name. Wasn't good enough to post this before I got all the red ink off my hands curse it. They say I am a doctor now ha ha.

On September 30, 1888, Jack the Ripper was on the prowl again. This time two victims were found. Elizabeth Stride found off Berner Street, this time the victims throat slashed only, 30 minutes later the body of Catherine Eddows was found on in Mitre Square. According to the police, Catherine Eddows "had been gutted like a pig" . This time the victims intestines thrown around her neck . On a nearby wall a message was chalked "The Juws are not the men that will be blamed for nothing" .

During the medical examination of Catherine Eddows it had been revealed that her face and throat had been slashed, she had been disembowled like the other victim, and her kidney had been removed and taken. There were indications on the back of her ears that the killer intended to fullfill his promised but did not succeed in the removal of the ears.

That same morning another letter came into London's Central News Agency it read :

I was not codding dear old Boss when I gave you the tip. You'll hear about Saucy Jack's work tomorrow. Double event this time. Number one squealed a bit. Couldn't finish straight off. Had no time to get ears for police. Thanks for keeping the last letter back till I got to work again.

Jack the Ripper

On October 16, 1888, another letter was mailed to George Lusk, the newly organized Whitechapel Vigilance Committee. It was short, but to the point, it read as follows :

Mr. Lusk
Sir I send you half the Kidne I toook from one woman prasarved it for you tother piece I fried and at was very nise I may send you the bloody knif that took it out if you only wait a little longer

Catch me if you can Mister Lusk

The panic that London had felt was starting to go away by Halloween, even though Jack the Ripper was not finished. On November 9, 1888, in Miller's Court the remains of Mary Kelly, another prostitute had been found by her landlord, Mary Kelly was the only victim that had been killed indoors.

This time the killer showed exactly what he could do. He slashed Mary Kelly's throat so deep that she was almost decapitated. He also skinned her forehead, slicing off her ears and nose. Her left arm had been almost severed from her shoulder. Her legs had been flayed from her thighs to her ankles. She also had been disembowled, one of her hands had been set in the gaping hole the killer had made in her abdomen, as well as her liver set on her thigh. While police searched the home, Mary Kelly's breasts, kidneys, heart, and nose were placed on the nightstand as a display. Pieces of the young woman's flesh had been nailed to the wall. But that wasn't the worst of it. Mary Kelly had been three months pregnant, the killer had taken her uterus and fetus all for himself.

As quick as the Ripper's reign of terror began it stop even quicker. Even though it is said that two other victims, Alice Mackenzie and Frances Cole were victims of the Ripper's clutches. Experts argue that Jack the Ripper only had 5 victims and 5 victims only. Even though no suspect had been caught for these vicious crimes since the absence of fingerprints, DNA and no witnesses the list of suspects grows with each passing year. The list of suspects as of today are :

Montague John Druitt
Aaron Kosminski
Michael Ostrog
Jill The Ripper
Severin Anotoniovitch Klosovski
Dr. Thomas Neill Cream
Prince Albert Victor Christian Edward
James Kenneth Stephen
Prince Albert Victor & James Stephen ( TEAM KILLERS)
Dr. Alexander Pedachenko
Sir William Gull
Walter RIchard Sickert
Robert Donston Stephenson
James Maybrick
Dr. Francis Tumblety
Joseph Barnett
James Kelly
Rev. John George Gibson