UK UK - Jack the Ripper, London 1888, East End, in and around Whitechapel District UNSOLVED

[believe09]

Ooooh, thanks for this. I read P. Cornwell's book about Jack the Ripper several years ago. It was very, very interesting. I wonder what she thinks about these new developments...

I did as well EM-I found it to be disappointing, but I had high hopes considering the author and I appreciate her taking a leap regarding her beliefs.

The article and the image are extremely cool-thank you SW!

 

[t93]

I remember that Cornwell book also. She went into great forensic detail-it didn't really shed a lot of new light on the case but was still pretty interesting. That picture is eerie in that it looks like a few character actors I have seen onscreen. He is actually very ordinary looking.

 

[Elphaba]

Ooooh, thanks for this. I read P. Cornwell's book about Jack the Ripper several years ago. It was very, very interesting. I wonder what she thinks about these new developments...

Exactly what I was thinking... I, too, ponder what her thoughts are.

 

[PattyCake]

Corwell did a TV follow up with her book that proved her theory via DNA / and rare paper used to write ripper letters to police and same paper found in Sickerts possession. I think she found the killer imo.

 

[Julessleuther]

Believe--thanks for your comments about P.Cornwalls book, I have always wanted to read it and never got the chance. Even though you were disappointed, do you still think it is worth reading? Thanks!

I did as well EM-I found it to be disappointing, but I had high hopes considering the author and I appreciate her taking a leap regarding her beliefs.

The article and the image are extremely cool-thank you SW!

 

[reportertype]

Corwell did a TV follow up with her book that proved her theory via DNA / and rare paper used to write ripper letters to police and same paper found in Sickerts possession. I think she found the killer imo.

She found nothing conclusive.

snip

Patricia Cornwell's forensics team performed DNA testing on the backs of envelopes and stamps from the "Ripper" correspondence, as well as from Sickert's own correspondence. It should be stated from the beginning that DNA testing of material over a century old has never before been done. Nuclear DNA tests - the usual form of DNA testing - came back negative. The forensics team then attempted mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing, which provided some results. Similar "sequences" of mtDNA were found in both the "Ripper" correspondence and the Sickert correspondence.

another snip

Fact #2: The mtDNA results do not state that Walter Sickert was the author of those Ripper letters. They state only that the person who left DNA on Sickert's correspondence can not be eliminated from the percentage of the U.K. population who could have provided an mtDNA match. Walter Sickert's DNA no longer exists - he was cremated after his death.

Before we begin to discuss the actual interpretation of the mtDNA evidence, it is important to understand that the documents being tested were in most cases over a hundred years old. Most, if not all of them have been handled countless times by family members, archivists and researchers over the years, and so DNA contamination can be considered a serious problem. Little mention of this possible contamination is made in Cornwell's bo

http://www.casebook.org/dissertations/dst-pamandsickert.html

 

[Blackwatch]

I read the book and think the only interesting find was the watermarked stationary. It seems at least one of "Jack's" missives was written on very exclusive, very limited stationary, the same stationary Sickert had in his possession.

The psychological assumptions the author makes were, in my opinion, amateurish and groping. She theorized the murders were done because of a childhood operation and the pain attendant thereto. I strongly disagree.

Also, I've seen that face before. I've been reading Ripper literature for many years (I'm old), and some of the older books give pictures of many of the suspects. I can't quote which books now because I forgot and they're probably old and out of print, although the library may have some. I'm sure I've seen that face before.

 

[BeavisMom62]

I also enjoyed Cornwall's book. But at times, it seemed as if she were too eager to interpret the "evidence" and make it support her theory. It was still a compelling read. I enjoy all her books though. She is a great author. Love the Scarpetta series.

 

[BeavisMom62]

I read the book and think the only interesting find was the watermarked stationary. It seems at least one of "Jack's" missives was written on very exclusive, very limited stationary, the same stationary Sickert had in his possession.

The psychological assumptions the author makes were, in my opinion, amateurish and groping. She theorized the murders were done because of a childhood operation and the pain attendant thereto. I strongly disagree.

Also, I've seen that face before. I've been reading Ripper literature for many years (I'm old), and some of the older books give pictures of many of the suspects. I can't quote which books now because I forgot and they're probably old and out of print, although the library may have some. I'm sure I've seen that face before.

You know, Black, I've seen that face before also, I know I have. I only own three Ripper books, one of which is Cornwall's. I'll have to check the others, if I remember when I get home from work. I do agree with you about Cornwall's theory about his childhood operation and his subsequent "deformity" and pain. I can't remember, but I thought, either in that book,or maybe the TV special, that Sickert's brother or uncle or some relative, said either he never did have the "operation" Cornwall aludes to or he didn't have any problems afterwards. I can't remember. But she did try a little too hard to make her "evidence" fit the crime.

 

[MistyM]

here are some pix of suspects.


http://www.mysteryinlondon.com/jtr-suspects.html

i always thought it was the prince. how scandalous that would have been! http://www.casebook.org/suspects/eddy.html

 

[t93]

If it had been the Prince, it would have been horrible for Scotland Yard. Back then the Royal Class got away with murder easily. They shipped a lot of them here to America as punishment.:waitasec:

 

[kline]

I read the book and think the only interesting find was the watermarked stationary. It seems at least one of "Jack's" missives was written on very exclusive, very limited stationary, the same stationary Sickert had in his possession.

The psychological assumptions the author makes were, in my opinion, amateurish and groping. She theorized the murders were done because of a childhood operation and the pain attendant thereto. I strongly disagree.

Also, I've seen that face before. I've been reading Ripper literature for many years (I'm old), and some of the older books give pictures of many of the suspects. I can't quote which books now because I forgot and they're probably old and out of print, although the library may have some. I'm sure I've seen that face before.

With the exception of the piece of mail that arrived with apiece of human kidney "From Hell" their is considerable doubt as to whether any of the many pieces of mail recieved by newspapers and Scotland Yard were actually from Jack The Ripper.
I always thought that the policeman who very probably came face to face with him before discovering one of the bodies on the night of 'The Double Event' gave a pretty reliable description that matched Monty Druitt(Who comitted suicide shortly after the Miller's Court butchery) to a tee.
It didnt look anything like this composite. But who knows.
I read Cornwalls book and was less then impressed with the 'Dr.Phil' knockoff psychoanalyzing and her claim to have 'solved' the case.
To me a good analogy would be if Charles Manson had never been arrested.
You could study the work of contemporary 1969 artists,writers and actors looking for symbolism or the bizzare behavior(in the 60's!) of this well known 'suspect' or that aquaintance forever and never come within a mile of the truth of who killed Sharon Tate.
I think its probably the same in this case too.

 

[p7byrd]

John Druitt did not live or frequent East London, had a solid alibi during the murder of Annie Chapman, and most damning of all, was a homosexual.

Druitt was not Jack the Ripper.

 

[wfgodot]

The most likely lad to have been Jack? Robert D'Onston Stephenson, a.k.a. Roslyn D'Onston. See Melvin Harris's 'The True Face of Jack the Ripper' (Brockhampton Press, 1999).

 

[p7byrd]

The most likely lad to have been Jack? Robert D'Onston Stephenson, a.k.a. Roslyn D'Onston. See Melvin Harris's 'The True Face of Jack the Ripper' (Brockhampton Press, 1999).

I think it's more likely that Melvin Harris wants to sell a book and make money. The easiest way to do, it seems, is to write a book claiming to finally "unmask" the identity of Jack the Ripper, despite having no credible evidence.

In addition to absolutely no proof or evidence that Stephenson was the ripper, he was too old. And does not match the physical description given by witnesses.

 

[wfgodot]

I think it's more likely that Melvin Harris wants to sell a book and make money. The easiest way to do, it seems, is to write a book claiming to finally "unmask" the identity of Jack the Ripper, despite having no credible evidence.

In addition to absolutely no proof or evidence that Stephenson was the ripper, he was too old. And does not match the physical description given by witnesses.

Your argument fairly well damns any book which proposes a solution. Too old? How old does one have to be, to wreak mortal terror on the female denizens of Whitechapel? As for physical description, no one can say for sure they saw the Ripper, as he was never seen in the act of murder.

 

[p7byrd]

Your argument fairly well damns any book which proposes a solution.

If the books are based on little more than hearsay and ignore the facts and evidence of the case, then I certainly hope so. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Jack the Ripper books are just that.

Too old? How old does one have to be, to wreak mortal terror on the female denizens of Whitechapel?

Young enough to have the physical strength to subdue the victim from a standing position (with the perpetrator facing the victim) to a supine position in less than 30 seconds, at the same time ensuring a clean cut and the strength to carefully lower the body to the ground at the same time.

 

[p7byrd]

Also, Jack the Ripper did not have a medical background. That's a myth that is perpetuated by the media to romanticize the story. The way he chaotically mutilated his victims suggests nothing of the sort.

 

[carbuff]

Never pictured the Ripper with a *advertiser censored* 'stache before.

That was just the style at that time. Half the men in London might have had that kind of facial hair. The other half had beards -- clean-shaven was what was rare.

As for the face: looks like Maybrick to me.

 

[WhyaDuck?]

That was just the style at that time. Half the men in London might have had that kind of facial hair. The other half had beards -- clean-shaven was what was rare.

As for the face: looks like Maybrick to me.

Sorry, I was just kidding around.