# data[].attributes.body
This is a Biography Website by A&E television. It details the background and crimes of Jack the Ripper and provides some helpful links to the many resources available for those interested in learning or theorizing more about Jack the Ripper. It specifically discusses the theories of Trevor Marriott (Post #7) and Russell Edwards, a writer and amateur sleuth who purports that he has conclusively identified one of the suspects, a Polish Immigrant Aaron Kosminski, as Jack the Ripper, based on DNA evidence taken from the shawl of victim Catherine Eddows.  This DNA evidence has been largely discredited by a number of sources.

The purpose of this website is to promote A&E television's Biography on Jack the Ripper.  It attempts to explain the unexplained by proposing two very different theories. Biography itself is a credible source and rather than drawing any conclusions, simply outlines the possible theories and the evidence to support them from an unbiased viewpoint.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Infamous murderer Jack the Ripper killed at least five London female prostitutes in 1888. Never captured, his identity is one of English's most famous unsolved mysteries.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a website that advertises a walking tour of key points of interest in the unsolved Jack the Ripper murders.  The Jack the Ripper Walks was established in 1982, and you can purchase tickets on-line to reserve your spot.  For a cost of 10 pounds, you meet outside the gate of Aldgate East Underground station for a 2 hour twilight tour.  The website promises to take you through the mean streets of the Victorian East End (Whitechapel) to more sites and scenes that any other Jack the Ripper walk, guided by expert historians.   It takes you to the site where a barber, one of the suspects worked; a doorway where the Ripper allegedly scrawled a haunting message; the alleyway where the Ripper allegedly met one his victims; the pub where Mary Nichols spent the last of her doss, before falling victim to the Ripper; the Church Tower that was present in 1888, a central figure to the murders; and the former Convent where the last victim, Mary Jane Kelly sought shelter just before her murder.

The motivation for this source is money. The creator is a tour provider whose sole purpose for the website is to promote the history and the intrigue associated with the Jack the Ripper murders to convince members of the public to take the walking tour of the areas where the murders took place. The website uses a seal posted on their website identifying they have received the quality Badge of Authority awarded by Council for learning outside the classroom. This red flag is Appeal to Authority. Another Red Flag is Proof by Verbosity. The website includes a number of stops to flesh out their tour that have little to do with the Jack the Ripper killings or direct evidence, such as the Church that just happens to be in the area where the killings took place, but are not relevent to the mystery at all.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We offer you a that follows a truly atmospheric route and which goes straight into the old, narrow alleyways where you will feel like you've been transported back to the mean streets of the Victorian East End. In addition you will visit more murder sites and locations related to the Jack the Ripper murders than on other Jack the Ripper walks, and be guided in your experience by true experts on the subject.

Jack The Ripper Walk Highlights
All this and more awaits you...

The historic old building where, a major suspect worked as a barber in the basement

You will see the actual doorway on which Jack the Ripper may have scrawled a sinister message

The dark and sinister alleyway along which the lady who many believe was Jack the Ripper's victim walked with her killer in the early hours of 8th August 1888

The pub where Mary Nichols drank away her "doss" money shortly before her body was discovered nearby in the early hours of 31st August 1888

A warren of atmospheric old streets that have hardly changed since they formed the backcloth against which the Jack the Ripper saga was played out

You will learn of the terrible aftermath of the murder of the second of Jack the Ripper's victims, Annie Chapman, when one newspaper was forced to lament that "there may soon be murders from panic to add to murders from a lust for blood."

The soaring church tower that dominates its surroundings today just as it dominated its surroundings in 1888 when each one of Jack the Ripper's victims would have looked up at it on a daily basis

The pub in which the victims tried to forget the waking nightmare, perhaps even under the evil gaze of the ripper himself

The former convent where the ripper's last victim desperately sought shelter shortly before she was murdered in the street opposite

The doorway where Jack the Ripper's only clue was discovered

Allow us to set the scene...

It is the autumn of 1888, and a sinister serial killer is loose on the streets of London's East End. At first he is known simply as 'The Whitechapel Murderer'. But in time, thanks to a mysterious letter sent to a London news agency (a copy of which you will be shown in the course of the walk), he will become known as 'Jack the Ripper,' in which capacity his name will become famous throughout the world.

A Fascinating and Dramatic Tour

On this fascinatingly dramatic Jack the Ripper walk we will transport you back to that long ago era of gas lit terror and take you on a journey through the very streets where the infamous Whitechapel Murders occurred.

You'll Join The Hunt

You will join the Victorian police as they race against time to stop Jack the Ripper before he can kill again. We will also explain the reasons why they found it so difficult to hunt him down.

Your Very Own CSI

Your journey will wend its way through a veritable warren of back alleyways where you will have the opportunity to peruse original documents, see actual police photographs of the crime scenes, and even of the poor victims themselves. You will sift through the evidence, eliminate suspect after fascinating suspect and hear the most up to date theories concerning the killer's true identity.

The Night They Almost Caught Him

This lively and informative of Jack the Ripper walk will then cover the night of the double murder, the 30th of September 1888. This is the night when the police came closest to catching the ripper, and the night when Jack left his only clue behind.

We will discuss the importance of that clue and explain how it answers several questions about the murderer's identity, and about the condition he would have been in as he fled through the very streets that you will walk through tonight.

Original Crime Scene Photographs

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and so your experience will be enhanced with historic photographs of the streets through which you pass and the sites on which you stand as they were in 1888. This way you will get the full atmosphere of the area which you may not get on other Jack The Ripper Tours.

All in all, this is a truly atmospheric Jack the Ripper Tour through a part of London that few people venture in to.

But, as with many who have taken this fascinating walk, you will be pleased that you dared join us on a journey into the abyss as the twilight hours slowly envelope you in their eerie shadows.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Richard Jones - last modified by James Bavington

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We offer you a that follows a truly atmospheric route and which goes straight into the old, narrow alleyways where you will feel like you've been transported back to the mean streets of the Victorian East End.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a Whitechapel Murders History Resource on Jack the Ripper.  The site author is Richard Jones who is a historian who has written two books on Jack the Ripper, considered an expert interviewee in the History Channel's Documentary on Jack the Ripper and whose books and DVD's are used in English Classrooms.  On this website you can read and watch the full story of the Whitechapel murders.  There are on-line video tours and  extensive photos of the crime scenes.  You can review the evidence against many of the prime suspects, and the police investigation.  The website also contains links to newspaper archives and the Ripper letters.  It was last updated in 2016.

This website does not come to any conclusion about who Jack the Ripper was, but rather lays out the information for the public's consideration.  The purpose of the website is to promote Richard Jones' expertise on the subject.  Because it draws no conclusions, and simply lays out the facts and evidence, there are no red flags I can identify, other than it invites you to form your own opinion on the your perception of the evidence.  (Perception/Observation)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
1. The Jack The Ripper murders occurred between August 31st, 1888, and November 9th, 1888.

2. Although we can't say for certain, it is widely believed that Jack the Ripper had 5 victims.

3. Those five victims were, Mary Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Kelly.

4. However, there were 11 murders in the series of crimes that were officially known as "The Whitechapel Murders."

An introduction to the Whitechapel Murders

JACK THE RIPPER 1888

The Jack the Ripper murders occurred in the East End of London in 1888 and, although the Whitechapel Murderer was only a threat to a very small section of the community in a relatively small part of London, the crimes had a huge impact on society as a whole.

Indeed, by focusing the attention of the press and the public at large on the streets and people of one of London's poorest and most crime-ridden quarters, Jack the Ripper, whoever he may have been, managed to expose the sordid underbelly of Victorian society and, in so doing, he helped create an awareness amongst the wealthier citizens of London of the appalling social conditions that had been allowed to develope, largely unchecked, right on the doorstep of the City of London, the wealthiest square mile on earth.

Why is Jack The Ripper so famous?

HISTORY'S MOST INFAMOUS MURDERER

One of the things that puzzles many people about this particular long ago murder spree is quite why the crimes are still so famous, even though over a hundred and twenty five years have elapsed since they occurred.

If, as is generally believed, Jack the Ripper had only five victims, then he wasn't a particularly prolific murderer, compared to many who have come since, and the fact that his so-called reign of terror lasted a mere twelve or so weeks means that he wasn't at large for a particularly long period of time.

Yet there is little doubt that he is the world's most famous serial killer.

Why should this be?

What made these crimes so famous?

SOME OF THE REASONS FOR HIS INFAMY

Several factors combined to help make this series of crimes famous all over the world.

Not least amongst them was the fact that the newspapers of the day gave a huge amount of coverage to the crimes and provided their readers with daily updates on them with the result that Jack the Ripper effectively became a menacing media figure.

Secondly, the area in which the killings occurred was perceived as being a hotbed of vice and villainy, and a breeding ground for social unrest, squalor and disease. The Whitechapel Murderer, in the eyes of the wider Victorian society, came to be seen as the personification of all the evils with which the East End of London was associated.

This letter, signed "Jack the Ripper", truly captured the public imagination.

A JOURNALISTIC INVENTION?

Finally, there was, of course, the name by which the killer came to be known - Jack the Ripper.

The name first appeared as the signature on a letter that was sent to the head of a London news agency at the end of September, 1888.

It was this name - which was probably the invention of a journalist - that had the effect of turning five sordid East End murders into an international phenomenon and of catapulting the unknown miscreant who was responsible for the crimes into the realm of legend.

Indeed, the Whitechapel murders are probably the most studied crimes in history, and, to this day, a huge amount of research into them is still being conducted the world over.

On this website you can study all aspects of the Jack the Ripper murders and of Victorian crime in general, as well as learning about the history of the area in which the crimes occurred.

You can also study what the police were doing to try to catch the murderer and read about the public reactions to the crimes.

You can also cast your vote for the person that you think is the likeliest suspect.

Unmasking Jack The Ripper

This 75 minute documentary provides a full introduction to and synopsis of the Whitechapel murders.

It begins with an introduction to the social conditions in the area in which the Whitechapel murders occurred, before taking the viewer through the story of the murders as they unfolded between August, 1888 and November 1888.

Featuring commentary and analysis from acknowledged experts on the case, and using dramatic reconstructions to capture the feel of the time, the documentary makes an excellent introduction to the Jack the Ripper crimes.

HOW MANY VICTIMS WERE THERE?

One of the problems with ascertaining the exact number of victims that Jack the Ripper had is the fact that he was never caught, so it is difficult to ascertain an exact number of victims. The generic Whitechapel Murders file - the official name for the police investigation into the crimes - contains eleven victims, and it is generally believed that five of these were the work as the killer now known as "Jack the Ripper."

However, it should be stressed that the idea of there being a so-called "canonical five" victims is by no means certain. Indeed, many experts will tell you that there may have been as few as four victims or as many as eight victims of the ripper.

The list below is broken down into the "canonical five" Jack the Ripper victims; the generic Whitechapel murders victims, and other murders and attacks that took place in the area at the time which may, or may not, have been the work of Jack the Ripper.

The Canonical Five Victims

Other Whitechapel Murders

INTERNATIONAL NEWSPAPER COVERAGE

One of the more intriguing aspects of the Jack the Ripper murders is the amount of worldwide newspaper coverage that they generated. Journalists converged on the streets of the East End to report on the murders, and were often appalled by the diabolical living conditions.

INQUESTS AND INTERVIEWS

Pages and pages were given over to reporting on the inquests into the deaths of the victims; local residents were interviewed at length; police officers were followed, and sometimes even bribed, as reporters endeavoured to secure that all too elusive exclusive that might help sell more newspapers.

PRESS CRITICISM

The authorities were subjected to a constant barrage of press criticism, both for the inability of the police to bring the killer to justice, and the appalling social conditions that they had allowed to develop unchecked right on the doorstep of the City of London, the wealthiest square mile on earth.

A JOURNALIST'S INVENTION

Plus, most importantly, and as mentioned earlier, the name Jack the Ripper was most probably the invention of a journalist.

THE VICTORIAN SOCIAL CONDITIONS

The Whitechapel murders certainly played a part in helping to highlight the social conditions in certain parts of the East End of London, where a vast underclass had been fighting a daily battle for survival with many of the inhabitants being forced to dwell in appalling living conditions.

THE PLIGHT OF THE POOR

For many years, philanthropists and the socially concerned had been warning of the consequences that might ensue should something not be done to alleviate the hardships that were endured by the huge underclass that dwelt in the slums of Whitechapel and Spitalfields.

BRED IN THE SLUMS

When the Jack the Ripper atrocities began to focus the attention of society at large on the living conditions of the people in the area where the crimes were occurring, many came to see the murderer as an inevitable outgrowth of the crime, vice and squalor that were all endemic in the district.

THE PHYSICAL EMBODIMENT

Indeed, Jack the Ripper became the physical embodiment of widely held fears and prejudices about the East End of London.

ALMOST UNRECOGNISABLE

The East End of London today is almost unrecognisable from the East End of Jack the Ripper. Houses that in 1888 were infamous slum dwellings are now sought after residences that can sell for millions of pounds. What were once notorious back street boozers are now pricey gastro pubs.

TIME CAPSULES

Although the murders sites themselves have long since vanished, there are numerous streets and buildings that have survived and are still much as they were in the late 19th century. Many streets are true time-capsules, whilst some of the dark, cobbled alleyways can still feel menacing by night!.

OLD HOUSES AND PUBS

Streets such as Fournier Street, Princelet Street and Wilkes Street still possess a Victorian ambience that time and progress have not dispelled; whilst pubs such as the Ten Bells and the Hoop and Grapes would still be recognisable to a 19th century East Ender should they drop in for a pint.

JACK THE RIPPER TOUR

You can, if you wish, explore these places on one of our popular tours that explore the streets of Jack the Ripper's London.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Jack the Ripper - History, Victims, Letters, Suspects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Jack The Ripper murders occurred between August 31st, 1888, and November 9th, 1888. Although we can't say for certain, it is widely believed that Jack the Ripper had 5 victims. Those five victims were, Mary Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Kelly.

# data[].attributes.body
This is the official trailer of the new ABC show Time after Time based on a novel and a 1979 movie of the same name.  Science fiction writer H.G.Wells who wrote: War of the Worlds--a radio play that caused a sensation when people thought it was real & The Time Machine, (among others) is the main character of the TV series.  He travels in a time machine from the late 19th century, following Jack the Ripper into the future of modern day Manhattan.  He meets Jane Walker, his co-star and together they try to catch Jack the Ripper who has escaped 19th century London to find new victims in current day Manhattan.

This program has been designed to attract viewers for purely entertainment value. To attract viewers, it combines the fascination with HG Wells, a popular science fiction writer, with the possibility of time travel, with the intention of solving the greatest unsolved crime in British history, that of Jack the Ripper.  People that would believe this interpretation of theory, would do so because it explains the unexplained.  It answers the question as to why the murders stopped when they did, and solves the mystery in a interesting way.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a 2016 National Geographic documentary entitled Jack the Ripper: New Suspect Revealed. The documentary is hosted by Thomas Mueller, a Criminal Psychologist who has been researching Jack the Ripper for the last 30 years. Mueller begins by visually describing the 5 murders generally believed to be the work of Jack the Ripper, as well as the taunting letters received by the police.  As he analyzes the evidence, Mueller brings in a number of experts including Duncan Lee, a forensic investigator; Dr. Ian Calder, a Pathologist; Phil Harrison, a Mortuary Specialist; Rob Hollander, a Historian; and Trevor Marriott, a retired Detective Squad Captain.   Marriott has two theories.  His first theory, which is mainly speculation and not discussed thoroughly, is that there was a thriving trade in the sale of organs and body parts in London, at the time of the murders.  This theory is mentioned briefly but other than pointing out  the fact that some organs were missing from the bodies, nothing more was said on this.  The second theory, which is the host's conclusion of who the Ripper was, based on his research and the evidence (circumstantial) was that Jack the Ripper was Carl Feigenbaum, a German thief, compulsive liar and criminal.  Feigenbaum was captured in New York in 1894 after murdering two prostitutes in Ripper like style.    In particular, he used a knife of the same type that Jack the Ripper used, which was left at the scene of the crime; he mutilated the victims bodies leaving their entrails hanging out; and, he drew crosses on the victims flesh, similar to Eddows. To support his theory Marriott uses the information provided by Feigenbaum's brother, that Feigenbaum was a a merchant seaman and is able to place him with a German shipline that was in fact docked in London at the the time of all 5 Whitechapel murders. Marriott was unable to specifically conclude that Feigenbaum was on the ships at that time because the archives are missing from those 3 months. Also, Feigenbaum allegedly stated to his Lawyer that occasionally a desire came upon him to kill and mutilate women. Feigenbaum was found guilty of the New York killings and sent to Sing Sing Prison, located on the banks of the Hudson in New York. He was executed April 27, 1896 at Ossinging Prison, in New York, for the two New York murders.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a documentary produced by Splice TV, entitled The Missing Evidence:  Jack the Ripper and hosted by Swedish Newspaper Journalist Christer Holmgren. The documentary describes the details of the Jack the Ripper murders and mentions a few of the more popular suspects, according to various theorists. He specifically mentions that the DNA evidence theory linking Aaron Kosminski to the killings has been debunked because the shawl tested was never listed amongst Eddows' possesions in the police report and the DNA test was flawed. The suspect is Charles Allen Lechmere who was one of the two men that allegedly discovered the body of Polly Nichols, the second victim attributed to the Ripper. Lechmere, who identified himself as Charles Allen Cross to the Constable at the time of the body being discovered, gave an address where in fact no one by the name of Cross lived. However, an individual by the name of Charles "Allan" Lechmere did. A search of historical records revealed that Cross was a name used by Lechmere in the past as it was the name of his stepfather. Lechmere lied about this, and also downplayed the condition of Nichols to the Constable he reported the discovery to. He also told the Constable there was another constable with Eddows already, when it was not true at the time. This would have likely caused the Constable to treat Lechmere-Cross differently than if he knew it was a brutal murder and Lechmere was an actual witness. Holmgren also questions Lechmere/Cross' timeline on his discovery of the body. Based on Lechmere's normal time to leave for work, he was with the body at least 15 minutes before Robert Paul, the other witness approached. This is contrary to his statement that he and Paul discovered the body at the same time. If Lechmere planned the murder, and accordingly left for work earlier than usual, he would have been with the victim even longer. In addition to these questionable details, Holmgren points out that all except two of the murders occurred on Lechmere-Cross' path to work on Broad Street, and the two that fell outside this area, took place around the corner from Lechmere's Mothers house, on Lechmere's day off. Holmgren argues that collectively these details, though circumstantial are sufficient to convince him that Lechmere was almost certainly Jack the Ripper. But admits that, based on the passage of time, and the fact that all witness and the suspect is long dead, the identity of Jack the Ripper will likely never be solved.  Lechmere lived to the age of 71, became a grandfather many times over and also a very wealthy man. Interestingly, Holmgren does not discuss any theories to why the alleged killer Lechmere abruptly stopped murdering in the fall of 1888.

In this documentary, the red flag's Confirmation Bias, and Correlation with Causation stand out. Holmgren lays out all the facts in detail that support how Lechmere could be Jack the Ripper. However, he fails to address the issue as to why the murders stopped when they did. He acknowledges that Lechmere stayed in London and lived to the age of 71, and became a wealthy man, but does not provide any explanation as to why he did not continue to commit more murders. The fact that this put a huge gaping hole in his supposition, and that he does not even raise this point in a thoroughly researched documentary, suggests he has left it out because it does not support his theory. One key point that Holmgren argues is that 3 out of the 5 Whitechapel murders occurred in an area that Lechmere may have passed (had he gone that route) on his way to work.  Whitechapel at that time was extremely overcrowded and the area where Lechmere worked (Broad Street) was a prime industrial hub. It's very possible that any number of Whitechapel residents that lived at the same end of town that Lechmere did, may have also worked in the Broad Street industrial area, as well. Leaving for more in early morning is rather typical, and could have also placed many others in the area at the same time. This supports the correlation is not causation. The fact Lechmere passed the area, and was familiar with the area, does not make him the killer, in and of itself. Collectively the information is compelling, but does not draw conclusions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Uploaded by Crazy Weird Cool Shows on 2015-04-18.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a photo related to an article that discusses 5 theories of who Jack the Ripper was. Left to right: Painter Walter Sickert was identified as the killer in a book written in 2002, by Patricia Cornwell, who highlights SIckert's paintings which appear to mirror the Ripper's crime scenes. The Queen's grandson, Prince Albert Victor's proclivity for prostitutes and syphilis-induced-insanity could have lead him to commit the murders. Sir John WIlliams, the Queen's Royal Surgeon, was linked to the final victim, Mary Jane Kelly, by a picture of himself contained in the locket of the victim. It is supposed that he butchered the victims in search of a cure for his wife's infertility.

The Jack the Ripper murders have remained a popular unsolved mystery for more than a hundred years. There has been been significant on-going attempt to explain the unexplained and come up with a simple and believable solution to identify the killer, using a long list of suspects, some more unbelievable than others. This push to explain the unexplained and come up with a simple answer to identify the killer (SImplicity) has resulted in theories of who Jack the Ripper was that are too numerous to count. Some are somewhat reasonable based on circumstantial evidence, and some are patently unreasonable bordering on ridiculous. None can prove, based on direct evidence who the killer was. In fact, there is no direct evidence confirming all the murders were even by the same individual.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Portrait of a Killer: 6 Chilling Jack the Ripper Theories

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 1888, a butcher tore through London, leaving behind the mutilated corpses of numerous female victims. They called the killer Jack the Ripper. Yet, the question remains: Just who held the blade?

# data[].attributes.body
This is a photo of Jack the Ripper in a mask, with his face hidden.  I believe the photographers intention is not to suggest that Jack the Ripper was actually wearing a mask, but rather that he has managed to keep his identity secret from the public, to present day.  Despite all of the theories and suppositions, there is no absolute proof to identify who Jack the Ripper was....and there may never be!

This is evidence of Agenticity.  While there is no evidence that Jack the Ripper ever wore a mask, the perception that Jack the Ripper was a sort of bogeyman, influences peoples perception of the Ripper.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a copy of a letter that was sent to the Central News Agency, it is referred to as the Dear Boss letter. It was written in red ink and was the first time the name Jack the Ripper was used. Initially the police took the letter seriously when Catherine Eddows-one of the Ripper's victims- ear was cut off, as described in the letter.  It was published in the local papers in an effort to see if the public could identify the handwriting.  Later, the police concluded that the letter was almost certainly a hoax, perpetuated by a journalist to sell papers and it had the unintended consequence of inspiring many more fake letters sent to be sent to the police.

This letter raises the Red Flag Confirmation Bias. Shortly after one of the Ripper murders, this letter was sent to the Central News Agency. At the time there was a lot of pressure on Scotland Yard to identify the Killer, before any more murders took place. Scotland yard, though originally skeptical, too the letter very seriously when one of the victims, Eddows was missing an ear, as described in the letter. With scant evidence of who committed the crimes, Scotland Yard latched on to this as genuine, and at least initially, the points that supported it was a hoax.

# data[].attributes.body
Shelly Marie Kuris Student #100633869
World Mysteries Assignment #2
CRN 29041

# data[].attributes.body
This is an artists rendering of Jack the Ripper in the shadows, with a lady of the night (prostitute) in the foreground.  Jack is dressed like a gentleman, and has a knife ready.

This artists rendering is a romanticized rendering of Jack the Ripper following one of his victims.   Realistically, the prostitute would have almost certainly been less fancy based on her station, and the lone witness that may have seen the Ripper described his appearance as a rather shabbily dressed gentleman.  This is an Idealogical rendering of crime about to be committed, perhaps to increase the public's interest and create more sympathy towards the victims by the upper classes.