Who Was the Real Jack the Ripper? | The Huffington Post Who Was the Real Jack the Ripper? 11/13/2015 01:55 pm ET | Updated Nov 12, 2016 Garry Rodgers Former homicide detective and forensic coroner Jack The Ripper, the man who terrorized London in the fall of 1888 by butchering at least five prostitutes, is the world's most famous serial killer who's never been caught. What did the original investigation tell us about him and what has modern forensics learned about his true identity? The name originates from a letter sent to police by someone claiming to be the murderer and it was signed "Jack The Ripper". Like so much in the Ripper case, it's difficult to sort fact from fiction as evidence has been lost over time and many facts are actually opinions by writers from over the past century. Jack The Ripper has remained in the public's fascination thanks to the mass of publicity that the murders originally received in the press. It was at a time of immense social change and the public were becoming more literate. As well, technology had advanced and allowed the immediate flow of information to the world.

Readers followed the case daily as the cat and mouse game between the police and the Ripper appeared to play out in the newspapers. The mysteries surrounding this killer add to the romance of the story and create an intellectual puzzle that people still want to solve. Interestingly, the series of murders stopped as abruptly as they started. Over the years, hundreds of books were written about the Ripper and dozens of suspects have been named. No one was ever charged -- however strong accusations are now made as the result of applying modern forensic techniques to hundred-year-old evidence. First let's look at the crimes. It's not clear how many women Jack The Ripper killed. Five for sure. Probably six. And possibly up to eleven murders that occurred in the Whitechapel area of London over a several year period. The nexus (connection) to the core group, known as the Canonical Five, comes from the killer's unique MO (modus operandi) and the proximity in area and time in which the bodies were found. The victims were: 1. Mary Ann (Polly) Nichols - murdered 31 August 1888. 2. Annie Chapman - murdered 08 September 1888. 3.

Elizabeth Stride - murdered 30 September 1888. 4. Catherine Eddowes - murdered 30 September 1888. 5. Mary Jane Kelly - murdered 09 November 1888. All of the victims were killed in the dark and in isolated locations. Pathology confirmed they were first strangled to unconsciousness, then finished off with lacerated throats. The degree of mutilation varied. One victim only had her throat slit (it may be that the killer was interrupted and scared off) while the others were extremely mutilated with organs removed. There was no evidence of recent sexual activity indicating -- as with most serial killings -- violence was the key element. There's been much speculation that the killer possessed advanced medical knowledge and used precision instruments in his work. This is not the case when analyzed objectively. The original autopsy reports are publically available, all confirming that the incisions and organ extractions could be done by anyone with reasonable strength using a large butcher knife. There were an unconfirmed number of taunting letters received by the police and the press from different people, with different handwriting, claiming to be the killer.

The first was on September 25th and was signed 'Jack The Ripper'. None of the letters are believed to be from the killer and none contained what would be hold-back information, known only to the police and the actual killer. It's certain that most were from media people fueling newspaper sales and some came from quacks. The investigation was principally handled by the City of London police with Scotland Yard assisting. Hundreds of leads were followed and forensic techniques of the day were applied, mostly sketches and photographs. This was long before DNA science and even proper fingerprinting, so there's no actual evidence or forensic signature available to identify the perpetrator. Unfortunately, most of the investigation files and physical exhibits were destroyed during the Blitz in World War Two. Three men were primarily identified as suspects. M.J. Druitt was a troubled barrister turned teacher who committed suicide a month after the last murder. Aaron Kosminiski was a Polish Jew who was locked in an asylum shortly after the murders and died in 1919. Michael Ostrog was the third police suspect, but the evidence against him was non-existent except that he was a demented con-man.

Many conspiracy theories popped up over the decades blaming the Freemasons, Irish extremists trying to terrorize the British, occultists, and even the grandson of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert Victor. A visit to Wikipedia finds a list of twenty-eight documented suspects -- some quite a stretch. In 1988, the FBI did a psychological profile on Jack The Ripper, describing him pretty much as a white male with serious mother issues. It's an interesting read and can be downloaded here . Recently, two books were published that profess to conclusively solve the Ripper mystery. One was by famed crime novelist Patricia Cornwell titled Portrait of a Killer -- Jack The Ripper -- Cased Closed. She identifies a tormented artist named Walter Sickert who undoubtedly penned a few of the Ripper letters and she makes a case at forensically proving his authorship. But she comes a long way from providing any link to his hands-on being the Killer and I'm surprised she stuck her neck out, given her prominence as a crime writer. The second book is titled Naming Jack The Ripper. It's by Russell Edwards who claims that he privately funded a research project which identified DNA linked to Aaron Kosiminski on a shawl associated to victim Catherine Eddowes.

This molecular identification is seriously questioned by DNA experts, including the discoverer of the technique, Sir Francis Crick. And at this writing -- November 2015 -- another forensic venture is underway in an attempt to solve the Ripper mystery. Dr. Wynne Weston-Davies claims in his new book The Real Mary Kelly that Jack The Ripper was actually Kelly's husband who staged the first four murders in a set-up to hide his fiendish plan to kill his prostitute wife, making it look like a serial killer was at work. Weston-Davies has applied to the British Ministry of Justice for an exhumation order to dig up Mary Kelly for a DNA sample to support his belief that he's Mary Kelly's great, great nephew. How all that ties together, I'm not sure. So who, really, was Jack The Ripper? He remains a bogey-man from the shadows and it's unlikely we'll ever know his true identity.

Follow Garry Rodgers on Twitter: More: BBC NEWS | UK | Infamous British serial killers Infamous British serial killers Shipman was found dead in prison on 13 January 2004 Dr Harold Shipman was the UK's most prolific serial killer, but he heads a long line of infamous murderers. Men and women have been convicted of killing for money, for sexual reasons, because of psychological illness and even to advance up the social ladder. Dr Harold Shipman was jailed for life in January 2000 for murdering 15 patients while working in Hyde, Greater Manchester. An official report later concluded he killed between 215 and 260 people over a 23-year period in Hyde and Todmorden, West Yorkshire. The 57-year-old GP was given 15 life sentences to run concurrently for the murders, and four years for forging a will. He always denied his crimes and was found hanged in his cell in January 2004.

Wests Rosemary and Fred West buried their victims under their patio Probably the most notorious British serial killers of recent history are Fred and Rosemary West, who abducted, tortured, raped and murdered an unknown number of women over a 20-year period. They buried many of their victims under their home at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester. Fred West eventually committed suicide before being brought to face charges of murdering 12 people, including his first wife and eldest daughter. Rose West was convicted of 10 murders at Winchester Crown Court in November 1995 and is serving life in Holloway prison in north London. Allitt Another notorious serial killer was nurse Beverley Allitt, who suffered from psychological illness. In the spring of 1991, Allitt worked at the Grantham and Kesteven Hospital. Over a 58-day period that year, a series of mysterious deaths, illnesses and injuries struck the hospital. Two years later, the paediatric nurse was convicted at Nottingham Crown Court in 1993 on 13 charges of murder and causing grievous bodily harm.

Nilsen Police learnt of Nilsen's murders when body parts blocked drains Dennis Nilsen claimed to have killed 16 young men by luring them back to his flat in Muswell Hill, north London, before strangling them. Nilsen calmly confessed to the murders when police were called in following the discovery of human flesh by a drains engineer investigating complaints of an unpleasant smell. When challenged, Nilsen showed detectives body parts and a pair of severed heads he had yet to dispose of. He was convicted of six murders and jailed for life in 1983. Sutcliffe Few serial killers can lay claim to the level of fear inspired by Peter Sutcliffe's reign of terror as the Yorkshire Ripper. Sutcliffe became the subject of one of the largest police manhunts as he preyed on women across the north of England during the 1970s. Though he later claimed he was driven to murder 13 women by messages from God, the Crown decided he was fit to face murder charges. He was sentenced to no less than 30 years behind bars.

Moors Murderers Hindley died from pneumonia and heart disease in 2002 Though well down on the list in terms of lives claimed, Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, both given indefinite life sentences, were two of Britain's most demonised figures. Their attacks on five small children, whom they disposed of on Manchester's bleak Saddleworth Moor in the 1960s, scandalised the nation and continue to cause outrage. In 1966 they confessed to killing three children and then another two in 1987. Hindley died in November 2002. 'Acid bath vampire' REST OF THE WORST John Childs: burned the bodies of his six victims at his east London flat. Jailed for life in 1980 Colin Ireland: terrorised London's gay community, torturing and killing five homosexuals. Jailed for life in 1993 Jack the Ripper: never identified or caught, he killed at least five women around London's East End in 1888 John Christie: Landlord who gassed eight people and sexually interfered with their corpses.

Hanged in 1949 Ken Erskine: The 'Stockwell Strangler' murdered seven pensioners. Jailed for 40 years in 1988 Among the more elaborate murderers lies John Haigh who was branded the "acid bath vampire". Haigh claimed to have drunk the blood of the six victims he disposed of in vats of acid. A forger and fraudster, he befriended his victims before faking legal documents to secure money and possessions after their death. Although he tried to plead insanity, Haigh was convicted and hanged in 1949. Cotton Victorian poisoner Mary Ann Cotton is widely held to have sent more than 20 victims to an early grave. She was convicted of six murders in 1873 and hanged in Durham jail. Across a 20-year period, her life was marked by determined efforts to scale the social ladder and the number relatives who died - of remarkably similar symptoms - in her presence. Cotton was eventually caught when a post mortem examination on one of her children revealed arsenic poisoning as the cause of death.

An Introduction to the Jack the Ripper Mystery An Introduction to the Jack the Ripper Mystery An Introduction to the Jack the Ripper Mystery The 'From Hell' Letter. Public Domain (Crown Copyright Waived) / Wikimedia Commons By Robert Wilde Updated January 20, 2016. Someone in London murdered and mutilated a number of prostitutes during the autumn of 1888; the press went into a frenzy, politicians pointed the finger at each other, hoaxers polluted the investigation and one of several nicknames stuck: Jack the Ripper. Over a century later Jack's identity has never been wholly proven (there isn't even a leading suspect), most aspects of the case are still debated and the Ripper is an infamous cultural bogeyman. The Enduring Mystery: The Ripper's identity has never been established and people have never stopped looking: the publishing rate's average is a new book a year since 1888 (although most of these have come in recent decades).

Unfortunately, the wealth of Ripper source material - letters, reports, diaries and photographs – provides enough depth for detailed and fascinating research, but too few facts for any incontrovertible conclusions; just about everything about Jack the Ripper is open to debate and the best you can get is a consensus. continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance People are still finding new suspects, or new ways to reframe old suspects, and books are still flying off the shelves. There is no better mystery. A Narrative of the Jack the Ripper Killings. The Crimes: Traditionally, Jack the Ripper is considered to have killed five women, all London prostitutes, during 1888: Mary Ann 'Polly' Nichols on August 31, Annie Chapman on September 8, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes on September 30 and Mary Jane (Marie Jeanette) Kelly on November 9. In practice there is no agreed list: the most popular change is to discount Stride and/or Kelly, sometimes adding Martha Tabram, killed August 7th. Authors naming more than eight have achieved very little consensus.

At the time Polly Nichols was sometimes considered the second or third person to have been killed by the same person, and plenty of later investigators have searched the world in search of similar killings to see if the Ripper moved on. Biographies of the Victims The Ripper generally killed by strangling his victims, then laying them down and cutting the arteries in their throats; this was followed by a varied process of mutilation, during which parts of the body were removed and kept. Because Jack did this quickly, often in the dark, and because he seemed to have great anatomical knowledge, people have assumed the Ripper had a doctor's or surgeon's training. As with much of the case, there is no consensus: a contemporary thought him simply a blunderer. There have been accusations that the missing organs weren't stolen from the bodies by the Ripper, but by people dealing with them later. Evidence for this is scant.

The Letters and Nicknames: During the autumn and winter of 1888/89 a number of letters circulated among the police and newspapers, all claiming to be from the Whitechapel murderer; these include the 'From Hell' letter and one accompanied by part of a kidney (which may have matched a kidney taken from one of the victims, but like everything Jack we're not a hundred per cent sure). Ripperologists consider most, if not all, of the letters to be hoaxes, but their impact at the time was considerable, if only because one contained the first use of 'Jack the Ripper', a nickname the papers swiftly adopted and which is now synonymous. Horror, Media and Culture: The Ripper killings were neither obscure nor ignored at the time. There was gossip and fear in the streets, questions at high levels of government, offers of rewards and resignations when nobody was caught. Political reformers used the Ripper in arguments and policemen struggled with the limited techniques of the time. Indeed, the Ripper case remained high profile enough for many of the police involved to write private accounts years later. However, it was the media who made 'Jack the Ripper'.

By 1888 literacy was common amongst the crowded citizens of London and newspapers reacted to the Whitechapel Murderer, whom they initially christened 'Leather Apron', with the frenzy we expect from modern tabloids, stirring opinions, fact and theory – along with the probably hoaxed Ripper letters – together to create a legend which seeped into popular culture. From the very start, Jack doubled as a figure from the horror genre, a bogeyman to scare your kids. A century later, Jack the Ripper is still hugely famous world over, an unknown criminal at the centre of a global manhunt. But he is more than that, he's the focus of novels, films, musicals and even a six inch high model plastic figure. Jack the Ripper was the first serial killer adopted by the modern media age and he's been at the forefront ever since, mirroring the evolution of western culture. Will The Mystery Be Solved?: It's extremely unlikely anyone will be able to use the existing evidence to prove, beyond all reasonable doubt, who Jack the Ripper was and, while people are still uncovering material, the discovery of something unarguable has to be regarded as a long-shot.

Fortunately, the mystery is so fascinating because you can do your own reading, draw your own conclusions and, with some critical thinking, generally have as much chance of being right as everyone else! Suspects range from people the detectives at the time suspected (such as George Chapman / Klosowski ), to a whole gallery of strange suggestions, which include no less than Lewis Carroll , a royal doctor, Inspector Abberline himself, and someone who even blamed their relative decades later after finding some tenuous items! Jack The Ripper Biography - Childhood, Life Achievements & Timeline Criminals Jack the Ripper Biography Jack the Ripper was the name given to an unidentified serial killer active in London during the late 19th century. This biography of Jack the Ripper provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline Quick Facts The Whitechapel Murderer, Leather Apron Famous as Organized Image Credit Jack the Ripper was the name given to an unidentified serial killer active in London during the late 19th century. He is believed to have killed at least five women who were working as prostitutes in an impoverished area in London though the actual count of his victims may be higher.

The legend of Jack the Ripper is one of the most enduring murder mysteries of all time especially because the real identity of the killer was never discovered. All the victims targeted by the killer were poor prostitutes who lived and worked in the slums of London. The bodies of most of the women were found with the throat slit and the abdominal area mutilated. The gruesome nature of the murders terrified the people, and the fact that the murderer was a serial killer likely to strike again further horrified the citizens of London. The police too was baffled by the murders as they could find no definite clue leading to the identity of the murderer even though they managed to prepare a list of the suspects. The identity of the killer puzzled detectives for well over a century. In recent years it has been suggested by some sources that Jack the Ripper was a 23-year-old Polish immigrant called Aaron Kosminski. Major Crimes Jack the Ripper is believed to have murdered at least five womenâall of them prostitutesâin an impoverished region of London.

In the early morning of 31 August 1888, the body of a middle-aged prostitute named Mary Ann Nichols was found lying on the ground in the Whitechapel area of London by a cart driver. Mary Annâs throat had been slit and her abdomen had been ripped open by a deep, jagged wound. There were also other injury marks on her body, all caused by a sharp knife. The discovery of this body shocked the residents of Whitechapel even though violent crime was not a rarity in that area. Another shock awaited the citizens of London on the morning of 8 September 1888. Annie Chapman, a 47 year old prostitute, was found dead near a doorway in the Whitechapel area. Her body too bore similar injuries as in the case of Mary Ann. Chapmanâs throat had been slit and her abdomen slashed open and her uterus removed. On 30 September 1888, the body of Elizabeth "Long Liz" Stride was found by a cart driver at around 1 a.m. Blood was still flowing from a cut in her neck, suggesting that she had been freshly killed.

The same day, the body of another woman, Catherine "Kate" Eddowes, was also found. Her throat had been slashed and her body mutilated. The discovery of two bodies in a single day set off a panic wave in Whitechapel as the residents realized that the killer was getting more sadistic than before. The murders of both Stride and Eddowes were attributed to the same killer who was believed to have murdered Nichols and Chapman. On 1 October 1888, the Central News Agency received a postcard signed âJack the Ripperâ. The writer claimed responsibility for Stride's and Eddowes's murders. A few days later, on 16 October, the Chairman of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee received a parcel containing half a human kidney along with a note that claimed that the writer had eaten the missing kidney half. These letters, along with hundreds of others received by the police and the newspapers created considerable sensation. The body of another woman was discovered in her room on 9 November 1888. Mary Jane Kellyâs body was found in a state of undress and severely mutilated. Her throat had been slit and her abdomen ripped open.

Several of her internal organs had been taken out, and her heart was also missing. This murder too was believed to have been committed by the serial killer now dubbed Jack the Ripper. Several weeks went by and no other gruesome murder was reported where the victim had been killed in the same fashion as these five women. Kelly is widely believed to be the final victim of Jack the Ripper. Along with the murder of these five women, six other murders, those of Emma Elizabeth Smith, Martha Tabram, Rose Mylett, Alice McKenzie, Frances Coles, and an unidentified woman were also linked with Jack the Ripper though not conclusively. The police interviewed more than 2000 people and several suspects were named. Since the killer seemed to have a certain degree of anatomical knowledge, several butchers, slaughterers, and physicians fell under the purview of suspicion. The fact that none of the women were sexually assaulted gave rise to the speculation that the killer might have been a woman. More than 100 people have been named as Jack the Ripper suspects.

Some of the strong suspects were Montague John Druitt, Seweryn Antonowicz KÅosowski, Aaron Kosminski, Michael Ostrog, and Francis Tumblety. Legacy The fact that the identity of Jack the Ripper was never discovered made his case one of the most enduring murder mysteries in the history of crime. The killer has featured in hundreds of works of fiction including novels, stories, video games, plays, operas, television programs, and films. The case has also inspired several works of non-fiction, making it one of the most written-about true-crime subjects Translate this page to Spanish, French, Hindi, Portuguese Pictures of Jack The Ripper Recommended Profiles Jack the Ripper, famous serial killer, finally identified - AOL News Jack the Ripper, famous serial killer, finally identified Before you go, we thought you'd like these... See Gallery Jack the Ripper, famous serial killer, finally identified A knife allegedly used by serial killer Jack the Ripper is displayed at a press preview of the 'Jack the Ripper and the East End' exhibition at Museum in Docklands, in London, on May 14, 2008.

Returning to the scene of London's most infamous crimes in 'Jack the Ripper and the East End', the exhibition explores the Jack the Ripper murders and their enduring legacy. Visitors can examine orginal documents and artefacts from the investigation and follow the crimes as they unfolded. The exhibition runs until November 2, 2008. AFP PHOTO/Carl de Souza (Photo credit should read CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images) A letter allegedly written by Jack the Ripper and sent to a London news agency on Spetember 25, 1888 is displayed at a press preview of the 'Jack the Ripper and the East End' exhibition at Museum in Docklands, in London, on May 14, 2008. Returning to the scene of London?s most infamous crimes in 'Jack the Ripper and the East End', the exhibition explores the Jack the Ripper murders and their enduring legacy. Visitors can examine orginal documents and artefacts from the investigation and follow the crimes as they unfolded. The exhibition runs until November 2, 2008.

AFP PHOTO/Carl de Souza (Photo credit should read CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images) The corpse of Elizabeth Stride, murdered by Jack the Ripper at Derner Street, September 30, 1888. Jack the Ripper was an English serial killer who killed five women in London in 1888 and was never caught. (Photo by Express Newspapers/Getty Images) The corpse of Annie Chapman, murdered by Jack the Ripper at Hanbury Street, September 8, 1888. Jack the Ripper was an English serial killer who killed five women in London in 1888 and was never caught.

(Photo by Express Newspapers/Getty Images) UNSPECIFIED : picture from Scotland Yard of Mary Ann Nicholls victim of serial killer Jack the Ripper september 1888 (Photo by Apic/Getty Images) 1888, London, England, Murder, Elizabeth Stride, aged 45, a prostitute, died in Berners Street, Her windpipe was severed, but Jack the Ripper had apparantly been interrupted and she became one of his six victims (Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images) 1889: A fanciful engraving showing 'Jack The Ripper', the east end Murderer of prostitutes in the nineteenth century, being caught red-handed, grasping one of his victims by the hair and holding a knife. The caption reads : 'The Whitechapel murder, The cry is Jack The Ripper !!'. Illustrated Police News - pub. 1889 Vict 0371 21 (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) The corpse of 40-year-old Alice McKenzie, who was murdered on 17th July 1889 in Castle Alley, Whitechapel, London, July 1889. Her left carotid artery has been severed.

The murder was attributed by many to contemporary serial killer Jack the Ripper, although several investigators were unconvinced. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Mitre Square in the City of London, with Church Passage (later St James's Passage) in the right corner, circa 1928. It was here that prostitute Catherine Eddowes was murdered by serial killer Jack the Ripper, on 30th September 1888. The plaque on the wall reads 'Site of the Priory of the Holy Trinity. Founded 1108'. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Mitre Square in the City of London, with an arched passageway leading to St James's Passage (formerly Church Passage), circa 1928. It was here that prostitute Catherine Eddowes was murdered by serial killer Jack the Ripper, on 30th September 1888. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) circa 1900: Hanbury Street in Spitalfields, east London, where Annie Chapman was murdered by serial killer Jack the Ripper on 8th September 1888.

(Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) circa 1900: Miller's Court in Dorset Street, east London, where Mary Jane Kelly was murdered by serial killer Jack the Ripper on 9th November 1888. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) A member of staff holds the knife allegedly used by Jack the Ripper during a press preview for the exhibition "Jack the Ripper and the East End" at the Museum in Docklands, London, Wednesday, May 14, 2008. The exhibition, which will open to the public on Thursday, displays for the first time surviving original documents, including police files, photographs and letters from the public to highlight the serial killer, who allegedly murdered 11 women between 1888 and 1891 in London's East End. (AP Photo/Akira Suemori) A member of staff is seen reflected in "The Illustrated Police News" on display during a press preview for the exhibition "Jack the Ripper and the East End" at the Museum in Docklands, London, Wednesday, May 14, 2008.

The exhibition, which will open to the public on Thursday, displays for the first time surviving original documents, including police files, photographs and letters from the public to highlight the serial killer, who allegedly murdered 11 women between 1888 and 1891 in London's East End. (AP Photo/Akira Suemori) A member of the staff is silhouetted against a display of suspects' pictures as she poses for photographers during a press preview for the exhibition depicting the murders of the notorious "Jack the Ripper and the East End" at the Museum in Docklands, east London, Wednesday, May 14, 2008. The exhibition, which will open to the public on Thursday, brings together surviving original documents for the first time, including police files, photographs and letters from the public to highlight the serial killer, who allegedly murdered 11 women between 1888 and 1891 in London's East End, and the world where the crimes took place.

(AP Photo/Akira Suemori) A letter with the signature of an individual calling themselves 'Jack the Ripper' is seen during a press preview for the exhibition "Jack the Ripper and the East End" at the Museum in Docklands, London, Wednesday, May 14, 2008. The exhibition, which will open to the public on Thursday, displays for the first time surviving original documents, including police files, photographs and letters from the public to highlight the serial killer, who allegedly murdered 11 women between 1888 and 1891 in London's East End. (AP Photo/Akira Suemori) A member of staff looks at a mortuary trolley on display during a press preview for the exhibition "Jack the Ripper and the East End" at the Museum in Docklands, London, Wednesday, May 14, 2008. The exhibition, which will open to the public on Thursday, displays for the first time surviving original documents, including police files, photographs and letters from the public to highlight the serial killer, who allegedly murdered 11 women between 1888 and 1891 in London's East End.

(AP Photo/Akira Suemori) A member of staff poses stands in front of a screen showing a short movie about Jack the Ripper during a press preview for the exhibition "Jack the Ripper and the East End" at the Museum in Docklands, London, Wednesday, May 14, 2008. The exhibition, which will open to the public on Thursday, displays for the first time surviving original documents, including police files, photographs and letters from the public to highlight the serial killer, who allegedly murdered 11 women between 1888 and 1891 in London's East End. (AP Photo/Akira Suemori) A letter with the signature of an individual calling themselves 'Jack the Ripper' is seen during a press preview for the exhibition "Jack the Ripper and the East End" at the Museum in Docklands, London, Wednesday, May 14, 2008.

The exhibition, which will open to the public on Thursday, displays for the first time surviving original documents, including police files, photographs and letters from the public to highlight the serial killer, who allegedly murdered 11 women between 1888 and 1891 in London's East End. (AP Photo/Akira Suemori) An old police uniform and equipment are seen on display during a press preview for the exhibition "Jack the Ripper and the East End" at the Museum in Docklands, London, Wednesday, May 14, 2008. The exhibition, which will open to the public on Thursday, displays for the first time surviving original documents, including police files, photographs and letters from the public to highlight the serial killer, who allegedly murdered 11 women between 1888 and 1891 in London's East End. (AP Photo/Akira Suemori) Shop windows and real estate signs line a row in the Whitechapel area of east London, once the haunt of Jack the Ripper, March 2000. Once considered one of the more lawless sides of London, the neighborhood is now starting to be listed by upscale real estate agencies.

(AP Photo Alastair Grant) circa 1891: A map of Whitechapel in east London, where eleven women were killed between 1888 and 1891, and the murders often attributed to unidentified serial killer Jack the Ripper. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, c1890s. Portrait of the prince (1864-1892), who died of pneumonia before he was thirty. The eldest son of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), Prince Albert Victor's life has been wrapped in secrecy and scandal. He is thought to have visited a male brothel, to have fathered an illegitimate child by a married woman, and was for a time rumoured to have been Jack the Ripper. (Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images) A member of staff is seen reflected in the glass case containing the knife allegedly used by Jack the Ripper during a press preview for the exhibition "Jack the Ripper and the East End" at the Museum in Docklands, London, Wednesday, May 14, 2008.

The exhibition, which will open to the public on Thursday, displays for the first time surviving original documents, including police files, photographs and letters from the public to highlight the serial killer, who allegedly murdered 11 women between 1888 and 1891 in London's East End. (AP Photo/Akira Suemori) 'Blind-Man's Buff', 1888. The policeman faces insurmountable odds in his attempts to catch the many villains operating on the streets of Britain's towns and cities. This was the year also of Jack the Ripper and the failure of the police to find the guilty man led to them being less than flattering coverage in the newspapers of the day. From Punch, or the London Charivari, September 22, 1888. (Photo by The Cartoon Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images) UNSPECIFIED : James Maybrick, the cotton merchant suspected of being Jack the Ripper - the merchant James Maybrick suspected to be Jack The Ripper, circa 1888 (Photo by Apic/Getty Images) An imagined portrait of the unidentified serial killer known as Jack the Ripper, circa 1890.

At least five murders attributed to the killer took place in Whitechapel, London in 1888. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, c1890s. Portrait of the prince (1864-1892), who died of pneumonia before he was thirty. The eldest son of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), Prince Albert Victor's life has been wrapped in secrecy and scandal. He is thought to have visited a male brothel, to have fathered an illegitimate child by a married woman, and was for a time rumoured to have been Jack the Ripper.

(Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images) UNSPECIFIED - circa 1910: Walter Richard Sickert (1860-1942), English artist of the New English Art Club, he was suspected of being Jack the Ripper (Photo by Apic/Getty Images) UNSPECIFIED : James Maybrick, the cotton merchant suspected of being Jack the Ripper - the merchant James Maybrick suspected to be Jack The Ripper, circa 1888 (Photo by Apic/Getty Images) 050404_5303_3408_jshs|20040309_0201|3183954|5298_040904_20661|caucasian|casino|chance|chips|excit|fate|gain|gamble|gambling|happy|indoors|luck|male|man|opportunity|poker|probability|profile|profit|risk|stack|stakes|studio|success|unpredictable|value|venture|wager|wagering|white|winnings|vc0061

 circa 1860: William Withy Gull (1816 - 1890), the first Bart physician and Royal physician to Queen Victoria.

He was also peripherally involved with the notorious Bravo poisoning case, and was a major suspect in the Jack the Ripper murders. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Bucks Row, now Durward Street, east London, where the body of Mary Ann Nichols, victim of Jack the Ripper, was found lying across the gutter. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) UNITED KINGDOM - CIRCA 2003: Police monitoring a suspect at the time of Jack the Ripper, London, 1888, engraving. England, 19th century. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images) UNITED KINGDOM - CIRCA 2003: The police questioning a homeless person in the course of the investigation for the crimes of Jack the Ripper, 1888, engraving. England, 19th century. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images) LONDON - JULY 13: A copy of 'The Lighter Side Of My Life' is displayed at the Crime Museum at New Scotland Yard on July 13, 2006 in London.

The book was donated by Neville Swanson, the great-grandson of Chief Inspector Donald Swanson who was the officer in charge of the original investigaton into the murders of at least five women, all prostitutes, in East London in the late 1800's. The final page of the book contains original notes made by Chief Inspector Swanson including the sentence 'Kosminski was the supsect'. (Photo by Will Rose-Pool/Getty Images) LONDON - JULY 13: Notes made on the final page of the book 'The Lighter Side Of My Life' are displayed at the Crime Museum at New Scotland Yard on July 13, 2006 in London. The book was donated by Neville Swanson, the great-grandson of Chief Inspector Donald Swanson who was the officer in charge of the original investigaton into the murders of at least five women, all prostitutes, in East London in the late 1800's. The final page of the book contains original notes made by Chief Inspector Swanson including the sentence 'Kosminski was the supsect'.

(Photo by Will Rose-Pool/Getty Images) Police equipment, as used in the 1880's, is displayed at a press preview of the 'Jack the Ripper and the East End' exhibition at Museum in Docklands, in London, on May 14, 2008. Returning to the scene of London?s most infamous crimes in 'Jack the Ripper and the East End', the exhibition explores the Jack the Ripper murders and their enduring legacy. Visitors can examine orginal documents and artefacts from the investigation and follow the crimes as they unfolded. The exhibition runs until November 2, 2008. AFP PHOTO/Carl de Souza (Photo credit should read CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images) A letter allegedly written by Jack the Ripper and sent to a London news agency on Spetember 25, 1888 is displayed at a press preview of the 'Jack the Ripper and the East End' exhibition at Museum in Docklands, in London, on May 14, 2008.

Returning to the scene of London?s most infamous crimes in 'Jack the Ripper and the East End', the exhibition explores the Jack the Ripper murders and their enduring legacy. Visitors can examine orginal documents and artefacts from the investigation and follow the crimes as they unfolded. The exhibition runs until November 2, 2008. AFP PHOTO/Carl de Souza (Photo credit should read CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images) Up Next The Murky Guide to London's Criminal History - Articles - Living in London DATING The Murky Guide to London's Criminal History London is a city rich in history, however there are many sinister tales involved as well. The criminal world of London's past has introduced some infamous names, whose bad deeds and despicable behaviours still incite curiosity and fascination today. Hopefully this short guide will be interesting to the layman and the students ( such as those taking an MA criminology degree at MDX ). These are some of the most well known: Jack the Ripper The mysterious Jack the Ripper is one of the most famous criminals to come out of London's gory history.

This serial killer was known for disemboweling his victims in the backstreets of East London in 1888. He killed at least five women although it is believed there may have been more. The Ripper's identity has never been proven, and over time many lunatics tried to take credit for his crimes, although none of the claims were substantiated. Today you can follow the footsteps of the famous killer on a Jack the Ripper walking tour which set off every evening from Tower Hill, and takes in the very East London streets where the Ripper committed his ghastly crimes. Guy Fawkes Another famous criminal mind from England's capital is Guy (or "Guido") Fawkes, who tried to assassinate the King - a Protestant - in 1604 so that a Catholic would take his place as the reigning English monarch. His attempt to blow up Parliament (famously known as the Gunpowder Plot) failed after he was discovered hiding beneath the House of Lords with many barrels of gunpowder. The date he was discovered and his mutinous plan foiled, 5th November, is still celebrated each year with fireworks in London and across the country.

And effigies of Fawkes are often burned upon a bonfire. Dick Turpin The famous highwayman and murderer of the 1730s is the subject of many famous stories and ballads which romanticise his name and lifestyle - but few are true to his real life story. Turpin was certainly no romantic. He was a horse thief whose gang (known as the Essex Gang) wreaked havoc throughout London, Essex and other areas of England, stealing horses and money, often by violent means. His gang often used Epping Forest, in east London, as their hideout, and it was here that Turpin killed Thomas Morris, who had attempted to capture the wanted criminal. This shooting merely fuelled the quest for Turpin's eventual capture and execution. The Kray Twins Ronald "Ronnie" and Reginald "Reggie" Kray were twin brothers were London’s most prominent leaders in organised crime from the 1950s to late 1969s. Behind a facade of charming socialites during the swinging 60s the Krays perpetuated a life of violence, torture, arson, robbery and murder. They were finally caught in 1968 and both sentenced to life imprisonment.

You can still visit the Blind Beggar pub in Whitechapel, where Ronnie Kray famously shot a man in front of fellow drinkers. There is also a crossbow once used by the Krays at London's "Black Museum", a collection of criminals' property dating back to 1874. This grim display is closed to the public, although given its gruesome nature, perhaps that's for the best. Has the Mystery of Jack the Ripper's Identity Finally Been Solved? Has the Mystery of Jack the Ripper's Identity Finally Been Solved? New book claims DNA analysis proves notorious serial killer was local barber Aaron Kosminski Staff Reporter September 7, 2014 12:14 BST A newspaper illustration reporting the murder of Frances Coles, who was suspected to have been killed by Jack the Ripper in 1891.The Illustrated Police News, Source: Casebook: Jack the Ripper Crime buffs have used advanced DNA analysis techniques to reveal what they claim is the true identity of Jack the Ripper: a Polish immigrant called Aaron Kosminski.

The identity of the notorious serial killer, who killed at least five women, all prostitutes, in London's East End has remained a secret since his crime spree ended in 1888. A sketch of Aaron Kosminski: the latest Jack the Ripper.Wikimedia Commons However, a new book claims to have solved the mystery.Researchers claim that DNA samples taken from a shawl belonging to one of the killer's victims has proven that 'Jack' was a local Polish immigrant Aaron Kosminski, a barber who worked in Whitechapel who was one of six people on the Victorian police's list of suspects. Businessman Russell Edwards, who describes himself as an "armchair detective", bought the scarf. It belonged to the Ripper's fourth victim, Catherine Eddowes, and was discovered by police close to her mutilated body at the murder scene. Edwards sent the scarf to Dr Jari Louhelainen, a senior lecturer of molecular biology at Liverpool John Moores University. Dr Louhelainen used using modern forensic analysis techniques to compare DNA from the shawl to DNA from the victim's descendants and the suspects – leading to the conclusion that the scarf did belong to Catherine Eddowes.

They were joined by another DNA analysis expert, Dr David Miller, who analysed the scarf for traces of DNA from semen on the scarf. This matched a DNA sample from a descendant of Kosminski's sister Matilda – which the team say proves Kosminski was the killer. A contemporary illustration of Catherine Eddowes: Jack the Ripper's fourth known victim.Source: Casebook: Jack the Ripper In the book – Naming Jack the Ripper – Kosminski is described as a barber from Whitechapel and was named in the notes of Chief Inspector Donald Swanson, the officer in charge of the original investigation. Police did not have enough evidence to convict Kosminski at the time, despite him being identified by a witness, but kept him under surveillance until he was committed to a mental asylum in 1890. Kosminski was 23 years-old when the murders took place. He lived with his two brothers and a sister just 200 yards from where the third victim, Elizabeth Stride, was killed, on the same night as Eddowes.

Dr Jari Louhelainen, who also works on unsolved 'cold cases' for Interpol in his spare time, told the Mail on Sunday he is convinced that they have caught their killer. He said: "Now that it's over, I'm excited and proud of what we've achieved, and satisfied that we have established, as far as we possibly can, that Aaron Kosminski is the culprit." Jack the Ripper is believed to have killed five women in 1888. However, over the next three years there were more murders in Whitechapel, which similar to the Ripper killings, although they were never formally linked together. Related Who Was Jack the Ripper?: 6 Tantalizing Theories - History Lists History Lists July 16, 2015 By History.com Staff Walter Sickert Who Was Jack the Ripper?: 6 Tantalizing Theories Author Who Was Jack the Ripper?: 6 Tantalizing Theories URL Google The investigation into Jack the Ripper, the legendary serial killer who butchered at least five women in London’s Whitechapel district during the fall of 1888, has been closed since 1892.

Nevertheless, historians, criminologists and amateur sleuths continue to seek out the murderer’s true identity, contributing to a long list of candidates that seems to grow by the year. Carl Feigenbaum According to one hypothesis, proposed by a retired English detective, Jack was a German sailor named Carl Feigenbaum who was executed for murdering a New York woman in 1894. The detective, Trevor Marriott, a former member of the Bedfordshire homicide squad, points to the fact that two merchant docks were in operation near Whitechapel—and that the men who passed through them were known to frequent local brothels. (The Ripper is believed to have targeted prostitutes.) He also noticed striking similarities between Jack the Ripper’s crimes and the slaying of Feigenbaum’s alleged victim, Julianna Hoffman, which took place six years later. Archival research revealed that Feigenbaum, who went by a string of aliases, had been a merchant seaman for the Norddeutsche Line, which owned ships that had been docked near Whitechapel on every date of the five Ripper murders.

Marriott also discovered that Feigenbaum’s defense lawyer had reached similar conclusions more than a century ago, telling newspapers that his client had admitted to being a serial killer and that he could place him in Whitechapel during Jack the Ripper’s killing spree. Prince Albert Victor One of the most intriguing—and sensational—contenders for Jack the Ripper’s grim legacy is Prince Albert Victor, the son of King Edward VII and grandson of Queen Victoria. Known to his family as Eddy, the prince was second in line to the throne when he died of influenza at 28. In 1970, the British physician Thomas Stowell published an article implying that Eddy had committed the murders during fits of insanity caused by an advanced case of syphilis. This rather dubious claim took the international press by storm, and some contemporary conspiracy theorists continue to explore whether the man who could have been king was instead history’s most notorious serial killer. Official records, newspaper reports and other sources, however, offer strong indication that the prince was nowhere near Whitechapel when the victims died.

Montague John Druitt On November 9, 1888, seven weeks after the fifth and final murder, this Oxford-educated lawyer was found floating in the River Thames, his pockets filled with stones. Investigators concluded that the cause of death was suicide and that the body had been at the bottom of the river for several weeks. Druitt had suffered a series of personal crises during the 1880s, including his dismissal from a teaching post at a boarding school (which some modern authors have taken as evidence for his closeted homosexuality), his father’s death and his mother’s institutionalization due to mental illness. While no concrete evidence connects him to the Ripper murders, the fact that the carnage ended right after his death was enough for the London detective Melville Leslie Macnaghten, who listed Druitt as one of the top three suspects in his 1894 report on the case. Walter Sickert Born in Germany in 1860 and raised in England, Sickert became a highly regarded Impressionist painter who helped transform the British art scene.

In the early 1900s, he created a stir with his suggestive depictions of naked prostitutes beside their clothed clients, including one painting in which the man has his hands around the woman’s neck. He became fascinated with the Jack the Ripper case, particularly while renting a room that his landlady believed the killer had once inhabited; the experience inspired him to paint the haunting “Jack the Ripper’s Bedroom” around 1907. Though not the first to suggest a link between the subversive artist and the Whitechapel butcher, the American crime novelist Patricia Cornwell became its leading proponent when she published her 2002 book “Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper—Case Closed.” In it, she describes how she and a team of experts used modern investigatory and forensic techniques to establish Sickert’s undeniable guilt, analyzing his paintings and comparing his DNA to samples found on several of the countless letters sent to the police and signed “Jack the Ripper” during and after the spate of murders. Many Jack the Ripper experts have soundly dismissed her claims, pointing out that most of these letters are known hoaxes and that Sickert was likely in France when the killings occurred.

Robert Mann In 2009 the British historian Mei Trow announced that, with the help of modern forensics and psychological profiling, he had finally unraveled the mystery of Jack the Ripper’s identity. Trow fingered Robert Mann, an attendant at the Whitechapel mortuary where the victims were brought and examined. Based on the way he mutilated his prey, experts have long surmised that Jack the Ripper had some degree of anatomical knowledge. Modern-day criminologists also believe he had a difficult upbringing and a low socioeconomic status—a departure from the classic image of the upper-class night stalker sporting a cape and top hat. The 50-something Mann, who spent some of his childhood in a poorhouse and worked with corpses on a daily basis, seems to fit this profile. And, according to the inquest into the murder of Polly Nichols, the Ripper’s first known victim, Mann took the unnecessary step of undressing her at the morgue; in Trow’s view, he did this in order to admire his own handiwork.

Jill the Ripper Over the years, a number of people, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, have toyed with the notion that Jack the Ripper was not a bloodthirsty bloke but a femme fatale—literally. The only female suspect considered by the detectives investigating the case was Mary Pearcey, an English woman who in 1890 was executed for murdering her lover’s wife and child with a carving knife. In 2006, a study by the Australian scientist Ian Findlay yielded surprising results that gave credence to the Jill the Ripper theory. Findlay traveled to London to collect saliva from a selection of Jack the Ripper letters that experts believe to be the most credible. He then extracted DNA from the samples and used cutting-edge technology to create a partial profile. While the findings were far from conclusive, they did suggest that the sender was likely to have been a woman. Tags Jack the Ripper - Media Research Paper - 1082 Words Jack the Ripper Essay ...Jack the Ripper Jack the Ripper was one of the most famous and renowned killers in history. Even though he was not the first serial killer, he was the first killer to strike on a metropolis setting.

Jack the Ripper was in his prime at a time when the media had a strong control over society and society had as a whole was becoming much more literate. Jack started his killing... 1801 Words | 5 Pages Jack the Ripper Essay ...Jack The Ripper. What actually happened ? Jack the Ripper has been the most famous serial killer of the world. His story is known everywhere of the world. Not because of the number of people he killed. Not because of the political position of the people he killed. The main reason that he became famous is the modus he used to mutilate 5 victims and he was never caught. So he was also the most horrible killer of the world. The story... 1120 Words | 4 Pages Jack the Ripper Essay ...Jack the Ripper was a murderous madman who terrorized prostitutes in the late 1880�s. Time has not diminished the gruesomeness of the killings. All the victims' throats were cut ;some victims were disemboweled ;and the killer took organs from some of his victims. When fear of the Ripper peaked, the killings stopped, and a century of speculation ensued (jack 1).

Many authors have tried to sift through the evidence and have arrived at... 1407 Words | 4 Pages Essay about Jack the Ripper ...Stacie Wyatt Professor Gave Composition 121 26th, July 2012 Jack the Ripper On a late evening over a hundred years ago, a serial killer started his spree of slayings, which would end up being one of the most talked about unsolved killings to this date. By typical philosophies, the eerie slayer who terrified the gloomy streets of London’s East End was nothing compared to serial killers of the present time. How could this one person fascinate a large number... 1616 Words | 5 Pages Jack the Ripper Essay ...The Whitechapel Murders and those of Jack the Ripper are not generally one and the same. Over a period of three years towards the end of the nineteenth century a number of prostitutes were murdered under different circumstances  the murder of prostitutes was not an especially unique occurrence during those times but several of the murders drew particular attention on account of the savagery with which the victim's bodies were mutilated. Within the Whitechapel... 781 Words | 3 Pages Jack the Ripper Essay ...

“Jack the Ripper” Jack the Ripper was a notorious serial killer, whom some believe never even existed at all. From August to November 1888, Jack the Ripper terrorized the East End of London by being responsible for the death and mutilation of at least seven female prostitutes. The destitute East End is also known as the White Chapel district of London, England. A few of the prostitutes were targeted as... 1221 Words | 3 Pages Essay about jack the ripper ...﻿OUTLINE SKELETON Title: Informative Speech Topic: Murders Specific Topic: Jack The Ripper General Purpose: Inform the audience about Jack the Ripper Specific Purpose: Scare the audience with my speech Thesis: INTRODUCTION Attention-getter: The days were gloomy and the nights were cold and dark. White chapel, London during the year 1888 was the perfect place for serial killer to come out of the shadows and meet... 965 Words | 4 Pages Jack the Ripper Essay ...mystery of the serial killer Jack the Ripper.

| Occurred Events | -He mutilated prostitutes-He was never found-Many suspects were questioned-It was found that the Ripper was a doctor.-He was sly in tricking the prostitutes.- He was a mystery worldwide. | The outcome | The Ripper was never found and the case was never closed. | The Ripper’s Mystery Mysteries and supernatural events have fascinated humanity for centuries. One of... 557 Words | 2 Pages

Question: What famous London serial killer killed at least 5 people in 1888?
Answer: Jack the Ripper