WI: Jack the Ripper caught?

[Carl Schwamberger]

Over the years one writer or other has taken a close look at the letters from the 'Ripper'. He concluded they were all not of any varitey of writing paper but of a low grade of paper used by artists for sketching. This was further bourne by the red stains the popular press described as blood being actually Alum, which was frequently used by artists to size or prepare the paper surface. Armed with that and a few other indicators the author looked at the artists of London of that year. One was identified who was unmarried, had some evidence for frequentlig prostitutes, who had a reputation as despising women, had a reputation for violent and manipulative behavior. Robert Sickert a moderatly sucessfull painter is the "artist" candidate.

Here is a link where the names of three journalist who pursued the artist theory are mentionsed in the intro.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portrait_of_a_Killer:_Jack_the_Ripper—Case_Closed

 

[DanMcCollum]

If Jack the Ripper was caught, he would be long forgotten by now. He was not even the worst serial killer of the day. Sarah Freeman, for one, killed more people than him.

It was only the mystery which kept the name alive.

Can you point me to any information about this Sarah Freeman, I can't say I heard of her (which, yes, I know; proves your point!). Anyway, as someone who finds such things interesting, I would like to know more!

 

[Viscount of Ohio]

I'm not especially well-versed in Ripper-ology and I might be quoting an Urban Legend, but, isn't the story that just before the end of the Ripper's murders Arthur Conan Doyle's medical professor (Joseph Bell) actually provided assistance to the police?
Some stories even say he'd given a letter to the police force that he claimed contained Jack the Ripper's real name.

If this was the case, then it might have made an interesting link between Holmesian canon and the actual Ripper murders. Instead of a 'Napoleon of Crime' in 'The Final Problem' Doyle might have dredged up his mentor's experience and found Holmes matching wits with a serial killer. It would actually fit most of the cases in 'His Last Bow' which were becoming significantly more grisly.

That's just a look at the pop culture angle to a captured Ripper, though.

 

[Jared]

Can you point me to any information about this Sarah Freeman, I can't say I heard of her (which, yes, I know; proves your point!). Anyway, as someone who finds such things interesting, I would like to know more!

She poisoned various family members (up to 9, depending on which account you believe), and was eventually hanged for one of the murders. Her trial engrossed Britain at the time (1845), but she is of course largely forgotten since.

There's a brief article in the Bath Chronicle here. A google of "sarah freeman" and "serial killer" will turn up various articles with more details.

 

[GoldenKhanate]

The capture of Jack the Ripper may have slowed the improvement of the early British police. The OTL, development and reform of the police forces was given a kick after Jack the Ripper because of the sense of inadequacy that came with the failure to catch such a high profile criminal.

 

[Mike]

mtDNA cannot identify individuals. Rough 2% of the population of England has the same mtDNA as that found on the shawl, with the type of mtDNA being more common amoung Englishmen than Poles, such as Kosminski.

Wouldn't that be a strong indication that it was Kosminski considering that he was a top suspect and that his mtDNA is not commonly found in other people living in the area?

Aaron Kosminski, as noted, was an unemployed hairdresser who refused to bathe and ate food out of the gutters, making it very unlikely he could have lulled any of the Ripper victims into a false sense of security before killing them. The Ripper killing did not stop with his institutionalization, they stopped about two years before Kosminski was committed.

The Ripper murders probably stopped because of the ensuing public awareness and police surveillance. It was very possible, that the murderer (or murderers) would have continued with the murders once the the furor has died down. Unless something happened to the murderers like getting accidentally caught for something else or moving to another place.

 

[Mike]

The capture of Jack the Ripper may have slowed the improvement of the early British police. The OTL, development and reform of the police forces was given a kick after Jack the Ripper because of the sense of inadequacy that came with the failure to catch such a high profile criminal.

Yes. The police were really idiotic back then. Whoever ordered that the "Jews would not be blamed for nothing" graffiti removed should have been court-martialed on the spot. A picture of that graffti, which is very likely to come from the murderer, could have been compared to the handwriting of suspects like Kosminski or, at least, to ascertain whether the "From Hell" letter was genuine.

 

[Morty Vicar]

Yes. The police were really idiotic back then. Whoever ordered that the "Jews would not be blamed for nothing" graffiti removed should have been court-martialed on the spot. A picture of that graffti, which is very likely to come from the murderer, could have been compared to the handwriting of suspects like Kosminski or, at least, to ascertain whether the "From Hell" letter was genuine.

IMO that was very much the right thing to do, and uncharacteristically insightful for the time. Had the grafitti been shown to the press, I shudder to think what might have happened. There was already a significant anti-semitic feeling around, any trace of this would incite riots and murder. From a professional point of view it's the wrong thing to do, from a societal viewpoint I think it was a wise move. From an AH viewpoint, let's just say that's a potentially significant POD right there!

 

[Tyr]

Agreed that The unlikely royal theory is the one that would have a big and lasting impact.
The others.... I don't think the ripper would remain a household name of that there would be much change in national sentiment in the mid to Long term.

 

[Mike]

IMO that was very much the right thing to do, and uncharacteristically insightful for the time. Had the grafitti been shown to the press, I shudder to think what might have happened. There was already a significant anti-semitic feeling around, any trace of this would incite riots and murder. From a professional point of view it's the wrong thing to do, from a societal viewpoint I think it was a wise move. From an AH viewpoint, let's just say that's a potentially significant POD right there!

I strongly disagree. The priority should be to catch the murderers and bring them to justice and to prevent further murders. The victims need to be avenged. The murderers went on to take one more life after the graffiti. If it happens that it incites riots, then those responsible should be brought to justice too, simple as that.

Besides, it doesn't need to come to that. All that is needed is to cover up the graffiti, close off the area to the people and press, have the photographer come and take a clear picture, then remove the graffiti and reopen the area. Then the investigation can continue. If the police could have used the graffiti in their investigation, there is a good chance the murderer could have been caught before Mary Jane Kelly lost her life. Instead the murderers were never brought to justice and enjoyed a notoriety that endures today.

 

[Morty Vicar]

I strongly disagree. The priority should be to catch the murderers and bring them to justice and to prevent further murders. The victims need to be avenged. The murderers went on to take one more life after the graffiti. If it happens that it incites riots, then those responsible should be brought to justice too, simple as that.

Besides, it doesn't need to come to that. All that is needed is to cover up the graffiti, close off the area to the people and press, have the photographer come and take a clear picture, then remove the graffiti and reopen the area. Then the investigation can continue. If the police could have used the graffiti in their investigation, there is a good chance the murderer could have been caught before Mary Jane Kelly lost her life. Instead the murderers were never brought to justice and enjoyed a notoriety that endures today.

Okay I take your point, and you're right as long as they can avoid the graffitti being leaked to the press. I suppose I didn't really think in terms of police photographers at that period, although of course there are photographs of the victims. Of the graffitti itself I think it was probably incidental, but nevertheless it was potentially a vital clue.

 

[Fiver]

Wouldn't that be a strong indication that it was Kosminski considering that he was a top suspect and that his mtDNA is not commonly found in other people living in the area?

The top suspects appear to have been Kosminski (favored by Anderson and Swanson), Druitt (favored by Mcnaghton and Sims), Chapman (favored by Abbeline) and Tumblety (favored by Littlechild). Some detectives involved thought they were all wrong.

The Ripper "...completely beat me and every Police officer in London.” “I have no more idea now where he lived than I had twenty years ago."– Henry Smith

“I challenge anyone to produce a tittle of evidence of any kind against anyone. The earth has been raked over and the seas have been swept, to find this criminal 'Jack the Ripper,' always without success. It still amuses me to read the writings of such men as Dr. Anderson, Dr. Forbes Winslow, Major Arthur Griffiths, and many others, all holding different theories, but all of them wrong. I have answered many of them in print, and would only add here that I was on the scene and ought to know." – Edmund Reid

In 1888, Aaron Kosminki would have been one of about 300,000 people in Greater London with the mtDNA found on the shawl. Over two hundred people have been accused of being the Ripper, odds are that at least 3 more known suspects would also have the same mtDNA as found on the shawl. There is no evidence connecting the shawl to either Catherine Eddowes or Jack the Ripper. There is no indication of when the mtDNA got on the shawl and dozens of people handled the shawl before the DNA tests.

 

[Mongo]

I read a book once (sorry, I can't remember the title) written by one of the world's top criminal forensic psychologists, who had been given full access to all the evidence collected in the Ripper investigation. This man had an excellent record of profiling modern-day serial killers for Scotland Yard. His conclusion was that there was no single "Jack the Ripper", that there were a number of independent killers whose superficially similar kills were conflated, mainly by the Press, into the work of a single individual. It was pure chance that several killers, who all happened to use knives to kill prostitutes, struck in the same area at about the same time. He did conclude that three of the murders were committed by a person whose deduced psychological profile matched that expected of Kosminski (if I remember correctly).

 

[Morty Vicar]

I read a book once (sorry, I can't remember the title) written by one of the world's top criminal forensic psychologists, who had been given full access to all the evidence collected in the Ripper investigation. This man had an excellent record of profiling modern-day serial killers for Scotland Yard. His conclusion was that there was no single "Jack the Ripper", that there were a number of independent killers whose superficially similar kills were conflated, mainly by the Press, into the work of a single individual. It was pure chance that several killers, who all happened to use knives to kill prostitutes, struck in the same area at about the same time. He did conclude that three of the murders were committed by a person whose deduced psychological profile matched that expected of Kosminski (if I remember correctly).

I am deeply sceptical of criminal profiling, it's partly an extension of my suspicion of psychiatry and psychology in general (no I'm not a Scientologist, I'm sceptical of them too!). But there was some modern day algorithm of locations of kills over time used to ascertain the residence of a killer, I believe this technique pointed strongly at one suspect. However my main question there would be that a) this was an area used by prostitutes, therefore any killer who wishes to murder prostitues from the London area would presumably be attracted here. And b) do they use the same algorithm for the modern era where public transport and personal vehicles are easily accessible, compared to an era where horse and cart was still the main mode of transportation, and a relatively expensive one at that? Not to mention the greater likelihood of the suspect being remembered if he used a hansom cab or whatever.

 

[Fiver]

His conclusion was that there was no single "Jack the Ripper", that there were a number of independent killers whose superficially similar kills were conflated, mainly by the Press, into the work of a single individual. It was pure chance that several killers, who all happened to use knives to kill prostitutes, struck in the same area at about the same time. He did conclude that three of the murders were committed by a person whose deduced psychological profile matched that expected of Kosminski (if I remember correctly).

Criminal profiling is often overrated. For example, FBI criminal profiler John Douglas reached some of the following conclusions.

'We would look for someone below or above average in height and / or weight. - This 'conclusion' tells us nothing about the Ripper's height and weight. It describes Laurel and Hardy, Peter Dinklage and Dwayne Johnson

"May have problems with speech, scarred complexion, physical illness,or injury." - Or he may not. This is a completely useless 'conclusion'.

"'We would not expect this type of offender to be married. If he was married in the past, it would have been to someone older than himself and the marriage would have been for a short duration." - This 'conclusion' is almost useless. It eliminates neither married nor single suspects.

"He drinks in the local pubs and after a few spirits, he becomes more relaxed and finds it easier to engage in conversation." - this 'conclusion' describes most of the population of period London.

Hopefully, the profiler in the book you read was better, but most of your source's conclusions are not new. The 'Jack the Ripper' of the letters was probably not the actual killer, nor anything like him. Some of the killings attributed to the Ripper may not have been done by him. Still, even your source agrees there was as serial killer, even if they think he had only three victims. If you remember the name of the source, I'd be interested in seeing their reasoning and conclusions.

 

[Morty Vicar]

Criminal profiling is often overrated. For example, FBI criminal profiler John Douglas reached some of the following conclusions.

'We would look for someone below or above average in height and / or weight. - This 'conclusion' tells us nothing about the Ripper's height and weight. It describes Laurel and Hardy, Peter Dinklage and Dwayne Johnson

"May have problems with speech, scarred complexion, physical illness,or injury." - Or he may not. This is a completely useless 'conclusion'.

"'We would not expect this type of offender to be married. If he was married in the past, it would have been to someone older than himself and the marriage would have been for a short duration." - This 'conclusion' is almost useless. It eliminates neither married nor single suspects.

"He drinks in the local pubs and after a few spirits, he becomes more relaxed and finds it easier to engage in conversation." - this 'conclusion' describes most of the population of period London.

Hopefully, the profiler in the book you read was better, but most of your source's conclusions are not new. The 'Jack the Ripper' of the letters was probably not the actual killer, nor anything like him. Some of the killings attributed to the Ripper may not have been done by him. Still, even your source agrees there was as serial killer, even if they think he had only three victims. If you remember the name of the source, I'd be interested in seeing their reasoning and conclusions.

He is above or below average height and/ or weight? What are the chances? Now, is there anyone in this audience who has a name beiginning with J?

IMO criminal profiling is not only unhelpful, but is actually a hinderance in many cases. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offender_profiling#Problems
It is comparable to the police using 'psychic mediums'

 

[Mongo]

If you remember the name of the source, I'd be interested in seeing their reasoning and conclusions.

Found it! The book was The Crimes of Jack the Ripper: The Whitechapel Murders Re-Examined (2012) by Paul Roland.

He concludes that the "real" Ripper killed Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman and Catherine Eddowes. I think he may well be correct about that, the specific details of how those three victims were killed and mutilated match each other, while they are significantly different from the other canonical victims, who all appear to be random, unconnected murders. I was incorrect about who he considered to be the most likely person, he fingers Jacob Levy as the Ripper.

 

[Fiver]

Found it! The book was The Crimes of Jack the Ripper: The Whitechapel Murders Re-Examined (2012) by Paul Roland.

He concludes that the "real" Ripper killed Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman and Catherine Eddowes. I think he may well be correct about that, the specific details of how those three victims were killed and mutilated match each other, while they are significantly different from the other canonical victims, who all appear to be random, unconnected murders. I was incorrect about who he considered to be the most likely person, he fingers Jacob Levy as the Ripper.

Levy is a credible suspect. The chief point against him being the Ripper is that he wasn't institutionalized until August of 1890.

 

[Morty Vicar]

Found it! The book was The Crimes of Jack the Ripper: The Whitechapel Murders Re-Examined (2012) by Paul Roland.

He concludes that the "real" Ripper killed Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman and Catherine Eddowes. I think he may well be correct about that, the specific details of how those three victims were killed and mutilated match each other, while they are significantly different from the other canonical victims, who all appear to be random, unconnected murders. I was incorrect about who he considered to be the most likely person, he fingers Jacob Levy as the Ripper.

That sounds very interesting, thanks!

Levy is a credible suspect. The chief point against him being the Ripper is that he wasn't institutionalized until August of 1890.

I think the earlier point that the killer may have felt he was getting too much attention may have forced him to stop.