Read The Complete and Essential Jack the Ripper Online
Authors: Paul Begg,John Bennett
The Complete and Essential Jack the Ripper (31 page)
27. ‘Dr’ Francis Tumblety. This interesting character was suspected of the crimes at the time and was a prominent figure in the American press, but his prominence as a police suspect did not come until the early 1990s.
28. Montague John Druitt. His body was found in the Thames on the last day of 1888 and was seemingly favoured by Melville Macnaghten as the Ripper.
29. Sir William Gull, physician-in-ordinary to Queen Victoria and a linchpin of the ‘royal conspiracy’ theory.
30. Prince Albert Victor, first suggested as a potential suspect in 1970.
31. Artist Walter Sickert. Although implicated in the ‘royal conspiracy’, Sickert has also been put forward as the Ripper in several other theories.
32. Sketch of Mary Kelly leading her murderer into her room at 13 Miller’s Court, from the
Penny Illustrated Paper
, 17 November 1888. The earliest depiction of the iconic Ripper.
33. A still from Hitchcock’s 1927 classic film
The Lodger
: an image laden with Ripper iconography – tall hat, cloak, black bag and fog.
Chapter 1: ‘Wilful murder against some person unknown’
1
Police report dated 25 October 1888, MEPO 3/141 ff. 158–63 (National Archives).
2
Morning Advertiser
, 9 April 1888.
3
Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper
, 8 April 1888.
4
The report by Inspector Edmund Reid was transcribed by Ian Sharp during research for the BBC series
Jack the Ripper
in 1973. The material on this case went missing from the files prior to 1983.
5
Some newspapers claimed she was a widow, but in the London Hospital admission register she is described as ‘married’ and a ‘charwoman’.
6
Register of Common Lodging Houses (London Metropolitan Archives).
7
Legislation under the Artizan’s and Labourer’s Dwellings Improvement Act 1875 (also known as the ‘Cross Act’).
8
Walthamstow and Leyton Guardian
, 14 April 1888.
9
Inspector Reid’s report has it that the incident happened on the footpath opposite 10 Brick Lane.
10
People
, 15 April 1888.
11
Register of Common Lodging Houses (London Metropolitan Archives).
12
Philip Sugden,
The Complete History of Jack the Ripper
(London: Robinson, 2002; first published in 1994).
13
Report by Inspector Edmund Reid, 24 August 1888, MEPO 3/140, ff. 49–51 (National Archives).
14
The Times
, 24 August 1888.
15
Ibid.
16
East London Observer
, 25 August 1888.
17
Census return 1881, Whitechapel St Mary.
18
The Times
, 24 August 1888.
19
East London Observer
, 25 August 1888.
20
Star
, 24 August 1888.
21
Star
, 7 August 1888.
22
East London Advertiser
, 24 August 1888.
23
The Times
, 24 August 1888.
24
Ibid.
25
Ibid.
26
Renamed Gunthorpe Street in 1912.
27
Again, as a result of the 1875 Cross Act.
28
East London Observer
, 11 August 1888.
29
Eastern Post
, 18 August 1888.
30
Report by Chief Inspector Donald Swanson, September 1888, MEPO 3/140, ff. 36–42 (National Archives).
31
The Times
, 10 August 1888.
32
Ibid.
33
East London Observer
, 11 August 1888.
34
The Times
, 9 August 1888.
35
East London Advertiser
, 11 August 1888.
36
East London Observer
, 11 August 1888.
37
Report by Inspector Edmund Reid, 16 August 1888, MEPO 3/140, ff. 44–8 (National Archives).
38
Report by Superintendent Charles Cutbush, 16 August 1888, MEPO 3/140, ff. 44–8 (National Archives).
39
Daily News
, 24 August 1888 (and others).
40
Founded in 1865, the
Pall Mall Gazette
began as a paper for the ‘higher circles of society’, written ‘by gentlemen for gentlemen’. By the time of William Thomas Stead’s editorship (1883–9), the
paper had metamorphosed into a radical, free-thinking journal. Stead’s exposé of child prostitution saw him imprisoned but also resulted in the age of consent for children being raised from twelve to sixteen in 1885.
41
Pall Mall Gazette
, 24 August 1888.
42
The Times
, 20 March 1886.
43
From a letter currently in a private collection.
1
The Times
, 18 September 1888.
2
Ibid.
3
Ibid.
4
Often referred to as ‘Britten’ or ‘Brittain’ in newspaper reports.
5
Star
, 3 September 1888.
6
Echo
, 6 September 1888.
7
Evening News
, 1 September 1888.
8
Cross was actually born Charles Allen Lechmere. The surname ‘Cross’ comes from his stepfather after his mother remarried, but curiously the only time he used this name is during his association with the Nichols murder. All other records show him as ‘Lechmere’. However, as he is recorded throughout the case files and press reports as ‘Cross’, that name is used here.
9
The Times
, 18 September 1888.
10
Daily Telegraph
, 4 September 1888.
11
Buck’s Row, despite being in Whitechapel, fell under the jurisdiction of the newly formed J-division (Bethnal Green).
12
The Times
, 4 September 1888.
13
Report by Inspector Spratling, 31 August 1888; MEPO 3/140, ff. 239–41 (National Archives).
14
Daily Telegraph
, 3 September 1888.
15
Daily News
, 3 September 1888.
16
She is referred to as ‘Ellen’ in the police reports; press reports say ‘Emily’, ‘Nelly’ and ‘Jane Oram’.
17
Evening Standard
, 3 September 1888 (and others).
18
Daily Telegraph
, 4 September 1888.
19
East London Observer
, 8 September 1888.
20
Report by Inspector Joseph Helson, 7 September 1888; MEPO 3/140 ff. 235–8 (National Archives).
21
Daily News
, 1 September 1888.
22
Morning Advertiser
, 24 September 1888.
23
Report by Inspector Joseph Helson, 7 September 1888; MEPO 3/140 ff. 235–8 (National Archives).
24
The Times
, 1 September 1888.
25
Morning Advertiser
, 24 September 1888.
26
American newspapers such as the
Atchison Daily Globe
(Kansas),
Austin Statesman
and
Galveston Daily News
(both Texas).
27
Daily News
, 3 September 1888.
28
Letter formerly in the possession of the late Jim Swanson.
1
HO 144/220/A49301B, f. 178 (National Archives).
2
HO 144/220/A49301B, f. 177 (National Archives).
3
Sheffield and Rotherham Independent
, 1 September 1888.
4
Star
, 5 September 1888.
5
Pall Mall Gazette
, 8 September 1888.
6
Austin Statesman
, 5 September 1888.
7
Star
, 6 September 1888.
8
Star
, 5 September 1888 (and others).
9
Evening News
, 5 September 1888.
10
MEPO 3/140, ff. 235–8 (National Archives).
11
Leytonstone Express and Independent
, 8 September 1888.
12
Daily Telegraph
, 10 September 1888.
13
Daily Telegraph
, 13 September 1888.
14
The Times
, 14 September 1888.
15
Daily Telegraph
, 14 September 1888.
16
Ibid.
17
Exact date found in Chapman family birthday book; information courtesy of Neal Shelden.
18
The Times
, 11 September 1888.
19
Echo
, 10 September 1888.
20
Woodford Times
, 14 September 1888.
21
Echo
, 14 September 1888.
22
The Times
, 20 September 1888.
23
Daily News
, 10 September 1888.
24
East London Advertiser
, 22 September 1888.
25
The Times
, 20 September 1888.
26
Daily Telegraph
, 11 September 1888.
27
Star
, 8 September 1888.
28
The Times
, 11 September 1888.
29
Ibid.
30
Daily Telegraph
and
Star
, 17 September 1888;
Echo
, 8 September 1888.
31
Daily Telegraph
, 20 September 1888.
32
The Times
, 14 September 1888.
33
Lancet
, 29 September 1888.
34
Daily Telegraph
, 20 September 1888.
35
Daily Telegraph
, 13 September 1888.
36
Morning Advertiser
, 13 September 1888.
37
Daily Telegraph
, 20 September 1888.
38
Echo
, 11 September 1888.
39
East London Observer
, 15 September 1888.
40
Daily Telegraph
, 13 September 1888.
41
Pall Mall Gazette
, 10 September 1888;
East London Advertiser
, 15 September 1888.
42
MEPO 3/140, ff. 24–5 (National Archives).
1
Daily Telegraph
, 22 September 1888.
2
East London Observer
, 27 October 1888.
3
William Fishman,
East End 1888
(London: Duckworth, 1988; Nottingham: Five Leaves, 2005).
4
Letter from ‘A Ratepayer’,
Daily Telegraph
, 21 September 1888.
5
Alan Palmer,
The East End
(London: John Murray, 1989).
6
East London Observer
, 15 September 1888.
7
Lloyd’s Weekly News
, 9 September 1888.
8
Others being the
Pall Mall Gazette
,
Lloyd’s Weekly News
and the
Illustrated Police News
.
9
Star
, 13 September 1888.
10
East London Advertiser
, 22 September 1888.
11
Daily Telegraph
, 17 September 1888.
12
Star
, 17 September 1888.
13
Pall Mall Gazette
, 11 September 1888.
14
MEPO 3/142, docket 244, ff. 5–6 (National Archives).
15
MEPO 3/3183, ff. 2–4 (National Archives).
16
MEPO 3/3183, f. 1 (National Archives).
1
Paul Begg,
Jack the Ripper: The Facts
(London: Robson, 2004).
2
Inquest testimony of Charles Preston and Michael Kidney;
The Times
, 4 October 1888.
3
Begg,
Jack the Ripper
, p. 138.
4
Census report 1881.
5
Much information about this period of Elizabeth’s life can be gleaned from Neal Shelden,
The Victims of Jack the Ripper
(Knoxville: Inklings Press, 2007).
6
The Times
, 4 October 1888.
7
‘Payments to the Poor’ book at the Swedish church. Found by Klaus Lithner.
8
Daily Telegraph
, 4 October 1888.
9
East London Advertiser
, 13 October 1888.
10
Daily Telegraph
, 4 October 1888.
11
Morning Advertiser
, 4 October 1888.
12
All reports and thus subsequent books refer to him as ‘J. Best’, living at 82 Lower Chapman Street. However, he was very likely John Bass, recorded there in numerous electoral registers until his death in 1889.
13
London Evening News
, 1 October 1888.
14
The Times
, 6 October 1888.
15
HO 144/221/A49301C, ff. 148–59 (National Archives).
16
Evening News
,
Star
, 1 October 1888.
17
The Times
, 2 October 1888.
18
The Times
, 4 October 1888.
19
Report by Donald Swanson, 19 October 1888; HO 144/221/A49301C, ff. 148–59 (National Archives).
20
Report by Inspector Abberline, 1 November 1888; MEPO 3/140/221/ A49301C, ff. 204–6 (National Archives).
21
Star
, 1 October 1888.
22
Evening News
, 1 October 1888.
23
Morning Advertiser
, 3 October 1888.
24
The Times
, 3 October 1888.
25
Daily Telegraph
, 3 October 1888.
1
Coroner’s Inquest (L), 1888, no. 135, Catherine Eddowes inquest 1888 (London Metropolitan Archives). The original signed statements by the inquest witnesses are still preserved and are used here unless otherwise indicated.
2
Transcriptions vary: the City Police version, taken by DC Halse, states: ‘The
Juwes
are
not
the men that will be blamed for nothing.’
3
Report by Inspector McWilliam, 27 October 1888; HO 144/221/A49301C, ff. 162–70 (National Archives).
4
Report by Superintendent Arnold, 6 November 1888; HO 144/221/A49301C, ff. 197–8 (National Archives).
5
Report by Sir Charles Warren, 6 November 1888, HO 144/221/A49301C, ff. 173–81 (National Archives).
6
Daily Chronicle
, 1 September 1908.