Pet theories

[Spotty]

Hi everybody, after the publication of Mr Edwards' ill-fated book, I have become addicted to reading these message boards nightly.

I have come to understand certain posters' positions about these murders, that the number of victims is disputed, as is the number of murderers and other facts or myths about the case.

What intrigues me is that I have found references to essays and articles by various posters in old threads that aren't listed on the site, such as Jacob Levy, and Mr Cates' work.

I would love to see and hear about various posters' theories - and I swear I have spent hours upon hours reading various threads, however I want more!

For what it's worth, I'm of the opinion that Nichols and chapman were killed by the same man, but am open minded about pretty much everything else!

Cheers, Spotty

[Abby Normal]

Hi everybody, after the publication of Mr Edwards' ill-fated book, I have become addicted to reading these message boards nightly.

I have come to understand certain posters' positions about these murders, that the number of victims is disputed, as is the number of murderers and other facts or myths about the case.

What intrigues me is that I have found references to essays and articles by various posters in old threads that aren't listed on the site, such as Jacob Levy, and Mr Cates' work.

I would love to see and hear about various posters' theories - and I swear I have spent hours upon hours reading various threads, however I want more!

For what it's worth, I'm of the opinion that Nichols and chapman were killed by the same man, but am open minded about pretty much everything else!

Cheers, Spotty

Welcome Spotty
Well I guess if there is any silver lining in the shawl fiasco is that it has drawn more people to ripperology! : )

My "Pet Theory" is that the blotchy faced man described by witness cox seen entering Mary's room on the night of her murder is most likely of the suspects to be her killer and thus Jack the ripper.

I believe I am the only one on here that favors him, although recent poster Barnflatwyngard has also mentioned him lately.

My theory in a nutshell is as follows:

Mary Kelly was described by the various witnesses as being with four men that night-recently ex-boyfriend Barnett, Blotchy, Hutchinson and Hutchinson's "suspect"-the man in an astrahcan jacket, AKA A-man.

I believe that she is the key to the mystery as IMHO it seems that out of all the victims she may have known her killer.

I think there is a high probability that one of the men she was with that night was her killer. Why go looking for suspect X, especially in the case of Kelly, when there is zero evidence, of any other man being with her that night, other than the four the witnesses describe?

lets take a look at these four men:

Barnett: defacto initial suspect, as he was a recent ex. However, he was interrogated and cleared, by the police, has an alibi, and did not act in any suspicious manner immediately following the murder-ie-basically not trying to run away, stay unnoticed by the police, and attends the inquest.

Hutch: waits till after the inquest to come forward, was seen waiting outside marys room approx. time of the murder, and gives an almost impossible detailed description of the suspect. However, was questioned by police, apparently believed, and was never a suspect. Possibly out for a little fame and fortune.

A-Man-IMHO more than likely a fictitious character invented by hutch. Note-if Hutch was telling the truth than certainly Aman was her killer. However, no one in the history of this case has ever seriously considered Aman as the ripper-and that's telling.

Blotchy-IMHO he is the last credible suspect seen with Mary Kelly. he is seen with her entering her room, NEVER comes forward, is the profile of the local, AV joe serial killer, and fits the description of Joseph Lawendes suspect, who was the best witness in the whole case according to the police.

The witness cox was a very credible witness, believed by the police, was at the inquest and no reason to doubt her. Her story is corroborated by other witnesses.

IMHO Mary Kelly had no inclination nor werewithall to go out after Blotchy. She was very drunk, seemingly very comfortable with him, had a roof over her head for the night, a warm fire and it was a cold and rainy night.

I believe Blotchy the most likely to be her killer and therefore Jack the ripper.

[GUT]

I'm not sure that he had a pet.

[Cogidubnus]

Of course there was a pet - a black kitten named Diddles...

[GUT]

Of course there was a pet - a black kitten named Diddles...

G'day Dave

But Diddles wasn't Jack's cat, and was she black I thought she was a tabby.

[GUT]

In serious I don't have a pet theory, there are some suspects that I think have more potential than others and there are some characters related to the case that I don't think have a hope in the hot place of being Jack but are interesting studies in themselves.

I am also really interested in the victims.

[SirJohnFalstaff]

I honestly don't have one.

I'm here mostly because I'm writing a fiction. I want the thing to be plausible, but not a theory.

[Rosella]

Maybe Jack borrowed Diddles and tucked it under his arm when he went out on the job, a bit like Kosminski with the shawl?

[GUT]

Maybe Jack borrowed Diddles and tucked it under his arm when he went out on the job, a bit like Kosminski with the shawl?

Aha and maybe that's what everyone reported as a leather bag. Eureka.

[Paddy]

Blotchy Man

Does anyone know if the police actually stated that Blotchy Man had not been found....I mean I know we assume he wasn't found but could they have just discounted him ?

Pat......................

[GUT]

Does anyone know if the police actually stated that Blotchy Man had not been found....I mean I know we assume he wasn't found but could they have just discounted him ?

Pat......................

I've never seen any report of them finding him, but there are so many reports missing, I haven't so far even found any real mention in the papers of them looking for him.

I find it a little surprising that they didn't place ads asking for him or Astrakhan man to come forward.

[Errata]

I have several pet theories, most of which are contradictory, and none involve a specific suspect. Well one does in terms of type, but not name.

[No Luck Yet]

Ha ha! Have to admit, if I was the last one seen with a woman who'd been brutally murdered, I don't know if I'd care to stick my neck out, whether I did it or not! 'Sides, what would any potential Mrs. Blotchy or Mrs. A think if he came out and confessed to spending a night with a prostitute? I think I'd just hope to stay under the radar...

I myself have no particular theory, either. I write fiction, and every Ripper piece winds up with a different take on Jack.

[lynn cates]

pubs

Hello Pat, GUT. Actually, the police investigated local pubs to see if any recalled filling Blotchy's beer device. No luck.

Cheers.
LC

[Damaso Marte]

The closest thing I have to a pet theory (and it's a theory that I don't necessarily believe, but merely find not implausible) is that some of the post-Kelly killings that somewhat resemble Ripper killings but had much less mutilation, is the result of the original ripper trying to get back into his old hobby, but finding that he lacked either the will, the strength, or the interest to truly rip again.

I suppose it's colored by my personal experience: often, I abandon my hobbies when I've either tired of them or reached a major milestone, and my attempts to later come back to these hobbies are often sad and pathetic, either because my skills have deteriorated or because I've truly lost interest and am just going through the motions.