General Ripper Musings...

[Dream Brother]

Hello all, I'm new to the board and just wanted to post a few personal thoughts having read most of the information on here and listened to a lot of the podcasts.

First up I agree with the experts who don't try to name a suspect and then make their theory fit that person. Having said that I tend to to gravitate to Stan Russo's theories on Sickert etc - I think he really makes a good case.
Sickert's pictures are also just too creepy, they have an atmosphere and a feel just makes my skin crawl! I also like the "Butchers Row" suspect as a real candidate.

I've always been interested in the case for years but have rekindled my interest having been on one of the walks just recently. Until then I had envisaged the murderer as some kind of demon, not really human in fact. However, it is fascinating to imagine the murderer as a real person. Regardless of their state of mind they would have felt fear (especially if we assume that he was almost discovered at Hanbury Street by the width of a fence!) and he must have felt some revulsion at what he had done however depraved he was.

I personally believe 100% that the murderer had killed before, there is no way you start with "ripping" I can't see how. Nicholls was so reckless I think he expected to get caught and when he didn't it spurred him on to continue taking greater risks each time. For this reason I also believe he was seen many times but was incredibly lucky.

Even these days it is remarkably easy to remain unseen, especially at night there are not eyes everywhere!. For example, I think most guys will have at some point been caught short outside and will have looked for a secluded place to have a wee let's say. In those circumstances most people will take the time to try to find an alley way, some where directly out of sight etc. However, if you have the bravado and it's late you can probably just do it wherever you are and the likelihood is you won't be disturbed.
I think "Jack" had that bravado and he was incredibly lucky to catch those windows of opportunity.

I know this actually adds nothing to the discussion but just wanted to put some of my thoughts down. Anyway, good hunting everyone

[kensei]

Hello Dream Brother,

I used to think Sickert was the Ripper too, but I came to know better. The evidence that he was in France at the time of the murders and the question of how he could have made forays into London unbeknownst to anyone during that time is a pretty big hoop for him to have had to jump through. However, it is a fact that he had a fascination with the Ripper to the point of liking to playact him (as he also did with other historical figures), and I do still consider him a suspect in the "Camdentown Murder" which inspired some of his paintings (prostitute Emily Dimmock, September 11, 1907).

Thinking the Ripper to be a demon, or some other supernatural force? Well, there was a quote by someone back at the time as if he seemed to have just dropped through "a trapdoor in the earth," but no, I don't think a demon or vampire would have used a knife. He was a classic serial killer, and an extremely brazen one- to quote your words, "seen many times but was incredibly lucky." He probably benefited from a combination of ninja-like stealth and the fact that few people who did see things in that environment were likely to come forward and report them. "Don't get involved!"

I too think he killed before Polly Nicholls- some of the non-fatal stabbings that have been pointed to were probably his early work, and his first murder was probably Martha Tabram, a wild stabbing spree that introduced him to the concept of ripping up a body before he'd developed any kind of real technique. When Polly happened, the wounds were tentative. Only when it came to Annie did his fully developed pattern take shape.

The proliferation of cameras in London today would make the Ripper's work much more difficult and would probably result in his eventual capture, but still not for 100% certain.

[spyglass]

HI!
I think that there is no doubt that if JTR was doing his work now, he would be caught in days and I really dont think he would get past two victims.
Apart from CCTV, forensics and CSI techniques would soon get him i am certain ,especially if we are talking about the same streets as JTR carried out his work in 1888.

[Archaic]

Hello Dream Brother,
welcome to the forums!

Best regards,
Archaic