Jack the Ripper: Man or Myth?

[lynn cates]

Don't stop when you're on a roll.

Hello Harry.

"There's nothing wrong with doing that per se, but it does needlessly complicate the case to start throwing in multiple killers when one will suffice."

And why stop there? Let's let him kill ALL the ladies who died in London from, say, 1885 to 1892.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

decided

Hello Jason. Why "decided"?

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

investigating

Hello Harry. Thanks.

Which policemen? Tom Arnold perhaps? He held 4.

Whence his information? Well, he actually did some investigating. Much better than listening to a lot of talking heads.

Cheers.
LC

[Batman]

Ted Bundy would literally run around a dormitory trying to bludgeon and murder everyone there. There was even a double event at a lake. So its not exclusive to the Whitechapel murders at all.

[Rosella]

Maybe Jack had multiple personalities.

[John Wheat]

I think the problem with Ripperology is that some people are always trying to look outside the box and invent their own pet theories. There's nothing wrong with doing that per se, but it does needlessly complicate the case to start throwing in multiple killers when one will suffice.

Yeah why have one killer when you can have five or six in the same area, with very similar m.o.'s?

Cheers John

[Harry D]

Over the years some people have tried to make this case far more complicated than it actually was .We've had various conspiracy theories suggested ranging from the far fetched to the plain deluded.One man for reasons best known to himself decided to commit these vile crimes we will never know who or why but I do think it is the work of one man he wasn't a superman he played his luck and if something hadn't happend to him after poor Mary's murder he would have been caught eventually.p.s I think we all agree he didn't take a shawl to the murder sites with him.

I think the problem with Ripperology is that some people are always trying to look outside the box and invent their own pet theories. There's nothing wrong with doing that per se, but it does needlessly complicate the case to start throwing in multiple killers when one will suffice.

[pinkmoon]

Over the years some people have tried to make this case far more complicated than it actually was .We've had various conspiracy theories suggested ranging from the far fetched to the plain deluded.One man for reasons best known to himself decided to commit these vile crimes we will never know who or why but I do think it is the work of one man he wasn't a superman he played his luck and if something hadn't happend to him after poor Mary's murder he would have been caught eventually.p.s I think we all agree he didn't take a shawl to the murder sites with him.

[Harry D]

Hello Harry. Thanks.

Unfortunately, for that theory, Kate's inclusion was doubted, almost from the beginning.

Where do you suppose Baxter got his information?

Cheers.
LC

Then what of the policemen of the time, and the countless modern researchers who subscribe to the canonical murder? Where did they get THEIR information?

[SirJohnFalstaff]

Annie and Kate both had their intestines lifted out and tossed over their right shoulders. How likely is it that that was done by two different people?

hence, copycat.

[SirJohnFalstaff]

Under modern terminology, Jack would be considered a spree killer, not a serial killer.

There is no consensus yet on this. Nobody agrees on what a cooling off period is.

But in my understanding definition of the word "spree", Jack doesn't qualify.

That, of course, depends on how many victims you think were the work of JtR.


Personally, I think he existed. And he killed six: Tabram, Nichols, Chapman, Stride, Eddowes, Kelly.

If I were to let go on of them, I'd go with Stride.

I think it's quite possible that he killed before Tabram, but in a less spectacular fashion.

[lynn cates]

September

Hello CD. Thanks.

OK, I think I understand you. I have long thought that:

1. Whoever killed Kate was convinced that Polly and Annie's killer was caught.

2. Whoever killed Kate relied on Polly and Annie's killer to be completely unable to confess or be coherent.

In fact, it was these considerations that led me to look into the September suspects and, in doing so, I found Isenschmid.

Cheers.
LC

[c.d.]

Hello Lynn,

I think you are missing my point. If the police were looking for Joe Smith as the Ripper then Bob Jones might think of committing a Ripper like murder hoping the police would suspect Smith. But the reality is that no one could throw the police off track as to make them think it was somebody else when they didn't know the identity of the original killer in the first place.

c.d.

[lynn cates]

one thing

Hello Jason. Thanks.

Sorry, but I had not mentioned "MJK" nor even thought about her. I prefer to do one thing at a time.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

cover

Hello CD. Thanks.

"To which I am always forced to reply a cover for whom?"

Killing Kate, of course.

"I know you have a favorite crazed individual but overall if the police didn't know who was doing the killings then trying to pass the blame on to another individual really doesn't seem necessary."

Not necessary--only convenient. What better than to kill someone then have it subsumed under the rubric of "JTR"--or "Leather Apron."

"Also, my original point is still valid regardless of a cover theory. It wasn't just the killing that was required but mutilation as well. I am not sure that it is a given that even if someone is a killer that they have the stomach to rip out intestines even if it is required as part of the cover.'

I agree that not everyone (at least under normal circumstances) could kill--fair enough point. But why assume in a given case that one could not? Several women were killed between 1887-and 91. Unless one lad did them ALL, then there were multiple violent killers about.

Cheers.
LC