If Jack had been cornered

[kensei]

Here's a question that's occurred to me from time to time. If Jack the Ripper had been caught in the act- either committing a murder or fleeing the scene immediately after- by police, such as during the dragnet on the night of the Double Event, would he have brandished his knife and tried to fight and escape or would he have surrendered? The same question goes for if he had been cornered by civilians, such as the way that Night Stalker Richard Ramirez was captured.

I realize this calls for a lot of imagination and speculation since we don't even know who he was, but I was curious as to what people might think.

[Nothing to see]

Here's a question that's occurred to me from time to time. If Jack the Ripper had been caught in the act- either committing a murder or fleeing the scene immediately after- by police, such as during the dragnet on the night of the Double Event, would he have brandished his knife and tried to fight and escape or would he have surrendered? The same question goes for if he had been cornered by civilians, such as the way that Night Stalker Richard Ramirez was captured.

I realize this calls for a lot of imagination and speculation since we don't even know who he was, but I was curious as to what people might think.

I've thought of this and posted as well but good topic.

Nicholls. 2 men wander down the street towards the Board School gates.

I don't think Jack was done. If one man had come along I believe Jack may have defended his get. 2 men put him off.

[Fisherman]

NTS writes:

" don't think Jack was done. If one man had come along I believe Jack may have defended his get. 2 men put him off."

Only one man came from the outset, though. Charles Cross reached the body, stopped in the street and peered at what he thought to be a tarpaulin. As he stood there, he heard Robert Pauls approaching steps.

And so, if Jack was scared away, he was scared away by Cross only. Much, though, speaks for Jack leaving the scene earlier than so. But I agree with the bottom line here - I donīt think he was done as he left.

In an answer to Kensei: I think he would have left as soon as he was spooked or felt the risk to be cornered. I donīt think he was a violent man in other surroundings than that of his victims.

The best,
Fisherman

[Malcolm X]

Here's a question that's occurred to me from time to time. If Jack the Ripper had been caught in the act- either committing a murder or fleeing the scene immediately after- by police, such as during the dragnet on the night of the Double Event, would he have brandished his knife and tried to fight and escape or would he have surrendered? The same question goes for if he had been cornered by civilians, such as the way that Night Stalker Richard Ramirez was captured.

I realize this calls for a lot of imagination and speculation since we don't even know who he was, but I was curious as to what people might think.

he would have used his knife if cornered, but if not cornered; he would've run off....most people would

i have often thought about this too, because the ripper's innocent while chatting to a client, even if the police stroll over to him....so he's got a knife in his pocket, well what; it's for self- defence only. he's only vulnerable after killing and within about 200 ft of the crime scene, so a quick escape is essential.

suspect descriptions are so vague and poor, that he wont worry about a quick glance before he kills, he's only vulnerable to a long hard full face stare

[Nothing to see]

I'm gonna be pedantic. 2 men. They weren't far behind each other. None of the people living around the murder site heard anything. Jack wasn't finished IMO but he heard enough to have him scuttling off down the street into the shadows. No-one pays any attention to Jack murdering. That we know of. Then one man, two men appear and it's all over. Jack's gone. If only one man had appeared then I believe Jack would have been prepared to defend his get.
JMO.

[Fisherman]

NTS writes:

"I'm gonna be pedantic. 2 men. They weren't far behind each other."

Sorry, NTS, but Iīm the one being pedantic here. This is from the inquest:

"Chas. Andrew Cross, carman, said he had been in the employment of Messrs. Pickford and Co. for over twenty years. About half-past three on Friday he left his home to go to work, and he passed through Buck's-row. He discerned on the opposite side something lying against the gateway, but he could not at once make out what it was. He thought it was a tarpaulin sheet. He walked into the middle of the road, and saw that it was the figure of a woman. He then heard the footsteps of a man going up Buck's-row, about forty yards away, in the direction that he himself had come from."

So, "he THEN heard the footsteps", as it were - he had NOT heard them from the outset, which tells us that nor would the Ripper.

The best,
Fisherman

[FrankO]

So, "he THEN heard the footsteps", as it were - he had NOT heard them from the outset, which tells us that nor would the Ripper.

Hi Fisherman!

I hope you don't mind my butting in, but this is not necessarily true. The Ripper may very well have been listening for sounds while doing 'his thing', while there was no need for Cross to be doing that.

All the best, Fish!
Frank

[Mascara & Paranoia]

He wouldn't have surrendered I don't think; the nature of his crimes indicate clearly enough to suggest that he valued his life to a certain degree. That being said, I think he'd have been more of a runner than a slasher if it ever came down to being cornered.

[FrankO]

I realize this calls for a lot of imagination and speculation since we don't even know who he was, but I was curious as to what people might think.

Hi Kensei,

Interesting question, although, like you say, it would involve a lot of imagination and even much more speculation to answer it. Fight or flight? My answer would be: flight - in whatever situation! I think that he rather was the type who didn't like people too much and therefore kept to himself as much as possible than that he was the bully-like type who wasn't afraid to let people know what he thought.

All the best,
Frank

[Fisherman]

Frank writes:

"I hope you don't mind my butting in, but this is not necessarily true. The Ripper may very well have been listening for sounds while doing 'his thing', while there was no need for Cross to be doing that."

I never mind you participating, Frank, for the simple reason that you more often than not say wise things.
Still, I think that Cross description of the events points to an amount of time passing - and it may well be more than mere seconds - as he set out to have a look at "the tarp". He specifically mentions that he had made out that it was the figure of a woman before he heard the footsteps of Paul, and this discovery of his may well have made him sharpen his hearing sense, making him every bit as concentrated as the Ripper would have been.

On your latter post, I agree that he would have fled in whatever situation. It is precisely my wiew too.

The best, Frank!
Fisherman

[FrankO]

Thanks for the compliment, Christer. And I tend to agree with you that Paul wasn't following all that closely behind Cross in the sense that the Ripper was scared away by 2 people - if he actually was scared away. But, like you, I don't think it would have taken more than one person for him to have fled.

The best, Fish!
Frank

[Nothing to see]

I'm gonna be pedantic. 2 men. They weren't far behind each other. None of the people living around the murder site heard anything. Jack wasn't finished IMO but he heard enough to have him scuttling off down the street into the shadows. No-one pays any attention to Jack murdering. That we know of. Then one man, two men appear and it's all over. Jack's gone. If only one man had appeared then I believe Jack would have been prepared to defend his get.
JMO.

I'm sorry but I think my brilliance should be posted twice. No-one has actually replied to my post yet.

[Fisherman]

Wonīt some genuine good old awe on our behalfs do the trick, NTS?

The best,
Fisherman

[Nothing to see]

Now FM. Do you mean aw or awe? My brilliance or my egotism?

[Fisherman]

Like I said, NTS - My English has itīs flaws...!

The best,
Fisherman