How realistic was it for JTR to disguise himself as a PC?

[Sam Flynn]

Slumming:
In the late Victorian era London's East End became a popular destination for slumming, a new phenomenon which emerged in the 1880s on an unprecedented scale. For some slumming was a peculiar form of tourism motivated by curiosity, excitement and thrill, others were motivated by moral, religious and altruistic reasons. The economic, social and cultural deprivation of slum dwellers attracted in the second half of the nineteenth century the attention of various groups of the middle- and upper-classes, which included philanthropists, religious missionaries, charity workers, social investigators, writers, and also rich people seeking disrespectable amusements.

I can recommend the book "Slumming" by Seth Koven, which I've read many times.

[Leanne]

https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Slumming.html?id=GHiY3tMzhYEC&redir_esc=y

[Busy Beaver]

In a nutshell JTR when carrying out murders would not have dressed as a Policeman, as no witness descriptions (little as they were) never mentioned anyone walking or running away from a murder site in a Policeman's uniform. JTR would have stuck out in any one's mind, even just by one person. (Think Astrachan man in all his attention grabbing garb only being seen by Hutch).

[Leanne]

He would not have hidden his identity as a policeman or a detective, because it would have been too risky. It would have been easier to hide in civilian clothes of his or another class (up or down). Didn't he ever get any blood on himself? Would he not have prepared for such a tradgedy?

[Leanne]

What did he wipe his knife on?

[Busy Beaver]

What did he wipe his knife on?

Quite possibly the clothing of his victims. He would have been very stupid to wipe a knife over himself and walk through the streets and turn up to his home or work covered in blood stains. Especially if he was not employed in area where a knife could have been used and he did not look as if he was the one who got attacked. At the height of the Ripper scare if a man looked at a woman the wrong way, or was seen acting strangely the Police would have been called and that person was pulled into the station.

[Leanne]

So he was likely a local man who worked in a position where he was likely to be able to explain away the odd dark stain on his clothing, and had somewhere to hide stuff.

[Leanne]

https://www.jack-the-ripper-tour.com/generalnews/the-murder-of-mary-kelly/

[Leanne]

FROM THE ABOVE LINK:

'The room, however, is really the back parlour of 26, Dorset-street, the front shop being partitioned off, and used for the storage of barrows, &c.

This was formerly left open, and poor persons often took shelter there for the night; but when the Whitechapel murders caused so much alarm the police thought the spot offered a temptation to the murderer, and so the front was securely boarded up.

ALTHOUGH THE WINDOW WAS OPEN TO THE OBSERVATION OF ANY OF THE INMATES OF THE COURT, the door was some distance from any other, and afforded the utmost facility for an easy escape.”

[Sam Flynn]

So he was likely a local man who worked in a position where he was likely to be able to explain away the odd dark stain on his clothing, and had somewhere to hide stuff.

Assuming any dark stains would have shown up against the drab, dark clothing that most men wore in those days; clothing which, for some of the poorest, wouldn't have been strangers to stains in any case.

[Sam Flynn]

FROM THE ABOVE LINK:

'The room, however, is really the back parlour of 26, Dorset-street, the front shop being partitioned off, and used for the storage of barrows, &c.

This was formerly left open, and poor persons often took shelter there for the night; but when the Whitechapel murders caused so much alarm the police thought the spot offered a temptation to the murderer, and so the front was securely boarded up.

ALTHOUGH THE WINDOW WAS OPEN TO THE OBSERVATION OF ANY OF THE INMATES OF THE COURT, the door was some distance from any other, and afforded the utmost facility for an easy escape.”

All that's saying is that the window could be seen by any of the inmates of Miller's Court... which isn't strictly true, BTW, because Kelly's window would have been in a bit of a blind-spot of some of the residents. Besides, the link is to a modern narrative on a website, not a primary historical source, so I wouldn't set much store by what it says.

[Leanne]

Assuming any dark stains would have shown up against the drab, dark clothing that most men wore in those days; clothing which, for some of the poorest, wouldn't have been strangers to stains in any case.

Then why did the police check for bloodstains?

[Leanne]

Above is a diagrame of Millers Court. I believe there was an open window to No 26 (Storage) in the covered passage viewable to any residents entering from Dorset Street. The large window at the front would have been the one that was boarded up.

[Sam Flynn]

Then why did the police check for bloodstains?

They'd have to apprehend someone first. A casual passerby, even a passing police officer, would be unlikely to spot any bloodstains on a dark jacket or trousers, especially in poor light.

[Leanne]