The victim that survived a JtR attack

[Meet Ze Monster]

Really interesting stuff! If this attacker was him, it reveals quite a bit about the Ripper's MO. Select victim (obviously drunk unfortunate), establish if they have a private residence, make an offer of wealth they could hardly refuse, allow them to lead him to a secluded place and attempt strangulation to quickly silence her. The offer of such a high rate would probably ensure the victim would a) be very compliant and b) not risk drawing attention, as robbery (possibly even amongst unfortunates) was a very real issue. He probably even re-used the same modified coins on each lady, and simply reclaimed them after the kill.

[SuspectZero]

Thanks, Scott. That's the one!

I always wondered about this guy. He suffered from a malady that could have been caused by a sexually transmitted disease. Died in December and buried without ceremony in a paupers grave by his wife, who went on to work in an asylum afterwards. But he couldn't have been Spicer's man because he stated in an interview that he saw this guy again, but it couldn't have been Chapman, since he was already dead.

[Harry D]

The Brixton Doctor, Frederick Chapman ("Dr. Merchant"), possibly PC Robert Spicer's suspect.

Thanks, Scott. That's the one!

[Scott Nelson]

The Brixton Doctor, Frederick Chapman ("Dr. Merchant"), possibly PC Robert Spicer's suspect.

[Harry D]

I have a recollection of a kooky doctor who was found with a prostitute on the night of the double event. Does anyone remember who I’m talking about?

[Yabs]

I can’t find anything else at all relating to the incident on the Thursday before the double event.
this is the most similar report I could find which happened on the Wednesday before.

[FrankO]

Hi Frank

Good find - this is exactly the type of attack that might be a failed attempt. The report is tantalising and it is a shame there is not more detail - but there may be more to be found.

Yes, Eten, hopefully one of us will be able to find more!

Cheers,
Frank

[FrankO]

Dear oh dear, miscalculated again - I think I doubled originally when I should have halved. Two half-sovereigns is worth one pound=240 pennies=two months doss. Which is still sixty times what I understand was the going rate of 4d.

No worries, Joshua. The original gist is still there: it would have been an extraordinary lot of money - if she didn't make the sovereigns up, that is!

[etenguy]

Hi Eten,

I've always wondered if the woman in the article below from the Lloyd's Weekly News of 30 September was such a victim...

"Last night a correspondent furnished us with another strange story of an incident occurring early on Thursday morning, near to the scene of the four murders. He states that early in the morning a woman was sitting sleeping on some steps in one of the houses in Dorset-street, when she was awoke by a man who asked her whether she had any bed to go to, or any money to pay for a lodging. She replied that she had not, upon which he said he had money, and then gave her what she thought was two half-sovereigns. She went with him down a passage, and when there he seized her by the throat and tried to strangle her. A scuffle ensued between them, in which she screamed and got away. The next morning she found that what he gave her was two farthings machined round the edge like gold coins. She described him as being a man with a dark moustache, and dressed in a rough frieze blue overcoat."

Not that it helps us a lot in the sense of a useful physical descriprion of the attacker, but it's interesting that the attack took place only 3 days before "the double event" and might fit with how the Ripper went to work.

Cheers,
Frank

Hi Frank

Good find - this is exactly the type of attack that might be a failed attempt. The report is tantalising and it is a shame there is not more detail - but there may be more to be found.

[JeffHamm]

This is interesting. Shame we don't have a bit more details, like where on Dorset Street she was sleeping, or what passage they went down. Counting Little Pasternoster Row as a "passage", there looks to be 4 possibilities, LPR, a passage into "New Court", a passage into an unnamed court (on my map), and then the passage into Miller's Court.

If this is JtR, and if he was drinking in the pubs prior to his murders (which I think is likely enough to be a working hypothesis; alcohol and drug use prior to murders is commonly the case), then it is worth noting that there were 3 pubs right in that immediate area (western end of Dorset Street, counting the one at the west end of White's Row). Those would be locations well worth investigating by the police, and then expanding outwards to take in other nearby pubs and such. If JtR were a regular at some of these pubs, finding out who was there on the important nights in question could have provided some leads. Whether or not they would have panned out is anybody's guess.

- Jeff

[Observer]

Would this be her? This is from 24th November 1888.

I've been looking for that incident Etenguy, it's the first thing that sprung to mind when reading of the "other" incident, thanks to Yabs for posting it. I agree. I believe they are the same incident. If memory serves me well, I believe it later transpired that the woman had concealed a coin in her mouth, obviously the punter wasn't amused and attacked her. Like you I don't believe this to have been a Ripper attack.

[etenguy]

hi wicky
agree. if true this is undoubtedly an aborted ripper attack.

Hi Abby

I agree with you, and if true it provides us with some insight. However, it is a bit vague (a woman, a correspondent etc...) I wonder if this is just a story or was a real incident. If a real incident, then I would expect this to be reported in other newspapers or followed up by Lloyd's later - if I get some time at the weekend, I'll have a look to see what I can find.

[etenguy]

Would this be her? This is from 24th November 1888.

Hi Yabs

The story differs slightly but in all likelihood this is the same attack. Other posters have cast doubt on parts of this story and I think it unlikely this is a ripper attack.

[Abby Normal]

If that is a genuine example, it does answer the query of why the killer scattered their possessions around (Chapman, Eddowes), he was looking for the coins he gave them. Also, why no money was found on the victims.
If the police/public learned how he enticed his victims streetwalkers would be on their guard for anyone flashing polished farthings around. Though this isn't the first we've read about polished farthings.

In this example, rather than threaten the victim with a knife, he attempted to choke her which is more aligned with Jack the Ripper in my view. I believe he was a strangler who used a knife to mutilate, as opposed to a knife wielding maniac. The first sign of a knife would make any woman scream, but choking is more of a sneak attack not always obvious.
I doubt the vicitms ever saw a knife.
Plus the date, apparently on the 27th, he was ready to strike again.
This to me sounds like a genuine incident involving JtR.

hi wicky
agree. if true this is undoubtedly an aborted ripper attack.

[Losmandris]

Would this be her? This is from 24th November 1888.

I don't think that this matches the killers MO. I think he would have attempted to strangle her first, with, as Wickerman alluded to earlier, the knife only being brought out after the victim was deceased.