The Investigator's Suspects

[clark2710]

I have read in more than one place that Abberline himself consider Klosowski (Chapman) to be his #1 suspect. But who were the suspects of other officers close to the case? For instance, was Lechmere on anyone's radar? Did anyone at the time actually believe that Cream was the Ripper? What did the investigators think?

[JeffHamm]

Well, McNaughton lists Druitt, Kosminski, and Ostrog as being three who were better suspects than Cutbush (who was mentioned in the press at the time he wrote his memorandum). In his memorandum he does indicate that he prefers Druitt of the three, but also indicates that his preference is no certain thing. Since that time it's been shown that Ostrog was in jail in France. Druitt, while known to have been out of London playing cricket around the time of the Chapman murder, does have a window of opportunity that would allow him to return to London, and then get back to play cricket. It's tight, and there is no evidence of such travel, but then again, there is no evidence to place him anywhere during the critical time window. If that window does get shut, it would remove Druitt. While Kosminski was known to have severe mental health issues a few years later, it is unclear how ill he was at the time of the murders. Moreover, there are scant indications of him being violent, although not none entirely (I believe he attacked or threatened his sister with a knife? And something about attacking someone with a chair, maybe in the asylum records?).

I believe it's PC Sagar who mentions a stakeout on the night of the double event, where they were looking at someone they suspected (a butcher I think?) who lived just north and west of Mitre Square. I don't think that suspect has ever been named, but he does mention the street (which sadly escapes me at the moment), which isn't large and perhaps someone good at census research could work out at least a list of potential suspects by tracking down butchers in that area? This is not something I could do, and it may even be someone has tried already.

There was, of course, John Pizer (Leather Apron), who was the police suspect early on, but he was later cleared when it was determined he had solid alibis for the nights in question.

The police may have briefly suspect Joe Barnett, as they did question him following Mary Kelly's murder. However, that is a necessary step in any murder investigation - question those with the closest relationship to the victim as sadly, that is often where the offender will be found. He was playing whist at the time of the murder, and so his whereabouts were accounted for and I don't think he ever really rose to "suspect level" by the police at the time, and was simply someone who had to be questioned to see if they could eliminate him (and they did). There are some recent suggestions that bring him back into the potential suspect list, generally going with the idea that Mary was killed much later than the police thought, which would negate his whist playing as an alibi.

In a letter, Inspector Littlechild mentions a "Dr. T." as being a suspect at the time. This was determined to be Francis Tumblety (sp?), which is why he is considered a contemporary police suspect.

I think the police sent some people up to question Bury following his arrest in Scotland for the murder of his wife. I'm not sure if it is said the questioning was specifically in terms of the JtR murders, but that would be a reasonable hypothesis. If it was, then to some extent he could be viewed as a contemporary police suspect (at least someone the police thought worth looking at).

Sadler, of course, was thought to be responsible for the Fracis Coles murder, who was at the time thought a potential JtR victim. I think it was eventually determined that he was on a ship at the time of each, or at least most, of the JtR murders. While he wasn't convicted of Coles' murder, I can't recall how solid his alibi was for that, and I think he may be viewed as still a strong candidate for her murder despite the trial outcome.

There was also Ischimchmidt (sp? I'm way off, but can't for the life of me remember how it is spelled), who was a mad butcher suspected by the police after the Nichols and Chapman murder. However, he was known to be in confinement by the time of the double event and Kelly's murder.

Hmmm, I have probably overlooked some, but those are the ones that occur to me off the top of my head (and in no particular order; just as they occurred to me). Personally, I doubt any of the above were actually JtR, though I can't definitively rule out many (other than Ostrog, due to him being in jail and all, and Sadler, as he is known to have been working on ships that had left London a few days before the JtR murders, and Isch... who was in an asylum for the last 3 murders). The rest are all "in with a chance", though I think the chance level is very small, even for whichever one is put forth as the best of the lot.

I'm sure others will be able to provide more names, and expand upon what I've put (and correct me where my memory has failed me).

Modern theorists at times go back and re-examine contemporary police suspects, and sometimes suggest ideas as to how someone who may have been cleared might have been so in error.

To the best of my knowledge, though, Cross/Lechmere was never considered a suspect by the police at the time, and his name being put forth as a potential JtR is of recent origin.

- Jeff

[Lewis C]

Hi Clark,

In addition to the ones that Jeff mentioned, around 1902 Frederick Abberline said that he suspected George Chapman.

Right after the Mary Kelly murder, the police tried to find James Kelly, but I don't know how strong their suspicion of him was. It may be just that they were looking into every possibility.

Right after William Grant Grainger assaulted Alice Graham, there were 2 press reports that police suspected that Grainger might be the Ripper.

[Barnaby]

For me, Abberline's suspicion of George Chapman being Jack the Ripper is hard to understand. It seems so wildly wrong, yet he wasn't stupid. Did he know something that we don't?

[Abby Normal]

I have read in more than one place that Abberline himself consider Klosowski (Chapman) to be his #1 suspect. But who were the suspects of other officers close to the case? For instance, was Lechmere on anyone's radar? Did anyone at the time actually believe that Cream was the Ripper? What did the investigators think?

yes, abberline favored chapman.
anderson, backed by swanson, was sure it was kosminski
McNaughten favored Druitt
littlechild suspected Tumblty

Bury and james kelly were persons of interest at the time.
hutchinson may have been briefly suspected at first as abberline said he "interogated him".

thats really about it for contemp police suspects that have not been ruled out (like ostrog).

[JeffHamm]

For me, Abberline's suspicion of George Chapman being Jack the Ripper is hard to understand. It seems so wildly wrong, yet he wasn't stupid. Did he know something that we don't?

Hi Barnaby,

Abberline wasn't stupid, but more is known about serial murderers now than at the time. While one can never say never, Chapman's murders were so different on almost every level that it seems highly improbable that he would be JtR. However, Abberline would not be aware of how serial murders generally (but not always), tend to be acting upon fantasies, and so the idea of going from one extreme to another (a serial public location mutilator; quick kill, very bloody, destruction of body to be left discovered by the public/police, no known connection to Chapman) to a serial poisoner (long drawn out murders of woman he's in a relationship with, trying to con it off as a death by illness, etc) would not be something on which he had information to work. To him, he would be working on multiple murder of woman, and perhaps the idea that given the different victim type the mode of murder would also differ. It's a reasoned idea, though one which modern information tends to suggest is unlikely (which we know, but he didn't because the information hadn't been put together yet).

Again, I want to emphasize that the above trends are not carved in stone truths, just fairly strong patterns. But even fairly strong patterns are broken at times, and so if he knew something that is lost to us then perhaps he had more than what I am suggesting he may have based his ideas on. Don't forget, there are cases of modern serial killers whose method of murder, and victim selection, varies quite a bit, so it's not like they all follow some hard and fast set of rules when it comes to how or who they kill. On the other hand, I can't think of a case where someone goes through a steady period of committing very similar murders (the JtR series) and then switches to start a new consistent but very different type of series (as in Chapman's poisonings). It's not impossible, but it would be the only case I can think of (not that that means a whole lot mind you; and perhaps someone else can think of such an example). Personally, when looking at the options of "Either this is the only example of such a switch, or JtR and Chapman are two different examples of serial murderers", I would tend to think the latter the more probable, for whatever that is worth.

- Jeff

[Fiver]

The three horse slaughterers who worked near where Polly Nichols was murdered were initially suspected by police.

"Suspicion was also attached to three men employed during the night of the murder by Messrs. Barber & Co. “Horse-slaughterers” Winthorp St. which is about 30 yards from where the body was found. They have however been seen separately and lengthy statements taken from them as to how they spent their time during the night, and the explanations given by them were confirmed by the police who saw them at work, and no grounds appeared to exist to suspect them of the murders." - 19 September 1888 police report.

Here's some of the police opinions on the killer's identity.

[Fiver]

Abberline wasn't stupid, but more is known about serial murderers now than at the time.

Abberline favored Chapman/Klosowski as a suspect, based on Chapman having some medical knowledge and the Ripper murders coinciding with the time Chapman lived in London. That's a better basis than most suspects, but I agree with all of your points on the differences between the murder series.

[JeffHamm]

Abberline favored Chapman/Klosowski as a suspect, based on Chapman having some medical knowledge and the Ripper murders coinciding with the time Chapman lived in London. That's a better basis than most suspects, but I agree with all of your points on the differences between the murder series.

Hi Fiver,

Ah, that does ring a bell. Thanks for that.

- Jeff

[Lewis C]

Abberline favored Chapman/Klosowski as a suspect, based on Chapman having some medical knowledge and the Ripper murders coinciding with the time Chapman lived in London. That's a better basis than most suspects, but I agree with all of your points on the differences between the murder series.

The quote at the bottom of Abby's posts gives us another reason why Abberline suspected Chapman: "...the man and the peaked cap he is said to have worn quite tallies with the descriptions I got of him."

[NotBlamedForNothing]

Here's some of the police opinions on the killer's identity.

Technical note: In URLs, always change ?printer=true to ?printer=false or remove ?printer=true completely.

[Fiver]

Technical note: In URLs, always change ?printer=true to ?printer=false or remove ?printer=true completely.

Thank you.

[Abby Normal]

The quote at the bottom of Abby's posts gives us another reason why Abberline suspected Chapman: "...the man and the peaked cap he is said to have worn quite tallies with the descriptions I got of him."

thanks lewis
yes and abberline also favored chapman because he was a known serial killer.

[The Rookie Detective]

thanks lewis
yes and abberline also favored chapman because he was a known serial killer.

The thing I like about Chapman as the potential Ripper; is that he remains one of the only "old skool" suspects that still hangs around in the top 10.

Like that Abba album that stayed in the charts for decades.


RD

[Lewis C]

thanks lewis
yes and abberline also favored chapman because he was a known serial killer.

You're welcome Abby, and I agree with that.