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Is there any evidence from studies of recent/modern serial killers as to why they begin? It seems that late 20s early 30s is typical – FBI profile speculates late 20s. Is there a case for some change or disturbing factor that tips a dangerous but perhaps stable individual (that has long fantasised about killing) into a killer?
In the case of Bury, there is a noticeable spell of violence around the time of his marriage, as well as some early attacks that have been speculated as the work of an early-escalating ripper. Obviously, there is no direct link between Bury’s acts and the attacks, but it is interesting speculation, nonetheless. The dates and actions are:
Emma Smith – This attack occurred on Bury’s wedding night. He would have been expected to consummate the marriage. It could be that the ripper had some sort of issue/inability with sex. The brutal injury Smith received could be viewed as some echo of what should’ve happened on the wedding night. Inspector Reid clearly had some misgivings about Smith’s story because at first she said she’d just fallen and couldn’t describe the attackers; at the location she gave she should have been seen and helped over the time frame she gave, and she should of passed police constables but nothing out of the ordinary was reported. If she was lying about the gang element, and taking into account the sexual motivation, this could have been an early ripper crime (also considering Tabram sounds like she was stabbed in the groin or worse from some accounts). The attack was considered particularly severe and unusual by the police and took place in the early hours close to some of the other victims.
The day after the Smith attack Bury assaulted his wife, possibly in Whitechapel.
Mr Earp has speculated that Ellen could have been out looking for Bury if he had been away from home for a spell, as happened in December 1888 when she found him near a pub and he assaulted her. As shown by the assaults above, Bury began attacking his wife in the days immediately following his wedding and a potential theory is that Bury went missing in Whitechapel after the wedding shindig and possibly assaulted Smith in a way reminiscent of what he should have been doing that night with Ellen. Depends on whether Smith was lying though as I don’t believe the ripper would’ve operated in a gang.
It is also worth noting that the next and most brutal assault by Bury was August 1888, although the exact date isn’t recorded. It sounds like it was after they’d been to Wolverhampton, so late August. The police also discovered Bury was out all night at the time of the Chapman murder and behaved like a madman when he returned home later that afternoon. Perhaps his violence on the streets led to violence with Ellen.
Bury’s departure from the East End certainly gives a plausible reason as to why the murders stopped in terms of unanimous attribution to the ripper by the police and police surgeons, and perhaps the significant change in his domestic situation had something to do with why they started.
A fuller account of Bury's potential involvement with Smith is here on Earp's website:http://williambury.org/blog6/?s=smith
In the case of Bury, there is a noticeable spell of violence around the time of his marriage, as well as some early attacks that have been speculated as the work of an early-escalating ripper. Obviously, there is no direct link between Bury’s acts and the attacks, but it is interesting speculation, nonetheless. The dates and actions are:
- 28th March 1888: Ada Wilson attack
- 2nd April 1888: Bury’s Wedding
- Overnight 2nd/3rd April 1888: Bury’s wedding night
- 3rd April 1888 early hours: Emma Smith attack
- 4th April 1888: Bury assaults Ellen, possibly in Whitechapel – trial notes give the location as Bow but newspaper transcripts state Whitechapel:
- “The ADVOCATE-DEPUTE—When did the assaults take place?—The first time on the Wednesday after they were married.
- What did he do?—He punched her on the face. (Laughter.)
- Was that in your house?—No. In Whitechapel—in a public house”.
- 7th April 1888: Bury assaults Ellen, Bow
- On first Saturday after marriage Prisoner and his wife were in my house. He was not sober. She told me he wanted money and she would not give it. They were living in my house. About eleven at night I heard her cry out in bed room. I went up and into their room. She was in bed. He was also. He was kneeling on top of her with a table knife in his right hand. She was continuing to cry out, and said he was going to kill her
Emma Smith – This attack occurred on Bury’s wedding night. He would have been expected to consummate the marriage. It could be that the ripper had some sort of issue/inability with sex. The brutal injury Smith received could be viewed as some echo of what should’ve happened on the wedding night. Inspector Reid clearly had some misgivings about Smith’s story because at first she said she’d just fallen and couldn’t describe the attackers; at the location she gave she should have been seen and helped over the time frame she gave, and she should of passed police constables but nothing out of the ordinary was reported. If she was lying about the gang element, and taking into account the sexual motivation, this could have been an early ripper crime (also considering Tabram sounds like she was stabbed in the groin or worse from some accounts). The attack was considered particularly severe and unusual by the police and took place in the early hours close to some of the other victims.
The day after the Smith attack Bury assaulted his wife, possibly in Whitechapel.
Mr Earp has speculated that Ellen could have been out looking for Bury if he had been away from home for a spell, as happened in December 1888 when she found him near a pub and he assaulted her. As shown by the assaults above, Bury began attacking his wife in the days immediately following his wedding and a potential theory is that Bury went missing in Whitechapel after the wedding shindig and possibly assaulted Smith in a way reminiscent of what he should have been doing that night with Ellen. Depends on whether Smith was lying though as I don’t believe the ripper would’ve operated in a gang.
It is also worth noting that the next and most brutal assault by Bury was August 1888, although the exact date isn’t recorded. It sounds like it was after they’d been to Wolverhampton, so late August. The police also discovered Bury was out all night at the time of the Chapman murder and behaved like a madman when he returned home later that afternoon. Perhaps his violence on the streets led to violence with Ellen.
Bury’s departure from the East End certainly gives a plausible reason as to why the murders stopped in terms of unanimous attribution to the ripper by the police and police surgeons, and perhaps the significant change in his domestic situation had something to do with why they started.
A fuller account of Bury's potential involvement with Smith is here on Earp's website:http://williambury.org/blog6/?s=smith
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