Why William Henry Bury may have been Jack

[John Wheat]

Hi John,

Had Bury walked into the police station on the night of Ellen's death and reported her as a suicide, IMO he may have gotten away with it. The jury at the time, and also in the case of the recent retrial, drew the conclusion that there was too much conflicting medical evidence to come to a clear verdict, the latter actually acquitting him. Instead he walked into Dundee police station and reported a suicide, and then added that he had mutilated the body to attempt disposal but had become too squeamish to continue, and was now afraid that it may be thought that he was Jack the Ripper. I find myself un-persuaded that the man who was far from squeamish in the C5 murders, and had evaded all attempts to deduce his identity, suddenly develops a weak stomach and calmly gives himself up? He had the packing case pre-prepared and could have disposed of her body and disappeared. But instead he appears to have sought some notoriety for his actions.

It has been suggested that if MJK was the last murder, then Bury's departure is the explanation. But if Ellen was a victim of JtR, then MJK wasn't the last victim, as can also be said of McKenzie (circular reasoning?).

I am aware that Bury is your choice of suspect and I don't wish to be disparaging of your opinion, but IMHO McKenzie is a far more likely victim of JtR than Ellen Bury but....that's JMO.

Cheers, George

Hi George

Could you give your source as to what Bury said? I was under the impression that Bury mentioned the Ripper in a drunken state and that we don't know exactly what Bury said. When looking at Ellen Bury's murder I think it's important to bear in mind that Bury couldn't mutilate Ellen and leave her on the streets of Dundee. As she was his wife and not a prostitute with nothing tying him to her. I'm not sure why you believe Mckenzie is a far more likely Ripper victim than Ellen Bury. There's the time gap to explain for a start.

Cheers John

[GBinOz]

In this post I'm going to outline briefly in bullet points why Bury may well have been Jack the Ripper.

Bury killed his former Prostitute Wife Ellen in a similar manner to the C5.
I have been reading threads on Alice McKenzie and noted your objection to her being a ripper victim on the basis of "wouldn't we see a MJK amount of mutilation?" and Sam Flynn's objection "Was her throat deeply cut from side to side? No. Was her abdomen deeply and extensively cut? No. Was she eviscerated? No.". It appears to me that these objections apply equally to Ellen Bury. Every one of the C5 had their throats cut. Ellen did not. The cuts to Ellen's abdomen were relatively few and shallow compared to Chapman, Eddowes and Kelly's eviscerations, and there was no interruption as is thought with Nichols and Stride. I fail to see how the injuries visited upon Ellen were similar to the C5.

Chalk messages were found at Bury's flat in Dundee. E.G. 'Jack the Ripper is at the back of this door'. In my opinion the chalk messages were written by Bury.
I agree that they were probably written by Bury as part of his fantasy, and/or to intimidate Ellen. The neighbours and the police thought they were written by a child prior to Bury's arrival.

Bury reportedly confessed to his hangman James Berry to being Jack the Ripper.
AFAIK Berry reported that Bury said something like "I suppose you think you're clever hanging ME!", intimating that Bury thought he was someone special. But Berry's book made no mention of Bury, and in his article to a newspaper in 1927 he expressed only an opinion that Bury may have been the ripper. Can you point to the source of this confession to which you refer?

Ellen Bury reportedly said 'Jack the Ripper' is quiet now about Bury in Bury's company.
Part of the intimidation and/or attention seeking, and Ellen's acquiescence.

Bury fits the F.B.I.'s profile of Jack the Ripper well.
As do many others.

Bury was violent towards Ellen and even held a knife to her throat on one occasion.
Violence towards wives was common, and largely accepted, at the time.

Bury was known to use Prostitutes in London.
As were many other men in London.

Hi John,

Had Bury walked into the police station on the night of Ellen's death and reported her as a suicide, IMO he may have gotten away with it. The jury at the time, and also in the case of the recent retrial, drew the conclusion that there was too much conflicting medical evidence to come to a clear verdict, the latter actually acquitting him. Instead he walked into Dundee police station and reported a suicide, and then added that he had mutilated the body to attempt disposal but had become too squeamish to continue, and was now afraid that it may be thought that he was Jack the Ripper. I find myself un-persuaded that the man who was far from squeamish in the C5 murders, and had evaded all attempts to deduce his identity, suddenly develops a weak stomach and calmly gives himself up? He had the packing case pre-prepared and could have disposed of her body and disappeared. But instead he appears to have sought some notoriety for his actions.

It has been suggested that if MJK was the last murder, then Bury's departure is the explanation. But if Ellen was a victim of JtR, then MJK wasn't the last victim, as can also be said of McKenzie (circular reasoning?).

I am aware that Bury is your choice of suspect and I don't wish to be disparaging of your opinion, but IMHO McKenzie is a far more likely victim of JtR than Ellen Bury but....that's JMO.

Cheers, George

[John Wheat]

And if Kelly was the final murder we have with Bury an explanation for the cessation.

Good point Herlock.

[Herlock Sholmes]

In this post I'm going to outline briefly in bullet points why Bury may well have been Jack the Ripper.

Bury killed his former Prostitute Wife Ellen in a similar manner to the C5.
Chalk messages were found at Bury's flat in Dundee. E.G. 'Jack the Ripper is at the back of this door'. In my opinion the chalk messages were written by Bury.
Bury reportedly confessed to his hangman James Berry to being Jack the Ripper.
Ellen Bury reportedly said 'Jack the Ripper' is quiet now about Bury in Bury's company.
Bury fits the F.B.I.'s profile of Jack the Ripper well.
Bury was violent towards Ellen and even held a knife to her throat on one occasion.
Bury was known to use Prostitutes in London.

And if Kelly was the final murder we have with Bury an explanation for the cessation.

[John Wheat]

In this post I'm going to outline briefly in bullet points why Bury may well have been Jack the Ripper.

Bury killed his former Prostitute Wife Ellen in a similar manner to the C5.
Chalk messages were found at Bury's flat in Dundee. E.G. 'Jack the Ripper is at the back of this door'. In my opinion the chalk messages were written by Bury.
Bury reportedly confessed to his hangman James Berry to being Jack the Ripper.
Ellen Bury reportedly said 'Jack the Ripper' is quiet now about Bury in Bury's company.
Bury fits the F.B.I.'s profile of Jack the Ripper well.
Bury was violent towards Ellen and even held a knife to her throat on one occasion.
Bury was known to use Prostitutes in London.