A List of Ripper Suspects

[JeffHamm]

Hi Jeff, I know that but the post I was replying to from The Baron #25, suggested it was from strongest to weakest.

Hi Geddy2112,

I thought you did and was just stating directly what your post was implying.

- Jeff

[Geddy2112]

It isn't listed as a "strongest to weakest" list, it's alphabetical by first name (ignoring titles, like Dr. or Sir).

- Jeff

Hi Jeff, I know that but the post I was replying to from The Baron #25, suggested it was from strongest to weakest.

[JeffHamm]

Not to state the obvious but surely if it's strongest to weakest numbers 28 and 47 should be next to each other. 18 would be near the bottom.

It isn't listed as a "strongest to weakest" list, it's alphabetical by first name (ignoring titles, like Dr. or Sir).

- Jeff

[Geddy2112]

Replace 37 with 47 and you have a list from strongest to weakest suspect as well!!

Not to state the obvious but surely if it's strongest to weakest numbers 28 and 47 should be next to each other. 18 would be near the bottom.

[The Baron]

Hello!

Have you all (The Casebook members) ever tried to put together a list of all the suspects seriously** offered over the years? I worked on the list below for just 15 minutes and I started laughing when I realized how ridiculously long it quickly got. Many I just took from Ripper historians' books; not that I know anything about them, but maybe I should have started by making a list of people not accused of being Saucy Jacky.

If you have the time please feel free to rip the list apart (pun intended), or add more names if you know of any.

I just think it would be interesting to see just how many different people have been accused over the years.

** I am not suggesting that you should take the names on the list seriously, but only that they were offered up by someone with a 'straight face.'

1. Aaron Kosminski
2. Alfred Napier Blanchard
3. Alexander Pedachenko a.k.a. Count Luiskovo (the Russian Spy Theory)
4. Alois Szemeredy
5. Carl Feigenbaum
6. Charles Allen Lechmere/Cross
7. Claude Conder
8. David Cohen a.k.a. Nathan Kaminsky (The Polish Jew Theory)
9. Ernest Dowson (The George Hutchinson Lookalike Theory)
10. Fogemla (Norweigan sailor)
11. Francis Graig
12. Francis Thompson
13. Francis Tumblety
14. Frank Edwards (The Unpopular Cousin Theory)
15. Frederick Deeming
16. G. Wentworth Bell Smith (The Lodger Theory)
17. George Hutchinson
18. H. H. Holmes (Herman Webster Mudgett)
19. Henry James Fitzroy, Earl of Euston (The Royal Conspiracy Theory)
20. Hyam Hyams (The Jewish Immigrant Theory)
21. Jacob Levy
22. Jacob Isenchmid
23. James Kelly
24. James Stephen
25. James Maybrick
26. James Thomas Sadler
27. John Courtenay (Royal Conspiracy Theory)
28. John Netley (The Royal Conpisracy Theory)
29. John Pizer a.k.a. Leatherapron
30. Joseph Barnett
31. Joseph Silver
32. Lewis Carroll
33. Louis Diemshutz
34. Mary Pearcey (Jill the Ripper Theory)
35. Michael Ostrog
36. Dr. Morgan Davies
37. Montague John Druitt
38. Nikolay Vasiliev a.k.a. Nicolas Vassili
39. Prince Albert Victor
40. Robert Mann
41. Robert Stephenson
42. Seweryn K?osowski (George Chapman)
43. Sir John Williams
44. Thomas Cutbush
45. Thomas Neill Cream
46. Walter Sickert (The Royal Conspiracy Theory; The Torso Killer; JTR)
47. Sr. William Gull (The Royal Conspiracy Theory)
48. William Bury

P.S. The one that made me laugh out loud was "Frank Edwards (The Unpopular Cousin Theory)" -- I have no clue what that is all about but I have got to check it out.

Replace 37 with 47 and you have a list from strongest to weakest suspect as well!!

Well done!



The Baron

[Vfor]

There's a high possibility the killer never even referred to himself as Jack the written and the Saucy Jack and Dear Boss letters where very likely to be the work of Tom Bulling, Fred Best or John Moore all of whom are journalists. There are various plausible theories which also cast doubt on the From Hell letter as well.

Due to this I wouldn't base too much evidence surrounding a suspect being based on the letter as alongside the main three there were hundreds more which were probably all hoaxes.

himself or herself.

I agree that we can't base too much on the name Jack for those reasons. Though at the same time it is impossible to prove that the letter that first mentioned the name Jack and the other 5 main uncertain letters that mention the name were or weren't written by the murderer or hoaxer/journalist. From what I've read opinions are divided on each and all of the 7 main letters (6 of which mention name Jack) are a hoax or genuine. Though it is true that opinion/evidence seems to lean more in favour of hoax. I myself can't tell whether they are genuine or hoax, and even my reasons for them being maybe genuine I can't easily get into words. So it is only "high possibility" & "very likely" & "plausible" & "doubt". Even if a hoaxer/journalist wrote all 6 letters we can't prove why they chose the name Jack. And even if the murderer wrote the letter we can't prove why they chose Jack. I'm still seeking and learning anyway, & thanks.

[Astatine211]

I hope its alright to post today, its boxing day here and not much to do today, but I suppose its christmas day in the western hemishere.

These are the main/major suspects I've seen/heard. (They're all extant other peoples ones. I don't include ones that are only my own.)

I've divided the suspects into ones with and without a personal connection to the name Jack. Though it is not able to be proven whether the letter that first mentioned that name Jack was or was not from the murderer or was a hoax. And though it is not able to be proven why the murderer or hoaxer chose the name Jack.

JTR suspects with a demonstrated possible personal name connection with the name Jack:
James Willoughby Carnac
John Courtenay
Montague John Druitt
Jacob Isenschmid (Swiss)
(Isaac Lewis) Jacobs
Henry James
Sir Edward Jenkinson
James Kelly
Mary Jane Kelly (Irish/Welsh)
John Langan
Jacob Levy
James Maybrick
George James Morris
Joseph Merrick
John M(a)cCarthy
John Netley
John Pizer (Polish Jew)
Jack/James Russell of Horton Kirby
James Thomas/Tom Sadler
James K Stephen
John Sanders
John Pavitt Sawyer
Dr/Sir John Williams

JTR suspects without a demonstrated personal name connection with the name Jack:
Joseph Barnett
Thomas Bernardo
Nikaner Benelius
Albert Bachert
Alfred Napier Blanchard
William Henry Bury (from Scotland)
Helena Blavatsky
David Cohen (Polish Jew)
Dr Thomas Neill Cream (from Scotland)
Thomas Hayne Cutbush
Willy Clarkson
Churchill
Lewis Carroll / Charles Lutwidge Dodgson
Dr Morgan Davies
Frederick Bailey Deeming
Carl F Feigenbaum (German, was in America)
Fogelma (Norwegian)
Jose Fleming
Sir William Withey Gull
Vincent William van Gough (Dutch)
George Gissing
W Gladstone
George Hutchinson
Lizzie Halliday
H H Holmes
Hyam Hyams
Jong (meaning "young, junior", Dutch killer)
Nathan Kaminsky
Seweryn A Klosowski / George Chapman (Polish)
Aaron M Kosminski (Polish Jew)
Constance Kent
Michael Kidney
The Lodger
Charles Allen Lechmere / Charles Cross
Charles Ludwig (German)
William Magrath/Mcgrath (Irish-American)
Michael Maybrick / Stephen Adams
Robert Mann
Richard Mansfield
Frank Miles
Michael Ostrog (Russian)
Dr Alexander Pedachenko (Russian)
Mary Pearcy
Oswald Puckridge
Walter R Sickert (German/Danish/British)
Joseph Silver / Joseph Lis (Polish Jew)
Robert Donston Stephenson/Roslyn D'Onston Stephenson
Alois Szemeredy
G Wentworth Bell Smith
Robert Louis Stevenson *
Dr Stanley
Francis Tumblety (American)
Francis Thompson
William Thicke
Olga Tchkersoff
Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence & Avondale
Nicolai Vasiliev/Vassily
L Forbes Winslow
Lizzie Williams

* RLS doesn't have a personal name connection with the name Jack though he has other connections with persons/names Jack/John/Jenkin or Jeckyll.

Another way I divide the suspects is British and foreigners or Jews. Though it is not able to be proven whether the letter that said "I'm not a Yid nor a foreign skipper" was or was not from the murderer or a hoax, and the Juwes graffito and detected Irish speech may contradict the letter. I've noted those who are Jews or foreigners in brackets after their names (some others may also be Jews/foreigners but I haven't been able to check them all).

Apart from MJK from what I've read of most of the suspects so far I can't see much compelling evidence for any of them being JTR, and I see some reasons why a number of them are unlikely. Possibly JTR is some unknown common person who is probably now almost impossible to find and prove.

There's a high possibility the killer never even referred to himself as Jack the written and the Saucy Jack and Dear Boss letters where very likely to be the work of Tom Bulling, Fred Best or John Moore all of whom are journalists. There are various plausible theories which also cast doubt on the From Hell letter as well.

Due to this I wouldn't base too much evidence surrounding a suspect being based on the letter as alongside the main three there were hundreds more which were probably all hoaxes.

As for Mary Jane Kelly being JtR, I think it's more likely that the moon's made of cheese.

[Vfor]

I hope its alright to post today, its boxing day here and not much to do today, but I suppose its christmas day in the western hemishere.

These are the main/major suspects I've seen/heard. (They're all extant other peoples ones. I don't include ones that are only my own.)

I've divided the suspects into ones with and without a personal connection to the name Jack. Though it is not able to be proven whether the letter that first mentioned that name Jack was or was not from the murderer or was a hoax. And though it is not able to be proven why the murderer or hoaxer chose the name Jack.

JTR suspects with a demonstrated possible personal name connection with the name Jack:
James Willoughby Carnac
John Courtenay
Montague John Druitt
Jacob Isenschmid (Swiss)
(Isaac Lewis) Jacobs
Henry James
Sir Edward Jenkinson
James Kelly
Mary Jane Kelly (Irish/Welsh)
John Langan
Jacob Levy
James Maybrick
George James Morris
Joseph Merrick
John M(a)cCarthy
John Netley
John Pizer (Polish Jew)
Jack/James Russell of Horton Kirby
James Thomas/Tom Sadler
James K Stephen
John Sanders
John Pavitt Sawyer
Dr/Sir John Williams

JTR suspects without a demonstrated personal name connection with the name Jack:
Joseph Barnett
Thomas Bernardo
Nikaner Benelius
Albert Bachert
Alfred Napier Blanchard
William Henry Bury (from Scotland)
Helena Blavatsky
David Cohen (Polish Jew)
Dr Thomas Neill Cream (from Scotland)
Thomas Hayne Cutbush
Willy Clarkson
Churchill
Lewis Carroll / Charles Lutwidge Dodgson
Dr Morgan Davies
Frederick Bailey Deeming
Carl F Feigenbaum (German, was in America)
Fogelma (Norwegian)
Jose Fleming
Sir William Withey Gull
Vincent William van Gough (Dutch)
George Gissing
W Gladstone
George Hutchinson
Lizzie Halliday
H H Holmes
Hyam Hyams
Jong (meaning "young, junior", Dutch killer)
Nathan Kaminsky
Seweryn A Klosowski / George Chapman (Polish)
Aaron M Kosminski (Polish Jew)
Constance Kent
Michael Kidney
The Lodger
Charles Allen Lechmere / Charles Cross
Charles Ludwig (German)
William Magrath/Mcgrath (Irish-American)
Michael Maybrick / Stephen Adams
Robert Mann
Richard Mansfield
Frank Miles
Michael Ostrog (Russian)
Dr Alexander Pedachenko (Russian)
Mary Pearcy
Oswald Puckridge
Walter R Sickert (German/Danish/British)
Joseph Silver / Joseph Lis (Polish Jew)
Robert Donston Stephenson/Roslyn D'Onston Stephenson
Alois Szemeredy
G Wentworth Bell Smith
Robert Louis Stevenson *
Dr Stanley
Francis Tumblety (American)
Francis Thompson
William Thicke
Olga Tchkersoff
Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence & Avondale
Nicolai Vasiliev/Vassily
L Forbes Winslow
Lizzie Williams

* RLS doesn't have a personal name connection with the name Jack though he has other connections with persons/names Jack/John/Jenkin or Jeckyll.

Another way I divide the suspects is British and foreigners or Jews. Though it is not able to be proven whether the letter that said "I'm not a Yid nor a foreign skipper" was or was not from the murderer or a hoax, and the Juwes graffito and detected Irish speech may contradict the letter. I've noted those who are Jews or foreigners in brackets after their names (some others may also be Jews/foreigners but I haven't been able to check them all).

Apart from MJK from what I've read of most of the suspects so far I can't see much compelling evidence for any of them being JTR, and I see some reasons why a number of them are unlikely. Possibly JTR is some unknown common person who is probably now almost impossible to find and prove.

[Abby Normal]

A few hundred named suspects, not all of them based in the East End, out of tens of thousands of men who did live in the locality doesn't look like good odds to me. Given that out of those, perhaps only 10 or 20 - at a stretch - can be considered reasonable suspects, the chances that the Ripper's already been named are smaller still.

I don't know sam, my dad used to say guilt is 51% suspicion. but then again he was talking about me and something I probably did. lol

[Sam Flynn]

I think out of all the named suspects, witnesses, persons of interest etc. that have been mentioned over the years that there is a good chance his name is among them. somewhere in there.

A few hundred named suspects, not all of them based in the East End, out of tens of thousands of men who did live in the locality doesn't look like good odds to me. Given that out of those, perhaps only 10 or 20 - at a stretch - can be considered reasonable suspects, the chances that the Ripper's already been named are smaller still.

[Busy Beaver]

I do often wonder if something about the Ripper was being kept under wraps. All these witnesses and no firm identification. Certainly puts the Ripper up there with Dracula and the Invisible Man in terms of committing murder, then disappearing in a cloud of fresh air.

[Abby Normal]

300 suspects, isn't that absurd? -- Ever hear the cliche that there is more printed words about JTR than there is for all the POTUS combined? I wonder if that is true. But even if it is not, the fact that people say it is bizarre enough.

Unless it turns out he is one of the contemporaneous suspects the police were looking at the time, such as Kosminski or Chapman, I suspect that JTR is unknown to history. I would bet the other way. I feel certain he is not one of the 'famous' people that has been put forth over the years, that likelihood I would bet big against.

I think out of all the named suspects, witnesses, persons of interest etc. that have been mentioned over the years that there is a good chance his name is among them. somewhere in there.

[APerno]

300 suspects, isn't that absurd? -- Ever hear the cliche that there is more printed words about JTR than there is for all the POTUS combined? I wonder if that is true. But even if it is not, the fact that people say it is bizarre enough.

Unless it turns out he is one of the contemporaneous suspects the police were looking at the time, such as Kosminski or Chapman, I suspect that JTR is unknown to history. I would bet the other way. I feel certain he is not one of the 'famous' people that has been put forth over the years, that likelihood I would bet big against.

[Abby Normal]

There's also a couple of recent books (thanks wyatt earp) which try to cover all known suspects, and each list well over 300, so you've some way to go for your own list.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Ripper...amp;keywords=j ack+the+ripper+suspects

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Ripper...amp;keywords=j ack+the+ripper+suspects&dpPl=1&dpID=51bqwA r5rEL&ref=plSrch

Out of three hundred suspects it would be interesting to see what everyone thinks what are the chances the ripper is one of them. At that number i would say 70%

[Joshua Rogan]

There's also a couple of recent books (thanks wyatt earp) which try to cover all known suspects, and each list well over 300, so you've some way to go for your own list.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Ripper...amp;keywords=j ack+the+ripper+suspects

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Ripper...amp;keywords=j ack+the+ripper+suspects&dpPl=1&dpID=51bqwA r5rEL&ref=plSrch