So......who do you think it was?

[GUT]

G'Day Amanda

So what makes Kozminski and Levy any better as suspects than Druitt and Chapman. It is obvious that for whatever reason they all could be seen as suspects at or near the time of the murders, by police close to the investigation.

I agree 100% that

it's far more likely to have been someone completely unknown to us then, as now.

[Amanda Sumner]

Chapman was not even on the police radar until 1902, and certainly Abberline could only speculate the role that person may have had in the spate of murders in 1888. Certainly he was in the area working at the time, but so were thousands of others.
Druitt was at the wrong place at the wrong time. I don't believe, for a minute, that had a police officer received real information, stating that Druitt was the killer, that he would have kept quiet on such an important case of the murder and mutilation of several women.
Levy and Kozminski, however, were on the police radar and certainly the latter brought attention to himself. Both were very mentally unstable and their stories, in my opinion, are very compelling. Each had motive to be angry towards women and certainly Levy came from a line of butchers.
I don't know, just, to me, they seem the most interesting of the bunch.

[woocus]

I still maintain it was not one but two persons, and closely related to Martha Tabram, who was the catalyst for the rest, at least the next four. It started out as a mugging, escalated to a frenzied murder, and the "high" from this initiated the others.

[pinkmoon]

I still maintain it was not one but two persons, and closely related to Martha Tabram, who was the catalyst for the rest, at least the next four. It started out as a mugging, escalated to a frenzied murder, and the "high" from this initiated the others.

Hi woocus,no one has really examined the possibility (except from the royal theory) of two men one killer one lookout it would explain the killers reckless behaviour.

[Tom_Wescott]

G'Day Amanda

So what makes Kozminski and Levy any better as suspects than Druitt and Chapman. It is obvious that for whatever reason they all could be seen as suspects at or near the time of the murders, by police close to the investigation.

I agree 100% that

Hi Gut. Druitt's not a good suspect at all. I'm not sure there was even real suspicion against him. Chapman's extremely unlikely as well. The argument against Levy, if looked at closely, is too suggestive in my opinion. Kozminski is another matter. There seems to have been real suspicion against him, although we don't really know what or why.

I doubt Koz was the Ripper, but he may have killed somebody. Or maybe not. I think it's more likely that the killer or killer(s) names did become known to the police and are known to us than that they weren't. The police collectively and individually followed many leads and researched many theories. They simply didn't have the proof to convict anyone. The idea that they never suspected the actual Ripper stems from our smug 21st attitude that the police of 1888 were incompetent. While certainly flawed, I don't think the men on the street were incompetent. I think some of them may have gotten it right. Some may have known quite a bit but were corrupt.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Tom_Wescott]

I still maintain it was not one but two persons, and closely related to Martha Tabram, who was the catalyst for the rest, at least the next four. It started out as a mugging, escalated to a frenzied murder, and the "high" from this initiated the others.

When you say 'closely related' do you mean familial? Are you the one who was here a couple years ago suggesting one of Tabram's kids killed her?

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Lechmere]

AndrewL
You missed Ostrog off your list of Police suspects.

[GUT]

G'Day Tom

The idea that they never suspected the actual Ripper stems from our smug 21st attitude that the police of 1888 were incompetent.

Certainly not from me. I've posted over and over that the police in 1888 would have been no better and no worse than the police of today.

The only real difference is that today they have a lot more resources.

[GUT]

Tom

I think it's more likely that the killer or killer(s) names did become known to the police and are known to us than that they weren't. The police collectively and individually followed many leads and researched many theories. They simply didn't have the proof to convict anyone.

That disregards the fact that throughout history there have been many cases where the police simply had no real idea who the culprit was.

I also think that clear up stats on murder were as good [or maybe better] than today.

[Amanda Sumner]

I still maintain it was not one but two persons, and closely related to Martha Tabram, who was the catalyst for the rest, at least the next four. It started out as a mugging, escalated to a frenzied murder, and the "high" from this initiated the others.

I can't see two people being involved in these murders.
What would the motive be? It stretches the imagination too far to think that both would have such serious issues with women that they would, together, delight in the killing and mutilation of their victims.
As for Tabram being mugged, why? These women had on them a few coppers at best and it seems a bit excessive, to say the least, that they were after her pocket handkerchief or piece of broken mirror!

[DRoy]

I can't believe nobody has said Lechmere yet.

Cheers
DRoy

[lynn cates]

surly

Hello Roy. Well, don't be so Cross about it. (heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC

[GUT]

G'Day Amanda

I can't see two people being involved in these murders.

It also at least doubles, probably more than doubles, the chance of word leaking out.

[JTRSickert]

My first post to this blog, so this is my answer to the first question:

In my opinion, I personally think the top three suspects and whom I think had the most likelihood of being Jack the Ripper are in this order:

1. Kosminski

2. Klosowski/Chapman

3. David Cohen

[Rainbow]

no one has really examined the possibility (except from the royal theory) of two men one killer one lookout it would explain the killers reckless behaviour.

In three occasions there were two men in the Scene , Tabram , Stride and Kelly

and I think those crimes were Political murders because of the Goulston Street Graffito ( the juwes , Blamed ) and maybe also the From Hell letter witch was sent to George Lusk, the president of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee

that can explain the motive for more than one man