Jill The Ripper Theories

[RealTyche]

There is no evidence whatsoever to indicate that the killer was a woman; in fact the majority of the evidence clearly identifies the Whitechapel murderer as being male. The various theories of a 'Jill the Ripper' can be easily debunked.

1. Most of the victims were strangled, likely from behind. The nature of the bruising found on the throats of some of the victims, notably Annie Chapman, indicate that great force was used. A woman would not have had the strength needed to throttle the victims to the extent of bruising found on the throat.

2. The witnesses themselves. Many witnesses came forward during the inquests of each of the murder victims, describing a man in the company of the victims, most notably Mr. Long and George Hutchinson. Mrs. Long suspect if on particular interest, as he was seen with Annie Chapman only minutes before her death and thus was most certainly her killer.

[Mitch Rowe]

There is no evidence whatsoever to indicate that the killer was a woman; in fact the majority of the evidence clearly identifies the Whitechapel murderer as being male. The various theories of a 'Jill the Ripper' can be easily debunked.

1. Most of the victims were strangled, likely from behind. The nature of the bruising found on the throats of some of the victims, notably Annie Chapman, indicate that great force was used. A woman would not have had the strength needed to throttle the victims to the extent of bruising found on the throat.

Many of those Women worked just as hard if not harder than alot of Men at that time. I have no doubt there were Women strong enough.

2. The witnesses themselves. Many witnesses came forward during the inquests of each of the murder victims, describing a man in the company of the victims, most notably Mr. Long and George Hutchinson. Mrs. Long suspect if on particular interest, as he was seen with Annie Chapman only minutes before her death and thus was most certainly her killer.

Of course the "Witnesses" were predisposed that the killer was a Man. MacNaghten believed no one saw JTR and no one can be sure anyone did!

[Jonathan H]

Here is a new Jill the Ripper book.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/05/09/jack-the-ripper-was-murderer-really-a-woman-asks-author-john-morris_n_1502173.html?ref=uk

I think that's great, and good luck to the author.

I am trying to be throwback; in reviving the Drowned Not-a-Doctor suspect.

What I think is a mistake is the notion of the article about the book, considered a definitely ascertained fact by mansream media, that the police were left with an insoluable mystery.

Not according to significant police figures: Abberline, Anderson, Macnaghten, arguably Swanson, and Littelchild, all to varying degrees, asserted that it was not much of a mystery at all.

I argue that the bombastic William Le Queux created this entrenched notion of a forever clueless constabulary, in 1923, because he had identified the reall killer, a Czarist agent -- and he had the dictated document by Rasputin, no less, to prove it!

[Errata]

You know it is possible... I can think of any number of motives for a woman to commit these crimes. And to commit them in this manner. As far as a woman being incapable, that's crap. I could do it easily. The irony is that the "womanly" tasks of the era such as sewing, knitting, weaving, cooking and cleaning build up enormous hand and wrist strength. A woman would not cause alarm to a population fearing a male killer, and I rather doubt witnesses would have even taken note of the victims talking to another woman.

I can't say that I think that's what happened, but I could easily make the argument that it did.

[C. F. Leon]

I'm only offering this for the sake of completeness, but E. J. Wagner in The Science of Sherlock Holmes, offers as a suspect Constance Kent, who had served 20 years for the murder of her younger brother when she was sixteen.
I'm not sure how serious Wagner is being, the main point in the Constance Kent discussion is how authorities may bungle evidence, and the Ripper idea is briefly brought up to point out some similarities.

[Phil H]

I believe the current view is that Constance Kent "took the wrap" for her brother (see Kate Summerscale's excellent book: "The Suspicions of Mr Whicher").

So Constance may have killed no one.

[martin wilson]

There is no evidence Emma Smith was pregnant, still the website Real Choice has some alarming examples of women inserting objects to induce abortion.
There seems to be a dearth of corroborative evidence in her case, so maybe it was a botched abortion rather than an assault.
After seeing an ad for a nostrum claiming to cure among other things,Brights disease on JTR forums I have wondered where Annie Chapman got those pills from.

[lynn cates]

assault

Hello Martin.

"There seems to be a dearth of corroborative evidence in her case, so maybe it was a botched abortion rather than an assault."

Of course, she was otherwise "banged up." Perhaps a good indicator of assault?

Cheers.
LC

[DVV]

0ff-thread

Emma Smith pregnant ?
(45 in 1888, alcoholic)
Abortion ?
That's for the thread "How to make ripperology better", imho.

Cheers

[Mayerling]

I'm only offering this for the sake of completeness, but E. J. Wagner in The Science of Sherlock Holmes, offers as a suspect Constance Kent, who had served 20 years for the murder of her younger brother when she was sixteen.
I'm not sure how serious Wagner is being, the main point in the Constance Kent discussion is how authorities may bungle evidence, and the Ripper idea is briefly brought up to point out some similarities.

Constance Kent was released from prison in 1885 after 20 years. She then emigrated to Australia to live there (with her brother) until her death (at age 100) in the 1940s.

She was not in England in 1888.

Jeff

[C. F. Leon]

Is true that someone has SERIOUSLY suggested Queen Victoria as a suspect? It was mentioned very briefly in passing on one of the podcasts, but I recall hearing the idea before somewhere else. Supposedly HRH was running around in the nude hacking up whores.

Right .... With Gull, Churchill, Anderson and the rest of the Keystone Koppers chasing HRH in Netty's coach. Can you imagine Gladstone directing the whole thing from a Victorian version of the Big Board in a secure room under Buckingham Palace? And a bunch of scantedly-clad (for the 1880s) 'Bond Beauties' moving little figures on the map (with suspiciously phallic-shaped pushers)?

Sorry, I lost myself. Nevermind.

(Got a GREAT idea for a book, Mr. Publisher, Sir!!!)

[martin wilson]

I'm going to hang on to my Emma Smith theory for a while.
Banged up can also be interpreted as injured, perhaps a fall,something a woman who has lost a lot of blood and feeling faint may be prone to.
Neither is it impossible she was pregnant, a woman who had a lot of unprotected sex is more likely to become pregnant?

[Jon Guy]

Hi Martin

I'm going to hang on to my Emma Smith theory for a while.
Banged up can also be interpreted as injured, perhaps a fall,something a woman who has lost a lot of blood and feeling faint may be prone to.
Neither is it impossible she was pregnant, a woman who had a lot of unprotected sex is more likely to become pregnant?

It wasn`t just a fall, witnesses at the inquest described how her ear had nearly been torn off.

Also, the Doctors who attended to her would have noticed if she had been pregnant (especially if the alleged abortion only took place a few hours earlier)

[lynn cates]

O K

Hello Martin. Thanks.

"I'm going to hang on to my Emma Smith theory for a while."

Just as you wish.

Cheers.
LC

[DVV]

After the "gang attack gone wild" theory...

It wasn`t just a fall, witnesses at the inquest described how her ear had nearly been torn off.

An otitis gone wild, I suppose.

Cheers Jon