Why so early?

[Hunter]

Hello everyone,

Just thinking. Does anyone know what times the beat shifts for the police exchanged? If this man was a local, especially after what could have been a close call with Nichols, he might try to catch a victim between shifts.

[Garry Wroe]

Can't help there, Hunter. That's the kind of issue best addressed by Stewart Evans. Still, I can't help thinking that the killer would have been disinclined to create for himself unnecessary logistical problems, especially when the type of heavy, steel-tipped boots worn by beat policemen signalled their approach every bit as distinctly as does the modern-day vehicular siren.

Best wishes.

Garry Wroe.

[curious]

My own take on the case can be found here, Curious:-

http://www.casebook.org/ripper_media...roe_full2.html

Garry Wroe.

Very interesting. Thanks for the link.

Curious

[Hunter]

opportunity

Hi Gary,

Good point. The murderer may not have been concerned about the police patrols. He sure got lucky at Mitre Square though, but more than likely he was just an opportunist and on this particular morning his opportunity came at around 5:30, for reasons that we will never know.

[j.r-ahde]

Hello Hunter!

Well, maybe he thought:

"Now... This is the final chance tonight!"

All the best
Jukka

[DVV]

Hi Gary,

Good point. The murderer may not have been concerned about the police patrols. He sure got lucky at Mitre Square though, but more than likely he was just an opportunist and on this particular morning his opportunity came at around 5:30, for reasons that we will never know.

Hi Hunter,

there must be a bit more than a mere opportunity.
It was just one week after Nichols murder, yet Chapman is disemboweled in a "full ripper style".
It strongly indicates that he has spent the week thinking of his next murder.

Amitiés,
David

[DVV]

From Robert Ressler's "Whoever fights monsters":

"The deed is done. The threshold has been crossed, and there is no return possible. He's frightened and he's thrilled. He has experienced a state of heightened arousal during the crime, and liked it. He waits for several days, expecting arrest and punishment, but nothing happens. (...) More usually, after the first murder, the man starts to feel more egocentric than ever and becomes convinced that he can do it again, with impunity. He incorporates details of the first murder into his fantasies and begins to construct future crimes. What if I toyed with her more before I strangled her ? What if I dismembered the body so that the police wouldn't be able to identify the victim ? (...) What if I took a ring from her so I could use it later in my fantasy replay of the crime ?"

Amitiés,
David

[Chava]

I always thought it likely he was either coming from or going to work, and was accosted by just the right kind of lady who went with him into just the right kind of place. He probably thought it was a bonus. I can't believe he trawled through the small hours and didn't find someone to his liking.

[DVV]

Hi Chava,

must say I can't disagree more...
Benchmark is no bonus, and can't be.

Amitiés,
David