Did Catherine know who JTR was???

[Phil Carter]

Hello Steven,

The stronger arguement of the killer knowing who Eddowes was, would be if the killer was a policeman, no?
I am not saying it was a policeman, but I think that is stronger than the facial mutilation arguement, which I very gently, propose could have been for non-recognition purposes.

best wishes

Phil

[Steven Russell]

Dear Phil,
Eddleston seems to think so based on the facial mutilations. Seems a bit weak to me, though.

Regards,

Steve.

[Phil Carter]

Hello all,

An equally good question that could be considered.. not did Eddowes know her killer?... but did the killer know Eddowes?

I put no weight upon this, but something to consider perhaps?

best wishes

Phil

[Monty]

Sound words Hunter.

Very sound.

Monty

[Hunter]

The point is that Eddowes made every effort to be released from her cell when normal practice was to keep quiet and get your head down till morning. Why? What was so important that she had to be back on the streets?

Maybe she thought she was going to get a "hiding" when she got home, having blown her money on drink while Kelly didn't even have a pair of shoes. If she was released early enough she could fall back on that oldest of professions to earn a little money before she had to face her man. Waiting until morning would have been too late. I believe that would explain why she ended up in Mitre Square. Desperate circumstances call for desperate measures. Nichols and Chapman had no doss money. Stride was back on her own after leaving Kidney and Mary Jane was behind on the rent and on her own too. They all just ran into the wrong guy who sought the easiest prey he could find. Seems simple but logical to me. I don't think we have to read any more into it than that, though alot of people like to.

[Addy]

It would indeed have been very silly if she went into that square with someone whom she knew/suspected of being the Ripper. I don't think she was carried though, he would have to keep her silent while doing so and I don't think the Ripper would try to strangle her in a well lit area.

I personally think if she had a clue as to who the Ripper was she was sadly mistaken and therefore went willingly into the square with another man.

I am very interested to hear your theory though!

Greetings,

Addy

[Bob Hinton]

A distinct possibility.

Good points all. However I believe that Eddowes whilst not having any certainty about the killer may have thought something was wrong with regards to a certain individual and decided to squeeze some cash out of him.
I go into greater detail about this in my book. The point is that Eddowes made every effort to be released from her cell when normal practice was to keep quiet and get your head down till morning. Why? What was so important that she had to be back on the streets?

Would she be so daft to meet her blackmail victim in a dark corner of Mitre Square? But that's overlooking the fact she didn’t. She met him at the end of Church passage which was a well lit thoroughfare with several people about, Lawende etc. She ended up in the square, that doesn’t mean she wasn’t carried there by the killer.

Would she be so daft as to try and put the squeeze on such a killer? Well I give an example where exactly that happened – with the same result! Desperate people do silly things.

[j.r-ahde]

Hello Steven!

What it comes to "Mary Ann Kelly", Kate had a practical reason; there were many Marys and Kellys in the East End...

All the best
Jukka

[Steven Russell]

Adam,
Couldn't agree more.

Regards,

Steve.

[Adam Went]

Steven:

Well as I mentioned, these women were hardly going to win a prize for their honesty. The other victim that night, Liz Stride, had been fibbing about her husband being killed on the S.S. Princess Alice for years....

If Kate really did know who the killer was, she was putting herself in a precarious position by stating so out loud. She was almost asking for trouble. Anybody who knew the darker side of JTR surely would not have been stupid enough to do this.

Besides, during the height of the murders, it's not like Kate was the only one who thought she knew who the killer was. Half the East End did....

Cheers,
Adam.

[Steven Russell]

Adam, Addy, and j.r-ahde,

Eddowes may or may not have thought she knew the identity of the killer. As you say, it may have been a boast to ingratiate herself with her cronies and, with the case having attained such a high profile, no doubt everyone and his dog had a pet theory.

Perhaps if she did sincerely believe she knew the culprit, she would have considered where the information would have garnered the greatest financial gain. Probably not the police or the authorities but more likely the press or even (bad idea) blackmail.

Incedentally, is it true that she possesed a pawn ticket in the name of "Mary Ann Kelly"? The Kelly part is easily explained and no doubt this is just another coincidence. Still, food for thought...

Best wishes,

Steve.

[DVV]

Would you go off to a dark corner with someone you knew to be a murderer?

Hi Billy,

Unless he asks me politely, I would not.

Amitiés,
David

[BillyE]

I think it's possible she thought she knew who he was, but she certainly didn't try to cash in on this knowlege. And if she had an idea who the Ripper was she must have been wrong. Would you go off to a dark corner with someone you knew to be a murderer?

[Adam Went]

Yes, in 1888, it wasn't as simple as Kate flipping her friend Jack a text message off her mobile phone to tell him she would meet him outside Mitre Square in a few minutes time. As Kensei said, she couldn't be sure what time she would be coming out of the station.

Anyway, if she really genuinely did believe she knew who JTR was, would she have been stupid enough to have allowed herself to be caught alone in a dark corner of a deserted square with him?

I don't think so.

Cheers,
Adam.

[j.r-ahde]

Hello you all!

There has also been talks about MJK knowing the name of the Ripper.

Obviously everyone on the streets had a hunch about the indetity of Saucy Jacky.

If anyone hit the bulls-eye, we don't know for sure...

All the best
Jukka