If you could witness any ONE of the murders...

[Bridewell]

All of the Time?

To Bridewell:
There's no evidence for any of that but in Pearly Poll's head. Tabram was spotted ALONE the night before her death.

Hi Maria,

In her head and in her inquest testimony: Pearly Poll claimed, according to the press report of the inquest, that she had been with Martha for "about three quarters of an hour and they separated at a quarter to twelve". A sighting of Martha Tabram alone doesn't prove that she was alone all night surely?

Regards, Bridewell.

[FrancoLoco]

The Nichols murder. Then, despite the rules, I'd stick around to see Cross show up, because I have a feeling he'd see me and scream, "Ya see? Nowhere near the f#%*ing body!"

[mariab]

short highjack

To Bridewell:
There's no evidence for any of that but in Pearly Poll's head. Tabram was spotted ALONE the night before her death.

[Barnaby]

Even if the murderer could be identified, viewing one murder would not convince most that the the same person was responsible for the series, unless - for example - Barnett was observed killing Chapman or, similarly, Cross killing Kelly.

However, observing ANY of the C5 murders would provide invaluable new information that cannot be discounted because of "bad lighting," etc.

IMO, we learn the most about his psychological make-up and get the best ringside seat (ugh) with Kelly, and so I will vote for that. Chapman a close second.

[Bridewell]

Most Clearly?

Tabram most clearly wasn't killed by any soldiers.

Hi Maria,

"Most clearly"? Why so?

Regards, Bridewell.

[nicole]

Hi all,

This is a no-brainer for me. Its Bucks Row and Polly Nichols. The killer was not Cross/Lechmere. I feel very confident that the killer and Nichols approached from the Boarding School direction and seeing that there was a clear view up Bucks Row, the killer pounced only to be interrupted seconds later. He confidently rounded the Boarding School again knowing that it was all clear and made his unassuming getaway via either Bakers Row or Woods Buildings.

Nicole

[mariab]

Tabram most clearly wasn't killed by any soldiers.

[Sally]

I'm going to stay with Annie Chapman, but I'm a little surprised no-one's gone for Martha Tabram. If it turned out that she was indeed killed by a soldier, we'd place a lot more emphasis on that line of enquiry.

Of course, if we actually worked as a team, we could each take a different occasion and, if over-subscribed, different vantage points, then compare notes afterwards. (Or would that be cheating?)

Regards, Bridewell.

Ah but, if Tabram turned out not to be killed by a soldier (or two); but by another man, would this tell us that she was a Ripper victim?

And yes, I suspect it is cheating, sadly. Great plan though!

[mariab]

Of course, if we actually worked as a team, we could each take a different occasion and, if over-subscribed, different vantage points, then compare notes afterwards.

Cool idea.

[Bridewell]

Teamwork

I'm going to stay with Annie Chapman, but I'm a little surprised no-one's gone for Martha Tabram. If it turned out that she was indeed killed by a soldier, we'd place a lot more emphasis on that line of enquiry.

Of course, if we actually worked as a team, we could each take a different occasion and, if over-subscribed, different vantage points, then compare notes afterwards. (Or would that be cheating?)

Regards, Bridewell.

[Debra A]

The Torso that washed up was of a woman killed in Late August, perfectly in time with the alleged Ripper start-up.

Mike, it was an arm that was washed up. The torso was dumped on land in the cellar vaults at the building site in Whitehall.

[mariab]

I was taken by the comment Maria made... "...claiming there were multiple killers running around and whatnot". A condescending and ill conceived comment.

Hell, I was ill-conceived. (Before birth.)

[Brenda]

.

I changed my mind, I would want to witness the Kelly murder just so we could settle the bolster debate once and for all!

[Michael W Richards]

I was taken by the comment Maria made... "...claiming there were multiple killers running around and whatnot". A condescending and ill conceived comment.

There were at least 2 violent killers in London during the Ripper crimes, 1 in Bradford, and if the Canonical Group can ever be proven to be more than guesswork, then there are 7 or 8 unsolved violent murders in that same file that remain "unassigned". The Torso that washed up was of a woman killed in Late August, perfectly in time with the alleged Ripper start-up.

If you believe many senior officials, the "Ripper" was locked up before Alice MacKenzie's murder, and yet they responded with a surge in Police for the area in the same way they did when the "Ripper" murderer was supposedly still at large. The act suggests that if they were correct about Jack in the asylum, then they had yet another violent killer. Maybe the same man who killed a Canonical, or pre-Canonical.

Naivete aside, the problem with choosing a Canonical murder in order to catch the criminal is that one murder will not resolve the Ripper question. If its one mad killer on a given night, that doesnt mean the other 4 were killed by only one man, or that he was the same man.

I think if anything, the first murder would be revealing. Whomever killed Polly almost certainly killed Annie, then at least you might be able to solve 2 of them.

Regards,

Mike R

[Harry the Hawker]

Good questions, Beowulf.