Finding more out about MJK

[Rosella]

The police did their best. However, they were not used to dealing with serial killers. Even today such killers can be hard to catch. No CCTV footage, no forensics, an itinerant population, unlit streets and alleys, and victims who were quite willing to go with their killer to dark locations.

[GUT]

G'day Natasha

They should have employed women to go undercover, and shadowed them, in order to catch the ripper.

In 1888?

[markmorey5]

We can't compare detection in 1888 to what's available today. They didn't have blood grouping, they couldn't even identify human from animal blood, they didn't have fingerprinting and the only real way to uncover the killer was to catch him in the act. Whitechapel 1888 late night was busy and much busier than what we would see in a city today. Putting women around to be caught would have been close to futile given the crowds out late, and the numbers of prostitutes working.

The Jewish community in Whitechapel at the time was quite large especially in clothing manufacture and retailing. It would be hard if not impossible to work out where to start, and there's no evidence that a Jew was involved.

[Natasha]

In what way incompetent?

Hi Bridewell

I think they could have questioned the Jewish community more. In regards to Schwartz, they could have questioned him further, make him attend the inquest etc. I'm very surprised they never suspected him.

They should have employed women to go undercover, and shadowed them, in order to catch the ripper.

This is one of the biggest mysteries in history, they managed to crack other cases back then. So why was this case so difficult to solve?

It has been suggested that maybe someone in the force was somehow involved and TBH I think that's quite feasible.

[RockySullivan]

McCarthy was also a showman and theatrical performer and promoter.

Kelly mentioned a "female relative on the stage". Perhaps McCarthy had the relative working for him.

Could it even be a daughter? McCarthy's famous daughter in law, Marie Kendall, started in the music halls at the age of 12.

http://books.google.ca/books?id=lm1H...endall&f=false

Thanks may I am constantly impressed how the players in the ripper case are found in old newspapers

[Bridewell]

I think some of the police were incompetent in some of the murders.

In what way incompetent?

[MayBea]

McCarthy was also a showman and theatrical performer and promoter.

Kelly mentioned a "female relative on the stage". Perhaps McCarthy had the relative working for him.

Could it even be a daughter? McCarthy's famous daughter in law, Marie Kendall, started in the music halls at the age of 12.

http://books.google.ca/books?id=lm1H...endall&f=false

[RockySullivan]

While that might not have been necessarily true of Kelly, didn't many poor women in the area drift in and out of prostitution as economic turndowns and their own circumstances changed, though? We know Stride, for example did some cleaning jobs. She, Nichols and probably Chapman (who also crocheted and made artificial flowers) had been servants at one stage in their lives.

It's been said that all the very poor women living in rooms at McCarthy's Rents were prostitutes but how do we know that was completely true of all of them?Anyway, at three pence or four pence a time, most would be lucky to make the rent each week, let alone be giving McCarthy a cut.

You never what would mrs McCarthy would allow? If he's not a pimp maybe he just has a thing for prostitues. A landlord who let's the rent go by?

[GUT]

Hi Harry, a pimp to the Unfortunates of Whitechapel should be easy to trace in the old records. Just look for a man who died of starvation.

Roy

Be a pretty poor way to make a quid a small % of 4p a pop.

[Roy Corduroy]

Wasn't there some suspicion that McCarthy was a pimp?

Hi Harry, a pimp to the Unfortunates of Whitechapel should be easy to trace in the old records. Just look for a man who died of starvation.

Roy

[Rosella]

While that might not have been necessarily true of Kelly, didn't many poor women in the area drift in and out of prostitution as economic turndowns and their own circumstances changed, though? We know Stride, for example did some cleaning jobs. She, Nichols and probably Chapman (who also crocheted and made artificial flowers) had been servants at one stage in their lives.

It's been said that all the very poor women living in rooms at McCarthy's Rents were prostitutes but how do we know that was completely true of all of them?Anyway, at three pence or four pence a time, most would be lucky to make the rent each week, let alone be giving McCarthy a cut.

[RockySullivan]

Wasn't there some suspicion that McCarthy was a pimp?

It seems there quite a number of prostitutes staying on McCarthy's property. If he was suspected of being a pimp at the time I don't know but it does look somewhat possible. An expert would have a better perspective than me on this

[Harry D]

Could McCarthy have been having an affair with Kelly? Could explain him letting the long overdue rent go unpaid

Wasn't there some suspicion that McCarthy was a pimp?

[RockySullivan]

Even if the door locked on its own...it doesn't explain MR Carthy not having a key to his own building and i suspect the axe to the door may have been a ruse to keep him from looking suspicious as the only one with a key since Kelly's was lost

[RockySullivan]

Could McCarthy have been having an affair with Kelly? Could explain him letting the long overdue rent go unpaid