A gang?

[Abby Normal]

I think emma smith is too far of a stretch. IMHO millwood is an early attempt and the ripper escalated from there to tabram. Millwood was attacked by a single male and i just dont see the ripper going from a single attack to a gang attack. post mortem types tend to work alone anyway

[Ms Diddles]

I don't think whoever attacked Emma Smith necessarily set out to kill her. This, along with other factors always makes me think she was not a victim of JtR.

Ditto!

[Losmandris]

I don't think whoever attacked Emma Smith necessarily set out to kill her. This, along with other factors always makes me think she was not a victim of JtR.

[Ms Diddles]

I was impressed by Tom Wescott's book - The Bank Holiday Murders, and his arguments regarding the escalation theory. If, as Tom surmises Martha was stabbed in her private parts, then there maybe a connection from the instrument thrust into Emma. Also if Emma was attacked by a gang, how do we know that Jack wasn't part of that gang and he was the one who used the instrument on Emma ?
Regards Darryl

I really liked Tom Wescott's books too.

Personally, I find Emma Smith as a victim to be a bit too much of a stretch though.

Whilst I see Martha Tabram as a possibility, the fact that Emma stated that she was the victim of a gang attack makes me feel that we are complicating things unnecessarily by theorising about her being a JTR victim.

Al's makes a good point above that there would be less stigma attached to being attacked by a gang than one of your punters, but on balance I agree with Ero in that I'm sure one of the gang members would ultimately have dobbed him in.

I too see Jack as a lone wolf type.

[erobitha]

I was impressed by Tom Wescott's book - The Bank Holiday Murders, and his arguments regarding the escalation theory. If, as Tom surmises Martha was stabbed in her private parts, then there maybe a connection from the instrument thrust into Emma. Also if Emma was attacked by a gang, how do we know that Jack wasn't part of that gang and he was the one who used the instrument on Emma ?
Regards Darryl

I struggle with the idea JTR was part of a gang and decided to go solo. More so than I struggle with Tabram being a JTR victim.

Another gang member would have looked to save their own skin as the police investigations heated up. This was the age before Cosa Nostra. Also I see JTR very much a lone wolf. It’s one of the reasons he managed to evade capture.

Escalation did occur from Nichols to Kelly (with exception of Stride for obvious reasons) but who says escalation to the point of Nichols had to have happened locally? He could have been in the area for only for a few months passing through or travelled into the area to murder. Whilst Tabram did have some abdominal injuries they were stabbing injuries. Altogether different from using the knife to open up the body and genitals. Also she was stabbed in the throat and not precisely cut on the left carotid as was done on all of the C5.

[Darryl Kenyon]

Ok I am just now getting into reading about Emma Smith and the other non canonical victims, something I've only peeked at in the past, but how is Emma considered a victim of JtR when she herself said to the dr. that she was approached and assaulted by a group of men? I'll admit that I'm not done reading but wanted to put this out there

I was impressed by Tom Wescott's book - The Bank Holiday Murders, and his arguments regarding the escalation theory. If, as Tom surmises Martha was stabbed in her private parts, then there maybe a connection from the instrument thrust into Emma. Also if Emma was attacked by a gang, how do we know that Jack wasn't part of that gang and he was the one who used the instrument on Emma ?
Regards Darryl

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

Being attacked at random by a gang carries a whole lot less stigma than being assaulted by a prospective punter.

I don't see any great connection myself. If people discount Tabram for the lack of similarity, then Smith is certainly out. If you subscribe to a gradual escalation, then she's got to be looked at, along with Millwood.

[clark2710]

Ok I am just now getting into reading about Emma Smith and the other non canonical victims, something I've only peeked at in the past, but how is Emma considered a victim of JtR when she herself said to the dr. that she was approached and assaulted by a group of men? I'll admit that I'm not done reading but wanted to put this out there