POLL: Ripper Victim or Not?

[Jenny]

I have to agree with Paul Begg who concludes his chapter on Martha by stating that "perhaps we should include her in the canon". I think that to have been murdered the way she was - the thirty some stab wounds (especially with one through the sternum) - argues for a JTR who is "trying out his wings". I know that there are a lot of discrepancies but is it just likely that with Martha Tabram we see the killer in his earliest rage?

[The Grave Maurice]

And me, I have to agree with my hero Philip Sudgen who states that the case for supposing Martha to be a victim of JtR is "very strong".

[macknnc]

I voted no..it just doesn't sound like a Ripper victim to me...and it was Sudgen's oddly enough, who convinced me of this...

[Nothing to see]

No. Tabram was not a victim of Jack.

[YankeeSergeant]

INtriguing question

No. Tabram was not a victim of Jack.

A most intriguing question. I have to say I don't know. At this point I'm leaning toward her not being a victim of "Saucy Jack" but saying that I do hold out the posibility that she is. Kindest regards,

[Jonnieola]

Personally I'm not convinced as to the voracity of the two weapons argument. Also there is no way of knowing what weapons were available to JTR this early on in his murderous career. Also I'm not convinced with the link to the soldiers. Tenuous at best. For me Martha is an early Ripper victim. Not ENTIRELY convinced but too many similarities.

[Sally]

Hot Topic

Of the moment.

On balance, yes. I don't agree with Killeen that some (but not all) of the wounds could have been self-inflicted.

[Bridewell]

It's a difficult question to answer Yes or No to, because either is a possibility. However, there's no point in posting on a thread of this kind and then sitting on the fence. I've therefore voted "Yes" because, MO discrepancy notwithstanding, I think it improbable that, even in such a violent area, there are two men carrying out such horrific murders at more or less the same time.

[Lord-z]

I kind of swing back and forth between "probably not" and "might be", but at the moment, I lean towards "no".

[Sally]

Bridewell - it is a difficult question. I tend to think yes because as you say, what are the chances - and also because 'Jack' must have followed a road to get to where he was when he killed Nichols. It seems quite possible that he had killed before, and Tabram is very close in terms of time and location. It's not too much of a stretch to see her as an early kill.

[Cogidubnus]

I think it's quite possible for Martha to be an early JtR victim, without attempting to debunk the two weapons testimony ...

A less experienced JtR, not yet grown into his later MO, could well have had a larger knife, (or dagger if you will), secreted away, and used it for the coup de grace when his smaller knife didn't seem to be finishing her off...

Her continuing to live against all odds, could well explain the panicked and/or frenzied nature of some of the wounds...and his later reliance on the larger blade could be a result of this experience...

I can't say the "two soldiers in complicity" scenario does much for me...doesn't feel right...but hey what do I know...(what do any of us really).

Dave

[Henry Flower]

I think it depends on what you mean by 'by'.

[DVV]

I've voted twice.

[mariab]

How does it work that you voted twice, David? (Will you do that at the Présidentielles too?)
I voted yes.

[harry]

I tend to think Tabram a Ripper murder.Pobably the first killing in the series.