Martha's Killer: Pearly Poll

[JTRSickert]

Hello everyone. I'm not sure if this has already been discussed or if it has occured to everyone else yet, but it seems (to me, at least) the most suspicious individual to turn up in the investigation into Martha Tabram's death is Mary Ann Connelly AKA "Pearly Poll." For example, she admitted to being the last person Martha was seen socializing with and we only have her word to account for the 2 of them allegedly meeting with a couple of soldiers/sailors , drinking and then departing for immoral purposes. The only other evidence supporting this is the testimony of a PC who says he saw a man resembling a sailor/soldier in the vicinity of George Yard, who told him he was waiting for a fellow mate of his who was with a prostitute. However, even if this did, in fact, occur, the gentleman was not seen with either Pearly Poll or Martha, so it's possible this incident was in no way connected to them. Therefore, I conclude, it is fairly possible that Pearly Poll made up the story of meeting up with 2 soldiers/sailors, possibly to try to make someone else be the last person Martha was with that night. Aside from this, we also have her suspicious behavior after the murder with the police investigation. At least once, she did not make an appearance for a line-up to identify the alleged soldiers she met that night. Also, I do believe she told the police (or the inquest, I forget which) that she had threatened to commit suicide when the police pressured her to cooperate with the investigation.

So, the more I look at it, the more it seems my preferred suspect in Martha's murder is Pearly Poll herself. Now, I know this sort of takes away the allure of Martha being the first victim of Jack the Ripper, but one cannot deny it looks suspicious. And Martha was murdered in a fenzied assault, not for robbery or any monetary gain. It was a crime of pure rage and anger, so it seems there is an element of the crime being "personal." Perhaps Martha and Mary Ann got into a heavy domestic quarrel (i.e., Martha might have stolen a client or 2 from Pearly Poll ,who may have needed the money for lodgings or gin, or both), the argument turns fierce, and Pearly Poll repeatedly stabs Martha with a knife (or knives) she brought with her or just happened to come across that night.

I'm interested in your feedback.

[JTRSickert]

One other suspicious characteristic of her is that, at the time of Martha's murder, Pearly Poll was living in Crossingham's Lodging House. However, after Martha's murder, she disappeared and was discovered staying at a cousin's house. Why would she abandon her dwellings and "hide out" with a cousin if she didn't do anything wrong?

[Hunter]

Interesting. From her description she may have been physically able to commit such a crime as well. One has to wonder though, if she just feared implicating anyone because it would not have been good for business- especially if her clientele were mostly military personel. It would also raise a question as to why both women would be on a landing in George Yard building together rather than the assault happening outdoors.

She did seem to be a reluctant witness for some reason, however.

[looby64]

This is spooky JTRSickert only yesterday I was talking to my hubby about the JTR case (as you do) and asked him to imagine that the killer was a prostitute, she would be almost invisible as a suspect for any eyewitnesses as they are used to being seen together and the girls themselves wouldn't be afraid of being with another female. Interesting. x Looby

[Tom_Wescott]

If Pearly Poll violently stabbed a woman 39 times with a knife, she will have been the first and last woman in the western world to do so.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Howard Brown]

Tommy:

Look up Katherine Knight, an Australian murderer.

She did the pokin' motion with her husband, stabbing him 37 times and making a suit out of his skin...and soup out of his toches.

[Uncle Jack]

The only thing I would find more implausible then the suggestion of Pearly Poll being Martha's killer is the suggestion that she was the Ripper!! Seriously, what would be her motive? OK, lets say for arguments sake there was a motive, why would she then murder her in such a brutal way as hacking her with a knife 39 times?

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Howard,

Yes, her husband. But not a woman, as I said, and there is certainly a difference. Let alone in a spot such as George Yard, where neither lived. Also, the police obviously checked out Poll's statement before going to the trouble of lining up soldiers - this means they ascertained from bartenders and waitresses that the two women, in the company of soldiers, did in fact attend the pubs she said they did at the times she gave.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Pinkerton]

There have been quite a few cases of women stabbing other women multiple times ("overkill"). How about the Manson women? We're not talking MUTILATION here, just frenzied stabbing (usually indicative of personalized anger against the victim). I know I've come across others I just can't think at the moment. Granted it isn't nearly as common as males stabbing females.

My main issue would be the strangulation involved. The cases of women strangling other women are few and far between (though they do exist).

[Tom_Wescott]

I think it should be quite obvious that Tabram was killed by a man (or men). It would require a pretty healthy imagination and a proportional lack of common sense (not to mention crime history knowledge) to conclude that Pearly Poll lured Tabram to a landing in a residential building, produced a knife (or two) and stabbed her 39 times, hitting all the vital areas.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[ianincleveland]

One other suspicious characteristic of her is that, at the time of Martha's murder, Pearly Poll was living in Crossingham's Lodging House. However, after Martha's murder, she disappeared and was discovered staying at a cousin's house. Why would she abandon her dwellings and "hide out" with a cousin if she didn't do anything wrong?

Maybe in case the killer,who may have been known to her came for her

[corey123]

Pinkerton,

The Manson case is a poor example due to the fact that the women were not lone serial offinders, or even lone criminals. They had no fantasy, no motive besides doing what Manson told them too.

This is a case of single handed murder, not an organized plot.

Yours truly

[Roy Corduroy]

If Pearly Poll violently stabbed a woman 39 times with a knife, she will have been the first and last woman in the western world to do so.

Here's one, Tom.

Leslie MacKool currently serving life with out parole -

When 22 year old Leslie Shepherd married 45 year old Michael MacKool her father was heartbroken. Upon his death 5 years later Leslie still expected a large portion of her father's $2 million estate to be left to her. When she found out she was left a mere $25k what did she do? She hid in the bushes in front of her mother's house and stabbed her to death - some 74 times nearly severing her head from her body. Found guilty of capital murder she received life in prison with out parole.

[Hunter]

Damn!

I could see how someone could be distracted even if she had a knife in her hand.

Have you got a sharper picture?

Maybe several?

[corey123]

Roy,

There is a difference in a woman killing for money or out of rage loosing money, than one killing for personal desire.

This killer you described is a common female killer. They usually kill for either money or personal gain.

There is a HUGE difference in these two killers, the one you described above, and Martha Tabram's killer.