George Chapman responsible for the death of Martha Tabram?

[Parker_Pyne79]

Considering the fact that he lived in the same building that she was found, could it be? I know the whole fact about Chapmans modus operandi and how it would have to change considerably for the death of Tabram, but it does seem like a big coincidence. Let me know what you think. Any comments below.

Many Thanks.

[GUT]

Considering the fact that he lived in the same building that she was found, could it be? I know the whole fact about Chapmans modus operandi and how it would have to change considerably for the death of Tabram, but it does seem like a big coincidence. Let me know what you think. Any comments below.

Many Thanks.

Have you read Helena's book?

[Parker_Pyne79]

No, why?

[Elamarna]

No, why?

hi Parker_Pyne

it is probably the best book ever written on Chapman, the recent update, which i have not yet read, promises more background on him than one would have ever dreamt of a few years back.

If you are considering him as a possible killer of any of the victims, this is a must read!

Steve

[GUT]

hi Parker_Pyne

it is probably the best book ever written on Chapman, the recent update, which i have not yet read, promises more background on him than one would have ever dreamt of a few years back.

If you are considering him as a possible killer of any of the victims, this is a must read!

Steve

Even if you're not considering him a suspect, a MUST read.

[Elamarna]

Even if you're not considering him a suspect, a MUST read.

yes GUT, although can be seen as a "suspect" book, substantially different from most, certainly one of the best. Up there with Rob House's although they do come from different angles.

steve

[Parker_Pyne79]

What does everyone else think?

What does everyone else think?

[Abby Normal]

What does everyone else think?

Hi PP
and welcome!

I think he is a very viable suspect. hes in my top 5. Here is a known serial killer of women, fits the description, lived in the area, threatened to kill one of his wives with a knife and was a police suspect at the time-notably Abberlines (see my sig).

and yes the proximity to where she lived is also significsnt in my mind, especially if you consider Tabram a ripper victim (I do), who might have been his trigger kill.

first kills or the trigger kill for serial killers often come about randomly (not planned) and the fact she was killed so near where he lives bolsters that IMHO because it raises the probability that he came upon her by chance.

if it wasn't one of the soldiers/sailors that killer Martha, then I can see that he may have come upon her after that.

and I agree about MO (poisoner vs knife murderer) with you-serial killers change MO, and he was also known to have been violent towrd one of his wives with a knife anyway so maybe not that great a leap that so many people think.

my main caveat with Chapman being the ripper is not that-- but the fact that he probably had a thick accent -and none of the witnesses ever describe a man with an accent.

[Rosella]

Chapman was a sulky and at times angry and violent individual. However, I believe he told someone at the time he was killing one of his 'wives' that he knew ways of killing someone so that no one would find out (that any crime had occurred.) You can't say that about cutting throats and disembowelling strangers! I think Chapman enjoyed the particular power that poisoning his victims gave him, although I agree that serial killers can certainly change their MO's. His always seem to be very 'domestic' crimes, to me. 'I'm sick of this missus I've got now. Get rid of her and then on to the next one,' whereas the ripper exhibited a very different set of goals.

Loved Helena's book. I really recommend it.

[miss marple]

Helena's book is a brilliant piece of historical research. Once you ve read it you realise Chapman was not the ripper. There is no speculation just solid facts and a demolishing of the myths surrounding Chapman.
A book written by a historian is a different animal from a book written with a theory in mind.

Miss Marple

[Fleetwood Mac]

Considering the fact that he lived in the same building that she was found, could it be? I know the whole fact about Chapmans modus operandi and how it would have to change considerably for the death of Tabram, but it does seem like a big coincidence. Let me know what you think. Any comments below.

Many Thanks.

He's far from the worst suspect doing the rounds and one of the more important men on the ground, Abberline, fancied him for it.

I don't think the change in MO is a problem. Different motive and situation and so different solution. No problem there as far as I can tell.

But, he wouldn't be my favoured suspect.

I would say JTR is one of two things:

Either burning with rage and destruction, or bordering on the edge of lunacy and intrigued to say the least with dissecting the human body. I'd go with the latter. Chapman would be neither of those people to me.

[HelenaWojtczak]

Hello Parker_Pyne and everyone!

Parker, the book to which everyone is referring can be seen here

http://www.hastingspress.co.uk/chapman.html

where you can also read reviews of the book written by many Casebook members. The new edition has 20 extra pages of new material and is about to be reviewed by Paul Begg in Ripperologist.

Marple, Rosella, Steve and GUT ... many thanks for your comments on my book. :-)

Abby ~ yes, he definitely would have had a very thick Polish accent in 1888. His English language skills, even as late as 1903, were appalling. I grew up with a Polish father who'd come to England at the same age as Chapman (22) and even in his 80s his Polish accent was very strong. I also met a lot of his friends who had been here since 1945 and they were just the same.

Helena

[HelenaWojtczak]

Longer reviews here:

http://www.hastingspress.co.uk/chapmanrev.html