William Atkins - Could be worth a second look

[Harry Poland]

Has anybody ever taken a look at this individual:

Imprisoned 1889 for cutting a woman's throat

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t18890107-179-punishment-49&div=t18890107-179#highlight

And again in 1897 for burglary with intent to ravish

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t18971025-702-punishment-56&div=t18971025-702#highlight

Nothing to connect him to the Whitechapel murders, but for my money he fits the profile and in my opinion if JTR is ever found I think he's going to be a typical Joe Nobody like this chap.

[Jason]

Sarah Netley, wife of William......wonder if there was any relation to John Netley ?

[Tecs]

Hi Harry,

You are quite right that JTR could very well be just some nobody who we've never suspected. I've always liked Don Rumbelow's line that "O n the day of judgement when all things shall be known, when I and the other generations of ripperologists ask Jack the Ripper to step forward, we will look at each other and say, 'Who?'"

The objections that people will come up with are, as you say no known link to Whitechapel at the time, he was at large for many years after the Ripper murders, the attack we have seen doesn't fit with how the Ripper operated etc etc.

But further research may throw up some interesting facts. For example imagine if you uncovered that he moved to Whitechapel or Spitalfields and lived in the heart of the district at the time of the crimes. He was then imprisoned or put in an asylum at the end of 1888 and only released shortly before the attack you mention. It could start to get interesting.

I'm too lazy to research him myself so why don't you have a go. You never know!

Regards,

[Harry Poland]

Thanks for the kind words Tecs. He was first imprisoned in 1889 so that fits.

I will do some research around this gent and let you know what I find.

Almost certainly not the ripper but a better suspect than the last two I turned out:

Walter Wise - Died 1886
Silas Sampson - On board ship during the murders

As I've said before, one of the best things about research is you get to find out who he isn't

[Tecs]

Thanks for the kind words Tecs. He was first imprisoned in 1889 so that fits.

I will do some research around this gent and let you know what I find.

Almost certainly not the ripper but a better suspect than the last two I turned out:

Walter Wise - Died 1886
Silas Sampson - On board ship during the murders

As I've said before, one of the best things about research is you get to find out who he isn't

No probs,

keep us informed,

regards,

[Wickerman]

As I've said before, one of the best things about research is you get to find out who he isn't

So long as the list of who he 'aint grows longer, the list of who he was gets shorter



...