Jack the Ripper: Case Open

By Vickie Britton

The recent novel Portrait Of A Killer: Jack The Ripper -- Case Closed (Berkley True Crime) by famous mystery author Patricia Cornwell points the finger at artist Walter Sickert as being the most likely candidate for Jack the Ripper. However, did you know that at the time the case was under investigation in 1888, Sickert was not even a suspect?

The three main suspects on the Ripper case at the time according to Metropolitan Chief Constable Macnaghten were Aaron Kosminski, Montague J. Druitt, and Michael Ostrog. Others suspects included Thomas Cream, who was later hanged for poisoning prostitutes; victim Mary Kelly's lover, Joseph Barnett; and a Polish hairdresser by the name of George Chapman.

Several new suspects have come to light in contemporary times. In 1992, an old diary was discovered in which Victorian businessman James Maybrick confessed to being Jack the Ripper! However, most believe this diary to be a hoax.

And what of Walter Sickert? During his lifetime, Sickert was a greatly respected Impressionist painter, a friend of James Whistler. The suspicions that Sickert may have been Jack the Ripper stem from a traumatic childhood surgery, his uncanny obsession with Jack the Ripper, and the fact that many of his paintings depict scenes that are disturbingly similar to the Ripper crimes. In recent times Patricia Cornwell spent over four million dollars trying to prove his guilt. DNA and other forensic evidence were used for the first time on a historical murder case. Letters to the police and Sickert's paintings were closely examined for traces of DNA. However, the results were inconclusive.

Jack the Ripper remains the most read-about, most written-about, most elusive serial killer in the history of the world. Countless books have been written, endless theories have been created, and numerous movies have been made about him.

What makes the Ripper legend so intriguing? Is it the sheer brutality of his crimes or the fact that he never got caught that makes so many people still remain intrigued by this century-old old murder case?

How much do you know about this historic true murder mystery? Take this quiz to test your knowledge:

1. How many victims are accepted by experts as being official Jack the Ripper victims?

A. 10

B. 2

C. 5

D. 8

Answer: C - Five victims, based on the time frame on which they were killed and the method of murder, are generally accepted by theorists as being actual Jack the Ripper victims.

2. Who were the three main suspects at the time of the Ripper crimes?

A. Tumblety, Chapman, and Bury

B. Prince Edward, William Gull, Joseph Barnett

C. Larry, Moe, and Curly Joe

D. Kosminski, Druitt, and Ostrog

Answer: D - The three main suspects at the time of the Ripper crimes, according to a report by Chief Constable Mcnaghten were Aaron Kosminski, Montague J. Druitt, and Michael Ostrog.

3. The movie From Hell and the graphic novel of the same name were based on the Royal Conspiracy Theory first introduced in a novel by Stephen Knight titled:

A. Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution

B. Jack the Ripper: Case Closed

C. Jack the Ripper: The Complete Casebook

D. The Diary of Jack the Ripper

Answer: A - Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution

4. Which part of the body of one Jack the Ripper's victims was included with a letter called the From Hell letter?

A. nose

B. ear

C. toe

D. kidney

Answer: D – kidney

5. Which of the following women was not a Ripper victim?

A. Annie Crook

B. Mary Kelly

C. Annie Chapman

D. Mary Ann Nichols

Answer: A - Annie Crook

6. Which two Ripper victims were murdered on the same night?

A. Catherine Eddowes and Mary Kelly

B. Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes

C. Mary Ann Nichols and Elizabeth Stride

D. Elizabeth Stride and Annie Chapman

Answer: B - Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes

If you didn't know the answers to the quiz - or if you knew the answers to these questions, but want to know more about the mystery - you can get a solid, comprehensive overview of the case, including basic facts and background information, in Jack the Ripper - Serial Killer. Read the complete report for detailed information on the initial investigation and the most popular suspects, explorations of the Royal Conspiracy Theory and other popular Ripper theories, a look at the Maybrick Diary, and a discussion of Jack's impact on fiction and movies. A list of additional resources is included to help get you started on your way to becoming an amateur Ripperologist.

Who was Jack the Ripper? Look over the facts of the evidence yourself and then you be the judge!

©Vickie Britton 2004

Jack the Ripper — Serial Killer