Jack the Ripper: Case Study

Lesson 2: The Investigation, Evidence and Original Suspects

The Ripper Letters and Other Evidence

Most of the known evidence today derives from official documents and the Ripper letters.

Many of the original documents on the case were lost, misplaced, or destroyed. The most quoted documents are the police notes of Constable Macnaghten, in which he named the three suspects mentioned earlier and formed opinions on the case.

A letter written from Sir Charles Warren, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, in which he defends his decision to erase graffiti found at one of the crime scenes (which led to his dismissal) is also considered important evidence.

Several documents pertaining to the case have only been recently rediscovered. The Littlechild letter, discovered in 1993, is an important document in which Chief Inspector Littlechild named Francis Tumblety as a possible Ripper suspect.

The Ripper Letters

At the time of the murders, the police and the press were literally flooded with letters purported to have been written by Jack the Ripper. The first letter actually signed Jack the Ripper was dated September 25, 1888, and was received by a news agency. Most of the Ripper letters were believed to be fakes, penned by newsmen eager to sensationalize the story or the usual crazies that write in when any crime with wide-spread coverage appears. Many experts conclude that none of the letters received by the police department at the time were actually written by Jack the Ripper. There are, however, three letters believed to be genuine:

The Dear Boss Letter

The first genuine Jack the Ripper letter was received by the Central News Agency on September 29, 1888. In the letter he refers to a recent murder (that of Annie Chapman) and the questioning of a suspect, John Pizar, "that joke about Leather Apron gave me real fits..." This letter, containing the passage, "Keep this letter back till I do a bit more work, then give it out straight. My knife is nice and sharp" seemed an arrogant taunt, and was signed, "Yours truly, Jack the Ripper."

The Saucy Jacky Postcard

A postcard, written in red ink, was believed to be authentic because it referred to the "double event" and was received a few hours after the double murder of Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes. This, too, was signed Jack the Ripper. Experts conclude that the "Dear Boss" letter and the "Saucy Jacky" postcard were penned by the same person.

From Hell

The most well-known Ripper letter, for which a novel and movie bears the same title, is the "From Hell" letter. It was received by the president of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, George Lusk on October 15, 1888. Enclosed with the letter was one half of a preserved human kidney. The police believe this letter is authentic because the kidney tissue matched that of an alcoholic about the same age as the victim he claimed it was taken from, Catherine Eddowes. Though this letter did not bear the signature Jack the Ripper, it is believed to be the one most likely to have come from the killer.

The writing on the wall and other evidence

After the murder of Catherine Eddowes, a piece of her bloodstained apron was discovered in a doorway. A cryptic message was found written in chalk. "The Juwes are not the men to be blamed for nothing." There is some question whether the message was written by the killer, or if the graffiti had been there previously. However, it could have provided a vital clue to the investigation. It is believed by some that the message could have been a reference to the Jewish community. Others believe there may have been some masonic connection.

Most curious is the fact that Metropolitan Commissioner Sir Charles Warren, acting out of his jurisdiction, erased all traces of the message without giving the City Police a chance to photograph it. His explanation was that leaving the graffiti there until daylight might cause "religious trouble".

At the time, there was much unrest in the district between the immigrant Jews and other residents, and the Jews were already being blamed by some as being responsible for the murders. Warren claimed he erased the message because he feared a riot and outbreak of violence. He had just recovered from "Bloody Sunday", where a demonstration resulted in the use of force, civilian deaths, and accusations of police brutalty.

The Ripper letters can be viewed in their entirety on Casebook: Jack the Ripper

For more infomation on the investigation, also visit Jack the Ripper, the most famous serial killer of all time - The Crime Library