Jack+the+Ripper



Venus Chueh GD December 15, 2011

The Whitechapel Murder – Jack the Ripper

During the year of 1888, Jack the Ripper, which is one of the merciless killers in the world, has caused a great sensation in the society of London. It is said he killed five whores in ten days at Whitechapel. Whitechapel is a neighborhood with people living in poverty. The security there is not safe at all, there are people wandering around stealing things, committing crimes to make a living. The five victims have few things in common: They were all practicing prostitution, and none of anyone heard or saw anything unusual while the killing happened. Those five women also all had seriously disfigurement body since some people believed Jack the Ripper was a surgeon. His case is one of the most mysteries one, even in modern era, none of the investigator identify who he actually was.

The first victim, Mary Ann Nichols, was an alcoholic. She broke up with her husband because of her drinking habits. Since she has lost the income sources, she started prostitution in order to earned some money. She spent rest of her remaining years working in the boarding houses. On August 31, Nichols was drunk after leaving a pub. After few hours, her body was found on the road. On the other hand, the second victim, Annie Chapman, had a similar situation. She has heavily drinking habits after broke up with her husband and found out three of her children’s misfortune. Her son was born disable, another son was died in illness, and the only and the left daughter went to a circus in another country. Both of them started prostitution due to the failed marriage. And their throats have been slit and abdomen has serious injured.

Contrast to the first two victims, the third one, Elizabeth Stride started prostitution earlier. She also divorced with her husband and become insane after the age of 40. She claimed that her husband and two of her nine children have drowned in the river. In fact, her husband was died because of the illness, and they have no child. On the day she has been killed, she was attending a party in her friend’s house. She has disappeared for hours, and something odd was that, no one ever noticed. A man who was trying to park his car into the yard found her body in the midnight. However, this case resembles to the fifth case, which the victim was called Mary Kelly. Mary Kelly was found when someone was trying to collect her rent. Both Elizabeth’s and Kelly’s abdomens were empty. Jack the Ripper killed them without mercy.

Catherine Eddowes was the victim of the fourth cases. Her beauty and intelligence made her a little bit famous around the area. Her friends described her as “always singing, and scholarly.” As other victims, she also broke up with her husband, having heavy drinking habits and practicing prostitution. She was detained in the police office one day before the murder happened since she was found lying drunk on the road. She was naked. Although her abdomen was exposed, there was no blood on her skin even on her clothes. Contrary to other cases, what made this case special is that, Central News Agent had received a postcard signed “Jack the Ripper” after this murder happened. This letter is known as “From Hell”. In the letter, “Jack the Ripper” claimed for the responsibility of those murders. Yet, police and investigator had identified it was a trick written by a journalist.

Canonical five, the other name for those five victims, were all killed bizarre. There is no connection between those five whores, and no one knows the intention of killing them. Jack the Ripper, one of the most horrible criminals, had absolutely terrified the society. He not only left a mystery to the world, but also influenced the people in the world a lot whether on books or movies. Some may admire his clever that he was able to hid the rest of the whole life and letting no one knew who he was, some may blame his behavior of killing people without regret. No matter how mankind views him, he was one of the most unforgettable people on earth; no one find out who he was, and even though we find it out someday in the future, he has already died.