Day 22: Montague John Druitt aka Jack the Ripper?
Over the years there have been many people put forward as suspected of being Jack the Ripper. From theories to probable suspects, there is no shortage. As one of the most famous serial killers in the world, Jack the Ripper is a character who has captured the attention and imagination of many people, especially in England.
In Whitechapel, London 1888, Jack the Ripper murdered five prostitutes. Mary Ann Nichols was seen alive one hour before her mutilated body was found at 3:40am on Friday 31st August 1888. Her throat had been cut right down to her vertebrae and her body slashed. One week later on 8th September 1888, Annie "Dark Annie" Chapman was discovered at 6am with her throat cut and several body parts missing. It is believed she was killed with people just feet away. There was a witness who claimed to have seen Annie with a man just 30 minutes before she was found. On Sunday 30th September Elizabeth Stride's body was found at 1am with blood still pouring from her throat. Catherine Eddowes body was found just 45 minutes later. It was believed due to the fact that Elizabeth bore no other injuries and had not been dead long led people to believe the killer had been interrupted. Eddowes face was mutilated with several organs removed.
The most violent murder was that of Mary Jane Kelly. Unlike the other victims, Mary Kelly was murdered in her room, thus giving the killer a lot longer to mutilate her body without fear of being seen and/or interrupted. Mary's body was found at 10:45am on Friday 9th November, she was to be the last victim. Her face had been "hacked beyond all recognition", with her throat severed down to the spine, and the abdomen almost emptied of its organs. The heart was missing from the crime scene.
The identity of Jack the Ripper has never been discovered. Many people have their own ideas and suspects. Books have been written about possible suspects and many believe that the police did talk to him at some point. Most people believe that if the murders occurred today, forensic testing and security footage would lead to the killers identity and conviction but we cannot be sure. A suspect who is favoured among many is Montague John Druitt.
Druitt was a lawyer who worked as a teacher in London from 1880 onwards. Shortly after the murder of Mary Kelly, on 30th November 1888, Druitt was dismissed from his position for reasons that have never been clear. Shortly afterwards in December, Druitt disappeared and about a month later rumours circulated that the body of Jack the Ripper had been found floating in the river Thames. Druitt's body was found on 31st December 1888 floating in the Thames. The stones found in his pockets led police to believe he had been submerged for one month. As he was found with a train ticket to Hammersmith dated 1st December, a silver pocket watch, a cheque for £50 and £16 in gold it was believed that he had been dismissed from the school after being accused of being a homosexual and/ or a pederast and therefore had committed suicide. There was speculation that the money was a final payment from the school and he had so much on him, he was planning to pay off a blackmailer. It is however strange that he would commit suicide with such items still on his person it is also strange that, if he was murdered as some believe, the murderer did not take at least the money and pocket watch. As £16 of gold is about £1,800 in todays money and the £50 cheque £5,600, it is unlikely he was killed by his blackmailer. It could however, have been that either the murderer did not have time to go through the pockets of his victim, or even did not know Druitt had the money on him. His death was officially ruled a suicide but there are still those who believe Druitt himself was the victim of a murderer.
At the inquest into Druitt's death, his brother gave testimony
William H. Druitt said he lived at Bournemouth, and that he was a solicitor. The deceased was his brother, who was 31 last birthday. He was a barrister-at-law, and an assistant master in a school at Blackheath. He had stayed with witness at Bournemouth for a night towards the end of October. Witness heard from a friend on the 11th of December that deceased had not been heard of at his chambers for more than a week. Witness then went to London to make inquiries, and at Blackheath he found that deceased had got into serious trouble at the school, and had been dismissed. That was on the 30th of December. Witness had deceased's things searched where he resided, and found a paper addressed to him (produced). The Coroner read the letter, which was to this effect: - "Since Friday I felt I was going to be like mother, and the best thing for me was to die." Witness, continuing, said deceased had never made any attempt on his life before. His mother became insane in July last. He had no other relative.”
Although a lot of facts about the case and the probability of Druitt''s guilt is disputed, it was said at the time that many people, including members of Druitt's family believed him to be the ripper, it would explain why Mary Kelly was the last victim. Also, if it was correct that Druitt was of "unsound mind" when he died as was believed and reported, a killing spree could be attributed to his mental illness. If it was suicide it could have been partly due to his guilt over the murders, if he was the ripper and was a victim of murder himself, it would be poetic justice. As I said, there is no shortage of suspects and many have their own theories, There are those that are sure Druitt was the murderer, and those who say it couldn't possibly have been him. Whomever Jack the Ripper really was, his secret is dead and gone forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment