How many people did Jack the Ripper kill?

[Tjs77]

I was always told 5 but I have been reading around the same time loads more murders in the same area most ladies of the night not what I am in to but seems interesting To me if at to say who done it some sort of doctor just to find organs you need to no what you doing

Edited January 3, 2016 by Tjs77

[Imaginarynumber1]

The "Whitechapel Murders" were comprised of 11 separate murders ranging from around april 1888 to feburary of 1891. Of those 11 murders, 5 are attributed to Jack, though there is debate that he may have had a hand in several more.

No real way to know.

[rashore]

Yeah, Imaginary has his finger on it. Though there are definite Jack victims, there is a lot of argument about who else might be a victim or not. There is also a lot of debate on if Jack was only in Whitechapel or if he moved around and killed elsewhere. And a lot of debate on who he was, what his profession was.. even if Jack was really a Jack or really a Jane.

There are a few really good threads about Jack here- just use the search box at the top of the screen.

Edit to add: Welcome to UM Please, read the site rules, and enjoy your time here on UM

Edited January 3, 2016 by rashore

[Tjs77]

Thx guys

[Antilles]

Outside of the canonical 5 there is only one murder that possibly could be attributed to Jack. Martha Tabram, murdered 4 August, 27 days before the first of the canonical victims, Mary Ann Nichols. She was a prostitute, she was stabbed 39 times and one of the stabs was made by a longer weapon, like a bayonet.

Why could she be a Jack victim? Well, given that she was killed within the month of his first known victim, it's a possibility that she was a 'practise' run and from her he found his mature blitzkrieg attack. Jack just didn't wake up one morning and decide to become a serial killer. SK's always begin with smaller crimes, usually arson and animal torture and mutiliation before they move on to injuring people. I would think that method of murder would also be developed until he hit on what worked for him.

Why I don't think she was one of Jack's victims is because her throat wasn't slashed. That was the classic Jack signature right from the start. Plus the fact that Dr Killeen who performed the autopsy was sure that 2 different weapons were used. He never wavered from that belief. I tend to think that 2 men attacked and murdered her but you never know. Just MO.

[Madomeselle X]

Jack the Ripper, also known as Leather Apron, killed at least 5 prostitutes in Victorian London. To this day nobody knows who he was.

[rashore]

Jack the Ripper, also known as Leather Apron, killed at least 5 prostitutes in Victorian London. To this day nobody knows who he was.

That's not actually accurate. Jack the Ripper was not AKA Leather Apron, though some sources repeat this mis-information. Leather Apron was the nickname of the suspected killer given by the media prior to the JtR moniker which came with the Dear Boss letter. Leather Apron was actually John Pizer- a leather worker, who was falsely suspected by some of the locals because he was unpleasant to local prostitutes. He was later cleared because of iron clad alibi during more than one of the canonical murders. The media were the folks that ran with the name Leather Apron, and later Pizer successfully sued at least one newspaper for the false accusations.

[Madomeselle X]

That's not actually accurate. Jack the Ripper was not AKA Leather Apron, though some sources repeat this mis-information. Leather Apron was the nickname of the suspected killer given by the media prior to the JtR moniker which came with the Dear Boss letter. Leather Apron was actually John Pizer- a leather worker, who was falsely suspected by some of the locals because he was unpleasant to local prostitutes. He was later cleared because of iron clad alibi during more than one of the canonical murders. The media were the folks that ran with the name Leather Apron, and later Pizer successfully sued at least one newspaper for the false accusations.

Thank for the info. I've learnt something new today.