Jack The Ripper: Newly Discovered Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (7 page)

CHAPTER Fifteen

True Suspects

Though deeply unsettled, Holmes forced himself to concentrate only on the case. When he finished his list of suspects to his satisfaction, he began the process of validating or eliminating each one. He posted the list on the wall for all to see, and called the detectives around him. He then read out the list as follows:

JACK THE RIPPER SUSPECTS

• Prince Albert Victor
  
• Joseph Barnett
  
• Alfred Blanchard
  
• William Henry Bury
  
• Lewis Carroll
  
• David Cohen
  
• Dr. Thomas Neill Cream
  
• Frederick Bailey Deeming
  
• Montague John Druitt
  
• Carl Ferdinand Feigenbaum
  
• George Hutchinson
  
• Hyam Hyams
  
• Jill the Ripper
  
• James Kelly
  
• George Chapman
  
• Aaron Kosminski
  
• Jacob Levy
  
• James Maybrick
  
• Michael Ostrog
  
• Dr. Alexander Pedachenko
  
• Walter Sickert
  
• James Kenneth Stephen
  
• Robert D’Onston Stephenson
  
• Francis Thompson
  
• Francis Tumblety
  
• Alois Szemeredy
  
• Nikolay Vasiliev
  
• Dr. John Williams
  

“I have gathered you all here together to see this list of suspects,” he said. “Each detective will be responsible for investigating certain names on the list—and all information obtained must be reported immediately to me. I will be working diligently as well, and together we will apprehend Jack the Ripper.

“You may feel overwhelmed by the number of names on the list—but your hard work and keen observation could lead to the discovery of the murderer’s identity. Remember to work with the theoretical profile developed through my expertise. Check the dates and times of alibis. Be thorough in what you do. And do not be sure that it is only one man committing the murders. There may be a partner. Another murder may occur at any time, so we must make haste,” Holmes concluded.

One of the officers called out, “What about the rumors that Jack is a Jill? I notice there are no women on the list.”

“Of course, we must investigate every possibility,” said Holmes. “But it is unlikely any woman would have the strength or stamina to commit such brutally violent murders. Jill the Ripper is not a viable possibility—at least at this time.”

Even though Holmes had some peculiar ways, and often spoke curtly and coldly, nearly everyone at Scotland Yard liked and respected him. He had solved countless cases in his lifetime, and they all wanted to learn from the man they considered the master. In most cases, though, they knew Holmes kept his suspect near and dear to him until he could prove without a doubt who it was. They all wondered if he already had his suspicions—and if they could beat him to the discovery of the Ripper’s true identity.

The detectives lined up and Holmes gave each man a list of three or four suspects. He had a special list of his own, which he would begin investigating immediately. His list included not only facts about each suspect, but also his own notes and opinions.

• James Kelly
  

James Kelly was raised by his grandmother, who he thought to be his mother. His birth mother, who had no interest in raising her own child, married Kelly’s father even though he did not know she had given birth to his son. Later in life, after Kelly’s father died, his mother left Kelly the money that her husband had willed her. She felt remorse for what she had done. She died shortly after that.

As an adult, Kelly worked as an upholsterer and lived in lodging houses. He met his wife, Sarah, in 1881. He lived in the same lodging house as Sarah, who shared the space with her parents and siblings. He grew angry early in the courtship because he and Sarah had little opportunity for privacy, so he began frequenting prostitutes and contracted a venereal disease. His behavior became erratic, but in 1883 Sarah and Kelly still wed. Gossip said that they never consummated their union, due to the fact that Sarah was a virgin and Kelly could not penetrate her. He believed she had a deformity, and their relationship continued to deteriorate.

His disease soon led to horrible headaches and discharge from his ears, and eventually his mother-in-law found the drugs and syringes he used to treat his syphilis. Kelly became enraged and tried to blame Sarah for his affliction, and even accused her of tricking him into marriage to get his inheritance for herself.

Despite his anger toward her, Kelly was consumed with jealousy over Sarah, and once threatened her with a knife. On another occasion, his rage overcame him, and he stabbed Sarah and dragged her by the hair out of the house. She died from her injuries, and he was arrested for murder. He was sentenced to be hanged, but his sentence was overturned. He was declared to be insane and sentenced to an asylum, but escaped and fled to London.

Reasons for considering James Kelly as a suspect
: Kelly was diagnosed as a Paranoid Schizophrenic and killed his wife with a knife, confirming his capacity for brutal violence. He believed his wife was a prostitute or at least unchaste, and connected his own illness with her in his mind. The current murders could be Kelly’s twisted way of taking revenge for his own plight. Also damning—he lived with Catherine Eddowes for a time.

Unfortunately, Kelly does not match descriptions of the Ripper, if indeed those descriptions are accurate. The Ripper has been described as five foot seven inches tall, with a dark complexion, black hair, a heavy mustache, and a thin, pale face. Despite that, I still consider him a suspect.

• George Chapman
  

George Chapman was born Antoniovich Klosowsk
i
in Poland, and pursued a career as a surgeon in his home country before immigrating to America, at which time he found employment as a hairdresser’s assistant.

He married a woman named Lucy Baderski despite already being married, and his first wife left Poland and the three lived together for a time in London. Eventually, Chapman’s first wife left, but Chapman’s marriage to Lucy was fraught with unhappiness. They often fought, and at one point Chapman attacked Lucy with a knife. He was also known to beat other women with whom he had a relationship.

Reasons for considering James Chapman as a suspect
: Chapman has a steady and regular job, and so would likely only have been free on the weekends to commit murders—which is when Jack the Ripper strikes. He also lives in the immediate area of the murders. Now that his wives have left him, he is single and has no responsibility, so he can come and go as he pleases with no questions. His wife noted he often stayed out until the early morning hours, and revealed he once threatened to cut off her head.

Chapman is also said to have a voracious sexual appetite, but at the same time is very hostile toward women. Perhaps this hostility, combined with his lust, could drive him to murder.

Despite these possibilities, however, Chapman is around twenty-three years old, and the descriptions we’ve received of Jack the Ripper put him at thirty-five to forty years of age. Additionally, the Ripper is reported to act and sound like an educated man, while Chapman is an immigrant. It also seems peculiar that, given Chapman’s sexual drive, he did not actually have intercourse with any of the victims if indeed he is the Ripper.

• William Henry Bury
  

Not much has been uncovered about Bury, though he did murder his late wife, Ellen—by strangulation, with stab wounds to the abdomen after her death. Bury sleeps with a penknife under his pillow, and “Jack the Ripper is in this cellar” was written in chalk upon his door.

Reasons to consider William Henry Bury as a suspect
: Ellen’s stab wounds were very similar to those of the first victim, Polly Nichols; furthermore, Ellen was a former prostitute.

While there are connections, I do not believe Bury is a true candidate for Jack the Ripper.  

• Jacob Levy
  

Jacob Levy is a Jewish butcher who lives with his wife near the scene of the murders. He has a history of mental illness in his family, and is believed to be unstable himself. Levy has been uncooperative with the investigation.

Reasons to consider William Henry Bury as a suspect
: A fellow butcher reported seeing Bury with Catharine Eddowes on the night of her murder; Bury would have had enough knowledge of anatomy from his trade to cleanly and efficiently mutilate his victims. Additionally, a witness claims to have seen a man of Jewish appearance with Mary Jane Kelly in the vicinity of her murder.

• Dr. John Williams
  

Sir John Williams was raised by his mother, who ran the family farm on her own after her husband’s death. He initially studied religion, but later apprenticed himself to a surgeon and went on to study medicine. He attended the University College Hospital in London to procure his medical and surgeon’s degree. He married Elisabeth Ann Hughes in 1872, and they subsequently had issues conceiving. He studied as an obstetric physician as a result of their fertility problems, and eventually established an impressive reputation in the field.

Reasons to consider Dr. John Williams as a suspect
: According to a relative, Dr. John Williams allegedly knows one of the victims, Mary Kelly, and it has been suggested he was “seeing” her. The same relative attested to seeing a three-sided knife that he swore was the Ripper’s weapon, and claimed that Dr. Williams was very invested in performing experiments that could unlock the secret of why he and his wife could not have a child. Dr. Williams also performed an abortion on Mary Ann Nichols, another victim.

While one could surmise that Dr. Williams carried out the murders to harvest body parts for his experiments, as a respected doctor he could just have easily carried out these experiments on unclaimed cadavers in the morgue. He also has no history of violence or instability; his connection to the victims seems mere circumstance. Further, the murderer seems to be taunting me, and to take a sick glee in his “work”—it seems unlikely that a man murdering to carry out experiments would act in so unclinical a fashion. I do not seriously consider him a suspect.

• Aaron Kosminski
  

Aaron Kosminksi is a Polish Jew who only recently emigrated to England; he works as a hairdresser in Whitechapel.

Reasons to consider Aaron Kosminski as a suspect
: Kosminksi is known to be mentally ill, and several witnesses have said he displays a hatred toward women. As a Jew, he could very likely be in league with a group that opposes the Sovereign Order of Monte Cristo, which is a Christian society.

CHAPTER Sixteen

The Set Up

Holmes eagerly prepared his house for the meeting. He knew it would be a long and tedious one, but he was sure they would all be quite comfortable in his study. Mrs. Parker had outdone herself to ensure they would not go hungry—delicious scents wafted from the kitchen, and she was prepared to serve the meal as soon as their visitors arrived.

She had baked a ham with pineapples and brown sugar dripping off the platter, and roasted a chicken, with mushroom stuffing on the side. Corn on the cob, drenched with butter, sat alongside blanched green beans, baked potatoes, and fresh-baked bread. She had coffee brewed, tea steeping, and ale on hand as well. Holmes remembered why he had hired her.

“I extend my thanks to you, Mrs. Parker. You are an amazing woman.”

“You’re welcome, sir. I know this is a very important meeting, and I know you all will more than likely be here until well into the night,” she answered.  “I have two apple pies in the oven and a chocolate cake already baked. I have even arranged to spend the night here, so I can serve you all as needed.”

“You must remind me to give you a raise, Mrs. Parker,” said Holmes.

“Oh, I will…I will,” she answered with a sly smile.

Dr. Watson arrived right on time, and he and Holmes were enjoying their pipes when the others arrived.

Julie was a very attractive woman. She was in her late twenties and had long, auburn hair, half of which was swept up into a bun while the other half tumbled down her back. Holmes hoped she would make the perfect decoy—though the Ripper’s first victims had been older, the murder of Mary Jane Kelly had shown he would be willing to attack younger women as well.

“Welcome to my home,” he said, bowing over her hand. “Inspector Grant, allow me to formally introduce Miss Julie Rivers.”

Inspector Grant, though not used to treating a woman of the night as a lady, was nonetheless gracious. He inclined his head to her and smiled. “It is a pleasure to meet such a brave woman as yourself.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that you have included me in this meeting. I want to do everything that I can to help catch Mary Ann’s killer.”

Inspector Grant then introduced the two policemen he had brought with him.

“May I present Thomas Hunter and Joseph Jackson,” he said as he waved his hand from one to the other. “I have known these men for over thirty years and would trust them with my life. We grew up together.”

“Thank you, Thomas and Joseph, for your assistance—and discretion,” Holmes told them.

“You are quite welcome. We are most happy to assist you in solving this case, sir,” said Thomas, the shorter of the two.

“Yes, anything we can do to help,” Joseph responded.

“I believe this to be the most singular case of my career,” Holmes replied. “And with every day that passes, the stakes grow higher—we must catch this murderer before he slays another victim. First, though, we eat—I’ve found that full stomachs lead to sharper, less distracted minds.”

The smell of the food was indeed inviting, and the group retreated to the garden to dine. It was a fine meal, and their conversation remained focused on trivial matters.

When the last plate was cleared, however, Holmes rose to his feet. “And now it is time to get down to business,” he said. “Please follow me to my study—I have made some notes for each of you in regard to the profile I’ve created, and I’ve included several key points on the case. We will discuss the suspects, as well as lay out our plan for catching the Ripper.”

In the study, everyone took a seat and solemnly accepted the sheaves of paper Holmes handed them. “The only way for us to catch this villain is to set a trap. Mind you, it could be dangerous—even deadly—so if you are having second thoughts about participating, you must speak now.”

Nobody said a word.

“Good,” Holmes nodded. “It may seem indecorous to discuss the Ripper’s crimes in the presence of a woman, but Julie knows her role and is willing to act as a lure, despite the danger.”

“We will never be far from you, Julie, so please try not to worry too much,” Grant said.

“Oh, I am not worried. I trust you will keep me safe. I just hope the killer will take the bait…me,” she said with a nervous laugh.

“We will start with Julie in the Top Star Bar, the pub most of the women visited before their murders. Of course we will need either Joseph and Thomas there too, keeping an eye on her,” Holmes started. “It seems the pub may be the starting point where the killer first sees his victim. The victims left a little, or even a lot, intoxicated. I will speak with the bar keeper, Julie, and tell him to give you seltzer water instead of liquor.”

“I may want just one for courage and something on my breath,” Julie said. “I will feign clumsiness and spill some of on my dress, as well.”

“That will be your final drink,” said Grant. “Holmes and myself will hide behind the white fence that lines the sidewalk from the bar to Whitechapel, and we will station one of the officers in the bar to watch you. Dr. Watson will be up the street somewhere, keeping an eye from afar.”

“Yes, and we will be dressed as if we belong in the neighborhood, so as not to raise suspicion. Remember, Julie, we will not be far from you at any time. You need to give us some sort signal, though, if you suspect that you have the fish on the line,” Holmes told her. “You have the profile, so you must redirect the attention of anyone who does not fit it. Can you do that?”

“Yes sir. I will be able to do that. And if I feel I have him I will say, where you all can hear, ‘I am getting a little chilled—I wish I had brought my wrap!’”

“Excellent! But of course you know he will have to make some kind of move to hurt you—and for that to happen, you will have to lead him outside. That’s what will make it so dangerous.”

“I understand. I will leave the pub with the man only if I am sure he is the Ripper.”

They all went through several possible scenarios so that everyone would be prepared for anything that might happen. For hours they did this, until they could no longer keep their eyes open. They agreed they would go out the next evening about 10 P.M. They knew that apprehending the murderer might take more than one night, but they were prepared to be patient.

Holmes and Watson spoke at the door as Watson was leaving.

“You suspect who it is don’t you, my friend?” Dr. Watson said. “Your demeanor has grown calm and composed—as if a weight has been lifted from your shoulders. I feel as if you’ve had another of your famous epiphanies sometime this night.”

“Yes, I am almost sure, I do but I do not want to disclose his identity right now, even to you.”

“I understand these feelings you get. We will catch him, Holmes.”