Few true crimes hold the same power over the public consciousness as the Whitechapel Murders of 1888-1891. Uncovering the identity of Jack the Ripper continues to elude authorities, historians, and amateur sleuths nearly 200 years later. The shadowy culprit responsible took on the name “Jack the Ripper,” his real identity still a mystery to this very day. History holds many secrets, and the tale of Jack the Ripper and his victims still whispers to us today. Who was the public threat, and can we uncover the identity of Jack the Ripper?

Whitechapel Woes

The dastardly murders, carried out in East London, sparked and terrified the imaginations of thousands at home and abroad. Journalists across Great Britain brought the latest news and speculation to the public – some newspapers strove to mitigate the growing panic, while others merely sensationalized the killings. Uncovering the identity of Jack the Ripper became a pastime and preoccupation of many London residents as they worried for their safety.

Beginning in the 1880s, large numbers of Eastern European immigrants (predominantly Jewish ) flooded the city of London, seeking safety from persecution and better financial prospects for their families. Areas such as Whitechapel, already known for its ramshackle housing and poor conditions, absorbed the newcomers. Uncovering the identity of Jack the Ripper cannot commence unless one understands the environment of Whitechapel.

Broken Lives, Twisted Streets

Serial killers were rare in Victorian England; most major crimes took place in more urban areas, due to the Industrial Revolution and heavy influx of people seeking factory work. However, the Ripper’s deadly spree left the civilized world in awe. Who could bring themselves to commit such atrocities, especially against women?

Called the “Canonical Five,” the women who fell prey to the Ripper are as follows: Mary Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Kelly. All five women, of varying ages and backgrounds, shared the same brutal end, although some reportedly caught glances of a short, middle-aged man in the vicinity. Uncovering the identity of Jack the Ripper remains just as difficult as it was for the London constabulary and the Metropolitan Police.

Interest in murder may strike one as morbid, but for many, the desire to know “why” such tragedies occur springs from a thirst for justice. Understanding the criminal mind is more than an armchair pursuit and has proven helpful in solving cases that are decades old. Seeking justice for the women of Whitechapel may still lead to uncovering the identity of Jack the Ripper.

A few choice suspects rose to the top of Sir Melville Macnaghten’s list. Macnaghten served as the head of the Metropolitan Police, facing tremendous pressure from politicians and the public to put the deranged killer behind bars. 

Uncovering the Identity of Jack the Ripper

Rising to the top of McNaughten’s list was a young man named Montague John Druitt. Druitt, an Oxford graduate and barrister (lawyer), displayed bizarre behavior to the shock of his upper-class family. He frequented prostitutes, which perhaps brought him across the victims’ path. Yet, Druitt never spent time in Whitechapel, and the case against him slowly but surely unraveled.

Final Thoughts

Aaron Kosminski, a Polish hairdresser, came in at number two on the police watch list. Kosminski hated women, mainly prostitutes, and was known in the Jewish community for his erratic behavior. Aaron was deemed dangerous and spent time in an insane asylum. Authorities later believed Kosminski was confused with another Jewish man under suspicion and, after another stint in an asylum, Kosminski died at the age of 53 in 1919.

Finishing the list at number three, Michael Ostrog made a strong impression on the authorities in the worst way possible. Ostrog immigrated from Russia and was virtually unknown until his first robbery in 1863. Enigmatic and a master of disguise, Ostrog spent ten months in prison until his release. Ostrog focused on “white collar crimes” and, although considered insane, was eventually dropped as a suspect. Although the true identity of Jack the Ripper was never formally disclosed, the case remains open. Perhaps the truth is only one clue away.