| During the late 1800's to early 1900's, London was a dirty crowded city. However, in the East end and Whitechapel areas, conditions were unbearable. During this time, there were a series of murders called "The Whitechapel Murders". The Whitechapel Murders were one of the most horrific, sadistic and mystifying murder cases of all time. For over 100 years, people have speculated on who the killer could be. There have been numerous theories on whom it could be, from a royal conspiracy to a person who committed suicide in the Thames River. Whomever it may be, Patricia Cornwell, in her book "Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper, Case Closed", seems to think she may have found the right man. That man is Walter Richard Sickert; his last name seems fitting for the murders he is accused of doing, for they are purely sick. Walter Richard Sickert was born on May 31, 1860. As a child, he had three surgeries so cure a fistula of the penis. He had undergone two of them in Germany then came to London to have the third, and final, surgery. When he was grown, he was one of the most notable artists, teachers and critics of his time. He was also a skilled actor, not only on stage, but also off. Offstage, he often changed his appearance just as he did on the stage. Mental illness ran in his family and that may have been a contributing factor to his illness, but it is believed that most of it was because of the surgeries. The type of surgeries he had, if performed after the age of 18 months, could be dangerous to the child's mental and physical health. The surgery could also leave the child sterile, and for him to go through his entire life without enjoying that pleasure and of not having children, would be devastating. In 1888, Sickert went to London. The horrific Whitechapel murders began that August. There were five women, all of which were prostitutes in the East End. The first of the murders was Mary Ann Nichols. She was last seen walking down Whitechapel road at about 2:30am, on August 31, 1888, probably soliciting business. The police were making their normal rounds and at about four am, Charles Cross came across her body lying on the street named "Bucks Row." Her throat had been slashed form ear to ear, and that had nearly decapitated her. Her hands and wrists were cold yet the police officer could still feel some warmth in her arms.The doctor reported that this meant that she had been dead for less than an hour. After a closer inspection of her body, they saw that her stomach area had also been mutilated. The second of the murders was Annie Chapman, also called "Dark Annie." On the morning of September 8, 1888, Annie left the lodging house where she had been residing. Later that morning, she was found lying on her back in someone's backyard. Her face was very swollen and her tongue was sticking out through her teeth but not any farther than the lips. The Ripper had taken out the small intestines and a few other organs and laid them next to her, yet they were still attached. Other organs were removed and missing entirely. The throat was cut completely around the neck. The doctor at the scene reported that she had been dead approximately two hours. Elizabeth Stride was murdered on September 30 in what was known as "the double event." On this night, she was seen arguing with a man in the doorway of where her body would later be found. The murderer seemed to run out of time and seemed to be rushed because he only was able to cut her throat, and not continue to the mutilations. Either way, he killed her. The second event of this "Double Feature" was the murder of Kate Eddowes. She was murdered only yards away from where Stride was murdered. While the police were bustling around after the discovery of Stride's body, the Ripper was hard at work on his next "piece of work." As in the other murders, her throat had been deeply slashed and this was the cause of death. The stomach had been cut and spread open from the breastbone to the pubes. The intestines, the left kidney and about two feet of the colon were removed. The womb was cut horizontally and the rest of the womb had been taken away completely. Her face was just as bad. Each eyelid was cut through and a deep cut over the bridge of the nose from the nasal bone to the right side of the jaw. The tip of the nose was detached. There were also several other cuts and the right earlobe had been severed. The last and by far the most gruesome of the murders was that of Mary Kelly. On November 15, her landlord sent his lawyer to her room to collect the rent. When his knocks went unanswered, he peered through the window only to see Mary Kelly lying naked and dead on her bed. The entire surface of the abdomen and thighs was removed and the abdominal cavity was emptied completely. Her breasts were cut off and her arms had many jagged cuts on them. Her face was cut up so badly that all of her features were beyond recognition. The tissues of her neck were severed completely to the bone. Her "parts" were found in various places in the room. Her uterus, kidney and one breast were under her head, the other breast by her right foot, liver between the feet and her intestines by the right side and the spleen by the left. The surface of the abdomen and thighs were found on a table. |
| Jack The Ripper: Walter Sickert? |