Jack the Ripper: 15 Facts About a Notorious Killer and Events That Followed

1. Jack the Ripper was an alias for a killer who preyed on prostitutes
2. The murders occurred between 1888-1891, killings that terrorized London's East End
3. The drama played out in a 1-mile area around the district known as Whitechapel, part of City of London proper
4. The killing spree was believed to be too much for the Whitechapel CID and Scotland Yard became involved, sending in reinforcements
5. Ripper victims possibly numbered 11 with a strong belief that actual Ripper casualties were about 5 women
6. The nature of the murders included throat slitting and abdominal mutilation. Surgeons who examined the bodies saw evidence of a degree of anatomical knowledge on the killer's part, which included clean cuts and exact excision.
7. The “Jack the Ripper” handle was derived from a mysterious letter that was sent to Central News Agency, and then forwarded on to the Metropolitan Police. The letter related that the author was “down on whores” and that he wouldn't cease “ripping them.”

Ripper Letter

1. Another missive arrived via a postcard. The writer used red ink and referred to himself as “Saucy Jacky,” then signed it Jack the Ripper.
2. Although there were a number of suspects in the case, eventually this was narrowed down to four contenders
3. The Ripper murders and the Whitechapel murders are not one and the same thing
4. The notoriety of the murders became international, with lurid accounts appearing in newspapers of the day
5. A female torso was discovered in the cellars of the new police building under construction at Whitehall
6. The chairman of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee received half a human kidney in a box accompanied by a letter “From Hell” that concluded: “Catch me when you can.” Was Jack taunting authorities?
7. The murders apparently ceased by 1891
8. In 1896, another “Jack the Ripper” letter surfaced, with corresponding press activity and speculation that the Ripper had returned