Ripper Notes

"Ripper Notes: Death in London's East End" is a collection of essays about the famous unidentified serial killer Jack the Ripper and related topics. Jennifer Pegg starts things off by documenting some of the major errors and discrepancies in the book "Uncle Jack" by Tony Williams and Humphrey Price, including a Victorian era document which appears to have been altered to try to implicate their suspect. Wolf Vanderlinden explores whether Inspector Walter Andrews of Scotland Yard really did go to America to chase Dr. Francis Tumblety in connection with the Whitechapel murders or if he was actually there to try to collect evidence for the Parnell Commission, which was trying link Irish leader Charles Parnell with terrorists. Robert Clack follows with a comprehensive look into the 1901 murder of prostitute Mary Ann Austin in the same lodging house that Ripper victim Annie Chapman was kicked out of 13 years earlier; this essay includes copious police reports, inquest testimony, a number of period illustrations and a suspect who may be linked to the earlier killings. Don Souden then debunks a number of tall tales that grew up around the case, including the ideas that victim Mary Kelly had a son living with her and that Catherine Eddowes knew who the Ripper was. Bernard Brown comes next with a short piece on a man called Inspector Death who worked in the East End. Andrew J. Spallek closes the main section by providing readers with directions on finding the burial sites of Jack the Ripper's victims. In addition, there is a look at some other possible victims of the killer, coverage of the 2006 Ripper conference, book reviews, news briefs and more. Ripper Notes is a nonfiction anthology series covering all aspects of the Jack the Ripper case.