It was the fall of 1888, and the inhabitants of London were frozen with fear. “The air of Whitechapel is thick with murders and rumors of murder,” an article in The Star announced in September. “Whitechapel is panic-stricken,” with its inhabitants too terrified to travel the twisting, smoggy streets alone.
The widespread terror in Whitechapel was all thanks to the work of a “murderous maniac,” according to the article, “who stalks through the streets,” targeting “the most miserable and defenceless classes of the community.” This maniac had already murdered four and was set to murder more.
Today, the shadows that surround these crimes are still as thick as they were in the 1800s. While we know the pseudonymous name of the murderer, Jack the Ripper, the murderer’s identity and motivations remain mysterious. So, what are our chances of knowing more?
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