Jack the Ripper - The Murders

3 - Elizabeth Stride nee Gustafdotter (Swedish)

Elizabeth was murdered at close to 1am Sunday 30 September 1888. She was attacked just off the street inside the entryway to a small yard in Berner Street. The yard entry, which was only about 8 feet wide, was located (see photo below where the wheel like symbol is on the wall). The entry had a pair of wooden gates and within one gate is a small step through (mullion) door. The gates were not always closed since the comings and goings of the club required them to be open whilst members were on premises. Other buildings adjoining the yard were occupied & people were about. Abutting the yard was a 3 tenement house, a commercial printing premises, a sack makers and the International Working Men's Educational Society. The society was something of a club mainly frequented by ethnic eastern european jews. Some of whom had been resident in England for some years. All club members, of which there were at least 6 dozen members, were of socialist political persuasion. Earlier - meaning up until about 11:30pm up to 100 attanded a lecture. Approximately 30 members and/or guests remained after. They were mostly enjoying a sing song, in Russian, until discovery of the body.

Before detailing what happened it is to be noted some Ripperologists consider Elizabeth's murder NOT to be by Jack the Ripper. Quite how they get to this supposition is unclear to me since it has similarities of both Polly Nicholls & Annie Chapman. A certain type of Ripperologist seems to try and over complicate the subject. This has caused mass confusion and set off chases for red herrings.

What is agreed by everybody is the killer was disturbed by a certain Lewis Diemschutz bringing his pony drawn barrow into the yard. Lewis had been away at a market all the Saturday. Bearing in mind the darkness of the area and Lewis not actually seeing any person it is easy to accept the killer, who I am convinced was JTR, slip out of the yard into Berner Street & then hurriedly depart. Within 30 seconds JTR would have been out of sight even had the lighting been good.

What happened - is a quite simple tale to tell. Elizabeth and her murderer (JTR) went into the yard to have sex. It was pitch dark, no lighting in the yard and whilst there was noise i.e. singing and talking coming from the Club they were unlikely to be disturbed for a short period. What I think happened is Elizabeth walked ahead of JTR who, as soon as they were away from the street, attacked Elizabeth from behind - as he did with Polly Nicholls & Annie Chapman - by gripping her throat and as she was unconscious he laid her down and slit her throat. It was at this point JTR must have heard Mr Diemschutzman's pony and barrow begin to enter the yard. We know from all the reports the pony shied, almost certainly sensing or even seeing JTR quickly exiting the entrance way past it. Mr Diemschutzman a few seconds later poked at the bundle of (what he thought was) clothing that turned out to be Elizabeth's body. Of course within this space of just a minute JTR was gone and away.

My theory is JTR then went home - to The Minories - which is seen on the logistics map to be only a short distance away. No more than 10 minutes at a reasonable walking pace; 5 - 6 minutes at a hurried gait.

This theory of mine somewhat aligns with Donald Rumbelow's writings wherein he theorises he has a JTR knife. Since an important part of my theory is saying JTR went home, possibly changed his clothing, took another knife and still having the lust upon him went back out to stalk and murder another victim. She turned out to be Victim 4 Catharine Eddowes who was murdered in Mitre Square.

The Injuries

Elizabeth's throat had been deeply cut with a sharp knife. The theory on her being seized from the rear is re-inforced by the evidence given at the inquest by Br Blackwell. He attested Elizabeth had a silk scarf and clearly it had been pulled from the rear, so much so the knot had tightened and the scarf had been cut through where it covered her throat. From the blood at the scene it would appear Elizabeth did not die immediately but had expired by the time Constable Lamb arrived and examined the body. He attested the throat wound had some coagulated blood and a large amount of blood was on the ground nearby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures of the actual house, in Sweden, of Elizabeth's Parents.

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