Marjchaos

theoddmentemporium:

The notion that Jack the Ripper might not in fact be a man at all, but rather a woman, was one postulated by Inspector Abberline himself at the time of the killings. According to Donald McCormick, author of The Identity of Jack the Ripper published in 1959, Abberline raised the theory in a conversation with his mentor, Dr. Thomas Dutton after the murder of Mary Kelly. Testimony given by Caroline Maxwell, who lived in the area, was central to the argument.

The time of death for Mary Kelly was estimated to be between 3:30 and 4:00 A.M. on the morning of Friday, November 9th 1888. This time seems fit not only due to medical evidence such as temperature of the body and stiffness of the joints, but correlates as well with the majority of the testimony given by those who claim to have either seen or heard her the night of her death. Majority, however, does not include the testimony of Mrs. Caroline Maxwell.

Mrs. Maxwell testified to have seen Mary Kelly not once but twice several hours after doctors believe she had died. The first occassion was between 8:00 and 8:30 A.M. in front of Miller’s Court, looking, in Mrs. Maxwell’s opinion, to be quite ill. Mrs. Maxwell stated that she was sure of the time because her husband returned from work around 8:00 each morning. The second time was an hour later when Mrs. Maxwell claims she saw Kelly speaking with a man outside the Britannia public house.

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“One final note of interest — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, believed that Jack the Ripper disguised himself as a woman in order to avoid capture and become more readily accessible to other women.”

(Source: casebook.org, via gynocraticgrrl)