Ripper Live

A later portrayal from "Famous Crimes Past and Present"

For the events of the early hours of this morning, go back one day to start the story.

10.31am

It is the morning of Tuesday 7th August 1888 and Whitechapel is abuzz with talk of a murder in the night. Despite a reputation for squalour and poverty, murder is not common. The unidentified victim was found in George Yd Buildings but her body was removed as quickly as possible. There are rumours of it being a brutal stabbing.

This is a later depiction of the discover of the body.

8.00pm - 7th August 1888

Whitechapel is buzzing with news of a gruesome murder in the early hours. Local drunk Martha Tabram knifed 39 times. Martha had been having sex nearby with a soldier she'd met. She was then stabbed on the 1st floor landing and left there. In two days' time an inquest will begin into her death. It will be held at the Working Lads' Institute, Whitechapel Road. One newspaper has quickly picked up the story already.

Nottingham Evening Post 7th Aug 1888: Mysterious Tragedy in Whitechapel. "About ten minutes to 5, the body of a woman was found on the first floor landing at 37, George Yard-buildings, Whitechapel... Medical aid was summoned & it was found the woman had been brutally murdered .. knife wounds on the breast, stomach & abdomen. She was about 35-40 yrs of age, unknown to the locality. No disturbance was heard, and there is the utmost mystery."

Those who attended the crime scene saw the poor victim had put up a fight. She had attempted to stop her attacker. Yet despite the brutality of the attack, no-one seems to have witnessed it and she hadn't been found for hours. One of Martha's wounds seemed to have been inflicted by a longer blade - a bayonet or dagger - directly through her heart. She and her friend had been seen last night with two soliders. Surely suspicion must soon fall on them if they're identified. Yet it would be foolish for a man seen with the victim all night to then go on and kill her with his own military bayonette. She had 17 wounds in the breast, 6 in the stomach and others. Just the one to the heart alone was enought to kill her. The murderer was clearly frenzied and must be caught. Witnesses are being sought for the inquest in two days' time.