The following is a short essay on the incidents surrounding the murder of Elizabeth Stride. I think it goes without saying that this should be regarded only as one of MANY possible interpretations of what happened that night.

First off, the M.O. of the Ripper as I understand it is as follows: the murderer solicits the services of a prostitute, who then takes him to a remote and isolated location (which is quite likely a location of her choosing), at which time the murder takes place. It is probable that each of the prostitutes had certain pre-selected locations which they used regularly for the purpose of prostitution, and which were specially chosen for their isolation and privacy. Take the case of Kate Eddowes for example... in all likelihood she was soliciting as a prostitute in the vicinity of St. Botolph's Church or somewhere around the Imperial Club on Duke Street. She met the Ripper, and then led him to the nearby but very dark and isolated environs of Mitre Square. Of course this methodology of the prostitutes would have been a great facilitation to the murderer's need for the privacy necessary for him to perform abdominal mutilations.

It seems that Dutfield's Yard was Stride's "chosen" spot to which she planned to take her clients. Clearly, she was on Berner Street for some time prior to the murder, and it is likely that she was soliciting and met her male companion(s) somewhere thereabout. (I do not know if this has been established or if this has been discussed by other writers on the case)

After the killing of Annie Chapman, Whitechapel was in a hysteria of terror. For the first time it was clear that there was a series murderer on the loose. This state of terror caused many prostitutes to stay off the streets altogether, at least for a short while, before they were driven back to it by financial necessity. Given the circumstances, it would have been natural for prostitutes to devise defensive measures to protect themselves from attack. For example it is clear that one defensive tactic was to walk around in small groups with other prostitutes. Also, it can be assumed that many were somewhat more cautious and wary in choosing their male clients. Some prostitutes also carried weapons such as small pocket knives for self-defense.

Stride's (apparent) choice of Dutfield's Yard as a location for sexual encounters may very well have been a defensive strategy. At 12:30 AM, the Yard and its surrounding area on Berner Street was not nearly as isolated as any of the other murder sites. In many respects however, Dutfield's Yard WAS an ideal spot for ilicit sexual activity. It certainly was dark and it was isolated enough. But on the other hand, there were people around: there were perhaps a dozen people singing in the International Working Men's Educational Club, and it is also clear that there were numerous people coming and going on Berner Street at the time. Stride may well have thought that this location would have been relatively safe (and I stress relatively), and that if she was indeed attacked, there were people nearby who could hear her scream or who would be able to come to her rescue.

Conversely, Dutfield's Yard was not an ideal location in which to perform a murder followed by subsequent mutilation of the victim, and it is likely that the Ripper would have been aware of this. It seems plausible to me that the Ripper would have instead tried to convince or coerce Stride to go with him to a more isolated location. In fact, this notion fits well with his established modus operandi. One interpretation of the witness testimony suggests that the murderer spent up to an hour with Stride in the vicinity of Berner Street just prior to the murder. It is possible that this time was spent in trying to convince Stride to go off with him to a spot such as I have suggested.

It has been suggested that Jack the Ripper had a somewhat charismatic and cunning personality, and I agree with this assessment. The profile of a charismatic and coercive killer fits well with other well-known modern serial killers. For example, compare the Ripper with Albert DeSalvo, who was able to talk his way into women's apartments in Boston even at the height of the Boston Strangler hysteria. Likewise, given the circumstances, it would have been necessary for the Ripper to make his victims feel comfortable at first in his presence. In other words, he is not likely to have SEEMED like he was a raving lunatic.

There are perhaps elements of the Ripper's personality that can be inferred from the evidence, and from little snippets of conversation that suggest the killer's confident body language and easy-going manner with his victims.

For example, look at this excerpt from the police statement of George Hutchinson: "[the] man tapped her on the shoulder and said something to her. They both burst out laughing." and then soon after.... "He placed his arm on her shoulder and gave her a kiss. She said she had lost her handkerchief. He then pulled his handkerchief a red one out and gave it to her".

Or this from Lawende's testimony: "She stood facing the man, one hand resting upon his chest.....There was no quarrel in progress. Rather the couple appeared to be talking very quietly.." (P. Sugden, Complete History of Jack the Ripper)

The witness testimony of William Marshall should also be noted: "what attracted my attention first was her standing there some time, and he was kissing her. I heard the man say to the deceased, 'You would say anything but your prayers'. He was mild speaking." There is a tendency to discredit Marshall's testimony because it took place over an hour prior to the murder. In fact, his description of the suspect matches well those given by the other credible witnesses, and for that reason alone, it must be considered.

This smattering of witness testimony suggests a scenario in which Stride's companion was sweet-talking her, talking softly, telling jokes, kissing her. The killer might well have assumed that he could lull his victims into a false sense of security. This behavior fits in well with the manipulative personality of a killer like Ted Bundy, who constructed an elaborate persona to hide the fact that he was a mass killer.

Based on the above ideas I propose the following scenario for consideration. (NOTE: Allow me to say right up front that this scenario is a mere speculation, and should be read as a fictionalized YET PLAUSIBLE version of the events leading up to and including the murder of Liz Stride.)

SCENARIO: For up to an hour prior to the murder, Elizabeth Stride is in the company of a man, walking around the vicinity of Berner Street. He is sweet-talking her, and his charismatic personality and easy-going manner puts her into a feeling of security and comfort. During this time the man (the Ripper) is trying to convince Stride to go off with him to a more isolated location. Stride however is stubborn and somewhat suspicious, in light of the recent murders. Furthermore, as time passes and Stride refuses his suggestion, the killer's carefully constructed persona begins to slowly come apart at the seams. Stride begins to notice his unusual demanding behavior, and begins to suspect that there might be something wrong with this person. Finally, her resolve stiffens and she rejects his advances altogether. The killer, his plans having unravelled, is nearing the end of his patience. He tries to persuade her one last time, almost desperately and this time a bit more forcefully, to go off with him. Grabbing her by the arm, persuading her, he attempts to pull her into the street. As she resists, pulling away from him, the killer throws her down on the street in a violent and finally a murderous rage. (*Schwartz testimony: "The man tried to pull the woman into the street, but he turned her round and threw her down on the footway") At this point Stride is afraid, but perhaps she is not yet in fear for her life. (Whitechapel is a violent area, and we can assume that most prostitutes were sometimes thrown about and beaten by some of their clients.) In the scuffle, Stride cries out... something like "Get your hands OFF of me! Leave me ALONE! Somebody HELP!" (The capital letters here indicate accents, words blurted out, muffled shrieks. Schwartz does not speak English, so he could have interpreted her cries as he does in his statement - "she screamed 3 times, but not very loudly.") At this point the killer must realize that he has thoroughly bungled the murder because 1.) he has failed to get Stride to go to a more isolated location, and 2.) he has been seen by at least one witness (and possibly two) while in the process of attacking her. At this point, the murder of Elizabeth Stride was committed in a rage, perhaps out of a frenzied sort of sheer frustration, and almost as an afterthought. The killer then leaves, walking in the direction of Backchurch Street.

This is the end of my brief essay on the subject. I am rather new to the case, so I am fully expecting to be blown out of the water for the ideas expressed in this essay. However, in the spirit of furthering a lively discussion of the case, I humbly submit this for review and gladly welcome anyone's comments. Cheers!

Robert House