A campaign for a new inquest into one of Jack the Ripper’s infamous Whitechapel murders could bring long-overdue justice to the victims, according to a Jack the Ripper tour guide.
Central to the case is a bloodstained shawl reportedly found next to Catherine Eddowes, Jack the Ripper’s fourth victim, at Mitre Square on the night of her murder on the 30th September, 1888.
The item has become the focus of DNA analysis and new research, reigniting debates about the identity of the infamous killer.
Shivam Pathak, a licensed tour guide shared his insights on the shawl and its significance with City News.
Renewed Push for Justice
Author, Russell Edwards, who acquired the shawl in 2007, has hired a legal team to campaign for an inquest.
This effort is being backed by the descendants of both Catherine Eddowes and Aaron Kosminski, the man now considered the prime suspect.
They argue that the new evidence could finally name the killer in court and bring closure after 137 years.
The Case for Kosminski
The new evidence points to Aaron Kosminski, a barber who was a suspect during the original investigation.
Kosminski was institutionalised in 1891 after threatening his sister with a knife and remained in asylums until his death.
Police suspected Kosminski of the Ripper murders at the time, but he was never arrested due to a lack of evidence.
Sketch of Catherine Eddowes and a man thought to be implicated in the Jack the Ripper case, from 13th October 1888.
Following a recent analysis of the shawl paid for by Russell Edwards, DNA evidence has matched that of Eddowes’ descendants and Aaron Kosminski.
Who are the victims?
The victims of the Whitechapel murders in 1888 – Catherine Eddowes, Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride and Mary Jane Kelly – became known as the ‘canonical five’.
At the inquest that year, the coroner returned a verdict of wilful murder, but Jack the Ripper himself was never caught.
Karen Miller, Eddowes’ great-great-great-granddaughter, said, “The name Jack the Ripper has become sensationalised; it has gone down in history as this famous character. What about the real name of the person who did this? Having the real person legally named in a court which can consider all the evidence would be a form of justice for the victims.”
Legal Hurdles
Edwards is now spearheading the push for an inquest with the backing of the victims’ descendants.
For the inquest to proceed, Edwards and his legal team must gain permission from the attorney-general. If granted, the case would be heard by a High Court judge.
“The solving of the case of Catherine Eddowes is key to solving the Jack the Ripper case overall, and I think if Aaron Kosminski, with further confirmation, is tied definitively to being the identity of Jack the Ripper, we can begin to see further what the profile of a murderer is”, said Shivam Pathak. “It would definitely provide a new angle to this case – not who is this individual? but why did London let this case happen?”
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HeadlineNew Inquest could finally name Jack the Ripper, tour guide says
Short HeadlineRipper Victims' Descendants Seek Justice
StandfirstDescendants of Jack the Ripper's Victims Call for an Inquest after a DNA breakthrough potentially identifies the infamous killer
A campaign for a new inquest into one of Jack the Ripper’s infamous Whitechapel murders could bring long-overdue justice to the victims, according to a Jack the Ripper tour guide.
Central to the case is a bloodstained shawl reportedly found next to Catherine Eddowes, Jack the Ripper’s fourth victim, at Mitre Square on the night of her murder on the 30th September, 1888.
The item has become the focus of DNA analysis and new research, reigniting debates about the identity of the infamous killer.
Shivam Pathak, a licensed tour guide shared his insights on the shawl and its significance with City News.
Renewed Push for Justice
Author, Russell Edwards, who acquired the shawl in 2007, has hired a legal team to campaign for an inquest.
This effort is being backed by the descendants of both Catherine Eddowes and Aaron Kosminski, the man now considered the prime suspect.
They argue that the new evidence could finally name the killer in court and bring closure after 137 years.
The Case for Kosminski
The new evidence points to Aaron Kosminski, a barber who was a suspect during the original investigation.
Kosminski was institutionalised in 1891 after threatening his sister with a knife and remained in asylums until his death.
Police suspected Kosminski of the Ripper murders at the time, but he was never arrested due to a lack of evidence.
Sketch of Catherine Eddowes and a man thought to be implicated in the Jack the Ripper case, from 13th October 1888.
Following a recent analysis of the shawl paid for by Russell Edwards, DNA evidence has matched that of Eddowes’ descendants and Aaron Kosminski.
Who are the victims?
The victims of the Whitechapel murders in 1888 – Catherine Eddowes, Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride and Mary Jane Kelly – became known as the ‘canonical five’.
At the inquest that year, the coroner returned a verdict of wilful murder, but Jack the Ripper himself was never caught.
Karen Miller, Eddowes’ great-great-great-granddaughter, said, “The name Jack the Ripper has become sensationalised; it has gone down in history as this famous character. What about the real name of the person who did this? Having the real person legally named in a court which can consider all the evidence would be a form of justice for the victims.”
Legal Hurdles
Edwards is now spearheading the push for an inquest with the backing of the victims’ descendants.
For the inquest to proceed, Edwards and his legal team must gain permission from the attorney-general. If granted, the case would be heard by a High Court judge.
“The solving of the case of Catherine Eddowes is key to solving the Jack the Ripper case overall, and I think if Aaron Kosminski, with further confirmation, is tied definitively to being the identity of Jack the Ripper, we can begin to see further what the profile of a murderer is”, said Shivam Pathak. “It would definitely provide a new angle to this case – not who is this individual? but why did London let this case happen?”
