Letters from Whitechapel
Letters from Whitechapel Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Goal of the Game
Five important detectives are on the trail of Jack the Ripper, the most infamous serial killer of all time. They must chase the mysterious murderer through the tangled streets and alleys of the Whitechapel district. One player plays Jack the Ripper, and his goal is to take five victims before being caught. The rest of the players are police detectives who must cooperate to catch Jack the Ripper before the end of the game.
Contents of the Box
This box contains:
- This rulebook;
- 1 Game board representing the Whitechapel district in 1888;
- 6 Reference sheets
- 4 Jack's Letter sheets (Dear Boss, Saucy Jacky, From Hell, and Goulston Street);
- 1 Die-cut punchboard containing:
- 5 Head of the Investigation tiles (1 each of blue, yellow, brown, red, and green);
- 5 Special Movement tokens (3 Coach and 2 Alley);
- 7 Black wooden Police Patrol tokens (2 false tokens, and 1 each of blue, yellow, brown, red, and green);
- 8 White wooden Woman tokens, 5 marked with red and 3 unmarked;
- 1 Red wooden Time of the Crime token;
- 5 White wooden Wretched pawns;
- 5 Wooden Policeman pawns (1 each of blue, yellow, brown, red, and green);
- 2 Black wooden Jack pawns;
- 1 Jack the Ripper screen;
- 1 Pad of Jack the Ripper move track sheets;
- 3 Transparent blue plastic False Clue markers;
- 19 Transparent yellow plastic Clue markers; and
- 5 Transparent red plastic Crime Scene markers.
New Components (Revised Edition)
In this revised edition of Letters from Whitechapel™, many components have been improved from the previous edition based on the comments and reviews of players from all over the world.
- Jack the Ripper screen: Its usability is improved. The map is bigger, and the chart of the Special Movement tokens is now shown on it, so players don't have to look at the rulebook during the game. The new physical design allows the screen to stand up by itself and better protect the secret information of Jack from the other players.
- Wooden tokens: Through repeated use of the Women, Patrol, and Time of the Crime tokens, these components can become marked. Now they are made of wood to make it harder for them to become damaged and marked.
- Markers: Some of the plastic discs now are different colors to help them stand out more on the game board. The Clue markers are now yellow and the False Clue markers are blue.
- Letters: The Letters' effects are now described in detail on the Letters, so players don't have to refer to the rulebook during the game to use them.
- Rulebook: The rules of the game are unchanged, but the official errata have been integrated into the rulebook.
Wooden tokens
- Woman (8)
- Patrol (7)
- Time of the Crime (1)
Game Components
- Reference sheets
- Game board
- Letters: Dear Boss, Saucy Jacky, From Hell, Goulston Street
- Jack the Ripper move track sheet, pad of 30 sheets
- Wooden pawns: Jack (2), Policeman (1 for each player color), Wretched (5)
- Tokens: Coach (3), Alley (2)
- Transparent plastic markers: Clues (19), Crime Scene (5), False Clues (3)
- Jack the Ripper screen
Preparing the Game
Place the game board representing Whitechapel at the time of Jack the Ripper at the center of the table. It is marked with 195 numbered circles linked together by dotted lines.
During play, Jack the Ripper, the Policemen, and the Wretched are moved along the dotted lines that represent Whitechapel streets.
- Jack the Ripper moves stealthily between numbered circles.
- Policemen move on their patrols between Crossings (without worrying about whether the Crossings have colored borders or not).
- The Wretched wander alone between numbered circles.
One player becomes Jack the Ripper (the most experienced player is a good choice). The other players become the detectives. The detectives always work together. They distribute the five Policeman pawns among themselves in any way they agree on.
Jack takes a fresh move track sheet from the pad and places it in his Jack the Ripper screen. He will also need a pencil (not included).
Jack places a black Jack pawn on the first Night space of the game board's Night track.
Jack secretly chooses his Hideout. He may chose any numbered circle on the game board except a red numbered circle. When he has chosen his Hideout, Jack writes its number on his move track sheet in the prominent oval at the top. Jack's goal will be to return to his Hideout after each murder without being arrested by the police detectives.
Jack collects the Crime Scene markers, the Clue markers, the Woman tokens, the Coach and Alley Special Movement tokens, and the Time of the Crime token. If the optional rules (see page 22) are being used, Jack also collects the Jack's Letter sheets and the False Clue markers.
The six Reference sheets are distributed to the police detective players in the same way the pawns were divided, and one is given to the Jack player as well.
One of the police detective players shuffles the Head of the Investigation tiles and piles them facedown, in a random order, on the provided space of the game board.
The police detective players collect the Wretched pawns and the Police Patrol tokens. The game begins!
How to Play
A game of Letters from Whitechapel™ is divided into four Nights:
- First Night (August 31st, 1888)
- Second Night (September 8th, 1888)
- Third Night (September 30th, 1888) the "double event"
- Fourth Night (November 9th, 1888)
Each Night is divided into two parts. Each part is composed of a number of different phases. Each phase names either Jack the Ripper or the Police as responsible for carrying out its particular activities.
First Part: HELL
- Jack the Ripper: Preparing the Scene
- Jack the Ripper: The Targets are Identified
- Police: Patrolling the Streets
- Jack the Ripper: The Victims are Chosen
- Jack the Ripper: Blood on the Streets
- Police: Suspense Grows
- Jack the Ripper: Ready to Kill
- Jack the Ripper: A Corpse on the Sidewalk
- Police: Alarm Whistles
Second Part: HUNTING
- Jack the Ripper: Escape in the Night
- Police: Hunting the Monster
- Police: Clues and Suspicion
Playing the Game
First Part: Hell
Darkness falls on the notorious alleys of Whitechapel and fear becomes palpable for those who wander in the night. Every shadow could be Jack's own.
1. Jack the Ripper: Preparing the Scene
Jack collects Special Movement tokens (Coach and Alley):
| Night | Special Movement tokens |
|---|---|
| 1 August 31st, 1888 | 3 Coach tokens and 2 Alley tokens |
| 2 September 8th, 1888 | 2 Coach tokens and 2 Alley tokens |
| 3 September 30th, 1888 | 2 Coach tokens and 1 Alley token |
| 4 November 9th, 1888 | 1 Coach token and 1 Alley token |
2. Jack the Ripper: The Targets are Identified
Jack collects Woman tokens according to which night it is:
| Night | Woman tokens |
|---|---|
| 1 August 31st, 1888 | 8 Women, 5 of which are marked |
| 2 September 8th, 1888 | 7 Women, 4 of which are marked |
| 3 September 30th, 1888 | 6 Women, 3 of which are marked |
| 4 November 9th, 1888 | 4 Women, 1 of which is marked |
Jack places the Woman tokens facedown on red numbered circles of the game board. He may arrange them any way he wishes.
The Woman tokens marked with red on their faces represent Jack the Ripper's possible targets. The Woman tokens with only white on their faces are fake targets, used to confuse the police detectives, according to Jack's strategy.
Remember, the red-marked faces remain hidden as Jack places them. Jack is the only one who knows the actual targets!
Note: On the second and subsequent Nights of the game, Jack cannot place Woman tokens on the red numbered circles occupied by red Crime Scene markers.
3. Police: Patrolling the Streets
The detectives turn over the top tile of the Head of the Investigation pile. The player controlling the Policeman of the corresponding color is the Head of the Investigation for the current Night.
The Head of the Investigation leads the investigation. On the first Night, he places the seven Police Patrol tokens on the yellow-bordered Crossings in any arrangement he wishes.
Some of the tokens have faces marked with the five colors of the Policeman pawns. Two tokens (the completely black ones) are fake Patrols, used to confuse Jack, according to the Head of the Investigation's strategy.
Remember, the marked faces of the Police Patrol tokens remain hidden as they are placed. The Head of the Investigation is the only one who knows the actual positions of the Policemen!
From the second Night on, the Head of the Investigation places the Police Patrol tokens as he wishes among seven locations according to the following restrictions:
- Five of the tokens must be placed on the positions that were occupied by the Policeman pawns at the end of the previous Night. The tokens do not need to match the colors of the pawns that previously occupied the positions, and they can also be fake patrols.
- Two tokens must be placed on yellow-bordered Crossings that were not occupied by Policeman pawns at the end of the previous night.
On the second Night, the new Head of the Investigation places the Police Patrol tokens. He must place a token where each Policeman pawn was left from the Night before, but he may also place tokens on two yellow-bordered Crossings, and may mix up the placement of real and fake Patrols to improve the detective's strategy, hoping to confuse Jack and control the game board. The Police are getting ready to hunt Jack once again!
Optional Rule: From the second Night onward, after the Police Patrol tokens have been placed, Jack can use one Jack's Letter each Night (see "Jack's Letters," below).
4. Jack the Ripper: The Victims are Chosen
All of the Woman tokens are turned faceup. Those marked with red are replaced with Wretched pawns. Those not marked are simply removed from the game board. The Time of the Crime token is placed on the yellow Roman numeral I of the move track.
5. Jack the Ripper: Blood on the Streets
Now, Jack must decide whether to kill a target or wait a little bit longer. Waiting gives Jack more time to escape, but also gives the Head of the Investigation the opportunity to move the Wretched pawns in ways that might inconvenience Jack. (But if the Time of the Crime token is on the Roman numeral "V," Jack can no longer wait and must choose to kill.)
If Jack decides to kill, he chooses one of the Wretched pawns on the game board and replaces it with a Crime Scene marker. Return the Wretched pawn and one red-marked Woman token to the game box.
If Jack decides to wait, the Night continues with phase 6, "Police: Suspense Grows."
Note: On the third Night, September 30th, there are two murders. See "The Third Night: The Double Event," below, for the relevant rules.
If Jack decides to kill, the Night then continues with phase 8, "Jack the Ripper: A Corpse on the Sidewalk."
6. Police: Suspense Grows
First, the Time of the Crime token is moved on to the next yellow Roman numeral in ascending order. Then, the Head of the Investigation must move each of the Wretched pawns on the game board. Each one must move along dotted lines to an adjacent, unoccupied numbered circle.
A Wretched pawn must obey the following movement restrictions. It cannot:
- end its movement adjacent to a Police Patrol token;
- cross a Police Patrol token during the Wretched's movement; or
- end its movement in a circle containing a Crime Scene marker.
If a Wretched has no legal moves it remains in its current circle.
7. Jack the Ripper: Ready to Kill
Jack chooses a Police Patrol token and reveals it. If it is a fake Patrol (with a black face), it is removed from the game board. Otherwise, it remains on the game board, faceup. Then, the game continues with another iteration of Hell phase 5, "Jack the Ripper: Blood on the Streets."
8. Jack the Ripper: A Corpse on the Sidewalk
Using his pencil, Jack records on his sheet, in the space corresponding to the Roman numeral currently marked by the Time of the Crime token, and on the row corresponding to the current Night, the number from the numbered circle that's marked by the Crime Scene token he just placed on the game board. Jack is now located at that numbered circle. For the rest of the Night he will be moving between circles, trying to get back to his Hideout without being caught. To prepare for the Hunting, Jack places the second Jack pawn on the game board's move track, on the space marked by the Time of the Crime token. That Jack pawn is used to keep track of Jack's moves while he tries to escape.
9. Police: Alarm Whistles
The detectives reveal all the Police Patrol tokens that have not yet been revealed. They replace the color-marked tokens with the corresponding Policeman pawns and remove the fake tokens from the game board. They also remove from the game board any Wretched pawns still in play.
The Policeman pawns enter the game, replacing the color-coded Police Patrol tokens. Unmarked Police Patrol tokens are simply removed from the game board. Now the police must be quick to stop the monster!
The Hunting begins!
Second Part: Hunting
Jack the Ripper is somewhere on the streets, and must be caught before he disappears again!
1. Jack the Ripper: Escape in the Night
Jack moves from his current numbered circle to an adjacent numbered circle, following the dotted lines. He may not move over a Crossing occupied by a Policeman pawn. Jack plots his move secretly, noting his destination circle on his sheet in the next available space to the right of his current location, in the row representing the current Night.
Once his destination has been secretly noted, Jack moves his Jack pawn one space rightward on the game board's move track. His pawn's location should always correspond on the track to the Roman or Arabic numeral of the move he just made.
Note: Jack cannot choose a destination that would force him to move over a Crossing occupied by a Policeman pawn. If, for this reason, Jack cannot make a legal move, he loses the game!
If he wishes, Jack can replace his normal movement with a Special Movement. To do so, he must expend a Coach or Alley token. See "Special Movements," below, for more information. If Jack moves onto his Hideout, he may declare that his escape was successful, and the current Night's Hunting ends. See "The End of the Hunting," below, for more information. If Jack runs out of moves (that is, if he fills in the "15" square on his sheet) without reaching his Hideout and declaring his escape, he loses the game. See "The End of the Game," below, for more information.
2. Police: Hunting the Monster
After consulting together, the detectives move their Policeman pawns. Each player moves the pawn(s) whose Policemen he controls, starting with the Head of the Investigation and proceeding clockwise around the table. If a player controls multiple pawns, he chooses the order in which he moves them.
The Policeman pawns are moved along the dotted lines. When moving, a policeman can move up to a distance of two (0, 1, or 2) Crossings. Policeman pawns ignore numbered circles when moving.
When moving, a Policeman pawn can move over other Policeman pawns, but cannot end its move in the same Crossing as another Policeman pawn.
3. Police: Clues and Suspicion
Optional Rule: If the False Clue optional rule is being used, Jack can collect and use False Clue markers in this phase. See "False Clues," below.
Starting with the Head of the Investigation and proceeding clockwise around the table, each detective states, for each Policeman pawn he controls, that the Policeman is either looking for clues or executing an arrest.
Both types of actions can be undertaken in the numbered circles adjacent to that Policeman pawn (i.e., in the numbered circles directly connected by dotted lines to the Crossing where the Policeman pawn is located). There cannot be an intervening Crossing on the dotted line connecting the Crossing the Policeman pawn is on and the circle he wants to search for clues or make an arrest in.
Each Policeman pawn can execute only one action. That is, it can either look for clues or execute an arrest, but not both. (However, if a player controls several Policeman pawns, he can choose a different action for each one.)
Looking for Clues
To look for clues, the detective announces the number of an adjacent numbered circle he wishes to inspect. Jack checks to see if that number appears anywhere on his sheet in the current Night's row. If it does, he places a Clue marker on that numbered circle, and that Policeman's action ends. If it does not appear, the detective announces the number of another adjacent numbered circle. This process repeats until either a Clue marker is placed or no more adjacent numbered circles remain to be inspected.
Optional Rules: If the False Clue rule is being used, Jack receives a False Clue marker every time he reveals five Clue markers in the same Night. See "False Clues," below, for more information.
Executing an Arrest
To execute an arrest, the detective announces the number of one (and only one!) numbered circle that is adjacent to his Policeman pawn. If the announced number is Jack's current location (that is, the most recent number Jack recorded on his sheet), Jack is arrested and loses the game. If the announced number is not Jack's current location, no further information is given and that Policeman's action ends.
If Jack has neither been caught nor reached his Hideout after all Policemen have taken actions, play proceeds with another iteration of Hunting phase 1, "Jack the Ripper: Escape in the Night."
The End of the Hunting
If Jack is on the numbered circle he chose as his Hideout, he may declare his escape, and the Hunting – and with it, the Night – ends.
Remove all Clue markers from the game board. Leave the Policeman pawns and Crime Scene markers in place. Remove the Special Movement tokens and the Jack pawn from the move track. If the False Clue optional rules are being used, discard any unused False Clue markers.
The next Night then begins with Hell phase 1, "Jack the Ripper: Preparing the Scene." Jack moves his Jack pawn to the next Night on the Night track.
Remember: If Jack fails to reach his Hideout and declare his escape by the end of the last possible move on his move track sheet (square "15"), he loses the game.
Special Movements
Instead of carrying out a normal movement, Jack can decide to use one of his Special Movement tokens. When used, a Special Movement token is placed on the space(s) of the move track corresponding to the turn that move was made.
That token cannot be used again that Night. If Jack uses a Special Movement token, he must apply its effects. He cannot use a Special Movement token and then make a normal movement, instead.
Important: Jack cannot declare his escape if he just used a Special Movement to move onto his Hideout. The last move that takes Jack into his Hideout must always be a normal move.
There are two kinds of Special Movements:
Coach: Jack can use a Coach to move to two adjacent numbered circles in succession on the game board at once like a double move. Moreover, with the Coach, Jack can move through Crossings containing Policeman pawns. The two numbered circles involved in a Coach move must be different from each other and from the circle he started the move from. Both of the circles he moved to must be recorded in separate places on Jack's sheet in the proper order. Jack's pawn on the move track is moved twice, and the Coach token is placed so it covers both of those spaces on the move track. Jack can use three Coaches on the first Night, two on each of the second and third Nights, and one on the fourth Night.
Alley: Jack can use an Alley to cross a block of houses, moving from one numbered circle on that block's perimeter to any other numbered circle on that perimeter. A block of houses is an area of the game board that's completely bounded, but not interrupted, by dotted lines.
When Jack uses an Alley, he places that token on the corresponding space of the move track. Jack can use two Alleys on each of the first and second Nights and one Alley on each of the third and fourth Nights.
The Third Night: The Double Event
On the third Night, September 30th, Jack the Ripper must kill two of the Wretched.
Normal procedures are followed with the exception that Jack chooses two victims instead of one during phase 5, "Jack the Ripper: Blood on the Streets." Jack chooses two Wretched pawns and replaces each one with a Crime Scene marker. Then he notes the number of those two numbered circles on his sheet in two consecutive cells: the one indicated by the Time of the Crime token and the one to its right. He may record them in either order, as he prefers.
Note: Because the second Crime Scene of the third Night counts as Jack's first move that Night, the detectives act first, with play starting from Hunting phase 2, "Police: Hunting the Monster." The Hunting then proceeds as normal.
Jack starts his escape from the location corresponding to the second (rightmost) number he recorded. Jack places his Jack pawn on the space to the right of the Time of the Crime token on the Move track, as Jack's "movement" from the first crime scene to the second uses up his first move of the night. The detectives know both crime scenes, but not their order, so they cannot be sure exactly where Jack is at the beginning of the third Night's Hunting.
The End of the Game
Jack the Ripper wins the game if he kills five victims without being caught, returning safely to his Hideout at the end of all four Nights. The police detectives win the game if they catch Jack, or prevent him from reaching his Hideout within the permitted number of moves.
You are now ready to play!
Suggestions and Tips
- Choose the most expert player of the group for the role of Jack.
- Jack the Ripper should use the Coach and Alley tokens wisely, in order to have them when he really needs them.
- Jack the Ripper should not overestimate the number of moves he has left for the Night. The detectives might force him into a fatal detour with an unexpected move at any time.
- The detectives should not necessarily focus on catching Jack on the first Night at all costs. Early in the game, it is much more important to narrow down the areas where Jack's Hideout might be.
- The detectives will have to discuss their tactics in front of Jack, but they should wait for Jack to move before they start to talk to avoid giving away too much about their plans.
- Jack the Ripper should try to avoid giving away his location by the way he looks at the game board.
Optional Rules
To Help Jack the Ripper
Jack's Letters
On each of the second, third, and fourth Nights, Jack the Ripper can use one Jack's Letter to change the position of the Police Patrols. A Letter can only be used after the Police Patrol tokens have been placed. Once a given Letter is used and its effect applied, that Letter is removed from the game. Another Letter cannot be used until the next Night. Three of the Letters (Dear Boss, Saucy Jack, and From Hell) are played during the Hell phase 3, "Police: Patrolling the Streets." The remaining Letter (Goulston Street) is played during Hunting phase 1, "Jack the Ripper: Escape in the Night."
These are the effects of each Letter:
- "Dear Boss": Jack moves a Police Patrol token (without looking at whether it is marked) from the A/a or C/b section of the game board to any unoccupied yellow-bordered Crossing.
- "Saucy Jacky": Jack chooses two Police Patrol tokens from the B/a or B/b sections of the game board. The Head of the Investigation moves both of them to any other unoccupied yellow-bordered Crossings.
- "From Hell": Jack moves a Police Patrol token (without looking at whether it is marked) from the A/b or C/a section of the game board to any unoccupied yellow-bordered Crossing.
- "Goulston Street": This Letter represent graffiti rather than an actual letter. It is played during the Hunting, immediately after Jack has moved in phase 1, "Jack the Ripper: Escape in the Night," but before any of the Policemen move in phase 2, "Police: Hunting the Monster." When Jack uses this Letter, Jack chooses either the red, green, or blue Policeman pawns. Then, the Head of the Investigation selects either the chosen pawn (which represents the Metropolitan police) or the brown pawn (which represents the City of London police) and must immediately move that pawn to Goulston Street, which is indicated by the red-bordered Crossing at A5/b8.
False Clues
For every five yellow Clue markers he reveals to the Police during a given Night, Jack gains a blue False Clue marker.
Jack can place one of these False Clue markers on any numbered circle at the beginning of phase 3, "Police: Clues and Suspicion." When placed in this way, a False Clue token blocks that numbered circle for the rest of the Night, meaning that a Policeman pawn cannot look for clues or execute an arrest there.
To Help the Police
Rushing
During Hunting, phase 3, "Police: Clues and Suspicion" each detective, starting with the Head of the Investigation and proceeding clockwise, has a third option to choose from for his action: rushing.
Rushing: A detective chooses a Policeman pawn that can still act and moves it to an adjacent Crossing (ignoring numbered circles).
Area Arrests
During phase 3, "Police: Clues and Suspicion," when executing an arrest, the detective announces all of the numbered circles adjacent to his Policeman pawn's location. If any of these numbered circles correspond to Jack's current location, Jack is arrested and loses the game. Otherwise, no information is given.
Catch Me, If You Can
During part 6 of the Game Preparation, when Jack secretly chooses one of the numbered circles on the game board as his Hideout, he cannot choose red numbered circles or numbered circles adjacent to them. He then writes the number on the move track sheet as usual.
I Know Your Address
During Hell, phase 3, "Police: Patrolling the Streets," if the revealed Head of the Investigation tile is Swanson (brown Head of the Investigation) or Abberline (red Head of the Investigation), the Head of the Investigation detective can immediately execute an arrest, declaring the number of any circle on the game board. If that numbered circle was choosen by Jack as his Hideout, the detectives win the game. This ability can be used only once during the game.
Summary of Gameplay
The game is divided into four Nights. Each Night is divided into two parts. Each part has a number of different phases.
First Part: HELL
- Jack the Ripper: Preparing the Scene. Jack collects the Special Movement tokens.
- Jack the Ripper: The Targets are Identified. Jack places Woman tokens facedown on red numbered circles. Jack cannot place tokens on circles occupied by Crime Scene markers.
- Police: Patrolling the Streets. The detectives reveal a Head of the Investigation tile. That player will be the Head of the Investigation for the current Night. He places seven Police Patrol tokens on the game board.
- Jack the Ripper: The Victims are Chosen. The Woman tokens are revealed. Those marked with red are replaced with Wretched pawns. The Time of the Crime token is placed on the yellow Roman numeral I on the move track.
- Jack the Ripper: Blood on the Streets. Jack chooses between killing a victim (and jumping to phase 8) or waiting (continue to phase 6).
- Police: Suspense Grows. The Time of the Crime token is moved to the next Roman numeral in ascending order. The Head of the Investigation moves each Wretched pawn.
- Jack the Ripper: Ready to Kill. Jack chooses and reveals a Police Patrol token. The game continues with another iteration of phase 5.
- Jack the Ripper: A Corpse on the Sidewalk. Jack records on his sheet the number of the circle marked with the most recent Crime Scene marker.
- Police: Alarm Whistles. The detectives reveal the remaining Police Patrol tokens, replace the marked ones with the corresponding Policeman pawns, and remove from the game board the remaining Wretched pawns. The Hunting begins!
Second Part: HUNTING
- Jack the Ripper: Escape in the Night. Jack moves from his current location to an adjacent numbered circle, following dotted lines, recording his new location, and advancing his pawn on the move track.
- Police: Hunting the Monster. Each detective moves his own Policeman pawn(s), starting with the Head of the Investigation and proceeding clockwise.
- Police: Clues and Suspicion. Starting with the Head of Investigation and proceeding clockwise, each Policeman pawn takes an action, either looking for clues or executing an arrest.
Historical Notes
The rulebook includes a series of historical notes on the real Whitechapel murders, printed in the margins alongside the rules they accompany.
December 1887
Monday the 26th. The dead body of the wretched called Fairy Fay is said to have been found in the Commercial Road Alley [65]. However, there were no recorded murders in Whitechapel on or around Christmas of that year. Many contemporary authors agree that Fairy Fay was fabricated by the press of the time.
April 1888
Tuesday the 3rd. Emma Smith was viciously assaulted at the junction of Osborn Street and Brick Lane [84] in the early hours of the day. She survived the attack and managed to return to her lodging house at 18 George Street in Spitalfields. She was taken to the London Hospital, where she fell into a coma and died the next day at 9:00 a.m. She had claimed to have been attacked by three men.
Saturday the 7th. The inquest of Emma Smith's death was conducted by the coroner for East Middlesex, Wynne Edwin Baxter, and attended by the local inspector of the Metropolitan Police Service, H Division Whitechapel, Edmund Reid [green Head of the Investigation].
August 1888
Tuesday the 7th. Martha Tabram was murdered around 2:30 a.m. Her body was found near George Yard Buildings, in George Yard. She had died as a result of multiple stab wounds.
Friday the 31st. Mary Ann Nichols was murdered. Her body was found around 3:45 a.m. lying outside the entrance of a stable in Buck's Row (later renamed Durward Street)[21], not far from the London Hospital. Investigations were attended by the Bethnal Green Division of the Metropolitan Police. The possibility that this might be the work of a serial killer caught the attention of some Scotland Yard detectives, including Frederick Abberline [red Head of the Investigation].
September 1888
Saturday the 8th. Annie Chapman's body was found at about 6:00 a.m., lying on the ground near a doorway in the backyard on 29 Hanbury Street, Spitalfields [3]. The autopsy revealed that portions of her internal organs were missing. The pathologist, George Baxter Phillips, believed the murderer must have possessed notable anatomical knowledge to have removed them with such precision.
Monday the 10th. John "Leather Apron" Pizer, a renowned Whitechapel bootmaker with a reputation for terrorizing local streetwalkers, was arrested for the murder of two prostitutes. He was cleared of suspicion when it turned out he had an alibi. One Mrs. Long, a witness, described the murderer as over forty, a little taller than Annie Chapman, of dark complexion, and well-dressed with a dark hat and a cloak. The Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, under the chairmanship of George Lusk [yellow Head of the Investigation], was founded, and it offered a reward for the apprehension of the killer. The Committee employed two private detectives to investigate the case.
Thursday the 27th. The Central News Agency received the "Dear Boss" letter in which its author, Jack the Ripper, claimed responsibility for the murders.
Sunday the 30th. The body of prostitute Elizabeth Stride was discovered at about 1:00 a.m. in Dutfield's Yard [158], inside the gateway of 40 Berner Street (since renamed Henriques Street). She had been killed just minutes before. Some suspect the murderer was disturbed by someone entering the yard.
Later that same night, at 1:45 a.m., Catherine Eddowes' body was found at the southwest corner of Mitre Square [149], about 12 minutes' walk from Berner Street. At 3:00 a.m., a blood-stained fragment of Eddowes' apron was found near the doorway to 108–119 Goulston Street [A5/b8]. Chalk writing was on the wall near the doorway. At 5:00 a.m., Commissioner Warren [blue Head of the Investigation] attended the scene and ordered the words erased.
October 1888
Monday the 1st. A postcard, dubbed the "Saucy Jacky" postcard and also signed "Jack the Ripper" was received by the Central News Agency. It claimed responsibility for the most recent murders and described the murders of the two women as the "double event."
Tuesday the 2nd. An unidentified female body was found in the basement of New Scotland Yard. It was linked to the Whitechapel murders files. This case became known as the Whitehall Mystery.
Monday the 15th. George Lusk of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee received the "From Hell" letter.
November 1888
Friday the 9th. Mary Jane Kelly was murdered in the single room where she lived at 13 Miller's Court, behind 26 Dorset Street, Spitalfields [27]. Kelly's body was discovered shortly after 10:45 a.m., lying on the bed.
Sunday the 18th. Charles Warren resigned as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. James Monro was appointed as his replacement.
July 1889
Wednesday the 17th. Alice McKenzie was murdered in Castle Alley. Her wounds were not as deep as those of previous victims, however.
August 1889
Tuesday the 10th. An unidentified woman's body was found under a railway arch in Pinchin Street, just as with the Whitehall Mystery.
June 1890
Saturday the 21st. James Monro was replaced as Commissioner by Sir Edward Bradford.
February 1891
Friday the 13th. Frances Coles was murdered under a railway arch in Royal Mint Street. A man named James Sandler, who had been seen with Coles earlier, was arrested by the police and charged with her murder. A high-profile investigation by Donald Swanson [brown Head of the Investigation] and Henry Moore into Sandler's history and his whereabouts at the time of the previous Whitechapel murders suggests that the police suspected him of being Jack the Ripper.
March 1891
Tuesday the 3rd. James Sadler was released for lack of evidence.
1896
In 1896, the Whitechapel murders were closed. The murderer or murderers were never identified. The cases remain unsolved.