by Giles Ekins
However, the story re -surfaced in 2005 with the publication of a book supporting the theory the Feigenbaum was Jack the Ripper, claiming new evidence to support the premise.
Feigenbaum (real name possibly Anton or Carl Zahn) was a German merchant seaman who immigrated to America in about 1891. There he worked a gardener, took lodgings with a widow called Juliana Hoffman whom he murdered on 31st August 1984 and for which he was subsequently executed. It is claimed that the murder was a Ripper type killing interrupted by Mrs. Hoffman’s son. Robbery seems to be a more likely motive.
Almost immediately after the execution, lawyer Lawton made his statement to the ‘New York Advertiser’.
He claimed the he was the only man whom Feigenbaum trusted and who had confessed one night that ‘I have for years suffered from a singular disease, which induces an all absorbing passion. This passion manifests itself in a desire to kill and mutilate every woman who are in my way. At such times I am unable to control myself.’
Lawton was shocked but later, mulling over the ‘confession’ began to wonder about the Ripper murders and if his client, in fact, could be Jack the Ripper. Lawton states that he looked up the dates of the Whitechapel killings and picking two at random asked Feigenbaum if he had been in London on those dates, to which Feigenbaum answered ‘Yes’ but said nothing further.
Lawton investigated further, establishing that Feigenbaum had travelled all over the US and Europe at a time when several Ripper type murders had been committed, claiming that he had communicated with London who in turn ‘confirmed’ Feigenbaum’s presence in London at the time of the Ripper murders.
Lawton’s theory formed the basis for the 2005 book mentioned above.
In it, the author stretches the Lawton clams to the limit. His first supposition is that Jack the Ripper was a merchant seaman, who arrived in London, carried out the murders and then shipped out again. It is not a new theory and is not without possibility. London’s docks are close by the Whitechapel, a seaman who travelled frequently to London might well know his way around Whitechapel, and Spitalfields and the varying intervals between the Ripper killings can be accounted for by the itinerant nature of a seaman’s life.
The author, mentions a newspaper article in the ‘New York Sun’ of 6th February 1889 reporting a series of Ripper-like murders of in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua , theorizing that the killings could have been carried out by the same merchant seaman who now worked for a different shipping and travelled to the Americas rather than Europe.
The author’s case rests heavily on Lawton but adds considerably to Lawton’s claims adding a list of other Ripper-like murders he believes to have been committed by Feigenbaum; in addition to the Ripper killings in London, including all the Whitechapel murders apart from Emma Smith, Elizabeth Stride and Rose Mylett. He lists killings in Germany, the murder of six prostitutes in Managua, and mutilation murders in Wisconsin in the US. He goes on the make the point that after Feigenbaum’s execution Ripper-like murders around the world ceased
Without Lawton, the author has no case so it is necessary to briefly examine the Lawton claims. Feigenbaum’s ‘confession’ was made before his trial. Lawton states that because the evidence against Feigenbaum for the murder of Juliana Hoffman was so clear cut (her son witnessed the killing and identified the killer as their lodger) that he was forced to consider insanity as a plea to save his client’s life. However, no mention of Feigenbaum’s claim to have the compulsive ‘desire to kill and mutilate the women who fall in my way’ was made in court; such a confession could have given clear indications of insanity. So if the confession did happen as Lawton claimed, why did he not use it to save Feigenbaum from the electric chair by having him declared insane?
Another telling point is that Feigenbaum’s co defence lawyer Hugh Pentecost discarded Lawton’s claim that Feigenbaum was Jack the Ripper or that he had made the confession as claimed by Lawton. Feigenbaum spoke little or no English and needed an interpreter at all times – did he only speak English to Lawton, Lawton, so far as can be ascertained was not a German speaker so how did Feigenbaum make such a confession, it is not couched in the terms as would be used by someone with little or no English.
No one apart from Lawton heard the ‘confession’ and Lawton offers no other corroborating evidence from England or elsewhere.
The claim by the author for other Ripper-like murders in Germany, Nicaragua or Wisconsin does not hold up either. Apart from the complete lack of evidence to place Feigenbaum in any of those locations other than the fact that as a merchant seaman he was well travelled, in many cases the murders referred to do not exist. There is no proof that the Managua murders took place, nor the mutilation killings in Wisconsin. That being so, the author’s claim that Carl Frederick Feigenbaum was Jack the Ripper and committed many other similar murders around the world simply falls apart.
Feigenbaum was not, in my opinion, Jack the Ripper.
Other suspects
As mentioned previously, the list of those named as Ripper suspects continues to grow; some of those names are as below:
William Henry Bury
Thomas Neil Cream
Thomas Hayne Cutbush
Frederick Bailey Deeming
Robert Donston Stephenson
Joseph Barnett
David Cohen
William Whitney Gull
George Hutchinson
James Kelly
James Maybrick
Alexander Pedachenko
Walter Sickert
Joseph Silver
James Kenneth Stephen
Francis Thomson
Sir John Williams
For details of these and other suspects the reader is invited to consult any of the myriad websites devoted to Jack the Ripper.
Freemasons
As an Addendum to this latest edition of ‘Sinistrari’ I would add that there have been several theories alleging a Masonic conspiracy perpetrated by prominent Freemasons, a conspiracy reaching as far as the Crown; Prince Albert Edward- Bertie -later Edward VII was the Grand Master of English Freemasonry. These theories derive from the spelling of the word juwes as chalked on the wall in Goulston Street. The juwes are three characters who appear in Masonic histories and Commissioner Sir Charles Warren was a Freemason and would undoubtedly have known the import of the words. Which perhaps explains why he was so anxious to have them removed but as with other theories there is little evidence to support this claim. Other details about the many alleged Masonic involvement can be readily found on the internet.
The Ripper Letters
The two letters purported to have been sent by Jack the Ripper are quoted verbatim in ‘Sinistrari. They are known as the ‘Dear Boss’ letters and the ‘Saucy Jack’ postcard. There is considerable doubt whether the Ripper actually sent these letters, the consensus in Scotland Yard being that Tom Bullen of the Central News was the originator in order to sell more newspapers, in fact sent these. The ’Dear Boss’ letter was the first use of the’ Jack the Ripper’ name; ‘Don’t mind me using my trade name.
The ‘From Hell’ letter referred to in ‘Sinistrari’ might be genuine. On October 16th, 1888 George Lusk, president of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, received a three inch square cardboard box in his mail. Inside was the ‘From Hell’ letter and half a human kidney pickled in wine. The writer claimed the kidney was taken from Catherine Eddowes and that he had fried and eaten the other half. Medical examination revealed that the kidney was similar to the one removed from Catherine Eddowes, however the findings were inconclusive. Eddowes suffered from Bright’s Disease and the kidney sent to George Lusk was from a Bright’s Disease sufferer.
Hundreds of other letters were sent to the police or press, all claiming to be from the Ripper but all can be dismissed.
APPENDIX TWO: FRANCIS TUMBELTY
Of all the names put forward, perhaps the strongest case can be made for Dr. Francis Tumbelty as Jack the Ripper.
Chief Inspector John L
ittlechild named Tumbelty, an Irish American quack doctor of uncertain background as the Ripper in a letter he wrote to the crime writer G.R. Sims in 1913.
Possibly born in Ireland, little is known of Tumbelty’s early years, but in1843 the Tumbelty family moved the Rochester, New York.
In his adolescence, he is reported to have sold pornographic literature on canal boats and worked in a small drug store. Sometime later, he set up his own practice as an Indian herb doctor and apparently was very successful, making enough money to fund a life of travel.
In 1857, he appears in Montreal and was arrested for attempting to abort the foetus of a prostitute but never came to trial. He is next heard of in St. John when he was arrested after one of his ‘patients’ died after taking one of his quack medications but before his trial he fled back across the border to the US.
He travelled to Boston where he began wearing military uniform and riding a white steed.
He is next to be found in Washington at the outbreak of the American Civil War where he claimed to be a military surgeon and to be friends with Abraham Lincoln, General Grant and other political figures.
Tumbelty was a misogynist with a virulent hatred of women whom he referred to as cattle and, significantly, a collector of female organs. In his Washington house, he had a room with cupboards full of jars of anatomical specimens, particularly uteri.
He moved to St. Louis and again set up his phoney medical practice and was arrested for wearing uniforms and medals to which he was not entitled. It was whilst in St. Louis that he was arrested in connection with the Lincoln assassination; he frequently used aliases and unwisely used the alias of Dr JD Blackburn, wanted for involvement in a plot to infect Northern troops with blankets infected with yellow fever. Able to clear himself of the charges relating to Blackburn, Tumbelty was still suspected of being involved in the assassination conspiracy and he decided to leave America for London in the late 1860’s.
In the years that followed Tumbelty continued to travel, in both the USA and Europe.
On November 7th, 1888 he was arrested on eight charges of gross indecency and indecent assault these charges being euphemisms for homosexual activities. On November 12th, he was further charged on suspicion of the Whitechapel murders. He was inexplicably bailed on November 16th with a hearing set for November 20th with the trial then postponed until December 10th.
Using the alias ‘Frank Townsend’ Tumbelty fled to New York City via France. New York Police knew of his whereabouts but could not arrest him; there being no direct proof of complicity in the Ripper killings and the indecency charges were not extraditable.
Inspector Andrew from Scotland Yard travelled to New York in pursuit of a ‘suspect’ but Tumbelty was not specifically named. Tumbelty then disappeared again as interest waned, subsequently turning up again in Rochester in 1893 where he remained until his death in 1903, apparently a man of considerable wealth.
Was Francis Tumbelty Jack the Ripper?
Certainly Chief Inspector Littlechild thought so, specifically naming him in a letter (now known as the Littlechild Letter) calling Tumbelty a very likely suspect.
He wrote ‘I never heard of a Dr. D in connection with the Whitechapel murders, but amongst the suspects, and to my mind a very likely one, was a Dr. T (which sounds much like D). He was an American quack doctor named Tumbelty and was at one time a frequent visitor to London and on these occasions constantly brought under the attention of the police, there being a large dossier on him at Scotland Yard. Although a ‘Sycopathia Sexualis’ subject he was not known as a Sadist’ (which the murderer undoubtedly was) but his feelings towards women were remarkable and bitter in the extreme, a fact on record. Tumbelty was arrested at the time of the murders in connection was unnatural offences and charged at Marlborough Street, remanded on bail ,jumped his bail and got away to Boulogne. He shortly left Boulogne and was never heard of afterwards. It is believed he committed suicide but certain it is that from this time the ‘Ripper’ murders came to an end.’
He was not the only police officer to believe Tumbelty was Jack the Ripper.
He was in London at the time of the Ripper killings.
He is believed to be the ‘lodger’ at 22 Batty Street, leaving behind a bloodstained shirt for his landlady to wash.
The Police were very interested in the lodger at 22 Batty Street and kept it under surveillance after the ‘double event’.
He collected female organs, especially uteri.
He was arrested in connection with the Ripper killings, although inexplicably released on bail.
He frequently used aliases and would disappear without trace.
There were no more Ripper killings after he fled, if you count only the five canonical Ripper murders.
He was wealthy, able to travel frequently and frequently change his clothes.
Scotland Yard and the American police were in touch on numerous occasions regarding Tumbelty and his flight, unlikely if the charges related only to homosexual activities.
Of all the suspects, the case for Tumbelty seems to be the strongest and I have used him as the model for my Jack in ‘Sinistrari’.
But was he the Ripper?
We do not know for sure and I doubt we ever will. And I rather hope we never do, the enduring mystery of Jack the Ripper needs for him to remain hidden, forever lurking in the fogs and shadows of the dark streets of Whitechapel.
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Notes
Chapter 2
1 The length of the drop was calculated to achieve a final ‘striking force’ of approximately 1,260 pounds force which combined with positioning of the eyelet in the noose causes the fracture of the neck, usually between the 2nd and 3rd or the 4th and 5th cervical vertebrae, the classic ‘hangman’s fracture’. The length of drop was calculated by the formula 1,260 pounds divided by the body weight in pounds giving the drop in feet. Jenkins was incapable of working this out. Dennison, like most hangmen used unofficial drop tables circulated amongst the executioner’s fraternity. It was not until 1892 that official Home Office drop tables were issued
2 Waistcoat
Chapter 3
1 The last public hanging at Newgate (and in England) was that of Michael Barrett, hanged on 26th May 1868.
Chapter 4
1 Marquis of Salisbury, British Prime Minister. 1885-86 & 1886-92
Chapter 5
1 Revolving razor sharp spikes set into the top of the wall, the gap between the spikes and the wall so set that it is impossible to pass underneath – and almost impossible to climb over.
2 William Marwood, hangman 1874- 83.
Chapter 6
1 Cheap lodging house.
2 A famous evangelical centre for religious and philanthropic endeavour.
3 The Criminal Law Amendment of 1885 had raised the age of consent for girls from 13 to 16. The Act also made homosexuality illegal
Chapter 7
1 Cleopatra’s Needle was erected in Heliopolis in 1475BC by Thutmose III. Made from red granite, the obelisk is some 70 feet tall. It was a gift to Britain from Ismael Pasha after the Napoleonic Wars.
Chapter 12
1 One of Europe’s oldest botanic gardens, founded in 1673 by the Society of Apothecaries.
Chapter 17
1 Sir Joseph Bazelgette. (1816-1891) Designed London’s sewer system eliminating the discharge of sewage into the Thames and greatly reducing the incidence of fatal cholera. New sewers connected to most of the old and were taken to treatment works.
&
nbsp; 2 A symptom of hypothermia – cold exposure and submersion in cold water produce diuresis – excessive urination leading to dehydration and cardiovascular problems. Confusion also occurs after cold and water submersion followed by amnesia, delirium, coma and ultimately, death
Chapter 24
1 House breaker, especially who uses keys or pick locks rather than a jimmy or other forceful methods.
2 This shout –Sealskin – was incorrectly reported as ‘Lipski’ by Israel Schwarz who was just leaving the Jewish club at this time. Schwarz spoke little or no English and ‘Lipski’ -pronounced ’Leepski’ - was the closest he could come to repeating what he had heard. The name Lipski was well known in the Jewish community, the year before Israel Lipski had been hanged for the murder of Miriam Angel of No 16 Batty Street, the street Parallel to Berner Street. Schwartz, not wanting to get involved with Sealskin and Boiler (and who can blame him), ran away at this point.
Chapter 27
1 The article was published in the Daily News of October 16th, 1888 and clearly referred to the tenant of No 22 Batty Street.
Chapter 31
1 Bettys - picklocks
Epilogue
1 Mary Kelly was the most extensively mutilated of the Ripper victims. The whole of the surfaces of the thighs and abdomen were removed and the abdominal cavity emptied of viscera. Her breasts had been cut off; one breast was found under her head and the other by her foot. Her arms were mutilated by several jagged wounds and her face mutilated beyond recognition with terrible gashes and the nose, cheeks, eyebrows and ears partially removed. Her lips were cut by incisions running down to her chin. She could only be identified by her eyes. Pieces of the removed viscera were found in various locations about the blood spattered room, the uterus and kidneys under her head beside the severed breast, her liver between her feet, the intestines laid to the right and the spleen to the left. Her breasts, including the muscles attached to the rib cage had been removed by circular incisions, exposing the rib cage and the intercostals between 4th, 5th and 6th ribs were cut exposing the thorax. The right lung was minimally adherent, broken and torn away at the lower part. The pericardium was open and the heart removed.
