itechapel murderer. Many homicidal maniacs were suspected, but no proof could be thrown on anyone. Prince Albert Victor Christian Edward, the Duke of Clarence, was known as Eddy. He was the grandson of Queen Victoria born in 1864. The first idea that he was a suspect came in 1970. Dr. Thomas Stowell published an article accusing Eddy of being Jack the Ripper, basing his theory upon some papers of Sir William Gull, the physician of Queen Victoria. Stowell claimed that Gull was Eddys doctor and was treating the prince for syphilis. The disease supposedly caused Eddy to go insane and commit the Whitechapel murders. The killings, which Stowell claimed were committed by Prince Eddy, were to be in retaliation for contracting syphilis contracted during sexual activities. The murders started, according to Stowell, as Eddys infected brain started to deteriorate. None of this can be proven since Stowell died shortly after publishing his theories and burned his papers. Dr. Gulls papers have not been found. Scholars have examined this theory and discredited it. One important factor is that royal records show that Eddy was not anywhere close to London when the most important murder dates occurred. Also, Eddy, who was not considered to be a very intelligent man, did not possess the medical knowledge to be a Ripper suspect. Aaron Kosminski is described as a Polish Jew and resident of Whitechapel, insane owing to many years indulgence in vices. He had a great hatred of women, especially of the prostitute class and had strong homicidal tendencies. The only bit of evidence against Kosminski was a positive identification by one of the eyewitnesses. George Chapman was born in Poland in 1865. He was apprenticed to a surgeon and later went on to complete his studies at a hospital in Warsaw. He first showed his violent streak when he attacked his wife. She later left him and George lived in common law arrangements with other women that he...
