81. Jack the Ripper Finally Caught, Maybe

After more than a century, one of world’s most infamous killers¹ is finally caught². Maybe³. Perhaps⁴.  

A British writer⁵ says he has uncovered⁶ the true identity⁷ of "Jack the Ripper"⁸.  The writer calls himself an armchair⁹ detective. For those who do not know about Jack the Ripper, he is one of history's most terrible¹⁰ serial killers11 – a person who kills again and again¹². “Jack” terrorized¹³ a poor part of London in the year 1888.

Here are more details¹⁴ – or in this case, evidence. All you armchair detectives listening at home can play¹⁵ Sherlock Holmes and come to your own judgment¹⁶. Few¹⁷ killers in history have become¹⁸ as well-known as¹⁹ Jack the Ripper. His murders²⁰ were rare²¹ in their violence. And for 126 years, police have been unable²² to put a name to the crimes. What is the new evidence?

That is why²³ it made international news²⁴ recently²⁵ when writer and armchair detective Russell Edwards named²⁶ the man he says is Jack the Ripper. Mr. Edwards says new DNA evidence points the finger of guilt at²⁷ one man, a Polish²⁸ immigrant named²⁹ Aaron Kosminski.

Tests of DNA – deoxyribonucleic acid – are often³⁰ used today for identification purposes³¹. Russell Edwards says experts used bloodstains³² taken from³³ a never-cleaned shawl³⁴, or long scarf³⁵, of Jack the Ripper’s fourth victim³⁶. The victim is a woman named Catherine Eddowes. 

Her shawl reportedly³⁷ was found by³⁸  her body. These experts compared the DNA from this blood to that of a living descendant³⁹, a living relative⁴⁰, of Aaron Kosminski.

Mr. Edwards is not the only one⁴¹ to have suspected Mr. Kosminski. In 1888, London police also⁴² suspected him. But no witness⁴³ stepped forward⁴⁴ to give police the evidence they needed. So, he walked free⁴⁵. Mr. Kosminski worked as a barber, a hair-cutter, in London.  He surely⁴⁶ knew how to use a sharp-edged blade⁴⁷. He died of gangrene from a leg wound⁴⁸ in an insane asylum, a hospital for the mentally ill⁴⁹.

But the killer named “Jack the Ripper” lives on. Stories about his notorious, or infamous, killings have appeared in many books, newspaper articles and movies. The stories led Russell Edwards to investigate the murders.  He decided to write about them after seeing a movie about the Ripper called From Hell. Johnny Depp and Heather Graham starred in the 2001 film.

Jack the Ripper’s murders took place⁵⁰ in 1888 in an area of London’s East End⁵¹ called Whitechapel. The known victims were five sex workers. But some believe he was responsible for many other killings in that area at that time.

In 1888, Whitechapel was a poor part of town where many traded⁵² sex for money. And that is who Jack-the-Ripper targeted⁵³. His victims were poor female prostitutes who drank too much. He murdered them violently, cutting their throats⁵⁴ and cutting up their bodies. In most of the killings, he even⁵⁵ removed internal organs.   

Everyone agrees that Jack the Ripper was a terrible man. But not everyone believes that Aaron Kosminski was really Jack the Ripper. Some other armchair detectives do not buy the accusation against⁵⁶ Kosminski. They do not believe it. They say the DNA found on the shawl is not believable evidence⁵⁷. They say too much time has passed and too many hands have touched⁵⁷ it. And Aaron Kosminski is no longer around⁵⁸ to defend himself.

But for at least⁵⁹ one armchair detective⁶⁰, this mystery can finally be buried⁶¹. I’m Anna Matteo.

Vocabulary

1. one of world’s most infamous killers  = um dos mais infames assassinos do mundo
2. caught = apanhado, pêgo
3. Maybe = talvez
4. Perhaps = talvez
5. British writer = escritor Britânico
6. uncovered = descobriu
7. true identity = real identidade
8. "Jack the Ripper" = Jack o estripador
9. armchair = poltrona
10. terrible = terrivel
11. serial killers = assassinos em série
12. kills again and again = mata várias vezes
13. terrorized = aterrorizou
14. details = detalhes
15. can play = podem brincar de
16. come to your own judgment = chegar ao seu próprio julgamento
17. Few = poucos
18. have become = tornaram-se
19. as well-known as = tão conhecido quanto
20. murders = assassinatos
21. rare = raro
22. have been unable = tem sido incapaz
23. That is why = É porisso que
24. it made international news = foi manchete internacional
25. recently = recentemente
26. named = nomeou
27. points the finger of guilt at = aponta o dedo da culpa para
28. Polish = Polonês
29. named = chamado
30. often = frequentemente
31. purposes = propositos
32. bloodstains = manchas de sangue
33. taken from = tiradas de
34. shawl = xale
35. long scarf = cachecol
36. fourth victim = quarta vítima
37. reportedly = supostamente
38. was found by  = foi encontrado ao lado de
39. living descendant = descendente vivo
40. relative = parente
41. is not the only one = não é o único
42. also = também
43. witness = testemunha
44. stepped forward = tomou a iniciativa
45. walked free = saiu livre
46. surely = certamente
47. sharp-edged blade = lamina afiada
48. wound = ferimento
49. ill = doente
50. took place = ocorreram
51. East End = extremidade leste
52. Traded = comercializavam
53. Targeted = alvejava
54. Throats = gargantas
55. Even = até mesmo
56. believable evidence = evidência digna de crédito
57. touched = tocaram
58. is no longer around = não está mais por aqui
59. at least = pelo menos
60. armchair detective = detective de poltrona
61. buried = enterrado