I can't believe I've managed a knife blog and heretofore not mentioned the most famous knife-wielder of all, Jack the Ripper.
Prowling the seedy alleyways of London's White Chapel slums, Mr. Ripper had two fetishes: prostitutes and murder. And wouldn't you know he managed to indulge both yens at the same time. His modus operandi consisted of killing a harlot in a quiet but public lane, then quickly disemboweling her — sometimes taking the body to a private location, sometimes carving them up on the spot.
Mr. Ripper terrorized and fascinated Victorian England as only a serial killer can. The question of his identity not only captivated his contemporaries, it has been one of the most lasting mysteries in the history of crime. There have been several suspects, from local meat butchers (obviously handy with a knife) and surgeons (ditto), to a member of the Royal Family — Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence. Whoever it was, his bloodthirsty exploits catapulted him into the spotlight and public imagination.
Recently uncovered evidence has linked the crimes with the culprit. And now, after more than a 1oo years, we know the identity of history's most notorious murderer -- a man who preyed on women, who murdered with impunity, who captured the media's attention, but alas, was never brought to justice. I give you ... Jack the Ripper.
