In the late 19th century, London was home to many shadows. Among them lurked George Chapman — a man whose life reads like a macabre novel of lies, violence, and murder. Born Severin Kłosowski in Poland, Chapman arrived in England in 1887, trained as a barber-surgeon, and soon became notorious for a string of poisonings that would eventually lead to his execution in 1903. But there’s another, more chilling twist to his tale: many believe he may have been Jack the Ripper.
In this week’s episode of Historical True Crime, we follow Chapman’s dark path from his violent relationships with Lucie Badewski and Annie Chapman (no relation to the Ripper victim), to his calculated poisonings of Mary Spink, Bessie Taylor, and Maud Marsh. Chapman’s method of killing — using tartar emetic laced with antimony — was as cruel as it was cunning. His victims suffered long, painful illnesses while he played the role of attentive husband, even as he orchestrated their deaths.
Chapman's capture came only after the suspicious death of Maud Marsh, whose mother drank from a glass of brandy he had prepared — and also fell ill. That moment marked the beginning of the end. An investigation revealed the use of antimony, and the exhumations of his previous “wives” confirmed the poison had been used repeatedly.
But even after his conviction, Chapman’s story wasn’t over.
Frederick Abberline, the famed inspector who led the Ripper investigation, reportedly told the officer who arrested Chapman, “You’ve got Jack the Ripper at last.” Abberline remained convinced that Chapman — with his violent misogyny, surgical background, and presence in Whitechapel during the murders — fit the Ripper profile. And it’s true: the timing aligns, the brutality was there, and the killings in London seemed to stop once Chapman left for America.
Still, many experts — both contemporary and modern — are skeptical. The biggest inconsistency? Modus operandi. The Ripper mutilated strangers with frenzied violence; Chapman slowly poisoned intimate partners. Others point to language barriers and the question of whether Chapman knew Whitechapel well enough to evade capture as the Ripper did.
So, was George Chapman Jack the Ripper? It’s a theory that still fascinates historians and crime buffs alike. Whether or not he wore the Ripper’s cloak, Chapman was undoubtedly a cold-blooded killer — a man who weaponized charm and trust as fatally as any knife.
🔍 Want more on Jack the Ripper? Be sure to check out Episode 100 of the podcast, where we dive deep into the canonical five and the ongoing mystery that haunts Whitechapel to this day.
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