The Leather Apron

The Leather Apron

Suzanne Marsh

“I've got to tell someone Bessie, before I go completely mad. I am Jack the Ripper.”

Bessie Townsend gasped as she stared at Rosie Adler.

“Rosie, how can you be Jack the Ripper, you are a female Jack the Ripper is a

male.”

Rosie, shook her head no:

“I can prove to you I am Jack the Ripper”

Rosie walked over to the wardrobe at Madame's Mansion, in the White Chapel area of London. From it she took out, stripped trousers, a pale blue shirt, a jacket, and boots. Then she returned to grabbed the leather apron, she normally wore to keep her clothing clean. Bessie gasped as she saw the numerous blood stains on the leather apron.

“Rosie, my God, what have you done, and why?”

Rosie Adler, her rheumy brown eyes attempting to focus on Bessie as she began:

“I killed Mary Ann Nichols, because she was taking customers away from me.

I have to eat too. It was very much the same for the other three but Mary Jane

Kelly I just couldn't help myself, she deserved to die horribly. I cut off her breast, removed

her uterus and kidneys, then I propped her head up with them.”

Bessie did not want to cringe as she took Rosie's hand.

“Rosie, do you know what you are saying?” You killed five women and got away with it,

at least thus far. You can't go on this way. You should turn yourself into the constable you

before you hurt anyone else. I can go with you. You know if Madame Wellington

discovers what you are doing, she will turn you over to the authorities in less time

than you could ever imagine. Please, Rosie, for your sake. You can plead insanity,

the worst that can happen is that you will be committed to an insane asylum. You could spend

a few years there then return to White Chapel and start over.”

Rosie, glared at her:

“You, Bessie, of all people I thought you would understand.”

Rosie, had hidden in the folds of her skirt a very sharp blade, that she kept for protection. She pulled it out with lighting speed. Pressing it against Bessie's throat.

“I am not going to go to an insane asylum for you or anyone else, do you understand?”

Bessie nodded her head that she understood. Rosie put the knife back in the fold of her skirt.

“Bessie you can't ever tell anyone, that a prostitute just like them killed them for coming

into her territory. You don't want to die like the others do you? I killed five prostitutes

I can very easily make you number six.”

Bessie, feared for her life:

“Look, Rosie forget that I ever mentioned going to the constable, I won't ever say another

wonder about this. We can still be partners in Madame Wellington's Mansion of Pleasure.

No one need ever know what you have done.”

Bessie, watched Rosie for some type of reaction:

“Okay duckie, here's how this is going to work. We are both working girls, that is all.

If you don't say anything you won't find yourself dead. Pretty simple really.”

Bessie, wanted to escape the room but knew better, when Rosie was done she could then leave the room. There was a knock on the door, it was Madame Wellington herself:

“Girls, you have customers, what ever you two are squabbling about can wait.”

That was the opening Bessie needed. She walked out the door, down the stairs to the customer she knew was hers. Captain James Bannington for the Royal Guards. Bessie wondered if she could trust him with the secret about Rosie. She decided that would not be very prudent at that point since Rosie would be watching her very closely for at least several months. Sooner or later a chance would present itself. In the mean time Bessie would play along and reassure Rosie that everything was fine. Madame Wellington watched Rosie, as she descended the winding staircase, her bodice revealing her ample bosom. Bessie and James Bannington were already in Bessie's boudoir beginning their romp.

“Bessie, I mean Elizabeth why don't you come with me, I love you, I have loved you

since I first saw you. I want you to be my wife.”

Bessie, felt overwhelmed as she took Bannington's hand:

“James, I am a prostitute, your family would be outraged to think that I would

marry you. They would think me; a gold digger of the worst sort.”

“Bessie, what difference could that possibly make, I am a commissioned officer in

the Royal Guard. I can request to be sent in Canada if that would help.”

Bessie, sighed as she thought; 'it would get me away from here and more importantly away from Rosie'.

“Yes, James, I will marry you on the condition that we go to Canada at least for a while.”

James Bannington smiled, his face aglow.

“James I would want to get married in a few days and be off to Canada, is there a chance

that you could do that?”

He thought for several moments:

“Yes, I believe so. I will come by tomorrow morning. We can go to the local priest.

I can talk to the Colonel tonight.”

Bessie, felt relief. She would be out of harms way. There was no way Rosie would ever find them. She kept her plans to herself the rest of the evening. She would leave as soon as James returned in the morning. No one need ever be the wiser. All she had to do was avoid Rosie for the rest of the night. When James left, Bessie packed her bag, then hid it under the bed in her room. She was thankful she did not have to share a room with Rosie. Some of the newer girls had to share a room.

Morning dawned, sunny and mild. Bessie, watched out the window, instead of sleeping. Then she noticed James coming up the walk. He rang the brass bell. Bessie waited until James came in. The bell rang four times to announce Bessie's customer. Bessie and James took the first ship to Canada. The first night away from land Bessie took James hand:

“James, there is something I must tell you. Rosie Adler is Jack the Ripper. I couldn't

stay there in the same brothel with her and knowing that she is a cold blooded killer.”

James, comforted her.

“We will tell the Canadian Mounted Police the story when we dock. My brave wonderful

girl. I love you.”

Several years later another prostitute was murdered, Jane Atwell. The papers were once again filled the stories about Jack the Ripper. On a tip to Scotland Yard from Sergeant Michael Rourke of the Canadian Mounted Police that one Rose Adler was Jack the Ripper, he had a witness. The constable and Scotland Yard detective Thomas Smythe went to Madame Wellington's House of Pleasure, a warrant ready to serve. Rosie Adler was convicted of seven counts of murder all total. She was hung. In the crowd stood James and Elizabeth Bannington as they slipped the noose around Rosie's neck. She spotted Elizabeth:

“I know you told. I can't kill you but I can curse you Bessie, curse you for telling everyone

about me and I what I did. Go to hell Bessie, that is my curse.”

The trap door opened, Rosie was pronounced dead. Jack the Ripper could not kill ever again.