The case of John William Smith Sanders (JWSS) has been intriguing due to JWSS's insanity, medical and medical knowledge, and the Police investigation into his whereabouts at the time of the murders. Four criteria which ostensibly make Sanders a viable suspect.

Initial Police inquiries indicated that JWSS had been living at 20 Aberdeen Place (sic), but had since left the country. Insp. Abberline's report (1st Nov 1888) stated:

"Searching enquiries were made by an officer at Aberdeen Place, St John's Wood, the last known address of the insane medical student named John Sanders. But the only information that could be obtained was that a lady named Sanders resided with her son at No 20, but left there to go abroad about 2 years ago. "

The original file copy revealed that the officer was Sgt. Froest.

In fact, JWSS resided at No 20 Abercorn Place, Maida Vale. Presumably the name of the street had been misread during the process of copying out the longhand report, although a check of Kelly's Street Directories indicates that the inhabitants at Aberdeen Place varied each year. So it is possible that someone named Sanders/ Saunders may have been a tenant.

A similar check of the inhabitants of No 20 Abercorn Place reveal that JWSS's mother was Laura J. Sanders (occasionally spelt Saunders), residing at that address continually until 1894. The rate books show that she took residence in 1878, subsequently moving into 55 Hartham Street in Holloway. The last entry for L. Sanders was in 1895. Much of JWSS's past is now well documented. The salient points are as follows:

JWSS enrolled at the London Hospital, Whitechapel on 22nd April 1879. III health caused his withdrawal in 1881. Paul Begg discovered a faint annotation along-side JWSS's name stating: "Away with Dr Swete for several months in 1882". Begg also discovered that the doctor was Superintendent of the Royal West of England Sanatorium.

JWSS's final years were apparently spent in a number of institutions until his demise in Exeter Lunatic Asylum, Heavitree on 31 March 1901, although his death certificate states 1st April 1901. However, it is the intervening years that are most important, especially the autumnal months of 1888.

JWSS's records at Exeter Lunatic Asylum described his illness as a "prolonged attack -14 years duration. Has been at West Malling for 3 years and Virginia Water for 9 years." Both establishments were for the 'Genteel Insane'. West Malling was West Malling Place in Sander's home county of Kent, and was opened in the later half of the 18th century by a Dr. Perfect.

Extant records at County Hall, Maidstone, only cover the Hospital Committee 1907-46. Individual patient records do not remain. The Gazetteer for 1874 described the establishment as 'a picturesque and healthy locality combining cheerfulness and refinement.' However, the Commissioners in Lunacy (1899) felt compelled to report it's 'unfavourable general condition', but saw I improvement the following year.

'West Mailing Place has now become St Leonard's Rest Home for elderly persons. The present owners informed me that there are no surviving records for the period in question. They did, however, kindly offer to pass on my enquiry to the former owner's son, who has since emigrated to South Africa. Unfortunately, after a number of years, there has been no response.

Virginia Water asylum was the Holloway Sanatorium at Egham, sponsored by the philanthropist, Thomas Holloway. It was built to cater for the less prosperous middle classes. Originally, it was believed that Sanders was in Virginia Water in 1888, but extant records at the Surrey Record Office veal that he was admitted into Holloway on 12th June 1889. His previous place of abode was given ; West Mailing. However, the remaining records are incomplete and do not provide a full account : his medical condition, merely stating that his 'dementia' was due to 'overwork' and his body condition was 'spare'. It was also noted that he was free from any disease.

Nick Warren noted that JWSS was listed as being from Glasgow in the 1891 Census for the Sanitarium's patients. If this entry is correct then JWSS must have been a resident in Glasgow at sometime between his being 'away with Dr. Swete' and his incarceration at Egham. His death certificate at the Exeter Lunatic Asylum further noted a widely travelled patient and recorded that NSS was a 'medical student from Barnsley'. JWSS's father, Henry S. Sanders, was an Army Surgeon. A glance at the 1881 Census for the Sanders family at Abercorn Place shows the transient nature of Army personnel. One child was born in Manchester, one at sea, four in Kent, and one in London.

Henry Sanders shot himself on Mt Aboo (Aka Abu), India, in 1867. The burial certificate stated that at this point, he was 'temporarily insane'.

Ref. Paul Begg Jack the Ripper: The Uncensored Facts Robson, 1988.

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Horace was a member and trustee of the Wrington Friendly Society and here is a description from The Wrington Handbook of 1861

"The Wrington Handbook, 1861 provides a useful note on the Wrington Friendly Society:

"The Members of this Club consist principally of Agricultural Laborers, It has long survived the terms of years usually averaged by benefit societies of this class, and is still in a healthy condition, numbering 150 members, with a fund of £725 13s. 8d. in the Savings Bank. Upwards of £1,600 have been paid to the sick, and the relatives of deceased members, since the commencement. The Anniversary Dinner is held at the Golden Lion Inn, Wrington, on Trinity Wednesday; a Procession is formed which parades the neighborhood with a brass band, colors, and attends Divine Service in the Parish Church."

The Officers of the Society were at that time .

Trustees: Rev. John Vane; W. H. Harford, Esq.,; John James, Esq.; and Mr. F. Knowles.

Surgeon: Horace Swete, Esq.

It is important to note that 40 years after the Establishment of the Society it is said that "it has long survived the terms of years usually averaged by benefit Societies of this class' and in fact this one went on a great deal longer. In her book on West Country Friendly Societies, Margaret Fuller comments that records show the existence of the Societies as being anything from 20-132 years; and it is pointed out that even if a society was not permanent it gave at least some support more often than not, and was, apart from charity, the only available source of help to the country worker. Also, however inadequate and badly managed many certainly were, it was estimated that at one time they were saving the country about two million pounds on the Poor Law.

Before passing on to an examination of the relevant papers on the Men's Society note must be taken of the very thriving Wrington Female Friendly Society, which in fact had a longer life; it began earlier and ended later. The quotation from The Wrington Handbook, 1861 is as follows :

"The object of this Society (established in 1797) is to secure by means of small quarterly payments, medical and pecuniary assistance to married members in case of childbirth; and in the event of death of a member , as small contribution is levied from the whole of the members towards funeral expenses. Donors of not less than Ten Pounds to the Society, or Annual Subscribers of not less than Ten Shillings, become Honorary Members but are not entitled to any benefit from the Society's Funds.

The Society holds an Anniversary on the last Tuesday in the month of June each year; on which occasion the Members attend Divine Service at the Parish Church, and afterwards partake of tea in the National School Room.

The Club consists at the present time of 62 members, whose contributions amount to about £30 per annum. There is a fund of £500 at the 3 per cent Consols, and £25 19s. 7d. in the Wrington Savings Bank".