Maria Coroner
Hoaxer.
Born 1867 in Canada. An unmarried dress and mantle maker[1] residing in Bradford in 1888.
Ms. Coroner was charged on 21st October 1888 with causing a breach of the peace by sending hoax letters signed 'Jack the Ripper':
She had written two letters of this character, as she admitted when apprehended, one being addressed to the chief constable and the other to a local newspaper. On searching the girl's lodging the police found copies of the letters. The prisoner excused her foolish conduct on the ground that "she had done it in a joke." She was stated to be a very respectable young woman. The prisoner was remanded until to-morrow, the Bench declining to accept bail.[2]
Ms. Coroner was obviously an unusual individual, if the following account is anything to go by:
In her boxes were found pieces of writing referring to Jackson, the Manchester murderer, and a card of Berry, the hangman. She was charged at the police-court and remanded. On Tuesday morning Coroner was bought up before the Bradford magistrates for writing letters under the signature of "Jack the Ripper." A dense crowd fought for admission to the court. The prisoner listened to the proceedings with an amused expression. After an interesting legal argument as to whether she had committed a breach of the peace, she was bound over for six months in £20, being told that if she again transgressed she would go to gaol.[3]
She is the only author of a 'Jack the Ripper' letter whose identity is known.
