The East River Ripper: The Mysterious 1891 Murder of Old Shakespeare.

• Author: Siara, Lyndsey E.

By George R. Dekle, Sr.

In his most recent scholarly publication, former prosecutor turned law school professor and writer, George R. Dekle, Sr., provides a detailed account of the 1891 murder of Carrie Brown, the investigation into her death, and the prosecution of Amir Ben Ali. The book's title is a nod to the connection this case had to London's notorious "Jack the Ripper."

Described in grotesque detail, Brown's mutilation resembled Ripper's modus operandi, said the media, fueling "Ripper mania" and inciting hysteria about whether the infamous killer was now in New York City. Ripper was ruled out as Brown's killer, the coroner noting her throat was not slashed, as was Jack's custom. The media's early meddling foreshadowed the perfect storm of deplorables that followed. With a deep cast of characters--each with real names, aliases, and nicknames--the reader could benefit from a demonstrative chart.

Common at that time, Brown--a known prostitute--was recognized by the nickname, "Old Shakespeare." Ben Ali, an Algerian, was known as "Frenchy." Their paths crossed at the scandalous, seedy East River Hotel--a brothel and alcohol house --where prior killings occurred. Poor policing, lackluster investigative work, including crime scene contamination and an autopsy performed by an incompetent coroner, led officials to name Frenchy "The East River Ripper."

To better understand what transpired thereafter, one might need to research the differences between our 19th century and modern judicial systems. Uneducated in the language of 1800s law, terms such as "recorder" (judge) and "talesmen" (juror) necessitated dictionaryreaching pauses. The author explains some differences, identifying the "examination" as a full adversarial preliminary hearing, but other differences are left to the reader's bewilderment.

The unfairness of Frenchy's trial was marked...