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Chris Scott
Chief Inspector
Username: Chris
Post Number: 843
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 2:24 pm: |       |
The section below is from an article from the Daily Northwestern of 5 October 1888. This proposes the theory (which I had not heard before) that Jack both evaded attention by the police and attracted his victims by pretending to be drunk! The proponent of his theory is not named in the article.
Chris
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Suzi Hanney
Inspector
Username: Suzi
Post Number: 306
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 4:53 pm: | |
I must be full as a tick now!! Where's the rest of these posts gone?????
There were at least 4 just now!!
Suzi |
Christopher T George
Chief Inspector
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 554
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 11:45 pm: | |
Hi, Chris
This is another of these "fantasy" type articles which attempts to build up a story around the murders out of no evidence. It filled up the columns of the newspaper at any rate. 
Chris |
Kris Law
Detective Sergeant
Username: Kris
Post Number: 75
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 9:14 am: | |
Chris,
You're probably right, but I had never thought of this theory before, and it's certainly as possible as any other proposed before. It would be an easy way to call about the unfortunates in the area, wouldn't it? And they would be much less likely to suspect a sad old soaker as the Ripper.
Sadly, this type of theory really can't be proven at this point. In fact, most theories can't.
I find the dismissive attitude on this message board distressing. |
Ally
Inspector
Username: Ally
Post Number: 155
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 9:27 am: | |
Kris,
Be a little more specific will you? At the end of your post, for no apparent reason, you zing the attitude of the entire message boards. So far, this thread has garnered two responses, one whacked and coming out of left field with no relevance whatsoever and one that could probably be deemed dismissive.
And you are judging the entire board based on this one post? Geesh. Harsh. If you want to take issue with a person's post, take issue with it. Don't blanket the whole boards with statements that you really want to aim at one person. That's irksome.
Personally, I find this article interesting as most of the stuff Chris Scott does. It can't be proven of course, but it's as likely as Jack pretending he had a broken arm and asking ladies to help him load his cart.
I find blanket statements distressing.
(Message edited by Ally on January 16, 2004) |
Kris Law
Detective Sergeant
Username: Kris
Post Number: 77
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 10:20 am: | |
Ally,
Specifically Christopher's response, but generally the message board.
However, I think what I wrote came off as much more harsh than I meant it to sound. It's just that I find a lot of haughtiness through the threads here and there. I won't mention any names, but I suspect if people were speaking face to face about these matters they wouldn't be so rash to knock off what they say on the boards. Myself included.
So, please, don't take what I wrote above too seriously, I do have the flu and am a bit cranky. I just thought the response Christopher gave was a snort of dismissiveness when Chris had never said he was solving the case with the clipping he found, it's just something interesting.
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Ally
Inspector
Username: Ally
Post Number: 157
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 11:40 am: | |
Kris,
I can honestly say that anything I say on these boards, I would say to your face.  One of my most endearing qualities. |
Kris Law
Detective Sergeant
Username: Kris
Post Number: 78
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 11:58 am: | |
Ally,
Good stuff. I shall try to make sure that anything I say on here I, too, would say to someone's face.
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Glenn L Andersson
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Glenna
Post Number: 1001
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 12:25 pm: | |
And here comes another dismissive post, so hang on to your hat, Kris.
As always Chris Scott has managed to pull up something from the depths of the archives that is incredibly interesting, and I have no idea how he manages to find all that stuff.
As far as this article is concerned, the theory presented is of course possible, but seriously, there would be no need for Jack the Ripper to attract his victims in any way; they were in a situation that demanded that they took the initiative and approached their clients willingly -- they knew probably very well that they risked to become the next victim, but they accepted it since they had no other choice. To deal with all sorts of clients was a part of their trade -- also during the Ripper scare. No persuasion, interaction or pretending was needed on the offender's part.
Then I find it quite doubtful if acting as a drunkard really would be a smart thing to do if you wanted to get unnoticed by the police. I think on the contrary that would mean he drew unnecessary attention to himself. Hardly a method I would use.
All the best
Glenn L Andersson
Crime historian, Sweden |
Suzi Hanney
Inspector
Username: Suzi
Post Number: 332
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 1:53 pm: | |
Glenn
Unless he was a policeman himself!!
Suzi |
Glenn L Andersson
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Glenna
Post Number: 1005
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 5:11 pm: | |
Suzi
That is of course always a possibility.
But a drunken copper...?
All the best
Glenn L Andersson
Crime historian, Sweden |
Christopher T George
Chief Inspector
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 557
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 7:22 pm: | |
Hi, Kris Law:
Let me tell you where I am coming from in writing the post that you viewed as merely a dismissive post.
Chris Scott has posted an interesting article, and I won't say that it is not valuable for us to know about it. However, my reaction to it was as an editor of Ripper Notes and Ripperologist in which capacity I have read and studied a number of articles that appeared in the American papers that purported to tell of the murderer being driven to commit the murders for reasons of wishing to get revenge on an unfaithful spouse, etc. (yes very much like the Maybrick scenario).
These stories are usually much more fully fleshed than this one, but much the same sort of scenario, conjuring up a detailed tale to explain the murders out of no evidence. I think they were most likely written by the journalists to entertain the newspapers' readers on a slow news day. In other words, there is nothing to them.
Now if we had some objective facts, witness statements, etc., to bear out that Jack acted as a drunk, I would give the idea more credence. Moreover, as Glenn said, these women were desperate, so anyone who appeared reasonably responsible or trustworthy would probably get a good response from them more than a drunk might.
Kris, I hope this better explains what I meant in the reaction of mine to which you took exception. I think you have to realize that we are all bringing different views to this board from our reading and research interests, so Ally is correct that no one should not characterize the reaction of the board with a blanket statement.
Best regards
Chris George
North American Editor
Ripperologist
http://www.ripperologist.info |
Kris Law
Detective Sergeant
Username: Kris
Post Number: 79
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 10:16 am: | |
Chris,
Point taken. |
Kris Law
Detective Sergeant
Username: Kris
Post Number: 80
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 10:26 am: | |
I might simply add that not everyone who reads these posts knows everyone else's pedigree, and it would help out sometimes if people took the time to write out why they choose to dismiss something, as you just have. What you say makes complete sense, but until you explained where you were coming from it did seem a tad dismissive.
I very much enjoy the Ripperologist, and look forward to my January issue arriving soon. |
Ally
Inspector
Username: Ally
Post Number: 164
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 10:45 am: | |
Hi there Kris,
Unfortunately, people who have been on these boards for years..YEARS..do sometimes get tired of the same old hoaxes, dead ends and empty leads. Newcomers might find responses to their brainstorm to be lukewarm or less than enthusiastic, but you know what? That's the same with any group a newbie tries to enter into it.
Chastizing the old guard isn't really the way to go about becoming a part of the group if that is the newbies aim. Obviously, the old guard is satisfied with the status quo and while new blood is desired to keep up enthusiasm and interest, it's the newbies who have to match the pace/rhythm whatever in order to enjoy the boards. The subject matter tends to bring about the weirdos and the whackos and they aren't going to get five paragraph explanations each time about why we don't agree. I am of course not talking about Chris Scott here and this particular situation, but you did mention you found a general tone of dismissiveness on the board and this is why.
It's not for everyone and it's usually only the most irritating and annoying that last for more than a month. It's only the persistent and dedicated that last for longer than that.
Cheery aren't I?
Peace,
Ally
(Message edited by ally on January 19, 2004) |
Kris Law
Detective Sergeant
Username: Kris
Post Number: 81
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 11:46 am: | |
Hi Ally,
This, too, is a good point. I stand corrected again.
Well, here's hoping I make it, I suppose. It's been more than two months, so I guess that's a good sign.
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Christopher T George
Chief Inspector
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 559
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 12:23 am: | |
Hi, Kris:
Kris, welcome to these boards and I hope we have a long and fruitful relationship with you. And, Kris, there's no need for you to wear the hair shirt more than necessary.  I agree that my response to you earlier was rather perfunctory and that I should have explained myself better.
I am glad you enjoy Ripperologist, Kris. I and the other editors are working now to finalize the new issue. I am finishing the writing the editorial at this moment, and it will be on "Assessing the Evidence" so it is on the topic we were talking about--trying to judge what is important in the case and what is not.
All the best
Chris |
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