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Jeffrey Bloomfied
Inspector
Username: Mayerling
Post Number: 211
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 8:15 pm: |       |
On a thread in the "Victims" section, dealing with Mary Jane Kelly, was a subsection about the initials "F.M." On it the point was that if the marks on the wall of Mary's hovel-room-tomb were
"F.M." they referred to "Florence Maybrick". This is usually a point used by supporters of the James Maybrick candidature. It was mentioned that Florence Maybrick appeared to be the only person who had those initials. I mentioned that the name of "Frank Miles" could fit too (provided they were actual initials).
Frank Miles' candidature for the Jack the Ripper dishonors was pushed back in the 1970s, and was mentioned in Donald Rumbelow's original COMPLETE
JACK THE RIPPER. Supposedly the artist had died before the Whitechapel Murders, but it was discovered that he died in an asylum in 1891. A theory showed a link to Melville MacNaghten because Miles and his roomate Oscar Wilde lived on Tite Street near MacNaghten. Miles's cousin was an equerry to the Duke of Clarence, and Montague Druitt's brother was in the same regiment that Miles had been in. The theory had been produced by a Thomas Toughill, but it never seems to have caught on (possibly because it was too weak). I wonder why Miles is not listed on the "Suspect" Board.
Jeff |
Donald Souden
Detective Sergeant
Username: Supe
Post Number: 86
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 8:38 pm: | |
Jeff,
Say it isn't so -- a Ripper theory that failed "because it was too weak." The "JtR Futures Market" could take a bad tumble next Monday if word of this leaks out.
Don. |
Jeffrey Bloomfied
Inspector
Username: Mayerling
Post Number: 212
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 10:52 pm: | |
Hi Don,
Yeah, it was too weak...who'd have thought it! 
Anyway, I just wonder what research (if anything) undermined the Miles theory.
Jeff |
Christopher T George
Chief Inspector
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 509
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 1:06 pm: | |
Hi, Jeff
Thanks for beginning this thread for Frank Miles. If you had not done so, I would have.  . Jeff, I read your interesting post on the FM board and have been looking into the matter of Frank Miles. Technically, it looks as if it was not Don Rumbelow who discussed Frank Miles but Colin Wilson who wrote the introduction to Don's book. That is unless Don in a later edition himself discusses Miles. In any case, as you noted, the theory appears to have originated with Thomas Toughill of Glasgow, Scotland, who discussed it in correspondence with Wilson. The introduction by Wilson appears to indicate that a book would be forthcoming by Toughill but it appears none ever appeared. I am trying to determine if Toughill published any magazine articles on the theory.
As for Frank Miles, I did find an interesting web page on him on an Oscar Wilde website. Also a Whistler site has information on Oscar Wilde and Miles in relation to the American painter. Interestingly, a portion of the Wilde site specifically on Miles gives his date of death as 15 June 1894 although I have seen it as 1891 so I wonder if this is a typo, just as they misspelled the name of the asylum where he died.
The first site that I referenced says this about Miles's mental state toward the end--
"After Canon Miles's death in 1883, Frank became seriously disturbed, as indicated in the incoherence of a letter he wrote to the wife of the artist George Boughton (1833-1905): 'Tell George I have given up his idea and Oscars - and Jimmy [Whistler] long long ago - that art is for art's sake and if it is good, [if some] unfortunate accident happens of its doing some harm to somebody why it is the artist's fault'. In 1887, he was placed in Brislington asylum near Bristol, where he died four years later."
I also did find Miles and Wilde living together as listed in the 1881 census--
Household:
Name - Relation - Marital Status - Gender - Age -Birthplace - Occupation
Frank MILES Head U Male 28 Nottingham, England Artist
Oscar WILDE Boarder U Male 24 Dublin Literature (Author)
Jane LARGE Serv M Female 43 Kent, England Housekeeper
John LARGE Visitor Male 13 London, Middlesex, England Apprentice To Shoemaker
Robert FLETCHER Visitor U Male 22 London, Middlesex, England Printer
Source Information:
Dwelling 1 Tite Street
Census Place London, Middlesex, England
Family History Library Film 1341017
Public Records Office Reference RG11
Piece / Folio 0078 / 56
Page Number 46
As noted on one of the Whistler websites, 1 Tite Street is now 44 Tite Street. I thought it was interesting to note that Miles was actually the older man of the two.
I suppose the question is when wondering about the candidacy of Frank Miles, could he have got out of the asylum? A question similar to whether Neill Cream could have got out of Joliet Prison. We do know that suspect James Kelly successfully escaped from Broadmoor, and Reginald Saunderson discussed here recently absented himself from the school where he was in order to kill a prostitute in Holland Park, Kensington, in 1894, though perhaps he was not exactly detained at the school.
Part of Toughill's theory about Frank Miles pertains to a supposed close geographic proximity of Miles and Wilde to Sir Melville Macnaghten in Chelsea.... In this case, Miles might be the unstable young man that Macnaghten mentions in his 1894 memorandum. Although of course he was not, apparently, a suicide. However, was Sir Melville even in England at the time of the Wilde/Miles association? He does not appear in the 1881 census and my thought is that he was probably still in India at the time.
All the best
Chris
(Message edited by ChrisG on December 29, 2003) |
Jeffrey Bloomfied
Inspector
Username: Mayerling
Post Number: 214
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 11:17 pm: | |
Hi again Chris,
The problem (and weakness I mentioned above) regarding the Miles theory is that until Thomas
Toughill's research is revealled more fully, we only have a handful of isolated points to notice.
His hidden demise in a later year is one. His relationship (and possible contact) to MacNaghten
(and Wilde, for that matter) is two. And then the contacts with Druitt's family and the Royal Family. It is really not much to go with. I might add that Miles did a great deal to help publicize the beauty and career of Lily Langtry, who became a mistress of Bertie, the Prince of Wales (another contact of sorts with the Royal Family). Still not really much. Hopefully Mr. Toughill will publish something soon. But (for the sake of fairness) Miles name should be on the suspect list on this web site.
Best wishes,
Jeff |
Stan Russo
Sergeant
Username: Stan
Post Number: 17
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 5:34 pm: | |
Jeff and all,
Frank Miles was conclusively exonerated when it was discovered he was incarecerated in an insane asylum at Islington I believe, during the time of the murders.
STAN |
Jeffrey Bloomfied
Inspector
Username: Mayerling
Post Number: 215
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 8:03 pm: | |
Hi Stan,
Can you give a site regarding where the information exonerating Miles was found?
Jeff |
Christopher T George
Chief Inspector
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 528
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 9:05 pm: | |
Hi Stan:
Thanks for your input. See above, the asylum was Brislington Asylum near Bristol, not Islington, i.e., London. Brislington Asylum was the institution where John Perceval, son of Britain's only assassinated Prime Minister, Spencer Perceval, shot by a disappointed clerk on entering Parliament in 1812. John Perceval, after a promising university career at Oxford, was incarcerated as Brislington Asylum in the 1832. In his published memoirs, Perceval became a renowned author on lunatic asylums, seen from the perspective of one of the inmates. See "I Madman -- Mr. John Perceval."
All the best
Chris |
Stan Russo
Sergeant
Username: Stan
Post Number: 18
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 5:26 pm: | |
Chris,
Thanks for the save with Brislington.
Jeff,
The Jack the Ripper A - Z, page 297, states that Miles was confined to Brislington Asylum in 1887 where he remained until his death. Miles should not, on these grounds, be considered a suspect.
STAN |
Jeffrey Bloomfied
Inspector
Username: Mayerling
Post Number: 221
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 9:25 pm: | |
Hi Stan,
Thanks for the sitation of JACK THE RIPPER A - Z.
But is everyone certain that Miles, once incarcerated, could not have found a way of leaving or bribing his way out? Probably not likely, but similar theories are used for Cream in Joliet Prison, or D'Onston from the hospital he had checked himself into.
Hi Chris,
Interesting to see the Percival family popping up on this thread. Years ago I read THE ASSASSINATION OF THE PRIME MINISTER by Mollie
Gillen. She makes a convincing case that Spencer Percival's murderer, John Bellingham, was insane
(although the public would not buy it in 1812 - he was arrested, tried, and shot in one week of the assassination). However, she makes a curious
point that Bellingham (had he been sent to an asylum) would have been under a crueller punishment than by being hanged - he would have been ashamed that the public would have though he was insane for his actions, which were meant to be a statement of his anger at the failure of the
Percival Government to protect his business when
Russian authorities seized his property at Archangel. Bellingham, in his own mind, killed the Prime Minister on a matter of principle: that
the British Government under Percival failed to protect the property rights of a British subject in a foreign land.
Best wishes,
Jeff |
Stan Russo
Sergeant
Username: Stan
Post Number: 19
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, January 03, 2004 - 4:21 am: | |
Jeff,
Unfortunately records are the only positive information that researchers can count upon, clearing both Miles and Dr. Thomas Neill Cream of having committed the murders.
I am aware of Donald Bell's 1974 theory on Cream bribing his way out in order to commit the murders. Problem is, records show Cream was released after the murders occurred. These records that show a release date would force someone relying on Bell's theory to accept the fact that Cream then broke back into prison after successfully committing the 'JTR' murders. It is a logistical dilemma that is easily fixed by accepting documented historical records. On that basis four suspects, including Cream and Miles, can be conclusively exonerated, despite wild speculative theory. |
Jeffrey Bloomfied
Inspector
Username: Mayerling
Post Number: 223
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, January 03, 2004 - 12:26 pm: | |
Hi Stan,
The problem with perfect alibi theories is that one looks again and again at them to test how perfect they are. For both Cream and Miles, the
evidence pretty well rules both out, but Cream is so close to the Ripper in viciousness, possible
knowledge of anatomy (due to his being a doctor, and the Ripper maybe having a medical background),
and time and place of his notorious crimes, it is always of interest to speculate on him getting out of prison early. As for Miles, I just wanted to see the full theory - and it is not impossible for him to have escaped from the asylum (the murderer John Straffen did so in the 1950s, and killed again). I tend to agree to rule them out, but.... and it is a troubling "but".
Best wishes,
Jeff |
Stan Russo
Sergeant
Username: Stan
Post Number: 20
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, January 03, 2004 - 6:49 pm: | |
Jeff,
I am not saying it is impossible for someone to escape from an institution, as in the case of James Kelly escaping from Broadmoor in January 1888. However, in the cases of Miles AND Cream, they would have had to break back in because documentation exists that Cream was released after the murders and that Miles died after remaining the entire time in Brislington.
Speuclation is an okay tool, yet it should never contradict or be be favored against documented evidence.
STAN |
Jeffrey Bloomfied
Inspector
Username: Mayerling
Post Number: 224
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 12:19 am: | |
Hi Stan,
By now this has become a moot issue. I only would add that while I agree that Cream breaking back into Joliet (when he was in England!) is really hard to imagine, I never would have suggested Miles breaking back into Brislington.
But Miles might have been recaptured...but I imagine he wasn't.
Anyway, I would still like to see what was the complete theory about Miles by Toughill.
Best wishes,
Jeff |
Stan Russo
Sergeant
Username: Stan
Post Number: 21
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 12:53 pm: | |
Jeff,
Try The Mammoth Book of 'JTR'. I believe Miles is discussed toward the back section. Good luck with your research.
STAN |
Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert
Post Number: 1760
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 4:21 pm: | |
Stan, I think it's only the briefest of passing references, by Colin Wilson.
Robert |
Jeffrey Bloomfied
Inspector
Username: Mayerling
Post Number: 226
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 5:05 pm: | |
Hi Stan and Robert,
I suddenly recalled an old Peter Sellers comedy,
TWO WAY STRETCH, where he and two other convicts
(one is Bernard Cribbins) are temporarily sprung from prison by a convict masquerading as a prison chaplain (Wilfred Hyde-White), to pull off a robbery. They do, returning quietly to prison to have an alibi, but the plan still goes awry due to a police official (Lionel Jeffries). Anyway, the idea of having a prison alibi is not unknown - although here it was used in a comic farce.
Best wishes,
Jeff |
Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert
Post Number: 1766
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 6:06 pm: | |
Yes, Jeff. I think Hyde-White's Soapy Sanders role is the thing he's most remembered for.
Re Cream, there was a programme in the UK two or three years ago. I can't remember what it was called, but the idea was that a small group of celebrities - a crime writer, an actor, etc - would be given a case to solve, a stipulation being that they should have all and only the evidence available to the police of the time.
The programme was presented by a real-life barrister, who would call them out of bed in the middle of the night to announce a new development in the case.
As I remember it, the programme was a pilot for a future series, and Cream's was the case dealt with. I think Martin Fido was on it, as a crime adviser.
Robert |
Jeffrey Bloomfied
Inspector
Username: Mayerling
Post Number: 227
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 05, 2004 - 10:41 pm: | |
Hi Robert,
I'm not sure if Soapy Sanders was Hyde-White's best moment on the screen. He was Colonel Pickering in the 1964 film version of MY FAIR LADY with Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn. In any event he always added to the films he popped up in (like his scenes in THE THIRD MAN).
What could that television show do with the facts in Cream's case, aside from feeling his guilt was proved? There's no real doubt about that.
Best wishes,
Jeff |
Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert
Post Number: 1773
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 1:51 pm: | |
Hi Jeff
I think the idea of the show was just to see if people could play detective and solve the cases.
Re Hyde-White, another of his excellent films was "Crooks Anonymous". A bunch of ex-convicts set up a criminals rehabilitation society. Hyde-White's second in command is played by Stanley Baxter, whose character has the wonderful name Brother Widows.
Robert |
Jeffrey Bloomfied
Inspector
Username: Mayerling
Post Number: 228
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 10:03 pm: | |
Hi Robert,
Re: Hyde-White - for an unusually different performance from his usual smooth types, there is a film with Trevor Howard and Herbert Lom (I think it is called THE GOLDEN SALAMANDER) about art antiquities smugglers, where Hyde-White plays a seedy piano player who surprises the movie's audience.
Best wishes,
Jeff |
Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert
Post Number: 1784
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 5:13 am: | |
Hi Jeff
Not sure if I've seen that one. I'll keep a lookout for it.
Robert |
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