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Jack the Ripper Special Branch Index Ledgers

Fri Sep 02, 2011 7:17 am by Admin

Where would a book on Jack the Ripper conspiracies be without mention and an adequate assessment of the Metropolitan Police Special Branch Index Ledgers?

For those who do have a personal interest in these developments on the case, details on their existence and relevance was first published in the foundational reference work on the Whitechapel murders in 2006, Jack the Ripper: Scotland Yard …

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Secret Files on Jack the Ripper?

Wed May 18, 2011 3:36 pm by auspirograph

Breaking News?

Hi all,

Yes, this is a breaking story on Jack the Ripper historical sources but it has been an on-going saga for some time with the UK Information Tribunal. The story is a bit more involved than the press are reporting, or as Trevor Marriott is describing. There are certainly some details of a Victorian Special Branch investigation of Jack the Ripper, however, because suspects …

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Ripper Writers RSS Feeds

Wed Aug 25, 2010 4:56 pm by Admin

As a service to members and guests of Jack the Ripper Writers who would like to subscribe to updates and news displayed on this website blog, please go to the menu right and choose your favorite option.

Thanks for your continued interest and support of a site specific for writers, authors and crime historians on Jack the Ripper and the iconic Whitechapel murders.

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Post  Admin Sun Aug 26, 2012 1:49 am

A place to discuss and display articles by Ripper authors either reprinted or published in Ripper Journals.

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Post  John Spanek Fri Aug 31, 2012 11:07 am

A few months ago Joe, Spiro, and Don agreed to have The Indictment posted here after it debuts in the Aug 2012 issue of the New Independent Review. A handful of old-time Ripperologists worked together and came up with some good material. It's a fine piece of literature and I think it can be enjoyed by everyone.

Please click into the web link below to view the article.


https://ripperwriters.aforumfree.com/h6-the-indictment



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Post  Joe Chetcuti Fri Oct 12, 2012 1:29 pm

In the current issue of Ripperologist we see an article by Mike Hawley pertaining to Annie Chapman's rings. It's an old topic that has been in need of a closer look for quite awhile. I'm glad Mike took on this subject matter. His structuring of his articles and his presentation are in very crisp form these days.

It's an Olympic year, so I will pass out the winning medals to the top three points of Mike's article which I thought were the cream of the crop. There were many aspects in his report that deserved good billing, but here are the top three:

The Gold Medal goes to Mike's research into the ship "Lord Ashburton" and his sharing of the detailed description of how poverty-stricken the people were on that boat. The "Lord Ashburton" voyages sounded like they were conducted in a disgraceful manner. If that ship was a building, it may have been condemned. And the particular voyage Mike looked into showed that the British Foreign Secretary had a hand in dumping his tenants onto this lousy vessel. I could see how a passenger on that trip may harbor very ill-feelings toward England.

The Silver Medal goes to his quote: The Annie Chapman wandering the Whitechapel streets in 1888 may have not been able to afford brass rings at $1.50 apiece (1903 dollar valued) but her employed husband would have been able to. Mike explained how John Chapman had a steady income at the time of his marriage to Annie, and how the stolen rings might be looked upon as part of a Dowry for marriage.

The Bronze Medal goes to Mike's research into the three men who assessed the value of jewelry at St. Johns Hospital in May 1903. I think a much clearer picture of them has now been presented.

It looks like Mike and Siobhan worked very well together. That's great to see. And the "about the author" section at the end of the article keeps expanding. Considering all the things he has accomplished in life, I don't know how Mike has had the time to raise six kids in this economy!! I bet the little lady at home has leant a big helping hand over the years.

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Post  John Spanek Sat Oct 13, 2012 11:33 am

Thanks to Mike's article, I now know the secret of making diamonds appear more valuable than they really are! It was a good article, and I think this was the first time a photo of Police Chief Patrick Campbell was shown.

I was also impressed with the editorial writing of Eduardo Zinna in this issue. He is a writer who has a good knowledge of European history.


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Post  Mkl Hawley Sun Oct 14, 2012 7:21 am

Thank you John. I also found out Birmingham, England, was a diamond hotspot in the late nineteenth century, so I might look into that. We do know that Tumblety was once at the Midland Hotel in the 1870's around the same time we hear about his big diamonds.

And as always thank you for your help Joe. I enjoy researching and expanding upon your subtle ideas.

Sincerely,

Mike

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Post  Joe Chetcuti Wed Feb 06, 2013 11:39 am

The Liverpool Leader
January 16, 1875
Page 30

THE "GREAT AMERICAN DOCTOR" AND HIS TESTIMONIALS.

Having drawn attention, in somewhat severe terms, on the last two Saturdays to the questions who and what is the person calling himself "the Great American Doctor," we thought it possible, although not probable, that he would inform us accurately of his medical attainments and his antecedents, so that we might no longer be in doubt whether he is justified in the self-praise which has lately been advertised in our daily papers. He has not waited on us, or communicated with us. His advertisements continue to be published, more extraordinary and startling than ever. Numerous heedless men and women still resort to his house in Duke-street, and give him large sums of hard-earned money, in hopes that he will do for them what medical men of undoubted skill could not do. But whether he likes our criticisms or not, he has not either shown us that we were in error, or resorted to any other means to vindicate his respectability. It seems probable, therefore, that we were right.


Two curious incidents, however, have occurred since last Saturday. Two gentlemen, both well dressed, both plausible, both apparently sincere, but both extremely juvenile, have come to us urging us to desist from these attacks, partly because they liked the "Doctor," and partly because they feared he would hurt us. Now, this was thoughtful of them, and we render them much thanks as they deserve. Yet, it had a suspicious look. For both, as they said, knew next to nothing of him, but had been taken into his confidence -- the result of which was that the first knew he came from New York, and the second knew that he came from Canada. One had seen his bank-book, the other had counted his patients. One had been impressed by his polished manners, the other had liked his sherry. Neither assumed to be his messenger, yet both knew that he doomed the Liverpool Leader to ruin if it did not retract all it had published about him. And since both seemed to us as credulous as they were amiable -- just the youths to be fooled by a handsome adventurer in spurs and furs, we put aside their suggestions, and proceeded in our own way to enquire further who and what is the "Great American Doctor."


There is no better method of ascertaining truth about an advertiser who says he has cured hundreds of invalids than first to test the genuineness of his credentials; second, to enquire if those who gave them were sensible enough to be trusted; and third, to find out what happened to the other patients of his who did not give testimonials. All these tests we have applied -- with what results our readers shall now learn.


Last week we mentioned that a Mr. Holt, said to be of 105 Tithebarn-street, was not to be found there. One of the two juvenile friends who proffered their advice explained that we had been misled, for although the house belonged to Mrs. Wilkinson, she kept lodgers, and Holt lodged there. He said the "Doctor" told him this. If so, the "Doctor" lied. There are no lodgers at 105 Tithebarn-street, and no Holt is known there, nor is "the Great American Doctor" except by this advertisement.


Taking later ones, we turn to a long list which appeared in the Mercury of Wednesday last. Intending to call us at some of the addresses named, we selected 60 New Darwen-street, 102 Barney-street, and 157 Laden-street. Then asking where were these streets, we turned to the directory just published. How very unfortunate for the great "Doctor's" reputation. There are no such streets in Liverpool !


Examining the others, some seemed so silly that even if we found the inmates we should find so many fools. One having been, by his own account, nearly blind, pronounces this person "the greatest living medical man walking this earth" ! ...Several advertised cases referred to were bad legs, whereupon we remembered that a late (disappointed and angry) patient has told us that he is sure some of the men who sit in the "Doctor's" ante-rooms, showing (not their sores but) plaisters on their legs, and telling new arrivals how the great man has almost healed them, no more have sores on their legs than he himself has; and we think that if these "decoy ducks" will sit there and lie, they may have also signed lying testimonials. We did not see the old blind fellow or the so-called "decoy ducks," nor will we positively assert that these suspicions are well-founded. We insinuate nothing against the bad-leg credentials. Nevertheless, we mention them, and invite the "Great American Doctor" to satisfy us that there has been no deception.


All this, however, is trifling child's play compared to other facts which have been submitted to us; for whether or not the advertised cures are deceptive, whether or not the advertiser has a gang of confederates at his house, there remains a group of far more serious cases, to which we invite earnest attention. One will serve as a sample, to warn whosoever has purchased or thinks of purchasing the "Doctor's medicines."


THE REMAINDER OF THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE WILL BE PRESENTED AS "PART FOUR" OF THIS SERIES. IN A FEW DAYS, IT WILL APPEAR ON THE JTRFORUMS MESSAGE BOARDS IN THE WHITECHAPEL SOCIETY SECTION AT

http://www.jtrforums.com/showthread.php?t=17469



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Post  John Spanek Wed Feb 06, 2013 12:02 pm

These Liverpool news stories are a pretty good find. They are a nice follow-up to the recently released Whitechapel Society Journal.

In the January 16, 1875 story, it sounded like Tumblety purposely instructed the two young blokes to confront the men at the Liverpool Leader. I doubt that the two lads walked into the newspaper office on their own accord. The part that is gripping is the "threat of doom" that Tumblety imposed on the Liverpool Leader if it continued to expose him.

I have taken a look at Part IV in this series. Be ready for a morbid story on Friday on the Jtrforums.



Last edited by John Spanek on Wed Feb 06, 2013 12:29 pm; edited 1 time in total

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Post  Joe Chetcuti Wed Feb 06, 2013 12:16 pm

John,

Yes, on Friday folks will learn of a consumptive woman who tragically walked into Tumblety's office in 1874.

I agree that the visit by the two juveniles was a staged affair by Tumblety. It is interesting how one of the youngsters knew partially about Tumblety's antecedents, while the other knew different segments about it. "The Great American Doctor" was probably selective about revealing his personal information to others.




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Post  John Spanek Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:11 am

I thought this sentence in the January 9, 1875 Liverpool Leader (now showing on the Casebook) was revealing:

Other women young and unmarried, have fled from (Tumblety's) premises, and say his language and conduct suggested danger.


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Post  Joe Chetcuti Thu Feb 07, 2013 3:36 pm

His reputation with female patients was rocky at times. The New York World reported about the problem he had in Pennsylvania:

He came (to Pittsburgh), he saw, he conquered, and was in turn conquered and had to flee to escape the consequences of trouble from two of his female patients.

If the man kept presenting a dangerous demeanor to women in his medical office, then eventually this was going to catch up with him. Some women are the wives and daughters of policemen.

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Post  Mkl Hawley Thu Feb 07, 2013 7:31 pm

Hi all,

How intriguing that so many contemporary sources commented upon Tumblety's aversion to women and then these new findings corroborate this so nicely.

Excellent finds Joe!

Sincerely,

Mike

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Post  Joe Chetcuti Fri Feb 08, 2013 3:05 pm

Thanks Mike,

I submitted an article to the Whitechapel Society Journal that expanded on the writing of Neil Storey's latest book "The Dracula Secrets". Robert Linford and I worked on it, and in the course of our study we looked into The Liverpool Leader. Then I asked Chris Phillips if he could go to Colindale to dig up some news columns in The Liverpool Leader.

Chris went well beyond the call of duty and discovered a whole bunch of 1875 Liverpool Leader articles for us. Chris was very helpful. We're happy to post what was discovered.


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Post  John Spanek Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:11 pm

As mentioned in Joe's article Ripping Diatribes, The Liverpool Leader did not come in microfilm form at the British Newspaper Library in Colindale. So Chris had to manually turn the pages of the old newspaper. Luckily, The Liverpool Leader only came out once a week in 1875.


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Post  Mkl Hawley Fri Feb 08, 2013 5:46 pm

So, basically Chris Phillips rocked it. Another example of team work.


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Post  John Spanek Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:18 am

You really do need to have good team support when you're doing this type of work. Especially since it involves international research. It's not easy for us California guys to walk into libraries that are thousands of miles away in England.

The Liverpool Leader story that was recently shown on the Jtrforums depicted a lazy attitude by Tumblety when he refused to give a death certificate to the widower of a female patient of his. It's seems doubtful that Tumblety ever apologized for killing her with his strange medicines so quickly.


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Post  Joe Chetcuti Sun Feb 10, 2013 9:46 am

In his letters to Thomas Henry Hall Caine in 1875, Tumblety often blasted away at the Liverpool Leader. Then he wrote a long scathing letter to Caine that amounted to a terrible diatribe against the proprietor of the Liverpool Leader. Tumblety told Caine he was tempted to make copies of his diatribe and mail it to every person who contributed to a charity fund that was organized by the Liverpool Leader. We wondered why he was so angry at this newspaper, and the discoveries by Chris at Colindale have answered our question.

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Post  John Spanek Sun Feb 10, 2013 5:03 pm

The proprietor of the Liverpool Leader in 1875 was Frederick L. Richardson. In the future, it might be a good idea for us to search and read what The Liverpool Leader was saying during the Ripper murders. Richardson, however, was no longer associated with that newspaper in 1888.

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Post  Joe Chetcuti Wed Feb 13, 2013 11:08 am

The Liverpool Leader
February 27, 1875
Page 101

DARES FRANCIS TUMILTY RETURN ?


Less than a month has elapsed since "the Great American Doctor," whom those in the secret know to be a certain Francis Tumilty, left Liverpool in haste and secrecy. He had abundant cause to remain, had not even his hardihood been abashed; for he was making much money, than which he loved nothing better. No one knows why he left, unless it be that the Liverpool Leader had asked some questions which he was not prepared to answer, and that these unanswered questions had directed public attention to the fact that he was a dangerous man. After we had shown this, steps taken by a qualified medical man led to an inquest, and before the inquest terminated Tumilty had disappeared.

Yet there are now on the walls large yellow bills announcing that he has not done with Liverpool, for whose instruction he is about to publish a partial narrative of his life. Only partial. Even Francis Tumilty shrinks from telling the whole of his career, just as in the vulgar, vaunting advertisements which he inserted in the daily papers he made no allusion to the men, women, and children who had died under his treatment. However, this is intended to answer our question, with which the bills are headed, "Who is the Great American Doctor?"

Now, the passages in the life of this fellow may be somewhat romantic when narrated by the professional writer whom he employs to produce it and his yellow bill, and if they could be believed we and others who regard him with suspicion might come to regard him with favour. But who will guarantee their truthfulness? Will Francis Tumilty, "M.D." himself? -- at present his word is not to be trusted. Will a crowd of persons writing from streets which do not exist, or giving names and addresses which enquiry shows to be false? -- such was the evidence proffered lately, but this when explained in our columns excited the indignation of the town. Will a single gentleman of established character in any town where Tumilty has pursued his queer career write to us, or to the coroner, or to any magistrate in Liverpool, and attest his ability and truthfulness? Will any medical man, any reputable gentleman, any credible woman, here, become his surety? It is doubtful. When such a phenomenon occurs, we shall be delighted to state the fact. But till then, we tell our readers that not his strongest oath, not the most interesting signatures, nor his utmost plausibility, will change our opinion that "passages in the life of the Great American Doctor" are no more trustworthy than are the testimonials which caused so many simpletons to give him their cash in Duke street, but which, when we personally enquired at some of the addresses, turned out to be rascally fabrications.

The placard on the walls is somewhat clever. A cleverer man than even Tumilty wrote it, and though we have not his name, we regret that a person able to use language with such dexterity has been willing to aid this quack. But its cleverness does not extenuate, it rather makes worse the audacity and craft of the chief actor. Its innuendos against ourselves we can bear; yet our indignation rises when we find the suggestion that Mr. Clarke Aspinall, the Borough Coroner, is not competent to perform his duties. Our indignation however subsides when we notice one lapse which only a shortsighted charlatan would have fallen into. The "Doctor" admits that not once only, but often, he has had to run away amidst a storm of obloquy in consequence of the practices he pursues...He was driven out of Montreal as he was driven out of Liverpool. How many other places has he run from !

Our columns are open to him still. During the month of January we asked once and again, Who is the Great American Doctor? Where did he acquire his medical knowledge, or rather has he any? To-day we ask him to tell us how many inquests have been held over his victims? In how many towns and cities has he failed and been denounced? What decent person will substantiate his boast that he is received in respectable society? And why was it admitted on his behalf at the recent inquest, that he knows nothing of diseases, but is deceiving the public merely to amass money?

These questions will not be satisfactorily answered. While waiting to learn whether the fellow dares communicate with us, we remind all who paid him money while here, and all whose names he falsely used, that they have a legal remedy, and that if the man who ran away before the inquest was over ever returns, they need only to go to a respectable solicitor and pay a few shillings to recover their money, or once more and finally hunt him out of Liverpool.




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Post  Joe Chetcuti Thu Feb 14, 2013 7:05 pm

The Liverpool Leader
March 6, 1875
Page 113

"THE GREAT AMERICAN DOCTOR"

A DISCLOSURE.


To the Editor of the Liverpool Leader.

SIR,-- I am convinced that you have done a great public service to this town by exposing and routing the "Great American" Quack; and although perhaps it is now too late to do much good, I have pleasure in partly giving the information which you suggested last Saturday Mr. Tumblety should give.

About ten years ago I was residing at St. John's, N.B., when this same quack Tumblety made his appearance there. He had some of the newspapers almost filled with certificates of wonderful cures he said he had effected; and he cut a great dash with a fancy horse and a large dog. The field of operation was not so large as Liverpool, still he managed to make many dupes; but after some time there came two coroner's inquests, with grave suspicion resting on the great Doctor Tumblety. These settled him. Before a warrant could be issued he cleared out between two days; and as he had only about 50 miles to travel with his fancy horse to reach the United States, he got off clear, and of course has not since visited St. John, N.B., as I believe.

I give you my name and address, and you may rely on the truth of what I tell you.

Yours, &c., C. A. B.

(This is one link in the chain. Will readers who met Tumblety in Canada and elsewhere supply some of the others? He does not advertise such incidents as C. A. B., has in memory. -- EDITOR L. L.)


Part Eleven of this series will appear on Saturday on the Jtrforums at http://www.jtrforums.com/showthread.php?t=17469


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Post  John Spanek Fri Feb 15, 2013 11:29 am

The editor who signed himself "L.L." was another one of Tumblety's enemies. Tumblety referred to him as a gutter snipe. He also said he looked like a superannuated bird-catcher.

The Liverpool Leader article that will appear on the Jtrforums tomorrow has plenty of humor in it.

This morning, Joe showed me his copy of the Feb 2013 WS Journal that recently arrived here in California. Adrian Morris has put together a really nice issue. It has fine input from Damian M. Barcroft, Mickey Mayhew, Robin Odell, Susan Perry, Chris Starkie, and Peter Stubley.

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Post  Mkl Hawley Fri Feb 15, 2013 6:35 pm

It seems that Scotland Yard in 1888 had access to Tumblety's earlier Canadian troubles right in their own files thanks to the Liverpool problems.

Sincerely,

Mike

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Post  Joe Chetcuti Fri Feb 22, 2013 11:35 am

February has been a good month with the new issues of Ripperologist and the Whitechapel Society Journal getting distributed.

An interesting feature in the current issue of the Whitechapel Society was in Robin Odell's article A Forensic Quintet. Robin mentioned how the pathologist Francis Camps refuted the idea that the Ripper had anatomical skills. Camps said this in an interview that was reported in The Guardian. Robin explained that Camps spoke of how crude surgery was performed on the body of Eddowes and that it was the work of an amateur, whereas a trained medical man would have secured the kidney with one straight incision.

It's good to see Scott Nelson, Mike Hawley, Pauline Morgan, and Peter Hodgson get the feature stories in the current Ripperologist issue. Scott's article deserves to be read more than once. He covered a lot of ground and asked plenty of questions for his readers to ponder.

Mike's Wax Museum article is getting good reviews, too. But I noticed that Mike's biography is lacking a Masters Degree in Nuclear Physics. He has every other degree except that one. Despite this, I still read his article and enjoyed it! It was probably the most in-depth report on that particular topic.

Chris Scott, Adam, and the rest of the gang at the Rip put together a fine issue.

By the way, does this thread ever turn over to Page Two?



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Post  John Spanek Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:32 pm

I wouldn't mind reading Camps' interview in its entirety in The Guardian. Maybe somebody will find it and place it on the Internet some day.

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Post  Mkl Hawley Fri Feb 22, 2013 1:14 pm

Thanks Joe. Once the wife and I ended up with six kids, I was under orders not to step onto a college campus! She's tougher than I am!

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