John McCarthy (Superintendent)

[Chris]

On jtrforums.com, Howard Brown has posted an article from the Queenslander, 7 January 1937, which includes the following statement:
"... another Superintendent of the Department, a Mr. John McCarthy, also now dead, declared that he was satisfied the murderer was a doctor who killed himself."

http://www.jtrforums.com/showthread.php?p=108568#post108568

Can anyone point me towards the source of this statement? Perhaps it's well known, but searching for information about "John McCarthy" on Casebook isn't the easiest task...

[Simon Wood]

Hi Chris,

McCarthy got his promotion to Superintendent CID while Macnaghten was still in harness as Assistant Commissioner, so no guesses as to where he first picked up the suicidal doctor story.

This is all I have on John McCarthy—

19th December 1887—Police Constable McCarthy was one of Littlechild's original Section D personnel [Bernard Porter, OOTVS].

P.S. McCarthy CID - "had been specially employed in Whitechapel at the time of the murders" [AP WOLF]

"Police Constable John McCarthy, the other policeman involved in the Cutbush case, seemed to have fared somewhat better, being promoted to sergeant in the same year that Macnaghten wrote his memorandum about Cutbush (1894). Oddly enough he was transferred at some time, again the record of the date of this transfer in the Scotland Yard files has become ‘illegible’, McCarthy’s rise in the force continued apace after being made a sergeant: four years later he was an inspector, six years later a chief inspector and another six years later a superintendent" [AP WOLF]

PC John McCarthy, (as he was in 1888), was involved in the Ripper case [E.T. WOODHALL]

Date unknown—"McCarthy was taking bets on horses whilst in uniform on a train, and using the new telegraph system at stations to further his own financial interest. He knew the results before he took the bets" [AP WOLF - Casebook]

By 1899 he was referred to as Inspector McCarthy [The Times].

In a July 1907 Metropolitan Police Commission enquiry he was referred to as "ex-Inspector McCarthy".

In a March 1909 case of theft he was referred to as "Chief Inspector McCarthy" [The Times]

1909—Chief Inspector John McCarthy was part of the Suffragette Section of Special Branch. This small department was formed that year by Melville Macnaghten. [C.T(roup) to Gladstone, 9 September 1909: HJG (Herbert John Gladstone) P 45993, f. 234]

In a 1910 West Australian [Perth] newspaper story of police reminiscences he was referred to as "ex-Inspector McCarthy".

1911—John McCarthy was in the front line at the Sidney Street Siege as part of the Special Branch contingent [Colin Rogers, The Siege of Sidney Street, p. 116]

30 September 1912—Chief Inspector John McCarthy succeeded Frank Froest as superintendent at Scotland Yard [NY Sun, 1st October 1912].

3 June 1914—The Metropolitan Police CID held its annual dinner for chief officers and inspectors. After a meal of green pea soup, Scotch salmon, Saddle of mutton Niçoise, punch sorbet, roast Surrey fowl, orange souffle pudding, bombe Trocadero, and dessert, a toast was offered by Superintendent McCarthy of the Special Branch to Detective Inspector Francis Powell (who had joined the Russian Secret Service in 1912). After dinner the guests were entertained by Mr George Robey, Harry Tate, a ventriloquist, a ragtime composer, a highland dancer, a 'Growing Man', and Mr Gerald Kirby in his latest song, 'Willie took his Flo below'. [Okhrana archive vc/2]

In 1917 "Superintendent McCarthy" [who spoke fluent French] investigated the murder of Madame Gerard [The Times]

1918—"Supt. Macarthy, Metro Scot Yd: Retirement" [Police Index]

Regards,

Simon

[Chris]

Simon

Thanks for that information. At least it seems his views on the identity of the Ripper aren't well known. It sounds as though he may have said something to a journalist at some point.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Chris,

Not that it really matters, but I've got a feeling that the author of the Queenslander article mentioning McCarthy's take on the Ripper may have been the Manchester-born novelist, playwright and screenwriter James Lansdale Hodson (1891-1956).

BTW- McCarthy died, aged 66, in 1927.

Regards,

Simon

[Garry Wroe]

In 1917 "Superintendent McCarthy" [who spoke fluent French] investigated the murder of Madame Gerard [The Times]

Am I misremembering, or was there not a French connection in one of the census returns detailing the Dorset Street McCarthy family?

Regards.

Garry Wroe.

[Jenni Shelden]

Hi,

I believe that John Mccarthy of Doreset St was born in Dieppe

Jenni

[Garry Wroe]

Thanks, Jenni.

Regards.

Garry Wroe.