Dr. Hebbert Suggested As Ripper Suspect!

[Archaic]

This one really startled me.

Dr. Charles Alfred Hebbert was Dr. Bond's assistant and worked on the Whitehall Torso murder. It's news to me that anyone has been considering him as a potential Ripper suspect.

http://www.armidaleexpress.com.au/story/1124147/a-real-ripper-of-a-mystery/?cs=469

Best regards,
Archaic

[Archaic]

Here's a related article from the same town- Armidale, Australia where Dr. Hebbert is buried.

If you scroll down there's a 4-minute radio interview with Dr. Mallett from History Cold Case.

http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2012/10/touching-fingers-with-jack-the-ripper.html

Archaic

[Archaic]

Another article from Armidale: http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2012/10/...he-ripper.html

Poor Dr. Hebbert.

Archaic

[Phil H]

Are we now into the phase where ANY name mentioned in connection with the case around 1888 - indeed, anyone ALIVE in 1888 - is fair game as a suspect?

It's a shame if Ripper studies have come to that.

But as Uncle Jack and the Barnado, Carroll, Van Gogh etc claims have shown, it doesn't matter how unlikely or outrageous the suggestion might be, it will attract attention.

Phil H

[Debra A]

How ridiculous!

Thanks for the links, Archaic.

[Archaic]

Hi Debs, you're welcome.

From the first article, the Armidale Express:

Dr Mallett said a lot of questions are remain (sic) unanswered about Hebbert, who ended up in Armidale after leaving England to work in the United States and Australia.

“The Armidale connection is interesting because of all the suspects I think he’s actually the best one,” she said.

“Certainly he’s got a very interesting personality, there are traits there that lead me to believe he could potentially be capable of some of these crimes"


- Like what?? Where is the evidence? Has she researched his life? The man was a doctor, his marriage broke up, he moved to Australia, and he died alone...how does that make him "the best suspect" for being Jack the Ripper?

I'm disappointed in Dr. Mallett. I really enjoyed History Cold Case. But she's a Forensic Anthropologist and a University Lecturer, so I expect more from her.
Dr. Hebbert seemed to have been offered up with no evidence at all, simply for the sake of a little media exposure.

The lines between History and Entertainment seem to be getting more and more blurred.

Maybe we need to coin a new word, similar to "Infotainment''... "Histotainment"?

Or maybe "Histotaintment", since it's degraded and tainted History employed as Entertainment?

Sigh.
Archaic

[Bridewell]

From the article:

One discovery by Hebbert’s family in the 1960s lends even further weight to the theory that the police physician may have actually have been the killer, Dr Mallett said.

“The most interesting thing about him is in his desk... they found two mummified left hands in gloves hidden in a secret compartment,” she said.

I can't see how this can be any kind of evidence relating to the Whitechapel Murders - even assuming that Hebbert was responsible for concealing the mummified hands.

Regards, Bridewell.

[Robert]

I would suggest that the culprit wasn't Hebbert, but Hebbert's right hand man.

[Archaic]

I would suggest that the culprit wasn't Hebbert, but Hebbert's right hand man.

SOLVED!


Archaic

[Cogidubnus]

Not solved at all...it was actually Doctor Hebbert's left hand man...

All the best

Dave

[Archaic]

Dr. Mallet's "Debating A Modern Day Ripper" Panel

Here's a followup article to the ones about Dr. Hebbert.

Too bad there's not more information; the Armidale Express seems to specialize in extremely brief articles lacking real detail. Do they have so much local news happening they can't fit it in?

I'd like to know if, after naming Dr. Hebbert as "the best" Ripper suspect, any supporting evidence was presented. I kind of doubt it.

http://www.armidaleexpress.com.au/story/1138922/debating-a-modern-day-ripper/?cs=469

Archaic

[Hunter]

How many "suspects" like this could even possibly have any supporting evidence?

But these pseudo whatevers get their names in periodicals and the attention their over-inflated egos think they deserve... all on the backs of some poor wretches who were butchered. Reckon anybody whose body temp is 98.6 can get a doctorate nowadays.

[Bridewell]

Not solved at all...it was actually Doctor Hebbert's left hand man...

All the best

Dave

Hi Dave,

It could be a conspiracy of hands unless, of course, the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing

Regards, Bridewell.

[Phil Carter]

Hello Colin,

You have to hand it to these people...they have a finger in every pie.

Phil

[John Wheat]

I have to agree with Phil H. We now have an extensive list of ridiculous suspects the likes of Van Gough and Sickert etc. The people that come up with some of these theories add nothing to the case.