Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Jack the Ripper in Melbourne?

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
         
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
  • #1

    Jack the Ripper in Melbourne?

    I found this news article dated May 21, 1889 in the Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXII, Issue 11407.

    Has anyone else seen or heard of this? And what may have put the police "on guard"?

    Yours truly
    Attached Files
    Washington Irving:

    "To a homeless man, who has no spot on this wide world which he can truly call his own, there is a momentary feeling of something like independence and territorial consequence, when, after a weary day's travel, he kicks off his boots, thrusts his feet into slippers, and stretches himself before an inn fire. Let the world without go as it may; let kingdoms rise and fall, so long as he has the wherewithal to pay his bills, he is, for the time being, the very monarch of all he surveys. The arm chair in his throne; the poker his sceptre, and the little parlour of some twelve feet square, his undisputed empire. "

    Stratford-on-Avon
    Tags: None
  • #2
    No one knows the story behind this?

    Yours truly
    Washington Irving:

    "To a homeless man, who has no spot on this wide world which he can truly call his own, there is a momentary feeling of something like independence and territorial consequence, when, after a weary day's travel, he kicks off his boots, thrusts his feet into slippers, and stretches himself before an inn fire. Let the world without go as it may; let kingdoms rise and fall, so long as he has the wherewithal to pay his bills, he is, for the time being, the very monarch of all he surveys. The arm chair in his throne; the poker his sceptre, and the little parlour of some twelve feet square, his undisputed empire. "

    Stratford-on-Avon

    Comment

    • #3
      Originally posted by corey123 View Post
      No one knows the story behind this?
      I don't, but it's a curious fact that Forbes Winslow, in his autobiography, Recollections of Forty Years (1910), quoted a letter from an Australian lady, according to which the murderer arrived in Melbourne in late 1889 on board the Munambidgee:
      Casebook: Jack the Ripper - Recollections of Forty Years
      http://www.casebook.org/ripper_media/rps.winslow.html

      Comment

      • #4
        Interesting

        Here is the manuscript of the letter.

        "G.P.O., MELBOURNE, " 10/6/1910. Your challenge is more than justified re ' Jack the Ripper.' You indeed frightened him away, for he sailed away in a ship called the Munambidgee, working his passage to Melbourne, arriving here in the latter part of 1889. He is a native of Melbourne, Victoria, but before his return had been in South Africa for several years. He was educated at the Scotch College here ; the late Dr Blair was a great friend of his family, and it was from him he gained his surgical knowledge, the doctor taking him with him to post-mortems. When he arrived in Melbourne he married a Miss , who lived only a little over a year, but she died from natural causes ; she was only dead a short time when I met him. He told me he had a hard time in London, and he was always buying sensational newspapers. I said to him, "Why do you buy those horrid papers ? They are only full of police reports of terrible crimes." He said, ' I want to see how things are in London.' Then he commenced reading the trial of a man named James Canham Reade. This man married and deserted several women, and finally killed one, for which he was hanged. When he had finished reading, I said, 'What a fearful fellow!' He said, ' Yes.' I then said, 'What about Jack the Ripper?' He said, 'Strange those crimes ceased once I left England.' I was astounded at his remark, and said, 'My God! Jack, I believe you did those crimes,' he having told me about living in that part of London previously. I tried to banish the thought from my mind, as I loved him ; but I referred to it many-times after, and finally he told me he did do them. I said, 'Why did you do those crimes ?' He first said, 'Revenge,' then said, 'Research.' I said, 'But you never made use of the portions you removed from those women ; what did you do with them ? ' He said, 'Oh, there are plenty of hungry dogs in London.' I wrote to Scotland Yard telling them all. Sir Robert Anderson answered my letter ; but as I had told him all I had to say, I did not write again till last year, but have heard nothing from them. It is my opinion they all bungled this matter up and do not like owning up to it.
        I even gave him up in Melbourne in 1894. The police examined him ; he told them he was in Melbourne in 1890, so they found this was true, and without asking him where he was in 1889 they let him go. He laughed, and said, 'See what fools they are. I am the real man they are searching the earth for, but they take me in one door and let me out of the other.' I even gave one detective a letter of his, but he only laughed at me. I asked him to have the writing compared with that at home signed 'Jack the Ripper,' but he did nothing. Now I have burnt his letters long since, but the monster's name is called Jack by relatives and friends. His brother told me he is in Durban, South Africa, employed by the South African Railway Co. He left here for South Africa about six years ago. Your plan is to get a sample of his writing and compare with yours. If you cannot find him there, cause an advertisement to be put in the papers purporting to come from his brother , who has been lost sight of for many years and has never claimed money left by his father to him. Advertise, and Jack will soon answer this, but to some address in London or South Africa. However, get his writing. He was a very good writer. He often used to attend St Paul's here, and I would tell him what a hypocrite he was. I only wish I could see you.

        I am certain as I am writing this he is your man. If only to prove how wrong they were to accuse that poor Irish student, I would be pleased if the charge was sheeted home to the right man, when I think of the suffering it has caused his people. As to Sir Robert Anderson saying it was a Jew, he must be a dreamer of the dreamiest sort, for he was the man who answered my letter years ago ; but they served me as they served you, with too little consideration, for I am certain we are both right. He always carried an ugly sheath-knife in his belt. When you frightened him away he came straight to Melbourne, and remained here till six years ago. What I regret most is that that poor demented Irish student should suffer for this man's crime. I did not know till this week that anyone was charged with those crimes, or I should have made a great deal more noise than I have done, knowing as I do the real culprit. Since starting this letter I have ascertained his proper address.

        "You ought to have no difficulty in getting a sample of his writing. Go very careful about all inquiries, as he always told me he would never be taken alive, but would kill himself on the first inkling of being captured. That is all I can say at present till I hear further from you. I am sending this letter c/o P.M.G. to insure its safe delivery, as I only got your name and opinions from a newspaper cutting ; but you are quite right.

        "Wishing you success with this, and hoping to hear from you soon."


        All the interesting points are underlined.




        Yours truly
        Washington Irving:

        "To a homeless man, who has no spot on this wide world which he can truly call his own, there is a momentary feeling of something like independence and territorial consequence, when, after a weary day's travel, he kicks off his boots, thrusts his feet into slippers, and stretches himself before an inn fire. Let the world without go as it may; let kingdoms rise and fall, so long as he has the wherewithal to pay his bills, he is, for the time being, the very monarch of all he surveys. The arm chair in his throne; the poker his sceptre, and the little parlour of some twelve feet square, his undisputed empire. "

        Stratford-on-Avon

        Comment

        • #5
          Chris,

          Maybe this letter is what set off the investigation described in the paper? Or maybe it was misinterpreted from some other police inquiries.

          Yours truly
          Washington Irving:

          "To a homeless man, who has no spot on this wide world which he can truly call his own, there is a momentary feeling of something like independence and territorial consequence, when, after a weary day's travel, he kicks off his boots, thrusts his feet into slippers, and stretches himself before an inn fire. Let the world without go as it may; let kingdoms rise and fall, so long as he has the wherewithal to pay his bills, he is, for the time being, the very monarch of all he surveys. The arm chair in his throne; the poker his sceptre, and the little parlour of some twelve feet square, his undisputed empire. "

          Stratford-on-Avon

          Comment

          Previous template Next
          Working...
          X