Who is this "notorious woman"?

[Nemo]

Yes, and though I don't think the woman would have offered such an explanation herself, the woman with the detective camera was supposedly encouraged in the hunt by the rewards, possibly being a fourth female detective

I was reading a thesis on the attitude toward and prevalence of female detectives in literature in the LVP which made interesting reading

Though there was the usual discriminatory remarks against the fair sex, the concept was quite popular and numerous female detectives appeared

[Nemo]

This is a very informative site about Chicago May

http://heroinesofhistory.wikispaces.com/Chicago+May

I didn't know much about her but she looks to be a very interesting character in her own right

She was born in Ireland in 1871 and appears to have been in London to meet Bella when she was 17 to 18 years old

She emigrated to America when she was 18

Why then does she say that Bella remarked about "Yanks", but thought she (Chicago May) was Irish - when she had actually just come from Ireland and hadn't visited America yet

The remark about Bella leaving her money to the church etc would indicate that Chicago May kept up to date with what was happening in Bella's life after she (Chicago May) had emigrated

Is that likely?

PS Scratch the above comment - it appears Chicago May returned to London at a later date

I'll read her biography to get more familiar with her history

[Debra A]

If Chicago May returned from the US in 1900 the dealings with Bella had to have been between 1900-1901, as Bella died in 1901.
I have a copy of Bella's will (somehwhere!) and the bit about leaving money to the church isn't true, she left money to her only son, and also her siblings and friends.

[Debra A]

There's a more flattering picture of Chicago May from the serialisation of her autbiography in the The Milwaukee Sentinel - Aug 21, 1927

[Beowulf]

I'm not sure it has to be either of them? Maybe just a man who liked those kind of whiskers and wore glasses ?
Although I still think it is probably meant to represent Barnardo and perhaps it's someone's idea of a joke?

I didn't mean either of them is JTR. I meant to r/o one or both AS JTR. Just looking to cut the list of suspects down.

I have never heard of Forbes Winslow and so I looked him up, interesting character. I'd like to hear what he had to say on D'Onston, since there was some speculation that he was leaving the asylum at night and able to be a ripper suspect. Interesting he was called on for his expertise in the case of Mrs. Maybrick. If that were so it's interesting he did he not suspect Maybrick back then as the Ripper.

Btw; I love that picture of Chicago May, a real flapper.

[Nemo]

Hi Beowulf

I've seen it suggested that if the Maybrick diary is an old fake, then Forbes Winslow is a candidate for being the creator, given his support of Florence and his apparent penchant for fake Ripper letters

He's definitely one of my favourite period characters and someone I think worthy of research

Thanks Deb, I worked out it must have been between 1900 and 1910 but I didn't realise Bella died in 1901

Do you think she might have mentioned that she had taken a photo of the Ripper? Maybe not if nothing came of it

I've got a gut feeling that the picture of the Ripper - who wouldn't have known when or where the photo was taken because it was taken with a detective camera - is a concoction very like the psychic woman being able to recognise the Ripper on sight - reading his thoughts no doubt, and intended to scare the Ripper somewhat - like the threat of bloodhounds

They both sound like Forbes Winslow creations to me, him trying to be clever and provoke some reaction or communication from the true Ripper, or even scare him off altogether

It's a favourite theory of mine that nobody seems to agree with, but it makes more sense to me than him blatantly forging evidence and the like as he was actually a respected authority on insanity, specialising somewhat in criminal insanity (and psychology)

[DRoy]

I've got a gut feeling that the picture of the Ripper - who wouldn't have known when or where the photo was taken because it was taken with a detective camera - is a concoction very like the psychic woman being able to recognise the Ripper on sight - reading his thoughts no doubt, and intended to scare the Ripper somewhat - like the threat of bloodhounds

They both sound like Forbes Winslow creations to me, him trying to be clever and provoke some reaction or communication from the true Ripper, or even scare him off altogether

Hi Nemo,

I would be surprised if it was Winslow's creation. It seems odd that he would send this story to a Pittsburgh paper unless it was to flush out someone who had recently gone to Pittsburgh from London that he suspected. I haven't found another story anywhere that coincides with this one.

Yes there are pieces of the story that can be picked up from anywhere. But there are also parts of the article that seem matter-of-fact and from a source or sources that other papers may not have been privy to. The writer either made up half the article for $hits & giggles or someone with Pittsburgh ties decided to share this as an exclusive. I find it hard to believe that no other paper would print a Ripper story if one was available.

Cheers
DRoy