London crime wave?

[lynn cates]

Hello All. Here is an interesting take on the reporting of crime. Looking at the last paragraph, I think we can see a parallel between this and the "Dear Boss" with the sudden influx of mock letters all over England in the "Autumn of Terror."

Snippet is from "The Boston Globe" 31 December, 1888.

Cheers.
LC

[Lechmere]

Only Bradford isn't anywhere near London

[Phil H]

The article doesn't say or imply that Bradford IS near London.

The thesis surely is that press coverage may incite copy-cat acts anywhere.

A not uncommon cry even today!

Phil H

[lynn cates]

London

Hello Edward. Thanks.

Quite. But it did originate from London?

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

La Bianca

Hello Phil. Thanks.

Indeed. If I recall properly, the La Bianca murders were originally taken to be such.

Cheers.
LC

[mklhawley]

Incidentally, the author of this article was most likely the Boston Herald's London correspondent Arthur Warren. He took over the post earlier that month. More to come in a future article!

Sincerely,

Mike

[mklhawley]

Oops, this was the Boston Globe. My bad.

[Lechmere]

Phil
I think you will find that this thread is entitled 'London crime wave'.

[caz]

Connecting the Dots

Hi Lechy,

Even Lynn's 'London' could be a tad misleading, given that the crime wave in question, which may or may not have excited more murder and mayhem 'oop north' (or in other parts of the globe), seems only to have affected Spitalfields unfortunates who had the added misfortune of having to frequent one teeny-tiny portion of the East End.

If nothing else, a Bradford copycat (as opposed to a completely unconnected and independent horror) would arguably highlight the unprecedented and genuinely sensational nature of this 'crime wave'. The media were, after all, only responsible for spreading the news far and wide, not making it.

Love,

Caz
X

[lynn cates]

Beetmore

Hello Caroline. But surely Jane Beetmore was not a "Spitalfields unfortunate"?

Cheers.
LC

[ChrisGeorge]

Hello All. Here is an interesting take on the reporting of crime. Looking at the last paragraph, I think we can see a parallel between this and the "Dear Boss" with the sudden influx of mock letters all over England in the "Autumn of Terror."

Snippet is from "The Boston Globe" 31 December, 1888.

Cheers.
LC

Hi Lynn

Indeed, it might be argued that if the murders did not provoke other violent individuals to emulate the Whitechapel killer, and I think to some extent that did happen, it also led to an epidemic of writer's cramp.

Best regards

Chris

[lynn cates]

This, too, shall pass.

Hello Chris. Thanks.

Indeed. Not to mention occasional brain flatulence. (heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC

[Stephen Thomas]

Two boys murdered in Bradford 'the other day'?

I thought there was only one, by some paedophile.

[caz]

Hello Caroline. But surely Jane Beetmore was not a "Spitalfields unfortunate"?

Cheers.
LC

Well then, Lynn, she wouldn't have been part of the Spitalfields unfortunate crime wave, would she?

Maybe I'm not seeing the point you are making with Jane.

Love,

Caz
X

[lynn cates]

result

Hello Caroline. Thanks. Put simply, she was a result of it, but not, herself, one.

Cheers.
LC