The CONTROLLERS of Spitalfields

[Mayerling]

Hi Sir John,

Phil H mentioned the name of the author of that book I mentioned on the thread "Five Canonical Victims" today. John Gardner was the author of "The Return of Moriarty" and a second book, "The Revenge of Moriarty". He also mentioned the murder of the Ripper plot I explained.

Jeff

[Errata]

I'm not entirely sure that knowledge of crime "families" will help in the Ripper case, but I suspect it might help enormously with the Torso Murders.

[MrBarnett]

I take the title of this thread from a chapter title in Fiona Rule's book "The Worst Street in London".

She names six families who owned or controlled the area north of Spitalfields Market - the area, she claims, from which virtually every character involved in the JtR mystery came (p 97).

The families were those of:

1. Frederick Gehringer who ran a haulage business and a public house in Wentworth St.

2. Jimmy Smith and his son (also Jimmy) greengrocers of brick Lane - they also ran a common lodging house and the son ran a coal dealership and delivery service. the son is stated to be a man who "straightened up the police" and had a side-line in illegal street gambling. One local described him as the "governor" around Brick Lane.

This family were related to (30 Johnny Cooney (brother-in-law) and many of their lodgings were said to operate as brothels. Cooney ran the Sugar Loaf pub in Hanbury St.

4. Daniel Lewis and sons - controlled lodgings in Thrawl St and George Yard - close links to Smiths and Cooneys but little else known.

5. John McCathy - Dorset St (nuff said). MJK's landlord if you do not know.

Rule cites an illegal prize fight organised by McCarthy and Jimmy Smith's brother where Sgt Thicke was persuaded to give both men glowing character references. (Smith had assaulted a policeman.)

6. William Crossingham - McCarthy's neighbour and business associate. Essex man - his daughter married McCarthy's brother. Moved back to Romford in early 1900s.

I'll post my observations in a separate follow-up post to keep them apart from this "factual" material.

Phil

One small problem with this: almost every place mentioned was south of the market.

[Rosella]

I'm not sure how local crime bosses would be sure of getting details about a serial killer who acted alone. And, surely, if they knew who he was, McCarthy or Crossingham would have communicated with the local police, some of whom they knew VERY well, and let the law take its course, rather than they or their henchmen facing the hangman's rope themselves if they got caught.

(Not all the local police or members of the public were corrupt or turned a blind eye, and murder was a capital offence.)

If he was a local and knew about the territory of local 'bullies' and crime lords, surely Jack would have kept away from killing a woman from 'McCarthy's Rents' under that gentleman's nose? I know the Ripper was a risk taker, but there are limits!

[MrBarnett]

I'm not sure how local crime bosses would be sure of getting details about a serial killer who acted alone. And, surely, if they knew who he was, McCarthy or Crossingham would have communicated with the local police, some of whom they knew VERY well, and let the law take its course, rather than they or their henchmen facing the hangman's rope themselves if they got caught.

(Not all the local police or members of the public were corrupt or turned a blind eye, and murder was a capital offence.)

If he was a local and knew about the territory of local 'bullies' and crime lords, surely Jack would have kept away from killing a woman from 'McCarthy's Rents' under that gentleman's nose? I know the Ripper was a risk taker, but there are limits!

Is it now a given that Crossingham, McCarthy etc were 'crime bosses'? On what evidence?

[Rosella]

I was really referring to McCarthy's reputation in the area as a slum landlord and suspected 'bully' ie controller of prostitutes. He had been accused of arranging illegal prize fighting in the early 1880's.

Crossingham was also a slum landlord; quite a lot of his tenants died in his lodging houses, as Wynne Baxter noted on one occasion. He and McCarthy were close friends and his daughter married McCarthy's brother Daniel.

All the same, I believe if they had known who Jack was they would have told Thicke or Abberline.

[Rosella]

Frederick Gehringer, of German descent, controlled things north of Spitalfields market. He had a haulage business and owned property, including The City of Norwich pub in Wentworth St.

[SirJohnFalstaff]

One small problem with this: almost every place mentioned was south of the market.

Gehringer was north, according to the book.

EDIT: sorry Rosella. I replied before seeing your post.

[SirJohnFalstaff]

Hi Sir John,

Phil H mentioned the name of the author of that book I mentioned on the thread "Five Canonical Victims" today. John Gardner was the author of "The Return of Moriarty" and a second book, "The Revenge of Moriarty". He also mentioned the murder of the Ripper plot I explained.

Jeff

thanks a bunch.

[The Rookie Detective]

Bump up

Excellent thread that warrants further discussion

I am currently looking at Fred Gehringer (on another thread) and his brothers dodgy butchers yard.

Daniel Sullivan, who worked for Crossingham, and whos brother Jeremiah publicly beat up his own parents in the street.

Henry Buckley who worked for McCarthy, mistakenly referred to as Edward Buckley in the press on 2 occasions.

Morgenstern who stabbed and beat 3 women in one go, casually removing his shirt beforehand

Billy Maher - Gary B is a specialist on his antics

Thicke - the policeman who was arguably on more than one payroll


There is a lot more to uncover here


RD

[Barnaby]

Excellent thread. I believe Tom Wescott also discusses some of these "controllers" in the Bank Holiday Murders, with some focus on how Pearly Poll may have been pressured to provide false testimony.

Who knows if this is realistic, but the idea of one crime boss getting fed up after the Ripper - who may have been working for another boss - killed his mistress, and had Jack whacked would be a serious upgrade in Ripper fiction movie plots.