Jack the Ripper case breakthrough; the when and how

[Tom_Wescott]

I imagine that if any new material is to truly break the case wide open, it must come from other than the official records. After all, if the official records contain the solution, the officials would have solved it.

A true breakthrough would be something like the Maybrick diary, but actually real. Anything else - even asylum records of suspect x stating he was violently insane and hated women - would merely make some theory more or less plausible without being decisive.

You mean the official records still available to us? I agree. But most of the documents are missing, so it's possible some could turn up that would offer new insights, though clearly not a 'pat answer' since the police as a whole could not agree on who their favorite suspect was.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Dr. John Watson]

Let us not forget that a large number of records from the Metropolitan Police ripper files were purloined some years ago, including the entire "Suspects" file. These records likely still exist and may be held in private hands by persons who have no idea what they are or how valuable they are.

John

[Ozzy]

Reading about things like the two packages that Bill Waddell received, the photograph albums returned to Scotland Yard by the family of a former police officer and Eric Barton's Littlechild letter always get me thinking 'I wonder if there was there more?'

I thought I'd quote something which can be found elsewhere on this site. An interview, by Chris George, with Stewart P. Evans. No doubt some of you will have already read it.
The full interview with Stewart can be found in the link. The part I have quoted is from part 2 of the interview.

http://www.casebook.org/authors/interviews/stewart_evans.2.html

An intriguing footnote to all this was that on meeting Eric Barton at his home I found it to be a veritable "Aladdin's Cave." In telling the story of his purchase, Eric revealed that also with Sims' letters was a full set of the crime scene photos of Miller's Court and Mary Jane Kelly! He had never sold them and they were still in his home somewhere. I kept in contact with Eric hoping that he would find these photos which he said I could have. Unfortunately Eric died before the photographs were located. (It will be remembered that Sims was a friend of Macnaghten and it is from him that Sims undoubtedly obtained the photos).

[Digalittledeeperwatson]

Hullo.

I imagine that if any new material is to truly break the case wide open, it must come from other than the official records. After all, if the official records contain the solution, the officials would have solved it.

Not neccesarily so. There had to have been massive amounts of data. We have the benefits of a large and unique group with many expertises at our desposal. Also, we lack the pressure to solve it. Also, again, solving it and proving it in a court of law are two different things. They may have solved it but lacked any action to take. Our task would be much easier than theirs. They did have the massive benefit of being there when it was happening. I don't underestimate them or us. I'd love the opportunity.

[lynn cates]

Oh, brother.

Hello Pat. Thanks.

"Yes it could also tell us who his brother was that vouched for him??"

Possibly. Might also tell us how he was in Switzerland and England at the same time.

Really interesting would be why his "brother" waited a week and a half to come forward.

Cheers.
LC

[GUT]

How about a letter from the Druitt family to Mac? [or maybe not!]

[Barnaby]

If the identity of the killer actually was known to the police with a reasonable degree of certainty then, of course, there could be bombshell evidence just waiting to be uncovered. If not, then I suspect we will continue to learn much more about tangential aspects to the crimes (certainly worthwhile!), and some of these tangential characters inevitably will be proposed as suspects (some good, most bad). That's how it seems to work from my point of view.

[Damaso Marte]

I imagine that if any new material is to truly break the case wide open, it must come from other than the official records. After all, if the official records contain the solution, the officials would have solved it.

A true breakthrough would be something like the Maybrick diary, but actually real. Anything else - even asylum records of suspect x stating he was violently insane and hated women - would merely make some theory more or less plausible without being decisive.

[Tom_Wescott]

The big question though, in my mind, is:

Even if a discovery was made that blew the whole case wide open 90% of those here would reject it if it didn't fit their pet theory.

I believe that if 90% of us rejected something then the evidence is clearly lacking in substance. I think anywhere from 1% to 15% would reject a viable new find. The percentage would depend on how controversial the evidence is. Some will naturally reject something controversial initially, but come around to it after a while.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Paddy]

Leavesden

Thanks Rob,

I shall have a phone round and a trip to London when it gets a bit warmer.

I am sure there is more info out there. Within my own family there were skeletons that I found were passed down other lines too. We only got the whole story when we communicated through genealogy. We all had a bit of the answer but not all..

Pat.......................................

[GUT]

Though I'd probably be one of the 90% anyway.

[Paddy]

Isenschmidt

Yes it could also tell us who his brother was that vouched for him ??

Pat......................

[GUT]

G'Day LC

But I have lived one lifetime, in fact many grasshopper.

[lynn cates]

wise man

Hello GUT.

"Even if a discovery was made that blew the whole case wide open 90% of those here would reject it if it didn't fit their pet theory."

"For one who has not lived for even a single lifetime, you're a wise man, Van Helsing." (heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

private collections

Hello DLDW. Thanks for the kind remarks.

Your idea about material in private collections is excellent. I am informed that the Byas family may STILL have the records from Grove Hall lunatic asylum. If only they contain Jacob Isenschmid's charts . . .

Cheers.
LC