American Jack the Ripper - True Crime Conference, Baltimore, April 7-8, 2018

[GUT]

No, no no don’t say it.

[ChrisGeorge]

Before we were so rudely interrupted. . .

RipperCon 2018 Swagerama Continues!

I am giving away assorted copies of Ripperana true crime magazine (ca. 1993-1998, 16 copies total) to whomever can tell me the name of the editor of this now, alas, defunct magazine.

Separately, or together, I have publications (magazines, booklets) on the supposed assassination by poisoning of Napoleon on St. Helena to whomever can tell me the name of the man who held the theory that the Emperor was poisoned and who was a collector of Napoleonana. Hint: His brother worked with Arnold Schwarzenneger in his bodybuilding career before he became an actor. (I think Brian Young [aka Steadmund Brand] or else Bernard Beaulé or Michael Hawley might get this!)

Cheers and Good luck!

Chris

[PaulWilliams]

Hi Chris,

Nick Warren was the editor of Ripperana and Ben Weider had a theory that Napoleon was poisoned. From memory I think a Swedish doctor first developed the theory and Weider wrote one, or maybe, two books about it.

Best wishes,

Paul

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hi Patrick

Yes you are correct -- Poe did not pan for gold. Congratulations.

Poe was on the East Coast in 1849, lecturing and in search for a new wife, his wife Virginia having died two years earlier of consumption. He was also not in good health himself and certainly was not well enough to go West to pan for gold. He would die in mysterious circumstances in Baltimore that October.

Send me your snail mail address by private message. Meanwhile, here is a photograph of the late Vincent Price at Poe's grave at Fayette and Greene Streets in Baltimore. On our RipperCon bus tour on Monday, April 9 we will be visiting Poe's grave. See www.RipperCon.com for more information.

Cheers

Chris

Is it me or does the building in the background look a bit like The Texas School Book Depository?

[ChrisGeorge]

Hi Chris,

Nick Warren was the editor of Ripperana and Ben Weider had a theory that Napoleon was poisoned. From memory I think a Swedish doctor first developed the theory and Weider wrote one, or maybe, two books about it.

Best wishes,

Paul

Hi Paul

Correct ... the name I was looking for is Ben Weider who had a body building company with his brother that worked with Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was in that line, which first brought the Austrian-born actor and former governor of California to public attention.

Separately, Howard Brown at JtR Forums named Nick Warren as editor of Ripperana, so he got that prize.

Send me your address by private message and I will get the materials off to you about the supposed assassination by poison of Napoleon.

Cheers

Chris

[Hercule Poirot]

Ben Weider was born in the province of Quebec where I come from. I think he lived in Montreal.

[ChrisGeorge]

Ben Weider was born in the province of Quebec where I come from. I think he lived in Montreal.

Yes indeed. I never met Mr Weider in person but we were in correspondence and in 1997 I reviewed his book on the suspicious death of Napoleon for the Journal of the War of 1812 that I then edited.

[ChrisGeorge]

This signed copy of the 1988 Penguin Books paperback edition of Donald Rumbelow's The Complete Jack the Ripper (in fair condition) goes to whomever is first to tell us the name of the German serial killer that Don discusses in his landmark book on the Ripper case. Yes, indeed! This is yet another part of RipperCon 2018's Swagerama giveaway. Previous winners cannot enter. Good luck!

Come to hear the talks at RipperCon #JacktheRipper-#TrueCrime conference in Baltimore April 7-8, and enjoy the tours of Baltimore April 6 and 9 going to Edgar Allan Poe locations and the MD Medical Examiners Office, etc. Don't miss out! Check us out at www.RipperCon.com -- you might even consider coming for our Valentine's Day event in Baltimore "Love to Die For!" -- look for news to be announced shortly!

[Hercule Poirot]

Peter Kurten, The Vampire of Düsseldorf

[ChrisGeorge]

Peter Kurten, The Vampire of Düsseldorf

Hi Hercule

Indeed as you say, Peter Kurten, "The Vampire of Düsseldorf" is the serial killer discussed by Mr. Rumbelow in his landmark book. Well done. Let me check around in case anyone answered before you. If not you are the winner of the trivia contest. Stay tuned.

Cheers

Chris

[ChrisGeorge]

Hi Hercule

Indeed as you say, Peter Kurten, "The Vampire of Düsseldorf" is the serial killer discussed by Mr. Rumbelow in his landmark book. Well done. Let me check around in case anyone answered before you. If not you are the winner of the trivia contest. Stay tuned.

Cheers

Chris

Hi again Hercule

I find that you were the first to answer correctly. Send me your snail mail address by private message and I will get the book off to you directly.

Here is the story of the inscription that Don wrote in my copy of The Complete Jack the Ripper. It so happens that Ripper author and (alas!) now retired Ripper Walks tour guide Don Rumbelow is also a lover of Napoleonic history. Aware of that, when Don came to Baltimore to be Guest Speaker at the 2002 Jack the Ripper Conference at the BWI Airport Comfort Inn, I invited him to a lecture on the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake that I was due to deliver on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

We travelled to the town where I was to give the lecture in a car driven by the late Judge Elsbeth Bothe (pictured below). Beth knew Don and Molly Rumbelow from before, and Donna and I were invited to her house in Baltimore one evening for a dinner with the Rumbelows. As you can see from the photo, Beth was a collector of bizarre things like skulls or paintings and clocks with mice, as well as 18th-century prints by such masters of the satirical cartoon as Rowlandson and Gillray.

Beth was handicapped and so the controls of her Cadillac were adapted so she could drive it. Before we could reach the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to cross over to the Eastern Shore we were caught in a terrific rainstorm, and I was seriously afraid we might end up in a ditch beside the expressway leading to the bridge.

We did make it across the bridge, and found that it was bright sunshine on the other side! It hadn't rained at all over there. Nonetheless, the storm had delayed us and I had to rush my dinner at the Tidewater Inn in Easton before hustling off to the lecture hall. It was hard to explain to the audience, who had been kept waiting for my arrival, about the rainstorm on the state's western shore that they had not experienced!!!!

In any case, that is why Don wrote "Welcome to Ripperology -- again!" as the inscription on the book!

Cheers

Chris

[Hercule Poirot]

Hi Chris,
I'm so happy for having won. I'll send you a PM.

[ChrisGeorge]

PM received, Hercule, and I have responded!

As we edge toward RipperCon 2018 coming up in Baltimore at the beginning of April, here is an article on the 2004 Baltimore conference.

[ChrisGeorge]

RipperCon 2018 Swagerama continues! If you are the first to give me the official name of Big Ben at the Houses of Parliament, you win the vintage trick postcard at the bottom. I am thinking the Mademoiselle who was the recipient of this special 1905 postcard was a little girl. What do you think???

Previous winners of RipperCon 2018 loot cannot win again.

Come to RipperCon in Baltimore in April. Don't miss out on two days of talks and two days of tours, Friday, April 6 through Monday, April 9. Complete details at www.RipperCon.com. This is the only North American #JacktheRipper-#True Crime conference in the 130th Anniversary Year of the Whitechapel Murders.

Special Valentine's Day "To Die For" Evening at the Duchess of Windsor Museum, 206 E. Biddle Street, Baltimore, Saturday, February 17, 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm, featuring Mike Hawley talking Dr. Tumblety and signing copies of his books. Details to be announced shortly.

[MrBarnett]

Big Ben is the name of a bell inside the 'Elizabeth Tower'.