Surveillance of Suspects

[c.d.]

I have seen references to suspects being under surveillance. I find it a bit confusing though. I am thinking of the known suspects, Kosminski, Druitt and Tumblety. What are reasonable assumptions with regard to these three...that they were never under surveillance? That they were under surveillance but not at the time the murders were occurring or that they were under surveillance at the time of the murders but the police just did a piss poor job of it enabling the suspects to committ the murders without being seen.

Does anybody want to weigh in on the whole surveillance scenario?

c.d.

[Limehouse]

Hi c.d.

This very aspect of the Ripper investigation has been on my mind all weekend, ever since our friend The Prophet suggeted that Dr Barnardo's name was on the suspect list BEFORE the double muder and that as a result he was placed under surveillance. Well if Dr Barnardo really was the murderer, Stevie Wonder must have been in charge of surveillance (sorry, that's rather distasteful).

If there was surveillance going on, my feeling is that it consisted of watching a few Jews of the Leather Apron type or alternatively, people considered as 'lunatics' of the wandering/mumbling type. I don't think the police had a clue what sort of person was responsible because this type of crime was so poorly understood. It was reasoned a madman or a foreigner must be responsible, therefore they targeted mad-looking men and Jews.

[c.d.]

Hi Limehouse,

Good observations. I am not sure that surveillance, as the term was used, was necessarily the same as actually following a suspect.

c.d.

By the way, I worked with a guy who once had a job as a doorman at a swanky hotel. Stevie Wonder and his entourage were entering the hotel when one of Stevie's people asked this guy a question. He turned to answer and accidentally let go of the door smacking Stevie in the face. His entourage were really angry but Stevie was cool with it and said no harm done.