Was there a Police solution ?

[Monty]

Not angry Dave,

More pity. The failure to grasp the reality of the situation draws my sympathies.

Monty

[Simon Wood]

Hi Monty,

Which particular "reality of the situation" has failed to be grasped?

There are so many to choose from.

Regards,

Phoenix

[Monty]

Depends on the reality you live in Pheonix.

Monty

[Stephen Thomas]

Nice idea for a poll, David. Of course the NOs will win because that is what the majority here want to believe. Theories abound then as now but my own theory which has over the years now hardened into a conviction, is that the Ripper case was sorted out in the few months between the Kelly and McKenzie murders on the basis that the latter could easily (almost certainly) have been a Ripper murder. The world's media and even Dr Bond thought so but SirMM knew different. JACK THE RIPPER WAS NEVER CAUGHT. Yeah, sure, but you don't get the idea from the memorandum that he actually believed that. My all time favourite book is James Boswell's 'Life of Johnson' from the late 18th century which I don't think was ever translated into French. Somewhere in there Boswell asks Johnson if it is ever OK to lie and Johnson says only when one has been sworn to secrecy, and then one must not hesitate or equivocate in repeating the lie.

[DVV]

Hi Stephen, I'm pleased you refer to Boswell who had been recently translated into French. "La Vie de Samuel Johnson" in 2002, and also his "Account of Corsica" (in fact, I first heard of Boswell while reading something about Paoli - Dieu le bénisse).
I'm not sure I fully understand your theory. I know you have a personal view of the case and I'm curious...

[Simon Wood]

Hi Monty,

Fair enough.

Which particular reality do you live in?

Regards,

Simon

[lynn cates]

agreed

Hello Stephen. I tend to agree with you on that.

Care to share your ideas about the solution itself? I would love to hear your ideas.

Cheers.
LC

[Wickerman]

Theories abound then as now but my own theory which has over the years now hardened into a conviction, is that the Ripper case was sorted out in the few months between the Kelly and McKenzie murders on the basis that the latter could easily (almost certainly) have been a Ripper murder.

Hi Stephen.
I would certainly be interested in what specific points, in bullet form?, leads you to that conclusion.

Regards, Jon S.

[lynn cates]

growing audience

Hello Stephen. With Jon, that makes three of us. You need to start a thread and discuss your ideas.

Cheers.
LC

[Monty]

Hi Monty,

Fair enough.

Which particular reality do you live in?

Regards,

Simon

Your interest in me flatters Simon,

I believe its en vogue to state alls in the book, that's right isn't it?

Monty

[Bridewell]

Belief Aint Knowledge

Nice idea for a poll, David. Of course the NOs will win because that is what the majority here want to believe. Theories abound then as now but my own theory which has over the years now hardened into a conviction, is that the Ripper case was sorted out in the few months between the Kelly and McKenzie murders on the basis that the latter could easily (almost certainly) have been a Ripper murder. The world's media and even Dr Bond thought so but SirMM knew different. JACK THE RIPPER WAS NEVER CAUGHT. Yeah, sure, but you don't get the idea from the memorandum that he actually believed that. My all time favourite book is James Boswell's 'Life of Johnson' from the late 18th century which I don't think was ever translated into French. Somewhere in there Boswell asks Johnson if it is ever OK to lie and Johnson says only when one has been sworn to secrecy, and then one must not hesitate or equivocate in repeating the lie.

Hi Stephen,

It is quite apparent that various officers formed their own ideas as to who the killer was. Sir MM may have been certain, but that doesn't mean he was right.

I was a police officer for 30 years and for quarter of a century I was convinced that a particular Nottinghamshire murder had been committed by a certain individual. There was strong circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime (as well as considerable retrospective hearsay). Subsequent DNA evidence proved, beyond any doubt whatsoever, that I was wrong, and that my suspect was innocent. The true offender is now serving a life term.

A witness can be certain and still turn out to be wrong. The same has to be true of police memoirs. We're worse than fishermen for exaggeration and self-aggrandizement, believe me. Littlechild was of the opinion that Anderson "only thought he knew". The same is true of all of them IMHO.

I have therefore voted "No" in the poll.

Best Wishes, Bridewell

[lynn cates]

distinction

Hello Bridewell. I wonder if one should distinguish "certainty" from "supposed certainty"?

Cheers.
LC

[DVV]

Hi Bridewell

Littlechild was of the opinion that Anderson "only thought he knew". The same is true of all of them IMHO.

You're right, and Abberline, Reid and Smith would also agree :

Abberline : "You can state most emphatically that Scotland Yard is really no wiser on the subject than it was 15 years ago."

Reid : "I challenge anyone to prove that there was a title of evidence against man, woman or child in connexion with the murders."

Smith : "I must admit that the Ripper completely beat me and every police officer in London."

[DVV]

At the present time, 5 have voted Yes, there was a police solution. Namely Jonathan, Simon, Phil, Lynn and Stephen.

And what strikes me is that, if I'm not mistaken, each of them has a different "police solution" in mind.

[Wickerman]

Maybe its just me but, when I read, "Was there a police solution?", I interpreted the question to mean, one correct solution, not, how many different police solutions were there?

Yes, of course there were several police solutions, but not an official one, so far as we know.

Regards, Jon S.