Tamworth Herald 26th July 1890

[Phil Carter]

Hello all,

The following comes from the Tamworth Herald, 26th July 1890.

"The Press Association is authorised to state that there is absolutely no foundation for a report that "Jack the Ripper" has been arrested in London. The whole story is described by the officials at Scotland Yard as a ridiculous concoction"

Well, now we know were we stand 1890. The Press Association were authorised....doesn't that mean.. tell the public it's rubbish, we order you? Now who on earth would give that order apart from Scotland Yard themselves?

best wishes

Phil

[Phil Carter]

Hello all,

I wish to re-ask the question above.. and ask in addition, this would affect the so-called suspects Montague John Druitt and Aaron Kosminski and their whereabouts given the period of time given in the article...26th July 1890.

Scotland Yard must have authorised the statement above. So.... where do Macnaghten and Swanson come in here with Druitt and Kosminski? the date is important, methinks, regarding at least one of these so called suspects.


This statement was authorised. Must be from the source of knowledge.. must be Scotland Yard.



Phil

[Hunter]

Hi Phil,

Well it is coincidental to when Aaron Kozminski had his short stay at the workhouse and the idea that an ID attempt may have been made at that time. Of course, there were rumors going around all the time and on occasion Scotland Yard thought it prudent to address them. And of course, there is no record that 'Kosminski' was ever actually arrested for murdering anyone, so the 'Yard' could be truthful even if someone was being seriously considered.

Interesting, because of the time line, but highly speculative nonetheless. Perhaps there is another earlier press report that gives some details about the rumor or report, maybe?

[Mr Lucky]

Hi Phil

From the day before;-

'IS "JACK THE RIPPER" IN CUSTODY?
According to a letter which has been received in Halifax from a lady now visiting the home of a high official in London, the real Jack the Ripper has been under arrest in the English Capital for some time. He is said to be a medical student. The arrest was made, says the writer of the letter, on the strength of the facts given to the police by his sister. The authorities kept it a strict secret, in order to work up the evidence against the prisoner, against which the chain of evidence is now reported to be complete.' - Edinburgh Evening News 25 July 1890

[robhouse]

This is a very interesting article Phil. I thank you for posting it. Did you discover this yourself? I have never seen it before.

Of course this is very interesting, timing-wise, with Kozminski, since it appeared just 14 days after Kozminski's first admission to the workhouse, and it is a good guess that the identification happened in the days immediately following.

An interesting, and possibly related story, was published 2 days after this one in the Galveston (TX, USA) Daily News, but this was apparently reprinted after a story that originally appeared in a Halifax, Nova Scotia paper which has not yet been discovered, to my knowledge:

"JACK THE RIPPER’S VACATION
A Possible Explanation of the Suspension of Whitechapel Horrors

Halifax, N.S. July 28.

A curious story has got out here that if true explains the long rest which Jack the Ripper has been taking from his diabolical work in the Whitechapel district, London. A lady from this city visiting a distinguished official in London, states in a letter written to friends here that the Ripper has been under arrest in the London metropolis for some time. He is a medical student and was arrested on the strength of information given by his own sister.

The authorities, the letter states, have kept the matter a strict secret in order to work up the case against the prisoner, and they are said to have a very complete chain of evidence.

These statements are vouched for by the writer of the letter who came into possession of the facts accidentally. The person who makes the story public, however, refuses to divulge her name."

Given that Anderson was convinced (at some point, probably as a result of the identification) that Kozminski was the Ripper, it seems entirely likely that the story refers to him, and to the identification... word of which apparently had leaked somehow.

And this article (the Tamworth one) fits with my contention that the police would have wanted to cover up or conceal what happened with Kozminski... for various reasons I have stated before.

So I think this is an important new piece of the puzzle.

Rob H

[robhouse]

Also, keep in mind the Crawford letter:

"I send you this line to ask you to see & hear the bearer, whose name is unknown to me. She has or thinks she has a knowledge of the author of the Whitechapel murders. The author is supposed to be nearly related to her, & she is in great fear lest any suspicion should attach to her & place her & her family in peril."

and this:

"The arrest was made, says the writer of the letter, on the strength of the facts given to the police by his sister."

etc

RH

[robhouse]

Also reported in various other US papers as early as July 24... so the report pre-dated July 25, and probably had the original source in England somewhere, and or Halifax, Nova Scotia... via a Halifax lady who visited a "distinguished London official"...


The Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel (Indiana, USA)

JACK THE RIPPER!
Is a Medical Student and is Under Arrest in London - A Chain of Evidence Woven About Him
Halifax, July 24.
A Halifax lady, at present visiting a distinguished London official, writes to friends here that Jack the Ripper is under arrest in that city and has been for some time. The Ripper, she says, is a medical student and his arrest was made on the strength of information given by his sister. The authorities have kept the matter the strictest secret in order to work up a case against the man. The chain of evidence is very complete. This information, though startling, is vouched for by the writer of the letter, who accidentally came into possession of the facts.

[robhouse]

It is also interesting in view of the timeline:

• Kozminski was admitted on July 12, 1890
• It is entirely plausible (if not likely) that the identification took place on the following day or the day after... perhaps the most likely date is July 14 or thereabouts. Kozminski was then released
• If word leaked somehow that Jack the Ripper had been "arrested", then word would have started to spread around this time... ie. July 15 or so.
• In the 1890s, it took an average of 6 days for a steamer to cross the atlantic.
• If a woman heard the rumor from a "distinguished London official" around July 15 or 16 and sent a letter home, it would likely arrive in Halifax around July 21-22.
• The first reports of the letter sent by a Halifax lady must have appeared prior to July 24 (in a Halifax paper), probably by 1 day. ie. around or on July 23.

Convincing?

RH

[Cogidubnus]

Hello Rob

Wouldn't something as big as that be transmitted telegraphically?

All the best

Dave

[Trevor Marriott]

It is also interesting in view of the timeline:

• Kozminski was admitted on July 12, 1890
• It is entirely plausible (if not likely) that the identification took place on the following day or the day after... perhaps the most likely date is July 14 or thereabouts. Kozminski was then released
• If word leaked somehow that Jack the Ripper had been "arrested", then word would have started to spread around this time... ie. July 15 or so.
• In the 1890s, it took an average of 6 days for a steamer to cross the atlantic.
• If a woman heard the rumor from a "distinguished London official" around July 15 or 16 and sent a letter home, it would likely arrive in Halifax around July 21-22.
• The first reports of the letter sent by a Halifax lady must have appeared prior to July 24 (in a Halifax paper), probably by 1 day. ie. around or on July 23.

Convincing?

RH

So if they had carried out the ID as you say and knew they had JTR in their grasp they are hardly likely to just let him go on his merry way are they.

Besides if it had happened before he was released it would have been recorded on his asylum file.

[robhouse]

Hello Rob

Wouldn't something as big as that be transmitted telegraphically?

All the best

Dave

We are talking about a personal letter from a woman to her friends back home... it was not an official dispatch. Besides, if I understand correctly... telegrams were expensive and charged by the word I think.

RH

[robhouse]

So if they had carried out the ID as you say and knew they had JTR in their grasp they are hardly likely to just let him go on his merry way are they.

Besides if it had happened before he was released it would have been recorded on his asylum file.

You are incorrect.

RH

Edit: As to your first point, I have responded to this idea already about 100 times. As to your second point... if the police were trying to keep this hush-hush, as I assume they were, they would have made sure it didn't end up in his file.

I removed the non-nice stuff.....

[Trevor Marriott]

You are incorrect as always, but there is no point my trying to explain it to you.

RH

Well try I ! lets see where this will go as far as a sensible debate is concerned ?

[Robert]

The News and Observer (Raleigh, NC) July 27th says the lady says that she learned the facts accidentally "through her acqaintance with the family she is visiting."

[Robert]

The article starts "Halifax, N.S., July 23" if anyone wants to look for the Halifax newspaper.