Best book on Bury?

[Wyatt Earp]

I just noticed that there is a new edition of Euan Macpherson’s book available from Amazon. It appears to be a Kindle-only title. I don’t own a Kindle and haven’t read it yet.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trial-Jack-...+the+ripper%22

There is a foreword by Sue Black that customers can read as part of the preview. The table of contents has some changes from the 2005 paperback that I own, so this must be a revision and not simply a reprint of the 2005 book.

[Boggles]

Well its a bit off topic but it all boils down to whether you think the Farmer assault to be a geniune ripper attack. The police at the time didnt, and many people still disregard it im guessing mainly because they have high expectations that the ripper was a highly efficent killing machine. Whereas I personally believe he was a disorganised, bumbeling drugged up maniac and Farmer was a plucky & very lucky woman who managed to fight him off. Possibly on this occasion he didnt have his large knife with him, just his clasp knife we know he carried.

This incident had a lot of witness descriptions that really do fit the Bill - short, sturdy, hard felt hat, triangular black coat, possibly a saddler etc etc one person says he even had a horse whip! (apart from the scar of course which we dont know about because he always seems to have his neck covered). - Farmer says she knew him 12 months ago and 'he ill used me then' and could easily recognise him again. Shortly after this incident (related or not) Bury starts planning to leave town.

Anyway have a look yourself.
The Daily Telegraph
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1888

http://www.casebook.org/press_reports/daily_telegraph/dt881122.html?printer=true

[johns]

This is the only distingishing mark recorded on a potential ripper suspect.

Hi Boggles. I've never heard of this distinguishing mark. Care to shed a bit more light please.

[Cogidubnus]

Sounds like there's the makings of a really good Bury book in the background there...which is fantastic...personally I'm not a great Bury believer, but I love to hear he's still very much alive as a suspect...at any rate he's far more likely than some who are actively being propounded...

All the best

Dave

[Casebook Wiki Editor]

Hi Greg,

I would argue against it being a matter of confidence when an author makes a point to overstate his case at every turn. Probably quite the opposite. I enjoyed Beadle's first edition much more than I did his later edition,

Is the paperback version the later edition? Weren't the HC and the paperback out within a year of each other? I didn't realize there was such a re-write of the material.

[Boggles]

Hi Iain/Johns
I would be happy to help - Ive got the National Archives of Scotland to send me copies all the trial notes, letters etc if you want them. Havent had time to have a really good look through. PM me if you want copies. I havent done any serious research, i just tend to come back every now and again to see if anyones found anything.

Btw - during the course of your research if anyone finds any mention that Bury had a scar/abcess on his neck let me know. I have a pet theory that he was involved in the Farmer assault, and this is what spooked him to leave. This is the only distingishing mark recorded on a potential ripper suspect.

- Johns the metal detector broke so had to give it up!

[johns]

Hi Iain.

I've done a fair bit of research into Bury in the past and would be interested in more. I live close to Stourbridge and the Black Country.

I've already scanned the following libraries.
Stourbridge
Wolverhampton
Stafford
William Salt in Stafford
Worcester

What have you got in mind?

[Iain Wilson]

I've certainly always considered Bury as one of the more viable suspects. Anyone fancy doing some collaborative research on the guy?

[curious]

Ha! I don't think I'd have the patience for that. A couple of sentences at a time on Casebook are about right for me.

I'd be interested in another Bury book as well. I've already read Beadle's, but purchased the MacPhearson (Spelling is off) one.

And since it was so cheap, the Paley one on Barnett -- not that I think there is the first thing to the Barnett suspicion.

Bury, now -- he was my first suspect and one I consider a better one than most of those touted.

[Boggles]

To Fleetwood I'll think you'll find that a lot of serial killers were/are heavy drinkers

Yes and lets not forget the drugs, it twas the 1880s no less.

Several weeks of all night drinking and drugs sessions can leave you with rather blotchy skin as well i might add.

[Wyatt Earp]

I would buy Bury as a suspect over Druitt, Tumblety, Cutbush, and a host of others. Maybe YOU should get to researching and write the ultimate Bury book, Wyatt! But I'll want a signed copy...well, maybe you shouldn't sign it 'Wyatt Earp'.

Ha! I don't think I'd have the patience for that. A couple of sentences at a time on Casebook are about right for me.

[John Wheat]

To Fleetwood I'll think you'll find that a lot of serial killers were/are heavy drinkers.

[Fleetwood Mac]

I would have thought a suspect's candidacy should rest on any outstanding features, e.g. Kosminski and the ID.

I think the whole drunk/prone to casual violence thing is overestimated when assessing a suspect because a) it seems there were many of these types doing the rounds b) whether or not Jack was this type is open to debate.

What makes Bury a decent candidate is the mutiliations.

I couldn't agree that he lost commitment to the whole ripping thing, but perhaps the fact this was his wife, as opposed to a prostitute; meant he was caught between a rock and a hard place.

Also, assuming the aim of cutting the throat was to prevent blood splatter that could lead to him being stopped in the street, well, clearly, he was in his home when he murdered his wife and could clean up; so such a ploy was redundant in this scenario.

I may be wrong here, but I would have thought serial killers don't tend to be drunks or out and out lunatics or display a great deal of violence outside of their preferred choice of wanton violence from which they derive their kicks/buzz. I'm sure someone can put up an example outside of the norm, though.

[Tom_Wescott]

I would buy Bury as a suspect over Druitt, Tumblety, Cutbush, and a host of others. Maybe YOU should get to researching and write the ultimate Bury book, Wyatt! But I'll want a signed copy...well, maybe you shouldn't sign it 'Wyatt Earp'.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Wyatt Earp]

I still wonder what's really known about Bury's whereabouts on the nights in question...

There are vast unknowns with Bury, and where he was (or where he wasn't) on the nights in question are among them. If Bury was the Ripper, other vast unknowns are why he killed in that area (or why he went as far afield as he did), and where in the area he might have had his horse stabled...but Bury's address and his horse and cart do put him in the game, absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence, and there are certainly some very intriguing possible connection points between Bury and the crimes.