Ichabod!

[Cap'n Jack]

Four years after the death of Dr Joseph Parker - the fiery preacher of the City Temple, and friend and protector of Thomas Cutbush - a strange legend was chalked on the Temple doors in large white letters.
'Ichabod!' it read.
Translated in biblical terms as 'the glory is departed'.
A painter and decorator was arrested for the offence and when in court he was asked why he did it, he replied: 'Dr Parker told me to.'
But Dr Parker had been dead for four years.
It transpired that in the course of one of his lively sermons the good doctor - whilst still alive - had told his audience that if ever his message or mission was corrupted by later preachers then they should write in chalk 'Ichabod' on the doors of the Temple.
If this was Dr Parker's influence long after his death, what must it have been like while still alive?
Enormous I should say, and who knows what message a young man might write with chalk under such influence?
Dr Parker died in 1902, a year before Thomas Cutbush, and I do wonder whether the death of his mentor and master finished Thomas off?
As the good preacher lay dying, in his last moments he called for pen and paper and furiously tried to write something out, then collapsed and departed this mortal coil.
His scribble was illegible.
'Ichabod!'

[halomanuk]

Fanatics of any kind,especially religious fanatics,as we know,hold such a massive sway and influence over vulnerable people that these people will often do anything for them,so i am sure Cutbush would be no exception to the rule.
If he was 'influenced' into killing 'ladies of the night' by this man then who knows ?
I'm sure he wouldn't have liked the Jewish community living and worshipping in the area as well.

Food for thought.....

[Cap'n Jack]

Ah Halo, what do we know?

'aspallek20th October 2007, 07:52 PM
I thought this was interesting in light of the mention of letters sent to a rector in the article posted by AP above:

The City Press (London)
Wednesday, 19 December 1888.
THE RECENT MURDERS.
It is stated that the City police are making searching inquiries into what they regard as "the most important clue" yet obtained. The clergyman at the head of one of the metropolitan missions received a letter from a man who had attended the services conducted by him, but whom he had not seen for some time. The letter was in three different styles of writing, but it has been proved that it was penned by the same hand, and the interesting fact is that it most minutely tallies with the writings on the post-cards which were circulated by the police. The letter was first of all taken to the Scotland-yard authorities, and all the attendant circumstances explained, but, owing to the many false scents they are put upon, the matter was not taken up. The letter was then submitted to the detective department of the City police, and, after carefully considering the matter, Mr. McWilliams [sic], who has the case in hand, said, as mentioned in the opening, that it was the most important clue they had as yet received.'

I would say this was Dr Parker.
Some Ich.

[halomanuk]

Very interesting AP..very...
I will see if i can dig up any more on this...

[Cap'n Jack]

Interesting indeed, Halo.
I'll be careful here, but I do feel the need to go out on a limb in regard to this business.
To me it seems obvious that we discuss - in this newspaper article - Dr Parker of the City Temple, and Thomas Cutbush who attended Parker's services on a regular basis.
One is perhaps non-plussed by Scotland Yard's refusal to pursue the matter of the strange young man who was writing strange letters that appeared to be linked to the crimes, and other letters received by the police in 1888.
However if the strange young man had a close relation highly placed in the Executive Office of Scotland Yard then one begins to have an inkling of the process at work here.
In desperation the letter is instead submitted to the City Police, who rather than dismissing it out of hand regard it as the 'best clue yet' to the identity of the murderer.
But the City Police did not have the wealth of evidential material that Scotland Yard did, so not much happens with it... that is until the 'Sun' rose.
Ichabod!

[Roy Corduroy]

Did I hear Rev Parker was away during the murders?

[Cap'n Jack]

Indeed he was, Roy, and I have speculated that this may well have been the cause of the murders, that Dr Parker was absent from that Autumn of Terror, but he was certainly back from Scotland in time for the Winter of Discontent in 1888.
Of course the post was, and is, the post.

[halomanuk]

The fact that Reverend parker was away doesn't change the fact that he maybe influenced Cutbush to perform the murders.
It would make sense that he was away in order to eliminate him against any kind of accusation,leaving Cutbush to be the religious scapegoat..

[Cap'n Jack]

Interesting is that we have a young man suspected of the Whitechapel Murders, a prolific letter writer who is able and capable of altering his writing style three times in one letter... where does that leave us with the Jack the Ripper letters?
Where we have three missives written in quick succession, each in a different style.
From the 'Sun':
''The letter is in a peculiar sloping backhand writing which its writer sometimes employed.'
Ichabod!

[Roy Corduroy]

I have speculated that this may well have been the cause of the murders, that Dr Parker was absent from that Autumn of Terror, but he was certainly back from Scotland in time for the Winter of Discontent in 1888.

But Cap, here on CBook is a news report of Rev Parker's Thursday morning service Oct 4, 1888. Under the heading: Dr. Parker Speaks On The Murders. (click here)

Roy

[Roy Corduroy]

Hi AP, on JtR Forums you said:

"Have we considered the possibility that Thomas may have tripped out when Dr Parker left the Temple in mid July of 1888, for a lecture tour in Scotland, and not returning until the end of August?"

So above you meant to say summer, not autumn. OK, I understand now. No problems then. Not trying to surprise you just stumbled across the Oct 4 sermon.

Roy