Assessing Cutbush

[Fiver]

I think that another possibility is that it was the same man, but his signature evolved over time, so being an early murder, it looked different from the later ones.

Agreed. Minnie Cameron might be an early failed attempt by the Ripper. Martha Tabram was likely an early attack by the Ripper. As he became better at killing, it gave him more time for the mutilation and posing that appear to be his goals.

[Fiver]

From his first day, Macnaghten studied the files on The Ripper case. He had personal copies made of the grisly photos of the victims. It took him a year but he finally tracked down Tom Bulling as the reporter who had faked the "Dear Boss" letter. In the files he read about the dozens upon dozens of suspects against whom there was no hard evidence.

In doing so Mac spotted a name he recognized.

A nephew of the late, famous Dr Robert Druitt was arrested in 1887 for allegedly trying to stab an East End "fallen woman". The victim dropped the accusation because either they were lying, or fearful, or were quietly bought off.

Macnaghten can not have spotted something that didn't exist. Minnie Cameron never named her attacker and no one was arrested for the crime. The Hainsworth's are stating provably false things as facts.

Feel free to provide evidence that the police had a file on Druitt before his suicide.

This young gentleman, Montague Druitt, a talented barrister and cricketer was by 1889 deceased - he had killed himself in late 1888. Since there were subsequent East End murders which were probably by "Jack", then Mr Druitt had the most unbreakable alibi.

There were no subsequent East End murders which were probably by "Jack". Mackenzie was possible, but far from certain, as a Ripper victim. Her murder occurred after Macnaghton become Assistant Chief Constable. And Macnaghton believed Kelly was the last Ripper victim, so he would not have believed the Mackenzie murder gave anyone an alibi.

A staunch Tory, Macnaghten had many friends and two of his closest were the Liberal and famous writer, George Sims, and the other was Colonel Vivian Majendie; seconded to the Home Office as their top bomb disposal expert. In 1888, Col. Majendie's step-niece, Isabel Majendie, had married the Reverend Charles Druitt, who was a son of the celebrated, deceased physician, Dr Robert Druitt. This union joined the two famous clans and names.The late Montague had been one of Charles' cousins.

In 1888, Col. Majendie's deceased uncle's step-grandaughter, Isabel Majendie Hill, had married the Reverend Charles Druitt, son of the deceased Dr Robert Druitt. The late Montague had been one of Charles' cousins. Isabel Majendie Hill was not a blood relative of Vivian Majende or Montague Druitt and had neither of those surames, so calling it a joining of the two clans seems melodramatic.

It also gets both names and relationships wrong. That's sloppy research by the Hainsworths.

Macnaghten believed that if he been on the Force the year before - and not been rudely fired by Warren before he even started - he would have, as a favour to a close friend, checked and presumably cleared M. J. Druitt. Such a connection to the East End horrors could only do reputational damage to both prominent, respectable families.

McNaghton's deliberately and repeatedly connecting the Druitts to the "East End horrors" no doubt did significant "reputational damage" to the Druitt family. That's not what I would call a favor.

Then in 1891 came the shocking revelation from Majendie. He had been approached by a distressed Isabella Druitt, the widow of Dr Robert and Montie's aunt who divulged that their deceased member had indeed been "Jack the Ripper". The aunt had approached Dr Robert Anderson via the Earl of Crawford (his sister was married into the Majendies) without divulging her name. Anderson had assured her the maniac was still alive and stalking victims, so no need to worry.

Here the Hainsworths present speculation as fact.

Evidence that Majendie contacted Macnaghton about MJ Druit - none.
Evidence that Isabella Druitt contacted Majendie about MJ Druit - none.
Evidence that Anderson saw the woman that the Earl of Crawford recommended - none.
Evidence that the woman who saw the Earl of Crawford was Isabella Druitt - none.

Anderson was certain that the unnamed woman was wrong and that her relative was not the Ripper. If that woman then contacted Vivian Majende, that was not just pointless, but exceedingly stupid, as it would increase police attention on a man the police were sure was innocent.

She then approached her son, Charles' Tory MP, in West Dorset, Henry Farquharson, trying once more to alert the authorities not to hang the wrong man - yet without the family name becoming known and ruined. But the MP told the secret to so many of his pals in London that an oblique version of the truth reached the press. By a tragic coincidence another East End sex worker, Frances Coles, was despatched (Macnaghten personally led the hunt at the docks for her killer). A sailor, Tom Sadler, had been arrested and might be about to swing for this murder and also some of the earlier atrocities.

Here the Hainsworths present speculation as fact.

Evidence that Isabella Druitt asked her son Charles Druitt to contact Henry Farquharson - none.
Evidence that Charles Druitt contacted Henry Farquharson - none. And it would have been a very stupid thing to do - Farquharson was a malicious gossip.

There's also a chronology problem.

"I give a curious story for what it is worth. There is a West of England member who in private declares that he has solved the mystery of 'Jack the Ripper.' His theory - and he repeats it with so much emphasis that it might almost be called his doctrine - is that 'Jack the Ripper' committed suicide on the night of his last murder. I can't give details, for fear of a libel action; but the story is so circumstantial that a good many people believe it. He states that a man with blood-stained clothes committed suicide on the night of the last murder, and he asserts that the man was the son of a surgeon, who suffered from homicidal mania. I do not know what the police think of the story, but I believe that before long a clean breast will be made, and that the accusation will be sifted thoroughly." - 11 February 1891, Bristol Times and Mirror.

Francis Coles had not been murdered yet.

The idea that the Druitts contacted Farquharson to protect a suspect in a murder that had not occurred yet is nonsensical.

At this moment of fear and anguish, Charles, William and Isabella Druitt felt they had no choice but to inform Colonel Majendie. They braced themselves for the arrival of detectives from C.I.D. and for the inevitable evisceration of their clans by the vulture tabloids.

Evidence that Charles, William and Isabella Druitt contacted Majende - none.
Evidence that Majende contacted Macnaughton - none.

Druitts would have no motive to contact anyone when Sadler was accused of killing Coles. Letting a murder be accused for the Ripper crimes would be a great way to protect the Druitt name. It would only be a problem if Sadler was cleared of the Coles murder, but charged for the Ripper crimes.

There's a chronology problem with this as well.

"Subsequent inquires produced more evidence, and Saddler was told he would be detained for some time while the statements he had made were being verified. It was ascertained that he had been away from London during the last 18 months; but, although this is the case, the police do not think he is connected in any way with the other murders." - The Times (London), Monday, 16 February 1891.

So the police cleared Sadler of the Ripper crimes before they cleared him of the Coles murder. The Druitts had no reason to protect Sadler or to contact Farquarson, Majende, or Macnaghton.

Instead through their door came just one cop, the posh charmer and Old Estonian, Melville Macnaghten. He assured them that this truth would stay buried for their sake and that of his close pal. The Rev Charles explained that before he killed himself, Montie had confessed all and asked that the truth came out no later than a decade (the details of that confession had data known only to the murderer and the authorities - case closed).

Again, the Hainsworths present speculation as fact. The Druitts had no reason to protect Sadler or to contact Farquarson, Majende, or Macnaghton.