The mystery of Montague Druitt

[Rubyretro]

Does anyone else find the collection of articles found on Druitt´s body a little strange? Body´s decomposing, been in the water for AT LEAST a month and yet the two cheques found on him are still readable. They must have used very good ink! A Thames waterman brings him in and leaves a fairly substantial amount of hard cash on the body. As far as I can make out the watermen made a fairly good living by taking what they could from the bodies they found.

Also a first class season ticket from Blackheath to London but a second class half return Hammersmith to Charing Cross? Also readable, by the way. Wouldn´t someone accustomed to travelling first class always do so? Why no description of the clothing? Wouldn´t this have helped with identification?

Gold chain with spade guinea but SILVER watch? Maybe he was saving up for a gold one.

I`m not drawing any particular conclusions from this but do find it odd.

Odd -and fascinating.

If the 'hard cash' was in notes, maybe they were too damaged to use (the cheques may have been 'readable' but also very damaged )? Maybe it was an honest Waterman who found him?

Maybe Monty only travelled First Class according to availability of tickets and his 'means' on the day ?

Maybe he had inherited the watch but had to buy a new chain (and lacked artitic taste) ?

Maybe he WAS saving up for the watch to go with the chain ?

One interesting detail is, IF Monty didn't earn enough, with his job, not to be able to afford the 'gold watch' (had he wanted one)...then A Man was not 'shabby genteel' but
very Well Off....

[curious4]

Does anyone else find the collection of articles found on Druitt´s body a little strange? Body´s decomposing, been in the water for AT LEAST a month and yet the two cheques found on him are still readable. They must have used very good ink! A Thames waterman brings him in and leaves a fairly substantial amount of hard cash on the body. As far as I can make out the watermen made a fairly good living by taking what they could from the bodies they found.

Also a first class season ticket from Blackheath to London but a second class half return Hammersmith to Charing Cross? Also readable, by the way. Wouldn´t someone accustomed to travelling first class always do so? Why no description of the clothing? Wouldn´t this have helped with identification?

Gold chain with spade guinea but SILVER watch? Maybe he was saving up for a gold one.

I`m not drawing any particular conclusions from this but do find it odd.