Druitt and Monro

[Doctored Whatsit]

It's called masking. People put on a front. They act normal, even happy, yet inside they're struggling. And sometimes they get tired of the struggle. Druitt was a robust athlete, a successful barrister. And one fine day he filled his pockets with stones and jumped into the river.

Hi Fiver,

I don't disagree with your "masking" comments above, and I have not claimed that he didn't commit suicide or that he was murdered. Taking the suggestion on this thread at #1 that he was murdered for the stated reason, I have merely pointed out some genuinely odd aspects of his suicide that cause me to have reservations about it.

Why would a clear-thinking legally minded teacher/barrister write a suicide note demonstrating that the death is clearly planned, and then buy a return ticket, and carry quite a lot of cash and two cheques on your person, making it seem disorganized and suggesting it wasn't planned?

Why commit suicide on a Saturday, and write "since Friday" instead of "since yesterday" or "since a week last Friday" or "since Nov 30th"?

Why choose a very unpleasant death, drowning in the freezing cold Thames in December, when an overdose would have been easier?

I have strong reservations about the suicide, but I am not saying he was murdered as per #1 on this thread. I propose that there are good reasons to suspect that it may not have been suicide.

[The Rookie Detective]

Hi George,

Yes, I share your reservations about the "since Friday" aspect of the suicide note. If false it seems to use the 30th November date, with the writer either not knowing the date of death, or believing that nobody else would discover it. If the suicide note was genuine it would be expected to say "since yesterday", or "since a week Friday".

Yes indeed.

[Fiver]

Hi Fiver,

I quoted directly from the A-Z, or actually slightly misquoted, "he reportedly described himself and his mother as Montague's only relatives." This is from the Acton Chiswick and Turnham Green Gazette.

Ooops - already stated at #28 above!

But the transcription of the Acton Chiswick and Turnham Green Gazette from this site does not say the William Druitt claimed he and his mother were the only relatives. I think the A-Z is wrong on this one considering the papers covered several of the Druitts attending Montague's funeral.

"The funeral took place in Wimborne cemetery on Thursday afternoon, and the body was followed to the grave by the deceased's relatives and a few friends, including Mr. W.H. Druitt, Mr. Arthur Druitt, Rev. C. H. Druitt, Mr. J. Druitt, sen., Mr. J. Druitt, jun., Mr. J.T. Homer, and Mr. Wyke-Smith. The funeral service was read by the vicar of die Minster, Wimborne, the Rev. F.J. Huyshe, assisted by the Rev. Plater." - Southern Guardian, 1 January 1889

[Fiver]

Why choose a very unpleasant death, drowning in the freezing cold Thames in December, when an overdose would have been easier?

A fair amount of Victorians believed drowning was a peaceful death.