What makes Druitt a viable suspect?

[Fisherman]

I have seen a similar thing in other unsolved cases - Black Dahlia and The Zodiac. My Stepfather was The killer etc

Yes, that´s correct. Makes you wonder whether this is the reality we live in, where family members look at each other as potential killers...?

Then again, maybe it is a function of family members living so close together that we can see behind the facade other people are offered?

It is interesting, anyhow, and it makes you wonder about Druitt´s candidacy.

[ChrisGeorge]

I was listening to John McGinness, a California police bigwig earlier today. He spoke about the Golden State killer, Joseph DeAngelo, saying that he had had 21 tips about people who could have been the killer over the years since he became involved in looking at cold cases.
Out of these tips, a number were people tipping the police off about how they thought a family member or close relative was probably the killer, for various reasons.

It made me think of how it was said that Druitts own family suspected him to have been the Ripper.
Maybe it is a common thing in cases like these?

PS. On a separate note, since I have been battling it out with Gareth Williams whether the Ripper victims could have been said to have had their necks cut - Gareth says that we may only say that they had their THROATS cut - I would like to point to the post preceding mine on this thread.

It seems the necks are here to stay. But that is for a different thread.

Needless to say, the neck and the throat are more or less the same thing. I think though that it's more accurate to say "throat" than "neck." That's my two cents.

[Sam Flynn]

The throat and neck aren't more-or-less the same thing, in the same way that a shin isn't more-or-less the same as a calf. Sure, they're all conjoined parts of the same body region (for want of a better word), but they are quite distinct.

You might have missed the earlier discussion, Chris, but Fisherman is intent on forcing a similarity between the Ripper and Torso murders, by claiming that both sets of victims had their necks cut. That doesn't work for the Ripper victims, because they were rightly described as having sustained cut throats. The Torso victims didn't exactly sustain "cut necks" either, because their entire heads were cut off. To describe either the Ripper or Torso victims' wounds as "cut necks" is at best over-generalising, and at worst inaccurate and misleading.

[Besotted Victorian]

"What makes Druitt a viable suspect?"

In a brief (about 13 pages or so) essay, Pultizer prize-winning novelist and bestselling author Stephen Hunter presents some interesting arguments regarding Druitt's possible candidacy at HunterOnRipper.com. Earth-shattering? No. Wholly convincing? No. But interesting and provocative? Yes.

[Busy Beaver]

Monty being middle/upper class seems more appealing as the Torso murderer than JTR, as he would have been more familiar with the posh West End as opposed to the poorer East End. If he lived by himself, he could have took the bodies home and disposed of them at his leisure. And a really big theory- the women he chopped up were ladies that gave him a knockback when he tried to form relationships with them.

[SirJohnFalstaff]

Monty being middle/upper class seems more appealing as the Torso murderer than JTR, as he would have been more familiar with the posh West End as opposed to the poorer East End. If he lived by himself, he could have took the bodies home and disposed of them at his leisure. And a really big theory- the women he chopped up were ladies that gave him a knockback when he tried to form relationships with them.

also, several people mentioned he did play with his cricket team outside of London morning after 2 of the murders. Has this be debunked?

[GUT]

also, several people mentioned he did play with his cricket team outside of London morning after 2 of the murders. Has this be debunked?

Seems certain he did, also seems certain that it doesn’t rule him out as the killer, train timetables show it was entirely possible

[Joshua Rogan]

Monty being middle/upper class seems more appealing as the Torso murderer than JTR, as he would have been more familiar with the posh West End as opposed to the poorer East End. If he lived by himself, he could have took the bodies home and disposed of them at his leisure. And a really big theory- the women he chopped up were ladies that gave him a knockback when he tried to form relationships with them.

Plus of course Druitt ending up floating in the Thames himself fairly smacks of a guilty conscience.
Too bad he was already dead by the time the last two torsos appeared.

[Wickerman]

Monty being middle/upper class seems more appealing as the Torso murderer than JTR, as he would have been more familiar with the posh West End as opposed to the poorer East End. If he lived by himself, he could have took the bodies home and disposed of them at his leisure. And a really big theory- the women he chopped up were ladies that gave him a knockback when he tried to form relationships with them.

Druitt's chambers in The Minories (9 Kings Bench Walk) were just across the street from the East End. What connections did he have in the West End?

[phantom]

also, several people mentioned he did play with his cricket team outside of London morning after 2 of the murders. Has this be debunked?

Here’s a link to his cricket profile if you’re interested. http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/11949.html


And the score card for his September 8 match. http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1880S/1888/ENG_LOCAL/OTHER/BLHTH_BROTH-CSON_08SEP1888.html

Handy bowler!

[Joshua Rogan]

Here’s a link to his cricket profile if you’re interested. http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/11949.html


And the score card for his September 8 match. http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1880S/1888/ENG_LOCAL/OTHER/BLHTH_BROTH-CSON_08SEP1888.html

Handy bowler!

And it looks like G Hutchinson was a fair batsman - 44 not out, pretty good for a night-watchman!

[phantom]

And it looks like G Hutchinson was a fair batsman - 44 not out, pretty good for a night-watchman!

Loved popping up for a cameo that Hutch

[Busy Beaver]

Sir John: That's if Druitt was JTR, I was thinking Torso man
Wickerman: Have no idea what connections Druitt had to the West End
Joshua: Well that's that theory drowned in the sea then! Was worth a try. But it does mean that if Druitt is the Ripper, Torso man is someone different.

[The Baron]

Here’s a link to his cricket profile if you’re interested. http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/11949.html


And the score card for his September 8 match. http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1880S/1888/ENG_LOCAL/OTHER/BLHTH_BROTH-CSON_08SEP1888.html

Handy bowler!

From the links above:

"Dispite his gaunt appearance he was noted for his formidable strength in arms and wrists"

It will be difficult to those poor women by talking to him to believe he could be a ripper!

Didn't Mary Kelly let someone similar in her room ?!

What always bother me about Druitt is, why would his respected family suspect him being the ripper?!

And after finding him dead, why bother telling the police they think their son was the ripper?!

Druitt is not my favourite suspect, but he will always be mentioned as a suspect, whether I like it or not.

The Baron

[GUT]

Here’s a link to his cricket profile if you’re interested. http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/11949.html


And the score card for his September 8 match. http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1880S/1888/ENG_LOCAL/OTHER/BLHTH_BROTH-CSON_08SEP1888.html

Handy bowler!

Must have been pretty handy with the bat at times too, if he was fourth to fall, clearly went in by then, so considered a middle order man, an all rounder.