My research assistant has pointed out that the two sources below are, arguably, in harmony if Dec 30th is the date when William arrived at the Valentine School, e.g. the day before the body of his brother surfaced in the Thames.
The 'Acton, Chiswick & Turnham Green Gazette' Jan 5th 1889:
‘Witness heard from a friend on the 11th of December that deceased had not been heard of at his chambers for more than a week. Witness then went to London to make inquiries, and at Blackheath he found that deceased had got into serious trouble at the school, and had been dismissed. That was on the 30th of December.'
Sims/Dagonet in ‘The Referee’ of February 16th 1902:
‘At the time his dead body was found in the Thames, his friends, who were terrified at his disappearance, from their midst, were endeavoring to have him found …’
This is arguably textual evidence that the theory, accepted by many here as fact, that the journalist has the month wrong is itself wrong. Nor is the reporter referring to deceased man's dismissal, but to William Druitt's arrival to search for his missing sibling--and the very next day the body appeared in the river.
A juxtaposition confirmed by Sims, albeit in a disguised recount.
The 'Acton, Chiswick & Turnham Green Gazette' Jan 5th 1889:
‘Witness heard from a friend on the 11th of December that deceased had not been heard of at his chambers for more than a week. Witness then went to London to make inquiries, and at Blackheath he found that deceased had got into serious trouble at the school, and had been dismissed. That was on the 30th of December.'
Sims/Dagonet in ‘The Referee’ of February 16th 1902:
‘At the time his dead body was found in the Thames, his friends, who were terrified at his disappearance, from their midst, were endeavoring to have him found …’
This is arguably textual evidence that the theory, accepted by many here as fact, that the journalist has the month wrong is itself wrong. Nor is the reporter referring to deceased man's dismissal, but to William Druitt's arrival to search for his missing sibling--and the very next day the body appeared in the river.
A juxtaposition confirmed by Sims, albeit in a disguised recount.
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