Only one suspect can be shown to have carried a knife.

[Richard Patterson]

Hi Richard,

And now we have sworn testimony of Tumblety having surgical instruments in his travel chest. Point, he would not have carried these knives on his person, but then again, why did he travel with them?

Sincerely,

Mike

Tumblety? cannot be shown to have had a knife, unless you mean those seen in a bag 8 years before the murders, 4,624 miles away in New Orleans.

[Richard Patterson]

You may remember we have discussed this before. The extract from the article I have seen is of Thomson describing the scene outside the refuge. Walsh says this was 'evidently' taken from his own experience. No date is indicated.

On that meagre evidence you conclude that Thompson was staying at the refuge in the 1st week of November, 1888.

Yes I remember discussing this with you. No. It is not on this alone that I conclude that Thompson was staying at the Providence Row refuge.

[MrBarnett]

Yes I remember discussing this with you. No. It is not on this alone that I conclude that Thompson was staying at the Providence Row refuge.

What other evidence is there?

[Richard Patterson]

What other evidence is there?

The operational times of the refuge and the rules of admittance, and that Thompson mentions Providence row in other texts. Also that Boston College, that houses the world's largest collection of Thompson's manuscripts and letters, supports Walsh's findings.

[MrBarnett]

The operational times of the refuge and the rules of admittance, and that Thompson mentions Providence row in other texts. Also that Boston College, that houses the world's largest collection of Thompson's manuscripts and letters, supports Walsh's findings.

That's all a bit vague, Richard.

This is such an important aspect of Thompson's biography in respect of his candidacy as a JTR suspect. You must have quotes you can share with us that unequivocally place Thompson inside the PR refuge.

(Strange that you didn't feel the need to include them in your book.)

[Richard Patterson]

That's all a bit vague, Richard.

This is such an important aspect of Thompson's biography in respect of his candidacy as a JTR suspect. You must have quotes you can share with us that unequivocally place Thompson in the PR refuge.

(Strange that you didn't feel the need to include them in your book.)

I'm glad that you see that whether Thompson stayed at Providence Row to be an important aspect of Thompson's candidacy. A colleague contacted the sisters who ran Providence Row, asking for attendance records. Unfortunately they answered that records were not kept. This leaves me with the fact that Thompson wrote of applying to stay there. At the very least, I have Thompson standing at the end of Dorsert Street. If not in November 1888, the most plausible time, then earlier, and if that is the case, it simply extends his history of connection to Spitalsfields and a refuge that Mary Kelly is also supposed to have used. I devote a chapter in my book on Providence Row and the reasons why we can conclude that Thompson used it. There is plenty to quote from that. You obviously have an interest in my suspect or my claims. I am unsure if you have or have read my book. I am happy to send you a complimentary copy of it. You are welcome to read it and write a review on it. I am confident your opinion would prove interesting reading. You will surely find holes in the theory that others might have missed, since you know a great deal about the Ripper murders and have knowledge on Thompson as well.

[MrBarnett]

I'm glad that you see that whether Thompson stayed at Providence Row to be an important aspect of Thompson's candidacy. A colleague contacted the sisters who ran Providence Row, asking for attendance records. Unfortunately they answered that records were not kept. This leaves me with the fact that Thompson wrote of applying to stay there. At the very least, I have Thompson standing at the end of Dorsert Street. If not in November 1888, the most plausible time, then earlier, and if that is the case, it simply extends his history of connection to Spitalsfields and a refuge that Mary Kelly is also supposed to have used. I devote a chapter in my book on Providence Row and the reasons why we can conclude that Thompson used it. There is plenty to quote from that. You obviously have an interest in my suspect or my claims. I am unsure if you have or have read my book. I am happy to send you a complimentary copy of it. You are welcome to read it and write a review on it. I am confident your opinion would prove interesting reading. You will surely find holes in the theory that others might have missed, since you know a great deal about the Ripper murders and have knowledge on Thompson as well.

Let me ask the question again - on what evidence do you base your claim that Thompson was living in Spitafields in 1888? From what you say above it appears that you aren't sure that he actually did.

No such uncertainty appears in your book.

[Richard Patterson]

Let me ask the question again - on what evidence do you base your claim that Thompson was living in Spitafields in 1888? From what you say above it appears that you aren't sure that he actually did.

No such uncertainty appears in your book.

So you have read my book. You should tell me if you think he was the Ripper and if not, who you think it was (It will be sad if you say you have no opinion, or that it was a nobody.)

I do not say that I am unsure that Thompson stayed in Providence Row, in my book, because, from what I wrote of what I know of the Row & Thompson, I am sure he did.

Here, on Casebook I am simply adding that even if he did not stay, he was in Spitalsfield and that alone satisfies the condition for his candidacy.

[MrBarnett]

So you have read my book. You should tell me if you think he was the Ripper and if not, who you think it was (It will be sad if you say you have no opinion, or that it was a nobody.)

I do not say that I am unsure that Thompson stayed in Providence Row, in my book, because, from what I wrote of what I know of the Row & Thompson, I am sure he did.

Here, on Casebook I am simply adding that even if he did not stay, he was in Spitalsfield and that alone satisfies the condition for his candidacy.

I would hate to appear to be a pedant, but it's Spitalfields, not Spitalsfield.

Why on earth would it be sad if I didn't have an alternative suspect to FT?

[Richard Patterson]

I would hate to appear to be a pedant, but it's Spitalfields, not Spitalsfield.

Why on earth would it be sad if I didn't have an alternative suspect to FT?

Thanks for correcting my spelling. Being a pedant is hardly a bad thing.

Why would it be sad? Well, it would mean that for all your years of learning about this case you must have some formless void in your mind when you think of who to suspect for the murders. It would be, I suppose, like somebody who has learned everything that there is to know about the Pacific ocean, but who has never touched water. In short, you have learned nothing of any value, having come no closer to solving this interesting mystery. Or, to use another metaphor. It would be as if you were master-chef who doesn't have a favorite meal. I can hardly imagine that such a thing is possible. But perhaps you can do the impossible.

[MrBarnett]

Let's remind ourselves of the title of this thread - Only one suspect can be shown to have carried a knife.

[Richard Patterson]

Let's remind ourselves of the title of this thread - Only one suspect can be shown to have carried a knife.

Francis Thompson. Dispensing with all the suspects who had knives that were either useless, on the other side of the world, or in their possession years later or years before.

[Abby Normal]

I thought I’ve seen numerous times by posters on here that FT was staying right around the corner from Mary Kelly during the fall of 88, or am I getting my suspects mixed up?

[MrBarnett]

I thought I’ve seen numerous times by posters on here that FT was staying right around the corner from Mary Kelly during the fall of 88, or am I getting my suspects mixed up?

There's little evidence that he was.

[MrBarnett]

Francis Thompson. Dispensing with all the suspects who had knives that were either useless, on the other side of the world, or in their possession years later or years before.

And the evidence that Thompson was carrying a knife in the East End in the autumn of 1888 is...?