Most Ridiculous Theory

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hi HS
good post. If you had to single it down to one person, then yes Id probably say mr unknown. However, IMHO if you include in one group who I think are the best of a bad bunch-Hutch, blotchy, koz, kelly, chapman, and Bury then i think you looking at slightly above 50/50 that the ripper is included.


i would toss Maybrick on the totally ridiculous with the royals, sickert, lewis carrol, HH Holmes and those of that ilk. and they are ilk.

Hi Abby,

I certainly think that Mr Unknown is the likeliest but I’ve always had some kind of ‘feeling’ for Druitt. I understand the doubts that are raised but I’ve always felt that there’s a chance that there might be ‘something in it.’ We know that police make errors and we know that they can have reasons for being less than truthful but I’m always slightly hesitant about dismissing out of hand the words of senior police officers. That said Abby I wouldn’t be willing to put cash on it. If someone actually knewwho the ripper was, and he asked everyone to throw a suspect into the hat in a kind of ripperological raffle I’d probably take a punt on Monty.

Then again.....

[Herlock Sholmes]

Not so fast
https://www.casebook.org/ripper_medi...jmorley/7.html

I think we all have to waive the white flag after reading that on Harry

Then again.....what about a man in an ape suit

[Abby Normal]

Hi Abby,

I certainly think that Mr Unknown is the likeliest but I’ve always had some kind of ‘feeling’ for Druitt. I understand the doubts that are raised but I’ve always felt that there’s a chance that there might be ‘something in it.’ We know that police make errors and we know that they can have reasons for being less than truthful but I’m always slightly hesitant about dismissing out of hand the words of senior police officers. That said Abby I wouldn’t be willing to put cash on it. If someone actually knewwho the ripper was, and he asked everyone to throw a suspect into the hat in a kind of ripperological raffle I’d probably take a punt on Monty.

Then again.....

hi HS
Ive never seriously considered Monty. After the fact hearsay and rumor from a senior police official who wasn't even there for the majority of it. Who also has ostrog in his top three list and the dude was in jail in France.


Plus Monty didn't even live in London, may have been gay, seemed to slight (not stocky) to fit witness descriptions and apparently had a cricket match the morning of one of the murders. and was dead when Mckenzie was murdered.


plus I don't know of a single serial killer who committed suicide while not apprehended. He checks no boxes for me except Mcnaughtens suspician, which is dubious at best. Ive got him in my second tier of candidates though, after the aforementioned six.

[Michael W Richards]

I think the fact that its very probable that multiple killers were involved in just the C5, then any theory about a single lone killer is improbable.

[Rob1n]

Right, ridiculous theory, I think it was a military surgeon, possibly from the Zulu wars. Used to stress and gore, he'd be relatively calm when ripping someone up, retired to London say 1885,6,7?

His balance of mind tipped because of what he'd seen, perhaps he wouldn't attack Men as he'd probably not be a strong sort or able to defend himself well.
He might have frequented unfortunates, caught a STI and, decided to cut a few up?
Could he have tested his methods on Tabram, he'd have had access to bayonets and of course, surgical instruments.
He'd have money enough to perhaps have a small flat in the area or just travel in when he wanted.
How's that for a mad idea?

[Joshua Rogan]

Right, ridiculous theory, I think it was a military surgeon, possibly from the Zulu wars.
How's that for a mad idea?

Not that mad at all, it's one of my favourites!

[Rob1n]

Not that mad at all, it's one of my favourites!

What, it's been suggested before?

[DJA]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Henry_Reynolds#/media/File:VCJamesHenryReynolds.jpg

[Wickerman]

Then of course there are the ‘well they were alive in the area at the time’ suspects like Robert Mann and Albert Bachert. I recall reading the book on Mann at the time and thinking that there wasn’t a scintilla of evidence to suspect him. I also recall thinking ‘is this what we’ve come to?’

Then there was that pitiful attempt by documentary to make HH Holmes into Jack!

Personally, I think that if we rigorously trimmed the herd by eliminating the impossible (Van Gogh, Cream etc) then the ludicrous (like Lewis Carroll, HH Holmes and William Gull) then the extremely unlikely (like Sickert) then the ‘not a single smidgeon of evidence against’ (like Mann, Bachert) were are left with quite a small ‘batch.’

This leaves the mentioned suspects like Kosminski/Cohen, Druitt, Bury and Tumblety. And of course recently ‘re-examined’ witnesses like Lechmere and Hutchinson (who despite person opinions [like my own] cannot be summarily dismissed). Not to mention Maybrick of course (but that’s really turned into the almost separate field of ‘diary’ debate.

I still go for Mr Unknown as the likeliest though.

I could likely throw a few extra idiot suspects in, but aside from that you seem to think the same as I do.

[Wickerman]

I certainly think that Mr Unknown is the likeliest but I’ve always had some kind of ‘feeling’ for Druitt. I understand the doubts that are raised but I’ve always felt that there’s a chance that there might be ‘something in it.’ We know that police make errors and we know that they can have reasons for being less than truthful but I’m always slightly hesitant about dismissing out of hand the words of senior police officers. That said Abby I wouldn’t be willing to put cash on it. If someone actually knewwho the ripper was, and he asked everyone to throw a suspect into the hat in a kind of ripperological raffle I’d probably take a punt on Monty.

Then again.....

Ah, if were not careful here this could get tedious....
In full agreement again.

Druitt has to be the most researched suspect. His cricketing & teaching schedules, his law firm, cases he was involved in. His bar address in the Minories, people who knew him. Yet nothing has ever surfaced to eliminate him as a suspect.
But the reverse is also true, what do we have to make him a suspect in the first place? I mean, if it wasn't for his suicide, then what?

I can't rule Druitt out, but I can't in all good faith rule anyone else in.
So I'm also left with Mr Unknown.
That said, on the top of my Unknown List is that Britannia-man, whom ever he was.
If this suspect hadn't had a noticeable limp, I'd have wondered if this was Druitt.

[Wickerman]

........plus I don't know of a single serial killer who committed suicide while not apprehended. He checks no boxes for me except Mcnaughtens suspician, which is dubious at best. Ive got him in my second tier of candidates though, after the aforementioned six.

Not serial killers, but killers - random shooters, have turned the gun on themselves rather than be taken by police. Again, another one in Jacksonville, FL.

Druitt was believed to have committed suicide because he felt he was going to end up like his mother, in an insane asylum, not because of anything he had done.
I don't know of a parallel among today's serial killers to enable us to judge.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Ah, if were not careful here this could get tedious....
In full agreement again.

Druitt has to be the most researched suspect. His cricketing & teaching schedules, his law firm, cases he was involved in. His bar address in the Minories, people who knew him. Yet nothing has ever surfaced to eliminate him as a suspect.
But the reverse is also true, what do we have to make him a suspect in the first place? I mean, if it wasn't for his suicide, then what?

I can't rule Druitt out, but I can't in all good faith rule anyone else in.
So I'm also left with Mr Unknown.
That said, on the top of my Unknown List is that Britannia-man, whom ever he was.
If this suspect hadn't had a noticeable limp, I'd have wondered if this was Druitt.

Accepted of course Wick

There is of course the ‘from private info’ bit but although suggestions have been reasonably made we can’t tie it down?

The worrying thing about the Memoranda is of course the presence of Ostrog. My memory is crap but hasn’t it been shown that he robbed MacNaughten’s old school (Eton?) and so he might have just thrown in the name? Not particularly convincing a reason.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Just out of curiosity, and apologies for the tangent, but as we have Hutchinson and Lechmere as witness who are now looked at as suspects does anyone have any suggestions for other witnesses (or just people with a connection) who might be worth a second look as potential suspects?

[Herlock Sholmes]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_...ryReynolds.jpg

Has this guy been suggested as a suspect Dave? Is there any more info around?

[Sam Flynn]

Has this guy been suggested as a suspect Dave? Is there any more info around?

Surgeon Reynolds appeared in the classic film "Zulu". Seems a decent enough chap.