George Lusk.... as a suspect

[Howard Brown]

Dear Simon:

No sir, I wasn't dismissing what you mentioned or what Tom was inferring....but only adding a possible alternative where one of Lusk's friends pulled a prank without him knowing of their intentions prior to him recieving it.

I just mentioned "I don't know" since I cannot know whether or not the Lusk Letter is a prank or not.

Hope all is well...

[Scott Nelson]

Joseph Aarons would make a better suspect than George Lusk.

[claire]

sorry to raise this thread weeks after it died...it was posted at a time when I must have been actually working (for once)...

Beyond being responsible for the restoration of Wilton's, and the brief sketch of Gareth's (above), can anyone tell me where else I can find biographical info on George...I'm doing some research on Wilton's and I'm stuffed if I can find anything but the merest traces of information on Lusk.

Many thanks for any help, chaps and chappesses.

[brummie]

Imagine yourself as the head of an organisation formed to track down a vicious killer, when you receive a letter claiming to be from that killer, and accompanied by what is claimed to be a part of one of the victims. Furthermore more you know from reports of the crimes that the alleged part of the victim you received was actually missing from the body. Do you A) Think this is potentialy a very important clue and rush round to the police, or B) Do as Lusk did put it away in a draw for a couple of days before casually mentioning it to a friend and only contact the authorities on their suggestion. While I think it's a bit strong to suggest Lusk as the killer am I alone in thinking his behaviour a little odd?

[ianincleveland]

Very odd behaviour indeed.Youd think hed have been round to Scotland yard or at very least the local Whitechapel police as quickly as possible.

Still think he makes an unlikely JTR ,though the Caine film "Jack The ripper" certainly didnt do Lusk any favours.He came across in that as someone who could well have done the crimes.Though this was obviously a very fictitious depiction of him

[xinthrau]

I did find once a mention of abberline and someone mentioning lusk to him as a help and he said something to the effect of "he may be involved" as a reason not to talk to him, so police have been aware of this for some time with suspects but I wish there were more info about lusk, he sticks out as a person of interest

[Tom_Wescott]

George Lusk does not make a good suspect and Abberline has never been noted as saying that Lusk was involved in the murders.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[xinthrau]

no i wasnt say that ..i was saying that police were aware of ppl who injected themselves in investigations, he did say something to that effect ill try to find it again where i read it, it means he was cautious about accepting help from lusk as he understood that, that ppl who want to help sometimes are involved..not lusk personally but him as a help to the investigation
QUOTE ADDED:n September 1888, after the second official Ripper murder, the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee was formed. Who was the head of this committee?

George Lusk. George Lusk, head of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, was known by the police, and by Abberline, as a drunk who knew how to get folks riled up. Lusk held meetings in local bars, and even offered his help in catching the murderer to Abberline, but Abberline refused his help. Abberline stated to Godley that Lusk could be the Ripper, and that offering his help in looking for the murderer would be something that Lusk was capable of doing.

[kensei]

Reading this, a line from the Michael Caine "Jack the Ripper" film popped into my head. Abberline to Godley, on why they should watch the Vigilance Committee- "If I was the killer I'd join up with Lusk and go out at night looking for meself!"

[Sam Flynn]

Reading this, a line from the Michael Caine "Jack the Ripper" film popped into my head.

Reading the foregoing, the entire bogus - and ridiculous - portrayal of George Lusk in said film is what pops into mine. Whoever turned him into a drunken revolutionary should be banged up for offences against historical research.

Lusk was a middle-aged gentleman of good standing, with a line in restoring old buildings. His business was rubble-raising, not rabble-rousing.

[xinthrau]

Yes you are prob right ,,this was from a trivia book about the ripper case, but alot o popular movies and books warp truth and ppl start to quote them as real ..but I do find that ppl think that ripper era police just had less intelligence about human beings motives, which isnt true, they were use to alot of the same behaviors that todays police are..

[Tom_Wescott]

Xin,

What's the name and author of this book? Both should be avoided.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[John Wheat]

I think George Lusk is a weak suspect however there are weaker suspects than Lusk.

[Tom_Wescott]

George Lusk isn't a suspect.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[John Wheat]

I was replying to the original post. Besides more stupid suspects have been named than Lusk.