Silliest Suspects?

[C. F. Leon]

Because we all need a bit of humor as this terrible year closes, I'm submitting a question: Who do you think is the silliest, most ridiculous suspect that's been offered?

I'm drawing up three categories:

A. Complete Non-starters. Not Born Yet, Known to Have Died by the Murder Period, Never Existed, etc.. This category includes the Supernatural or Science Fiction suspects: Aliens, Vampires, Time Travelers, etc.
B. These were alive at the time, but were too young, too old, never visited England, etc. Edgar Rice Burroughs, Walter Whitman, Josef Stalin, etc.
C. Possible, but unlikely. These were contemporary, of an age, and either were in England, or could have visited in the time period of at least the Canonical 5. This is the Oscar Wilde, Vincent Van Gogh, Queen Victoria crowd. Since one of the most likely theories is the Unknown Local Killer, I'm going to include the Dr. Stanley-type, which COULD have existed. (Even though the theory is probably bunk.)

So, who do you think makes the Silliest Suspect? Go wild, Kiddies.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I think we have to put Van Gogh in category B as he was in Arles for February 1888 until May 1889. He wrote letters from Arles. And he could barely afford to eat let alone pay for travel.

Arthur Conan Doyle in category C - he lived in Southsea at the time of the murders and of course there’s zero evidence.

Neil Cream was in prison in Chicago.

Other mad ones that have been suggested - MacNaghten, Abberline, Mary Kelly!

[Azarna]

A magazine article I read a few years ago listed some JTR suspects, and had Joseph Merrick in there. I assume it was a typo or a confused author.

Dr William Gull is rather a silly suspect, imho. He was 71 and in dreadful health.

[Vfor]

Lots of JTR suspects don't even have any shown connection with the name Jack including Kosminsky, etc.

Some of my previous candidates may have been abit silly including Robert Louis Stevenson or his cousin, Arthur Conan Doyle, Victor Whitechurch, James Whitehead the Mayor, Admiral Jack Fisher, etc. After reading the 200 pages court cases reports I found they seemed pretty weak/silly and had no connection with the cases details.

If the JTR letter that said "I'm not a Yid nor a foreign skipper" is genuine then some suspects like Kosminski are silly because they were Jewish and/or foreigners.

I would not agree that MJK is silly though because there are a number of good possible evidences. Though it might be wrong.

[DJA]

Ironically,if Gull,RL Stevenson and his cousin are carefully examined you find yourself very close to Jack the Ripper.

Oops,wrong thread.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Lots of JTR suspects don't even have any shown connection with the name Jack including Kosminsky, etc.

Some of my previous candidates may have been abit silly including Robert Louis Stevenson or his cousin, Arthur Conan Doyle, Victor Whitechurch, James Whitehead the Mayor, Admiral Jack Fisher, etc. After reading the 200 pages court cases reports I found they seemed pretty weak/silly and had no connection with the cases details.

If the JTR letter that said "I'm not a Yid nor a foreign skipper" is genuine then some suspects like Kosminski are silly because they were Jewish and/or foreigners.

I would not agree that MJK is silly though because there are a number of good possible evidences. Though it might be wrong.

The problem with putting any reliance on the letters Vfor is that most believe they weren’t from the ripper and even if the letter you quoted was from the ripper wouldn’t it be likely that the killer, not wanting to be caught, might try and direct the police away from his true identity? The letters aren’t really any help to us.

Genuinely Vfor I’d say that apart from suspects that weren’t in the country at the time of the murders they don’t come less likely than Kelly. James Kelly isn’t bad but not Mary.

[DJA]

The problem with putting any reliance on the letters Vfor is that most believe they weren’t from the ripper and even if the letter you quoted was from the ripper wouldn’t it be likely that the killer, not wanting to be caught, might try and direct the police away from his true identity? The letters aren’t really any help to us.

Here is a post.
Might as well start arguing with it,for all the good that will do.

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

H.H Holmes is one that drives me bonkers. He's a ridiculous candidate, and his descendants profiteering irks me somewhat.

For outright batshit speculation, the wonder that is Van Gogh.

https://forum.casebook.org/forum/social-chat/pub-talk/6624-news-flash-vincent-van-gogh-was-jack-the-ripper

[John Savage]

Who do you think is the silliest, most ridiculous suspect that's been offered?

Answer: Sooty!

Rgds
John

[Enigma]

Voldemort

[Astatine211]

For me, Dr. William Wynn Westcott is one of the silliest suspects I've seen people seriously suggest was JtR. He should be a non-starter but I've seen a few people actually convinced it's him.

[GUT]

Pretty much all of them, in my opinion until you clear the ones named by contemporary, or near contemporary police you are chasing your tail. Of the modern suspects probably only those promoted by DJA or Fisherman are even in the running. Place Deeming in London at the time (all the evidence says he was in SA) and he would be interesting James Kelly likewise, save he seems to have been overseas too.

But I find VanGogh hard to go past.

As the silliest.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Pretty much all of them, in my opinion until you clear the ones named by contemporary, or near contemporary police you are chasing your tail. Of the modern suspects probably only those promoted by DJA or Fisherman are even in the running. Place Deeming in London at the time (all the evidence says he was in SA) and he would be interesting James Kelly likewise, save he seems to have been overseas too.

But I find VanGogh hard to go past.

As the silliest.

It’s no surprise that Dale Lerner’s proposed book on the subject has never surfaced. Obviously couldn’t find a delusional publisher GUT.

There was this ‘classic.’ Has anyone seen or read this book?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2022896/Is-Jack-Ripper-Scotland-Yards-Chief-Inspector-Frederick-Abberline-named.html

Nice photograph of a police officer who certainly isn’t Abberline. Not a great start.

[Herlock Sholmes]

H.H Holmes is one that drives me bonkers. He's a ridiculous candidate, and his descendants profiteering irks me somewhat.

For outright batshit speculation, the wonder that is Van Gogh.

https://forum.casebook.org/forum/soc...ack-the-ripper

Yeah that documentary with Jeff Mudgett and that former FBI woman was annoying. The most meaningless things were treated as major revelations. No doubt a book will surface eventually.

Btw I notice that you can’t buy ‘Pierre’s’ book online at the moment?

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

Yeah that documentary with Jeff Mudgett and that former FBI woman was annoying. The most meaningless things were treated as major revelations. No doubt a book will surface eventually.

Btw I notice that you can’t buy ‘Pierre’s’ book online at the moment?

Can an e-book sell out its first publishing run?