Francis Spurzheim Craig

[Fisherman]

I too expect it to be good read, I just wish he was going to bring evidence not speculation.

If he has an exhumation order for DNA testing, well do the testing then bring out the book, not the other way around.

And if the DNA fails to come through - what do you think that would to to the sales figures...?
Sometimes, moral and naïvety walk hand in hand.
I too would prefer it the other way around, of course, but I cannot see the publisher running the risk. Can you?

[GUT]

And if the DNA fails to come through - what do you think that would to to the sales figures...?
Sometimes, moral and naïvety walk hand in hand.
I too would prefer it the other way around, of course, but I cannot see the publisher running the risk. Can you?

No I can't.

But I'd still have more belief in his claims if he dd it that way [and indeed be more likely to buy the book].

[Sally]

I'm reading the book. It's an interesting read, but a little shorter on referencing than I'd like. It's not that I find the author's account of EWD's life and his identification of EWD as MJK implausible, only that making a statement of fact is of course without basis unless it can be supported by evidence. The line between personal conjecture and evidenced research looks a little blurred to me so far.

I'm looking forward to listening to his Rippercast Q&A session in the hope that my many questions will be addressed.

[jmenges]

Hi..
The message boards are frequented, by members of ''Casebook'', people who have often spent years[ in some cases] not only on this site, but have devoted an interest in this subject, throughout adult life.
To avoid the message boards, is to avoid ''Casebook'' itself..
There is much more to this site , then a selected few on Rippercast, .
Sorry for a rather strong opinion, its just the term..''He is not avoiding questions, only the message boards''. which caused this view.
Regards Richard.

As you and I both know, Richard, after all these years, the message boards are also frequented by members of "Casebook" who are relatively new to the case, new to the message boards, and have yet to learn how to treat other people with a little respect. I fail to see your point. My response was to counter the insinuation that Weston-Davies withdrew from Casebook in an attempt to avoid having to answer hard questions after his book has hit the shelves. This is 100% not true.

JM

[Robert]

Sally, how did you get hold of it before 13th?

[jmenges]

Robert, I believe people who pre-ordered it have began to receive it. Jon Rees got his copy in the mail yesterday.

JM

[Robert]

Thanks Jon.

[Sally]

Hi Robert,

I just got it from Amazon, no pre- order.

[Sally]

The book appeared to have a release date of 3rd August?

[jmenges]

They moved the release date up after the Telegraph serialization went viral. Trafalgar Square books, the US edition, is still not set to be released until April, 2016.

JM

[Robert]

I guess it needs some publicity in the US. Maybe the 'spent time in America' angle would help.

[Hatchett]

Hi,

I'm with you JM.

Best wishes.

[Inigo Montoya]

The Dear Boss letter received by the police on September 29th 1888 specifically described one of the actions that occurred the following night. The letter's authenticity was only called into question because the original recipient was a news agency, ie an entity only a journalist would think of. Given that Francis Craig was a journalist, it makes sense to take the Dear Boss letter seriously when considering him as a suspect.

The Dear Boss letter ended with the words “They say I’m a doctor now. Ha ha.”

The British Phrenological Society was founded in 1886. This was many years after phrenology had been dismissed by most people as quackery. Who was elected President of the British Phrenological Society for the year 1888?

It was Francis Craig's father E.T. Craig, who must have felt that he had received formal accreditation at last, ie "They say I'm a doctor now. Ha ha."

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/objects/display.aspx?id=92692

[Inigo Montoya]

Francis Craig died on 8th March 1903. On 8th March 1884, his father wrote a letter which has been preserved as a part of the Wallace Collection. It is notable for the fact that E.T. Craig was evidently in the habit of annotating his correspondence with drawings and comments in red ink.

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/resources/research-curation/projects/wallace-correspondence/transcripts/pdf/WCP2653_L2543.pdf

"Wasnt good enough to post this before I got all the red ink off my hands curse it No luck yet. They say I'm a doctor now. ha ha" (final line of Dear Boss letter)

Red ink on his hands as an unconscious way of articulating having been possessed by his quack anatomist father's influence.

[Inigo Montoya]

Nothing other than a throwaway thought, but it’s of momentary interest to reflect that Francis Craig died in March 1903, George Chapman died in April 1903, Francis Tumblety died in May 1903, and Thomas Cutbush died in July 1903.

Sadly, none out of the Duke of Clarence, William Gull, Aaron Kosminski, James Maybrick, or Walter Sickert fill in the gap by having died in June 1903. The King of Serbia did, though, and given enough time, it's quite possible that a theory will mature surrounding his motive and opportunity.