Update on my book about Chapman

[HelenaWojtczak]

hi
definitely carry on with the book, because it's still possible that he could've been the Ripper... i still rate him in the top 3, because there is something truly sinister about him that goes way beyond a poisoner only, he is definitely evil enough

i can definitely see him as the Ripper and then again i cant and that's about it i suppose

Thanks for your message and your vote Mal!

There is nothing to rule him out being the Ripper, if it is possible to have such a radical change in M.O.

And you are right - he was definitely evil enough.

[Malcolm X]

hi
definitely carry on with the book, because it's still possible that he could've been the Ripper, i guess it all depends on the Hutchinson sighting, was he telling the truth, unfortunately my guess is no.

he fits the profile of the Ripper for sure, but what tends to rule him out is that there are no more ripper style murders after Kelly, either here or in America, plus when he returned later too. Everything else fits but this goes heavily against him.

in fact, when i was studying him in detail, Chapman was almost too good a suspect to be true and maybe it's as simple as this !

but i still rate him in the top 3, because there is something truly sinister about him that goes way beyond a poisoner only, he is definitely evil enough, easily, but maybe too smart/ self- preserving to be the Ripper.

a doctor/ surgeon tends not to mutilate like that, he's more likely to poison and not get himself quite so covered in blood.... the Ripper seems to me to be a Joe Average born and bread local, but then again i'm probably wrong !

in fact, i'm confusing myself again

i can definitely see him as the Ripper and then again i cant and that's about it i suppose

[HelenaWojtczak]

Sorry Helena - I wasn't paying attention - lol

How about making the title appear as if it is a series ie

Jack the Ripper Suspect: The Southwark Poisoner

Oooh that is a good one! Turning the sequence on its head.

In fact, it could indeed be a series (though I don't want to write them all)

Jack the Ripper Suspect: The Mad Doctor
Jack the Ripper Suspect: The Self-Abuser
Jack the Ripper Suspect: The Royal Prince

etc...

[Nemo]

Sorry Helena - I wasn't paying attention - lol

How about making the title appear as if it is a series ie

Jack the Ripper Suspect: The Southwark Poisoner

[HelenaWojtczak]

How about The Southwark Poisoner: Was He JTR?

Best wishes,
Steve.

Hi Steve, I am grateful for your interest and suggestion.

The problem with that title is that it suggests that the entire book is devoted to assessing whether he was or was not JtR, and that this aspect of Chapman is the only interesting thing about him.

That is not the case and I am determined never to mislead or disappoint readers.

In fact the part of the book that deals with that question is currently 3% of a 46,000-word book.

Chapman was a serial killer in his own right and (it could be argued) worse than JtR.

I suppose my thesis is: regardless of whether or not he was JtR, he was definitely one of the most sadistic and cold blooded killers ever to be tried at the Old Bailey.

However, unlike Christie et al, because nobody ever made a play/film etc about him, he is entirely unknown today other than for being a Ripper suspect. Therefore I need to put JtR somewhere in the title so people can 'get a handle' on who he was, and also to 'ride on the shirt tails' of the enormous continued interest in JtR. I'd be stupid not to!

Helena

[Steven Russell]

How about The Southwark Poisoner: Was He JTR?

Best wishes,
Steve.

[HelenaWojtczak]

Title

My boyfriend rather fancies "The Southwark Poisoner: Not Jack the Ripper".

Pros:

• Short
• Intriguing - may draw people to want to read it to find out why it's called that
• Appears in searches for 'Jack the Ripper'
• Tells no lies (or half lies)

Cons:

• Seems baffling (though that may not be a 'con' but a 'pro'!

[HelenaWojtczak]

Is there any mention of the torso "murders" Helena?

IIRC there was a man who "looked like a tailor" hanging around in the area of Pinchin St before the remains were found

There are also some medical aspects to the deaths and dismemberment of the victims

I would call the book something simple like "Severin" and put the rest on the blurb

Hello Nemo!

"Is there any mention of the torso "murders"

Yes, but only because Gordon accuses S.K. of them, so I discuss and weigh up the evidence and likelihood. I don't see S.K. as a dismemberer (is that even a word?)

"I would call the book something simple like "Severin"

You might, my darling, but I wouldn't, because his name was Seweryn ....

Does anyone remember the song Liza with a Zee? S.K. would want such a song if he could read the way his name has been mangled for the last 80 years lol.

It's Seweryn with a W; not Severin with a V
'Cos the Polish language has no letter V!
Then Kłosowski with an ł, not Klosowski with an l
'Cos that's the way it is.... po polsku!

(Po polsku = in Polish)

Right, back to work, just re-writing the death of Maud Marsh.

[HelenaWojtczak]

Dear John

Many MANY thanks for your supportive and encouraging message. To respond to some of your points:


"I think you are being a little hard on yourself!"

Yep, that is how I get the best out of myself. I have a host of imaginary history, moral philosophy and English tutors standing over me at all times, cracking the whip to make sure I get all my facts right -- and every comma correctly placed.

"if there is that much previous misinformation as you claim, then that surely makes a book like yours all the more valid. I'm sure many true crime afficionados will be interested in a more accurate picture"

But the trouble is, readers do not know that the information presented is full of both small factual inaccuracies and large inventions/misunderstandings/lies, so they won't appreciate the pains I am going to in order not to repeat these inaccuracies (as everyone else has done!)

See my other thread for examples .... http://forum.casebook.org/showthread.php?t=5950

The sort of thing that irritates the hell out of me is that someone like Mr Gordon can write three books about Chapman and, despite living in a country containing literally millions of Polish-speaking people, could not even be bothered to spend ten seconds casually asking one of them if 'Whostyaw'* is a real name in Polish. Any old random Pole could have told him instantly that the name was 'Władysław'. Just like if I asked you, is the name 'Cirshtoepr' an English name, you could tell me instantly that it should be 'Christopher'. It genuinely offends me that he could not even be bothered to check this out, especially as the person concerned isn't some vague acquaintance of the person the three books are about but his son, for goodness' sake! It makes me think, if he can't be bothered to get the man's son's name right, why should I believe any of the rest of the book?

(*or however it was that he mangled Kłosowski's son's name, I cannot quite remember)

Maybe these things don't matter? Maybe I'm the only sad little pedant who gives a stuff that Lucy's name was actually Łucja Baderska and that her brother was Stanisław and not 'Stanislaus'?

"patience is the key"

I do intend to get some, John, but I want some now, right this second!

"Rome wasn't built in a day!!"

'Railwaywomen' took me sixteen years. I fear I don't have that many years left, my dear!

"crime is a VERY big niche!" .... "I wish you the best of luck with it."

Aw thanks! It's messages like yours that spur me on to keep going when the going gets tough!

Helena

[Nemo]

Is there any mention of the torso "murders" Helena?

IIRC there was a man who "looked like a tailor" hanging around in the area of Pinchin St before the remains were found

There are also some medical aspects to the deaths and dismemberment of the victims

I would call the book something simple like "Severin" and put the rest on the blurb

[John Bennett]

Having just read your first post, Helena, I think you are being a little hard on yourself!

You have obviously worked tirelessly on this project. Don't forget that Chapman is not just a Ripper suspect, but also a figure in true crime in his own right. I haven't read up on him from any of the previously published books (suspects were never my forté), but if there is that much previous misinformation as you claim, then that surely makes a book like yours all the more valid. I'm sure many true crime afficionados will be interested in a more accurate picture of the 'Southwark Poisoner' and remember, many of those will not even be aware of internet forums on the Ripper, let alone post here.

Obviously, it is a niche market compared to say, books on World War 2 or Henry VIII, but crime is a VERY big niche!

As for the time spent on research for the project, well that is par for the course. And the more fact-finding you do, so much the better for the end result. I'm sure there are many who have done mountains of research and spent piles of cash and time in the process whose results are not known to us for one reason or another.

I would say 'patience is the key'. No doubt (with the help of some of those you have communicated with here) you will get that elusive title. It may require rejigging what you have done already and thus more time spent, but stick at it. Eventually you will hit upon the right balance and as an already published author, I'm sure you can well remember that nice feeling when everything falls into place. Rome wasn't built in a day!!

I wish you the best of luck with it.

[HelenaWojtczak]

"More Sadistic Than The Ripper."

That is what I have come to see, now I have read so much about him.

Has to be "Jack the Ripper" though, to appear in searches.

"The Southwark Poisoner: More Sadistic than Jack the Ripper"?


"The Southwark Poisoner: Rival to Jack the Ripper"?

[HelenaWojtczak]

The Grave Maurice

"A well-researched book on Chapman would be most welcome. Keep at it."

This is from the same "Grave Maurice" who voted "Absolutely not!" on my poll, above?

We've all read Gordon's work and, while it is entertaining, it isn't particularly helpful: "If any woman was murdered, anywhere, during the relevant period, Chapman dunnit."


That is the truest thing I've read about Gordon so far!

I'll bet an appropriate title will occur to you, almost automatically, once the work is finished.

I'm ruminating on it all the time, in the shower, on the bog.... lol

[The Grave Maurice]

Helena,

A well-researched book on Chapman would be most welcome. Keep at it. We've all read Gordon's work and, while it is entertaining, it isn't particularly helpful: "If any woman was murdered, anywhere, during the relevant period, Chapman dunnit."

I'll bet an appropriate title will occur to you, almost automatically, once the work is finished.

[Robert]

"More Sadistic Than The Ripper."