Newspaper Inquest Reports

[Billiou]

Hi,

I am a newcomer to the site. One of my main hobbies is Genealogy. In Genealogy research it is stressed that you have to go back to the primary source of an event, where possible, and you should try to have two separate sources as proof of each event.
Consulting the primary source can prevent misinformation, such as an incorrect transcription of a document, from corrupting the search and leading you down an incorrect path.
I have been reading the newspaper reports of the Mary Ann Nichols Inquest and various threads to do with her murder on the site. It seems to me a lot of time is taken up with matters that refer to, for example, one newspaper report, when the matter could be resolved by looking at another newspaper or consulting the threads. In other words the newspaper's reporting of the Inquest cannot be taken at face value as being exactly what was said or had occurred, and this leads to false leads and confusion.
From what I have read in Casebook, there is no actual Inquest record ie the primary source, so we are dealing with multiple secondary sources?
So another question I have is, has anyone ever gone through the various newspaper Inquest reports and tried to come up with one, overall, as fairly accurate as we can be, record of the Inquest ie using all the newspaper reports, and therefore clarifying the confusions?
Cheers
Bill

[DJA]

The ones found under Official Documents - Inquest Testimony appear accurate.

[The Good Michael]

So another question I have is, has anyone ever gone through the various newspaper Inquest reports and tried to come up with one, overall, as fairly accurate as we can be, record of the Inquest ie using all the newspaper reports, and therefore clarifying the confusions?

I think we all have done this. The press reports must be abbreviated versions, highlighting things, but may be verbatim in spots. It's impossible to gain a concensus on this without the original inquest testimony.

Mike

[GUT]

Hi,

I am a newcomer to the site. One of my main hobbies is Genealogy. In Genealogy research it is stressed that you have to go back to the primary source of an event, where possible, and you should try to have two separate sources as proof of each event.
Consulting the primary source can prevent misinformation, such as an incorrect transcription of a document, from corrupting the search and leading you down an incorrect path.
I have been reading the newspaper reports of the Mary Ann Nichols Inquest and various threads to do with her murder on the site. It seems to me a lot of time is taken up with matters that refer to, for example, one newspaper report, when the matter could be resolved by looking at another newspaper or consulting the threads. In other words the newspaper's reporting of the Inquest cannot be taken at face value as being exactly what was said or had occurred, and this leads to false leads and confusion.
From what I have read in Casebook, there is no actual Inquest record ie the primary source, so we are dealing with multiple secondary sources?
So another question I have is, has anyone ever gone through the various newspaper Inquest reports and tried to come up with one, overall, as fairly accurate as we can be, record of the Inquest ie using all the newspaper reports, and therefore clarifying the confusions?
Cheers
Bill

Welcome to casebook.

Consensus? What Consensus?

[Billiou]

I think we all have done this. The press reports must be abbreviated versions, highlighting things, but may be verbatim in spots. It's impossible to gain a concensus on this without the original inquest testimony.

Mike

Yes, that is how I feel about the press reports. Is it at least worth a try? It may at least remove the obvious mistakes
eg
Comment by Cross about hearing a policeman in Buck's Row: Morning Advertiser: “but I said, “No, let us go and tell a policeman””, The Star: “Let's go on till we see a policeman and tell him.” The Daily Telegraph: “Just then they heard a policeman coming.” The Times: Does not report any form of this comment. Lloyd's Weekly: Reports the account from the Daily Telegraph. East London Observer: Does not report any form of this comment. The Daily News: Reports the account from The Daily Telegraph. The Echo: “You had better go on, and if you see a policeman tell him.” The Evening Post: “They had better go on until they saw a policeman.”
Possible Conclusion: The reporter from The Daily Telegraph obviously misheard and misreported the comment about going to tell a policeman and it is incorrect to attribute this to Cross.
I agree that a consensus on this site would be impossible, but if the obvious mistakes are identified they could be removed? More contentious items would of course be harder.
Cheers
Bill

[Billiou]

The ones found under Official Documents - Inquest Testimony appear accurate.

I agree they are somewhat more extensive than other newspapers, but there are, I think, some errors that could be corrected.

[DJA]

Which ones ?

[Billiou]

The one mentioned in #5 is an example.
And neither The Daily Telegraph or The Times reports mentions Neil's reported comment in the East London Observer and The Evening Post to Thain, "Here's a woman has cut her throat. Run at once for Dr. Llewellyn.", not just "Run at once for Dr. Llewellyn.", which may put a different light on the urgency to get Dr. Lllewellyn ie she may still be alive. eg he didn't say "this woman's dead, go get Dr Llewellyn", Otherwise why run for the doctor?

[Fisherman]

Welcome to casebook.

Consensus? What Consensus?

Of course there is a Consensus. Why would you deny that?

[GUT]

Of course there is a Consensus. Why would you deny that?

Because I knew you thought there was

[Fisherman]

Because I knew you thought there was

I did not! (This can go on for quite some time. Or not.)

[Pierre]

Hi,

I am a newcomer to the site. One of my main hobbies is Genealogy. In Genealogy research it is stressed that you have to go back to the primary source of an event, where possible, and you should try to have two separate sources as proof of each event.
Consulting the primary source can prevent misinformation, such as an incorrect transcription of a document, from corrupting the search and leading you down an incorrect path.
I have been reading the newspaper reports of the Mary Ann Nichols Inquest and various threads to do with her murder on the site. It seems to me a lot of time is taken up with matters that refer to, for example, one newspaper report, when the matter could be resolved by looking at another newspaper or consulting the threads. In other words the newspaper's reporting of the Inquest cannot be taken at face value as being exactly what was said or had occurred, and this leads to false leads and confusion.
From what I have read in Casebook, there is no actual Inquest record ie the primary source, so we are dealing with multiple secondary sources?
So another question I have is, has anyone ever gone through the various newspaper Inquest reports and tried to come up with one, overall, as fairly accurate as we can be, record of the Inquest ie using all the newspaper reports, and therefore clarifying the confusions?
Cheers
Bill

Hi Bill,

You point out a big problem within "ripperology".

The best way to solve it is to use only primary sources. You find many of them in The Ultimate Jack the Ripper Sourcebook written by Evans & Skinner.

Kind regards, Pierre

[Pierre]

Yes, that is how I feel about the press reports. Is it at least worth a try? It may at least remove the obvious mistakes
eg
Comment by Cross about hearing a policeman in Buck's Row: Morning Advertiser: “but I said, “No, let us go and tell a policeman””, The Star: “Let's go on till we see a policeman and tell him.” The Daily Telegraph: “Just then they heard a policeman coming.” The Times: Does not report any form of this comment. Lloyd's Weekly: Reports the account from the Daily Telegraph. East London Observer: Does not report any form of this comment. The Daily News: Reports the account from The Daily Telegraph. The Echo: “You had better go on, and if you see a policeman tell him.” The Evening Post: “They had better go on until they saw a policeman.”
Possible Conclusion: The reporter from The Daily Telegraph obviously misheard and misreported the comment about going to tell a policeman and it is incorrect to attribute this to Cross.
I agree that a consensus on this site would be impossible, but if the obvious mistakes are identified they could be removed? More contentious items would of course be harder.
Cheers
Bill

Hi Bill,

the original inquest papers for the murder on Polly Nichols have not been found, there are just journalists work on them.

If you would like to compare the earliest newspaper articles with a transcribed inquest source you can use The Ultimate Jack the Ripper Sourcebook by Evans & Skinner, where you find some of the original inquest papers in transcription.

Regards, Pierre

[Michael W Richards]

Hi Bill,

the original inquest papers for the murder on Polly Nichols have not been found, there are just journalists work on them.

If you would like to compare the earliest newspaper articles with a transcribed inquest source you can use The Ultimate Jack the Ripper Sourcebook by Evans & Skinner, where you find some of the original inquest papers in transcription.

Regards, Pierre

Ive seen you reference Evan and Skinner lots here Pierre, would it have any impact on your serial killer theorizing if you knew that one of these authors is on record here with the opinion that just 2, perhaps 3 of the Canonicals should be attributed to a single individual?

[Pierre]

Ive seen you reference Evan and Skinner lots here Pierre, would it have any impact on your serial killer theorizing if you knew that one of these authors is on record here with the opinion that just 2, perhaps 3 of the Canonicals should be attributed to a single individual?

I read them only as transcribers of original sources and I do not read their own ideas.

Regards, Pierre