Diary of Jack the Ripper - Another Chapter (James Stettler)

[Uncle Jack]

Anyone yet read the new book The Diary Of Jack The Ripper - Another Chapter, written by James Stettler? It comes out in July in the UK but not sure about anywhere else.

It promises to answer the following questions:

Who Killed James Maybrick?

Who wrote the diary of Jack the Ripper & Why?

It also says there are "new victims"

I'm not holding out much hope for this book but will be reading out of interest.

The website www.13millerscourt.com offer the following premise:

In 1888 a killer stalked the gas lit, fog laden streets of London. He killed without sound and without remorse and struck fear into the world that knew his name as
Jack the Ripper.

In 1992 a diary was found purporting to be written by Jack the Ripper. Further investigation found that James Maybrick was the suspected author of this now infamous document.

This book delves into the murky world of 1888 through the streets of Whitechapel, or the Abyss to the courtrooms of Liverpool to the dusty streets of Austin USA, to uncover the truth behind the Jack the Ripper killings AND who really wrote the diary of Jack the Ripper.

The investigation is like nothing you have ever read about.

So sit back, open the pages of Jack the Ripper: Another Chapter and take a blockbuster gothic ride into the world of Jack the Ripper, his diary and the mysterious happenings that surround them.

The case of Jack the Ripper may never be the same again.

[perrymason]

Hi Adam,

Although the Flash intro is well done and new, it would seem that at least some of the content is not....this is 2 snippets from the web published excerpt on the site.......Copyright 2009 Area Nine Publishing....

"It would have been in the very interests of those in power to hide the fact that the killer was a freemason, a member of the upper classes and known to royalty and this lead them to do just that, because otherwise the furnace may have blown apart engulfing them all."

"It was this world that Jack the Ripper entered on the night of 31st August 1888."

At least we know how he starts this "new" Ripper spree of his, and what kind of story we are likely to get.

Best regards

[Supe]

"and this lead them ..."

Does the web site actually use lead? If so, good grief.

Don.

[caz]

Indeed, Don. It doesn't bode well, does it?

I have absolutely no idea who this James Stettler is, and I know nothing about this book apart from what I've read here. It doesn't sound like anything that I would wish to be associated with, that's for sure. And Steve Powell is the only other diary theorist I know of who claims to have a new book out (or nearly out).

Love,

Caz
X

[quasar]

SO VERY CONFUSED
I am not a professional on JtR like some here are, but am trying hard to learn as I go.I would like to know if anyone else has reached the point of 'so very confused'? Melvin Harris sais it's a new forgery, with could cause. Paul Begg thinks an old Forgery, with some justification.Harrison and Feldman say it is the real deal, with some viable points also. Michael Barett is the Joker in the pack.Steve Powell comes along now and sais it is a recent forgery, with possibly Feldman himself envoleved. He doesn't know exactly who forged it , but has thrown up differnt names, and conspiracy theories, than other people have already. Whilst I am trying to process all of this in my head, this James stettler comes along now and sais that Maybrick was murdered by the real jack the Ripper, who then forged this diary - thus making it an old forgery.

Now , what am I supposed to think? It has gone beyond a joke now.As if the WM case is not already a confusing mystery, this Maybrick thing has got out of control now. Has anyone got any sage advice as to what I shoud think?

Thanks, Q.

[Archaic]

My 2 Cents

Hi, Quasar, having I read your heart-felt plea for advice, I am moved to say:

"Run Away!!! The Diary is an otherworldly Vortex which only desires to consume you!"

If you choose to proceed, just remember:

You enter that Vortex at your own peril...

I believe a few others may concur.

Good luck, Archaic

[Stewart P Evans]

Michael Maybrick

Michael Maybrick as Jack the Ripper, instead of James, is not a new idea. But this appears to be the first to put it into book form.

[quasar]

It 's strange at first , but when you think about it , there are some interesting points about Michael Maybrick.
The first being this. Given the diary content, if it was proven to be an old forgery, Michael Maybrick would be the only person who could have pulled it off. He was close to James, knew all about his visits to London, knew all of Maybrick's personal life - including Flo. If he was Jack, then that takes care of any Ripper content.I dont think any other of his brothers, or friends knew these things as well as Michael did?

The other irony is the photofit. Harrison used Michael as the comparison for the witness sketch. If you look at the facial features closely, it actually looks more like Michael than James.

As for the much speculated connection to Masons and royalty, that is an irony too. Feldman , and Harrison, were trying to link James to it via Michael.This puts Michael directly there.

Finally, we know he bent over backward to see Flo convicted of his murder.He had the means to kill James if he wanted, Frame him for the Ripper murders with the diary, then for the coo de grace he leads the charge to get Flo framed for Jame's murder. Food for thought anyway. Thanks, Q.

[The Grave Maurice]

I couldn't resist the "worldwide free postage" offer, so my copy is on the way. It will undoubtedly take a while to get here, though, so I'd like to hear the opinions of those who read it first.

[#6.]

Occman's razor: the simplest answer is the best - they're both forgeries and I wouldn't waste my time.

[The Grave Maurice]

Occman's? Anyway, the book was here when I got home this evening, so my weekend's reading is accounted for.

[The Good Michael]

Occman's razor:

Occman was a Jewish barber who lived on Greenfield Street. He was often confused for Kosminski, though the latter was a hairdresser. Occam's razor was known for it's Damascene blade that was easy to sharpen and cut beards like nobody's business. He once told customers that voices led him to the blade and guided him into the barbering trade, though he was never questioned about any possible connections with the Whitechapel murders.

Infoman

[The Grave Maurice]

I didn’t have much hope that this would be worth reading and, on the whole, I was right. However, right at the beginning, the author rather disarmingly states:

The thrill of the chase is not just the obvious goal of finding out the true identity of Jack the Ripper, but rather the fun of discovering who the Ripper may have been. For no one it seems really wants the legend to end in a real “Case closed,” for then the legend is finished. It is in this spirit of adventure and sleuthing that this theory is put forward. I do not so much put forward a case closed answer to the Ripper legend but rather a “this is who could have been the Ripper,” theory. It would be rather arrogant and presumptuous to suggest anything else.

So, I mean, how can you argue with that? Stettler’s not saying Michael Maybrick was JtR, he’s just saying we can all have a bit of a giggle by supposing that Maybrick was guilty and then seeing what happens.

Well, unfortunately, not much does happen. Stettler trots out some of the old theories and knocks them down, but reactivates part of the Freemason conspiracy because Michael, apparently, was a Mason. He then develops a rather complicated theory, with no supporting evidence, that the homosexual Michael killed seven prostitutes (including Tabram and McKenzie) and then wrote the diary to frame his brother in case the police ever got too close to the truth. Hmmm.

Stettler’s theory can charitably be called unconvincing. And it’s not even much fun to read because he makes more than a few factual errors in his descriptions of the murders. In addition, the spelling, grammar, syntax, and punctuation are atrocious.

If you haven’t already bought it, it’s probably best to give this one a miss.

[Into The Abyss]

Thanks for the quick review, Maurice - had just found the website on this book. Anything connected to the Maybricks is a big turn off for me so definitely won't bother with what appears from your comments to be another load of hoakum.

On another matter - does anyone know when the new editions of "Jack the Ripper: The Facts" and "The Ultimate Jack the Ripper Sourcebook" are likely to put in an appearance? I have had these on order from Amazon for months, but the are unable to supply an issue date?

[Graham]

Anything connected to the Maybricks is a big turn off for me so definitely won't bother with what appears from your comments to be another load of hoakum.

The Maybrick Case has a fascination all its own, and is worth studying, but James Maybrick as JTR is another matter altogether....

Michael Maybrick (a.k.a. Stephen Adams, famous as the composer of 'The Holy City' still sung by rugby-playing drunks today) was an odd character. That he was a (fairly high-ranking) freemason I have no doubt; that he was in some way involved in the death of his brother James I have no doubt; that he was gay - well, not sure. I believe that even during his lifetime there were whispers concerning the true nature of his association with his lyricist Fred Weatherley. But in 1888 he was second only to Sir Arthur Sullivan as a musical money-spinner, and it has to be supposed that any possible threat to his supreme position would have been met with some fairly radical action on his behalf...but I can't see Michael as the Ripper or the writer of the Diary, any more so than I can see James. Their association with the Ripper Crimes was down pure and simple to the frigging Diary.

Graham

PS: Is James Stettler half of the famous "Waldorf and Stettler", the two old boys who were always in the audience of the Muppet Show?