Ripperologist 111

[Tom_Wescott]

Hainsworth isn't very popular, it seems. Why is that?

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

P.S. I haven't read the latest essay.

[DVV]

To be honest I didnt enjoy this months Ripperologist very much at all .I thought the writer of the Kosminski piece wrote very well ,but really if we need anything its not any more of Anderson"s tired old "definitely ascertainable facts" we need,but fresh statistics or medical views that might possibly support a case against a man who so far was considered harmless for thirty years.

I agree, Norma,

however, I found the change of strategy most interesting...
Jonathan Hainsworth doesn't argue that Anderson wasn't a wishful thinker, etc...
Quite the reverse : "arrogant and unappealing"... "he is undermined by his insufferable vanity"..."vain and mean-spirited in the way he expresses no compassion whatsoever"..."one with a mind more than capable of self deception, and always with the agenda of making himself feel and appear to be right".

But...as a conclusion : "I argue that scrubbing away all the mythical encrustations still leaves a suspect who is not only strong, but arguably the strongest."

The article subtitle should have been "The art of war", imo...

I add that John Bennett's contribution is a joy to read, and beautifully illustrated.

Amitiés,
David

[The Grave Maurice]

BTW, that's post number 666 for you. Not that I'm superstitious....

You're right: 666 is a great number to have. I'm not superstitious either, so I'm never going to post again and that way I'll be able to keep the number 666 forev....Oh, damn!

[Tom_Wescott]

And don't be too quick to accept Martha.

Ha ha. I'm very slow on the matter!

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Supe]

Tom,

Actually, I think Ally was right--Jane is the glue that holds everything together: laying out page after page, making last minute corrections (on top of corrections on top of corrections . . .), writing articles to fill out issues and serving as everyone's Mother Confessor.

And don't be too quick to accept Martha.

Don.

[Tom_Wescott]

Thanks for the very kind words, Nats. I doubt any work from Dan, Wolf or myself would be all too welcome by the current Rip brigade, but I don't think that will slow us down much. We seem to do a fine job of slowing ourselves down. LOL. I used to disagree strongly with Wolf Vanderlinden's views on Martha Tabram, but I must say I'm starting to warm up to them just a bit. And I can understand your points about Kosminski, however, I think he remains the only viable candidate remaining from the 'Macnaghten 3'. In any event, Rip seems to have published more on Tumblety and Druitt than on Kosminski in recent times.

Scott Nelson clearly does believe in quality over quantity, as he all too rarely publishes anything, but when he does, it's always quality, and as long as he's pecking away at Kosminski, one never knows just what revelations await!

And Don, you're no doubt right about Jenn's efforts being missed by the staff at Rip. To readers, the work of a managing (man-aging?) editor is never as obvious as that of the 'out front' editors.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Natalie Severn]

Unfortunately, yes. Until Kos can be eliminated as a suspect and new information remains to be discovered about Swanson and Anderson.

That is unlikely to prove anything more, Scott.
If Kosminski was Jack the Ripper he would not have been left in Colney Hatch and Leavesdon for thirty years.He would have been quietly taken to Broadmoor ---along with the likes of Thomas Cutbush.

Anyway, I forgot to say how much I enjoyed your article on Inspector Robert Sagar,Scott.It shone a light on City of London Police work and lit up Aldgate itself for once.

[Scott Nelson]

You raise a good point, Thomas. I had been wondering why these boards seemed to be about 10 or 12 posts a day lighter than usual.

Good, not bad. Quality over quantity. BTW, that's post number 666 for you. Not that I'm superstitious, but it is quite a lot. Since I've been posting back to 1998, I have a total of, maybe, 500 at the most. Maybe 25% research-oriented, the rest throw-away garbage. The majority of which was influenced, sadly, by stupid, junk posts by others. How could I have been so weak?

[Scott Nelson]

Are there now going to be lots and lots and lots of big long articles about Kosminski and Anderson and Swanson.... ?

Unfortunately, yes. Until Kos can be eliminated as a suspect and new information remains to be discovered about Swanson and Anderson.

[Ally]

Hah! All the men at Rip are pure useless...it's all Jane. That's where the real talent lies.

[Supe]

Grave Maurice and others,

Rest assured. I spoke to Gareth just the other day and he is fine but has been away from home on business and will be a bit longer. His closing words, though, were "I will be back."

And Tom, thanks for the kind words. It was a fun run at Rip--for most of my tenure anyway. Though, I would think they will miss Jen's magisterial management skills much more than anything I did.

Don.

[DVV]

And I think others are more apt for the job. John Bennett springs to mind (excellent piece by John in this months Rip, awesone in fact) as does Ben Holme. However my money would be on Gareth Williams aka Sam Flynn. And seeing Im on a roll after picking winners in Rob Clack, twice, and Debs, I trust my nose.

Monty

Great names here, Monty.

But you shouldn't forget Daniel Gilotti.
40 years of theories, one theory per week.
Do calculate.

Amitiés,
David

[Natalie Severn]

Well thanks Tom!
To be honest I didnt enjoy this months Ripperologist very much at all .I thought the writer of the Kosminski piece wrote very well ,but really if we need anything its not any more of Anderson"s tired old "definitely ascertainable facts" we need,but fresh statistics or medical views that might possibly support a case against a man who so far was considered harmless for thirty years. Solid evidence of his medical history is what is needed from Colney Hatch and Leavesdon.So far there isnt a jot of solid evidence to support anything Anderson or others have to say about Aaron Kosminski being Jack the Ripper.It just seems to get more and more absurd to me.

I used to think some of Wolf"s research very impressive,and Dan"s and as I have said before, your own articles have often had that fresh sense of inquiry and engaging written style that counts for a lot in a magazine article.Rob Clack"s piece on Mary Austin was another piece of research I found really important and impressive.

Lately I , personally, have not found anything, in terms of factual analysis of the case or illuminating insight into the objective circumstances of the case to quite to equal the above.
Moan over!
Night Tom.

[The Grave Maurice]

...and it seems that's what Sam's been doing....

You raise a good point, Thomas. I had been wondering why these boards seemed to be about 10 or 12 posts a day lighter than usual. And, come to think of it, it's been a while since we heard anything from babybird. You don't suppose that they've flown the coop together, do ya?

[Tom_Wescott]

I don't know what you're talking about half the time, Nats. But I greatly enjoy you the other half of the time!

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott