Ripperologist 117

[lynn cates]

errata

Hello Fiona. I agree that no stone should be left unturned.

Given that de la Ree Bott and Nettlau are identical, would the mathematical plan (etc) refer to a motive for the killings themselves or the clue left in the writings? I should hardly think the former given the haste with which C3 & C4 were performed.

On the other hand, if the remark is made as a guide to a possible deposited clue, it would not be implausible.

My intuition says (for what little it is worth) that this is a young scholar who wishes to bring his work to the attention of the public. Still, I am not prepared to dismiss it out of hand.

As I said, my IISG files contain mostly signatures of the Hammmersmith club members. I think I posted some of that on my Kaufmann thread under general discussion. If I still have some of these and if you'd like a copy, just PM me with your email address.

I hope shortly to obtain some of the Victor Dave files relating to his feud with Peukert. Each man charged the other with being a police spy. Dave was a member of the council at the Hammersmith club.

Perhaps I can look into the Nettlau files as well, now that I have a couple of spare minutes.

Cheers.
LC

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Fiona. I've held back from commenting on your article because I have one coming out in Casebook Examiner in a few days discussing a fascinating connection between five or so 'suspects', all of whom knew each other. In some ways it touches upon art and anarchy. Once that's out and I can discuss its contents, I'd be curious to exchange feedback and see what Lynn and others think as well. Outside of Le Grand, the anarchy/socialist connection is probably the area of research I'm most interested in pursuing.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[mariab]

Lynn Cates wrote:
Right now, I am searching for someone who reads Cyrillic script and who can search the voluminous correspondence which is the Okhrana files, archived at the Hoover Institution in Palo Alto California, at Stanford University.
I thought you had already engaged someone at Stanford to do this, Lynn? Have you encountered any complications pertaining to this project?
I've just emailed you with the internet links to sweater lists (courtesy of Debra Arif and Chris Phillips) for researching a possible connection between William Wess and Israel Schwartz. There's no point for me to engage in such a search, as I'll no doubt encounter tons of names of Victorian minor anarchists who I won't be able to identify from Adam. Also, for the parlipapers link it might be of benefit if you approach it from your University's site.
I'll post the French translations in your Kaufmann thread ASAP, followed by more French spy reports about Whitechapel anarchist activity.
And in a week or two I hope to be able to research BS. I've thought of 2 ways of researching him, through tribunal and police files – but for the latter, I very much doubt that anything might have survived.

[lynn cates]

both

Hello Tom. I look forward to your article.

If my information about the Okhrana is correct, it may be possible for you to combine your research interests, because:

1. The Okhrana, according to Fischer, liked to hire local private investigators when operating on foreign soil.

and

2. A large cross section of anarchists were doing double duty, some with the Okhrana, some with SY. (Charles Mowbray is one shocking example of this.)

Now, here is a tit bit designed both to titillate and motivate research interest. Le Grand advertised his detective agency in June 1888. Pyotr Rachkovski, Paris Okhrana bureau chief, due to growing alarm at the proliferation of Russian/Jewish anarchists in the East end of London, went on a 6 month trip (beginning in June 1888) to set up a branch office there. He hired Wladyslaw Milevsky to take charge of operations, who in turn hired an ex-SY man as his agent. Le Grand seems not to have run his ad after the trip. Did he land a big customer?

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

kids

Hello Maria. My student researcher reported back in about 1 sentence: "Nah, I don't see anything you'd be interested in." Along with this negative dictum I received the bill for L120.

I am looking for someone who knows things Ripper AND who reads Cyrillic script. Sounds like a job for Gareth Williams, but I think he has a life already.

Hope to get on the sweaters list this week end--my academic sweating is nearly over for this term.

Cheers.
LC

[Tom_Wescott]

Now, here is a tit bit designed both to titillate and motivate research interest. Le Grand advertised his detective agency in June 1888. Pyotr Rachkovski, Paris Okhrana bureau chief, due to growing alarm at the proliferation of Russian/Jewish anarchists in the East end of London, went on a 6 month trip (beginning in June 1888) to set up a branch office there. He hired Wladyslaw Milevsky to take charge of operations, who in turn hired an ex-SY man as his agent. Le Grand seems not to have run his ad after the trip. Did he land a big customer?

Very intriguing indeed! Where did Le Grand publish his ad? Do you have a scan of this ad available? I'm aware of his flyer ("Where all the European languages are spoken"). Is this ad an Arif find that I've forgotten about?

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[lynn cates]

here it is

Hello Tom. I think I posted this before. He is hawking his agency and hiring out to trace missing persons. The divorce angle is the prominent one. The Casebook consensus seems to be that he could help trace infidelity of a spouse as a pretext for divorce.

This is from Lloyd's, June 1888.

Cheers.
LC

[mariab]

No Tom, Le Grand's add is not a find by Debra Arif (for once!), but a find by Lynn himself, posted in the Examiner 2 thread in late July 2010. (I happen to recall this, as I first read about this find at the Johannesburg airport.)

Lynn,
can you clarify when Piņtr Rachkovsky arrived in London from Paris vs. when Le Grand's add appeared for the last time in the papers?
As you might recall, unfortunately I haven't found anything on Wladyslaw Milevsky at the Paris Archives Nationales, but the sources left there are very scarce.
Depending on what I find in the Paris police and tribunal archives in March, you'll be happy to hear that I'm considering having a look inside the Franco-Russian boxes at the Archives Nationales. I might even consider going through all 16 boxes of them (which can be done in 3-4 days).

[mariab]

Lynn Cates wrote:
My student researcher reported back in about 1 sentence: "Nah, I don't see anything you'd be interested in." Along with this negative dictum I received the bill for L120.
What a lazy slug! He's hardly been into this for a month. Lynn, you should ask him for a list of the contents of ALL microfilms he's gone through or refuse to pay him. As easy as that.
I happen to know of a very serious person at Oxford who reads (and translates) perfect Russian, and she might know a few things about anarchism in pre-revolutionary Russia. But how are you planning to solve the location problem – to Palo Alto?
Lynn, don't worry about Paris, I might manage going through the entire Franco-Russian 15/16 boxes in March. (And I don't need L120 to engage in this.)

[lynn cates]

strike

Hello Maria. Butterworth indicates that it coincided with the matchgirls' strike, summer of 1888. He also has a vague reference to Rachkovski's as a possible visit in June 1888.

It is to firm up some of this that I so desperately wished to get at the Okhrana files in Palo Alto. Time for me to study Cyrillic script?

I'm delighted to hear that you may be able to search the Paris files.

Good luck!

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

Palo Alto

Hello Maria. I'm not sure how hard she worked but an inventory would have been lovely. But, as you point out, the logistics are murder.

So, you will go through the files for L119? (heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC

[mariab]

Lynn,
As next I'll research Rachkovsky and his fellas (as well as Le Grand and even Ostrog) in the Police de Sūreté files in the archives of the Police Museum. Depending on if I find anything there, I'll consider going through the 15/16 boxes pertaining to Franco-Russian pre-revolutionary relations at the Archives Nationales.
Lynn Cates wrote:
So, you will go through the files for L119? (heh-heh)

You know, I think that Scott Nelson and Simon Wood are located in California? But they don't read Russian. (I also have an ex in San Clemente. Hardly reads any English – but surfs like a Pro. Maybe I can persuade him to go beat up your student researcher there and collect the L120 back.) Also my Chicago boss sometimes goes to Stanford. But he already messed up in Lyon with Lacassagne...

[lynn cates]

money

Hello Maria. Well, the money is not important (choke! gasp! did a Scotsman actually say that?); the information IS very important.

Cheers.
LC

[mariab]

Lynn Cates:
Well, the money is not important
That's what I've been saying all along. Incidentally, haven't eaten since 2 days, am preserved on love and tap water...

[Fi Saint]

Lynn,

You asked me to send a pm, but I have no idea how to do this. Apologies for not getting back to you sooner.

Regards,
Fi