Another Piece of Evidence Linking John McInnes to the Bible John Murders

[FriedKidne]

For the benefit of those who don't know, Sauchiehall Street is rather long, stretching from Glasgow city-centre to the west end. Think "Commercial Road".

[Herlock Sholmes]

I’m part way through episode three of the Bible John Podcast that Barn supplied the link to. Good so far. Just learning some background on the victims, families etc. Just like the Yorkshire Ripper investigations the police painted them in the most unflattering light. Comments like ‘she liked the company of various men’ kind of thing.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I’ve now listened to all of the Bible John podcasts. Interesting stuff that’s well worth listening to. Nothing proven of course but McInness seems to be the likeliest suspect so far.

[barnflatwyngarde]

I’ve now listened to all of the Bible John podcasts. Interesting stuff that’s well worth listening to. Nothing proven of course but McInness seems to be the likeliest suspect so far.

I'm glad that you enjoyed them Herlock.

The interesting/frustrating thing about trying to access accurate facts about this fascinating case is that many of the "facts" seem to contradict other details relating to the case.

I think that there may well be other important revelations to come about this case.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I'm glad that you enjoyed them Herlock.

The interesting/frustrating thing about trying to access accurate facts about this fascinating case is that many of the "facts" seem to contradict other details relating to the case.

I think that there may well be other important revelations to come about this case.

I think you could be right on that Barn. When you get the police reinvestigating the case saying that things were covered-up and that, at least on the face of it, there was evidence of really poor practice it leaves you wondering what was actually going on. Then there’s the fact that McInness’s cousin was a police officer. The card is interesting too but there’s suspiciously little info on it. Yes, Jeanie McDonald didn’t ID McInnes (although she said that he resembled the picture) but the taxi driver did. Interesting conjecture that Puttock might not have been killed by the same man? Three strangling of women all after they’d left the Barrowlands? Surely?

As we said earlier Barn. The case is screaming out for a really in depth book. Maybe Audrey Gillan will write one?

[Ms Diddles]

I'm glad that you enjoyed them Herlock.

The interesting/frustrating thing about trying to access accurate facts about this fascinating case is that many of the "facts" seem to contradict other details relating to the case.

I think that there may well be other important revelations to come about this case.

OK! Now I'm getting intrigued.

I'm familiar with the locations and basics of the case, but don't know much about the details.

It sounds like I need to give these podcasts a shot too.

[Ms Diddles]

I’m part way through episode three of the Bible John Podcast that Barn supplied the link to. Good so far. Just learning some background on the victims, families etc. Just like the Yorkshire Ripper investigations the police painted them in the most unflattering light. Comments like ‘she liked the company of various men’ kind of thing.

Plus ca change, Herlock!

[cobalt]

The hole-in-one golf shot referred to by the presumed killer inside the taxi has usually been attributed to a ‘cousin’ rather than himself. This lead was reportedly investigated at the time with the police visiting several local golf clubs, but nothing helpful emerged. It seemed a good lead since such shots are pretty rare, widely boasted of when achieved, and it’s unlikely the killer made the story up.

One reason for John MacInnes being visited at home by detectives within a couple of days of the final murder must be that an advertising card belonging to the company he worked for was allegedly found at the scene. It has also been claimed that MacInnes confirmed he was at the Barrowland Ballroom on the night in question. It seems he was put in an ID parade and not picked out by Helen Puttock’s sister, but whether the taxi driver, bouncers at the dance hall and other patrons were asked to identify him is unknown.

The killer has been described by witnesses as having a ‘military bearing’ and John McInnes did briefly serve in the army. So did thousands of others of course including the husbands of Patricia Docker and Helen Puttock which may explain why they felt comfortable in his presence.

[rjpalmer]

It seems he was put in an ID parade and not picked out by Helen Puttock’s sister, but whether the taxi driver, bouncers at the dance hall and other patrons were asked to identify him is unknown.

According to the new podcast, the taxi driver (whose name is given as Alexander Hannah or Hanna) was not used in any identity parade, even though he was with the police on the day of one of the attempts to identify a suspect. The detectives from the 1996 investigation seem to be implying that this was by design, but it's not really clear.

The most disturbing aspect of the podcast, for me, was the discovery that an important witness had been scrubbed from the police files, and it is claimed that the files or witness statements were clumsily renumbered to try and hide this fact. This witness, who had been at the Barrowland Ballroom, was said to have been interviewed by McInnis's cousin.

The journalist Audrey Gillan does not come across as a crank. She seems conscientious, careful, and credible.

The only trouble I had with the podcast is that some of those old timer Glaswegians from the East End might as well have been speaking Russian with a mouth full of marbles. I could understand nearly everyone else, but not them.

[Ms Diddles]

I think you could be right on that Barn. When you get the police reinvestigating the case saying that things were covered-up and that, at least on the face of it, there was evidence of really poor practice it leaves you wondering what was actually going on. Then there’s the fact that McInness’s cousin was a police officer. The card is interesting too but there’s suspiciously little info on it. Yes, Jeanie McDonald didn’t ID McInnes (although she said that he resembled the picture) but the taxi driver did. Interesting conjecture that Puttock might not have been killed by the same man? Three strangling of women all after they’d left the Barrowlands? Surely?

As we said earlier Barn. The case is screaming out for a really in depth book. Maybe Audrey Gillan will write one?

Hi Herlock / barnflatwyngarde

https://www.waterstones.com/book/we-all-go-into-the-dark/francisco-garcia/9780008531454

I have just stumbled across this book due out in April.

I'm not sure if this is the one we've all been waiting for (and I'm not familiar with the author), but it does sound interesting....

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hi Herlock / barnflatwyngarde

https://www.waterstones.com/book/we-all-go-into-the-dark/francisco-garcia/9780008531454

I have just stumbled across this book due out in April.

I'm not sure if this is the one we've all been waiting for (and I'm not familiar with the author), but it does sound interesting....

That’s a different book Ms D. The blurb is a little vague though:

“In We All Go Into The Dark, Francisco delves into how Bible John has morphed across generations, interrogates our collective obsession with ‘solving’ historic crimes and questions why some killings are forgotten with indecent haste and why others are never permitted to be forgotten at all. A captivating, eloquent and deeply original book, this is an absolute must read for true crime fans across the board.”

It doesn’t really say how much of the book goes into the investigation, evidence, suspects etc. If it’s just some kind of general philosophical exercise then I wouldn’t really be interested in it. In the absence of more information I’d probably give it a go but I’ll keep a look out for any more information.

Thanks for posting it though

[Ms Diddles]

That’s a different book Ms D. The blurb is a little vague though:

“In We All Go Into The Dark, Francisco delves into how Bible John has morphed across generations, interrogates our collective obsession with ‘solving’ historic crimes and questions why some killings are forgotten with indecent haste and why others are never permitted to be forgotten at all. A captivating, eloquent and deeply original book, this is an absolute must read for true crime fans across the board.”

It doesn’t really say how much of the book goes into the investigation, evidence, suspects etc. If it’s just some kind of general philosophical exercise then I wouldn’t really be interested in it. In the absence of more information I’d probably give it a go but I’ll keep a look out for any more information.

Thanks for posting it though

Fair play, Herlock!

As it's of local interest to me, I will order a copy once it's available.

I'll post once I've read and digested it.

I quite like the odd bit of philosophical waffle, so I'll probably enjoy it either way!

[Herlock Sholmes]

Fair play, Herlock!

As it's of local interest to me, I will order a copy once it's available.

I'll post once I've read and digested it.

I quite like the odd bit of philosophical waffle, so I'll probably enjoy it either way!

Ill probably get it too.

[barnflatwyngarde]

Fair play, Herlock!

As it's of local interest to me, I will order a copy once it's available.

I'll post once I've read and digested it.

I quite like the odd bit of philosophical waffle, so I'll probably enjoy it either way!

Thanks for this Ms D.

The author seems to be Edinburgh based, so he should have no problem interviewing witnesses, ex police officers etc.

Hopefully it's the book that this case has been crying out for.

[Ms Diddles]

Thanks for this Ms D.

The author seems to be Edinburgh based, so he should have no problem interviewing witnesses, ex police officers etc.

Hopefully it's the book that this case has been crying out for.

Hopefully Barn, although I take Herlock's point that the blurb sounds like it is perhaps considering the case in more of a cultural context rather than getting into the nitty gritty of it.

I guess we'll find out when it's released!