Joseph Vacher - french ripper

[stevenb]

Read this the other day - excellent book covering the case and the developments of forensic science in that era. An excellent "serious" true crime read.....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/0857201662/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

[DVV]

Hi Steven

beside the famous Lacassagne's book, I recommend "Joseph Vacher l'Eventreur", by Emile Fourquet, the examining magistrate in charge of the case.
Dunno whether there's an English translation, though.

All the best
David

[Phil Carter]

Hello David,

Can you perhaps answer whether there were any photographs taken of these victims?

best wishes

Phil

[DVV]

Hello David,

Can you perhaps answer whether there were any photographs taken of these victims?

best wishes

Phil

No Phil, unfortunately there were none.
Only some drawings in Lacassagne.

Bestest

[DVV]

They were murdered in the countryside, remote areas....and nobody suspected a same hand between those murders until years...Vacher was always moving....that's why.

[stevenb]

The new book has a long shot photo of one crime scene - and a photo of Vachers guillotined head!

...and on the subject of "the timbers of justice" I coincidentally saw a recording of the last public guillotining - which prompted the French to move all executions indoors.

[DVV]

The new book has a long shot photo of one crime scene - and a photo of Vachers guillotined head!

...and on the subject of "the timbers of justice" I coincidentally saw a recording of the last public guillotining - which prompted the French to move all executions indoors.

Can you post this pic ? I've never seen that....
I mean the crime scene, Vacher's head being well known.

Seems strange to me that Lacassagne, who published pics of Eddowes and Kelly, had missed this photo.... Neither Lacassagne nor Fourquet mention such a pic, btw. But if it actually exists, well, that's good...

[stevenb]

Sorry, I don't have a copy - it is in the book I mentioned. It's a long shot from about 50 feet or so showing a cop pointing at the scene - it's a pretty low quality shot, the rest of the books illustrations are mainly newspaper drawings and or photos on more general forensic topics. Oh and a couple of Vacher in his trademark white fur hat. You may have some luck if you try searching google images and digging deep....

[DVV]

I just googled it in vain.

Is it really a "crime scene", ie showing the victim, or merely a pic of one spot ?