Jane Maria Clousen, murdered in 1871

[rjpalmer]

I'm currently re-reading it Roger. Any reason for a connection to the Whitechapel murders escaped me the first time that I read it and so far I still can't see any reason for a link.

Hi Herlock-

No, I don’t think there is a direct link to the Whitechapel Murders, but I also don’t think murderers exist in a vacuum and it would be a mistake to only study one series or alleged series of crimes and then pretend to understand them. The wise student of the case will study other Victorian crimes—solved cases as well as unsolved cases—and thus get a better idea of homicidal trends, societal pressures, the strengths and weaknesses of the police, public attitudes, etc

It’s an interesting case—a crime in some ways more horrific and callous than the East End murders—-and I, of course, think Pook was guilty.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hi Herlock-

No, I don’t think there is a direct link to the Whitechapel Murders, but I also don’t think murderers exist in a vacuum and it would be a mistake to only study one series or alleged series of crimes and then pretend to understand them. The wise student of the case will study other Victorian crimes—solved cases as well as unsolved cases—and thus get a better idea of homicidal trends, societal pressures, the strengths and weaknesses of the police, public attitudes, etc

It’s an interesting case—a crime in some ways more horrific and callous than the East End murders—-and I, of course, think Pook was guilty.

Absolutely Roger. I just checked out Jan Bondeson’s section on the murder in his excellent Rivals Of The Ripper and I’ve decided to re-read the book. As you say, the more cases that you can read of the better.