The worst suspect

[John G]

Lechmere.

Ah Harry, but is that because you consider him a bad suspect or because you would find it annoying if Fisherman turned out to be right?

[Sally]

I don't think Crossmere is the worst suspect if the definition of 'worst' is least plausible. There are many less plausible than him - at least he was in the right place at the right time on one occasion and not, say, in France.

I don't think there's much of a case against him outside of conjecture; but the same could be said of most accused of having been the Ripper.

[Harry D]

Ah Harry, but is that because you consider him a bad suspect or because you would find it annoying if Fisherman turned out to be right?

Shhh, I'm seeing if it's possible to hook a Fisherman.

[Rosella]

I think the most implausible suspect would be Arthur Conan Doyle who was newly married, living in Southsea and expecting his first child in 1888.

I wouldn't like it to be Lewis Carroll or WS Gilbert because their books and librettos gave people enjoyment. I don't they're viable suspects anyway, nor, I hope, is anyone else who was nationally famous.

[Fisherman]

Hardly a choice though, Fish. You'd feel how you'd feel.

I'm happy for Sue that she's made of the right stuff to take the accusations so well. Must have excellent genes.

Love,

Caz
X

Good one, Caz - very elegant!

[Fisherman]

Shhh, I'm seeing if it's possible to hook a Fisherman.

Of course it is! I´ll merrily throw my five cents in: Any suspect endorsed by Harry D, seeing as he is such a lousy judge of suspects.

How´s that for a bite, Harry?

[Fisherman]

I think the most implausible suspect would be Arthur Conan Doyle who was newly married, living in Southsea and expecting his first child in 1888.

There are examples of serialists who embarked on their murder sprees relatively close in time to their marriages (Sutcliffe leaps to mind), and there are examples of serialists who killed while their spouses were pregnant (Danny Rolling, for example, if I am not much mistaken).

Whether there are any examples of serialists living in Southend is another story!

[Harry D]

Of course it is! I´ll merrily throw my five cents in: Any suspect endorsed by Harry D, seeing as he is such a lousy judge of suspects.

How´s that for a bite, Harry?

Catch of the day!

[Abby Normal]

Hi,

People have a lot of theories about JtR-suspects and they have their own favourite suspects.

But if you seriously would suggest the worst or least favourable suspect - a suspect that you wouldn´t like to be JtR - who or what type of JtR would that be and why?

Pierre

ones that someone puts forth but wont say who he is

[GUT]

I don't think Crossmere is the worst suspect if the definition of 'worst' is least plausible. There are many less plausible than him - at least he was in the right place at the right time on one occasion and not, say, in France.

I don't think there's much of a case against him outside of conjecture; but the same could be said of most accused of having been the Ripper.

yep

On both counts

[GUT]

ones that someone puts forth but wont say who he is

But that's not a bad suspect that's just a non-suspect,

[Mister Whitechapel]

I think I have found my worst suspect, but I need more data before I can tell you, Pierre.

Joking aside, of perhaps all of the suspects considered for the 'title' of Jack the Ripper, my worst-case scenerio would be if the (admittedly paper-thin) case against Dr. Thomas Barnardo was proven to be correct.

Yours,
Mister Whitechapel

[Jon Guy]

I think I have found my worst suspect, but I need more data before I can tell you, Pierre.

Joking aside, of perhaps all of the suspects considered for the 'title' of Jack the Ripper, my worst-case scenerio would be if the (admittedly paper-thin) case against Dr. Thomas Barnardo was proven to be correct.

Yours,
Mister Whitechapel

To be fair, silly as most suspects are, Dr Barnardo is one of the few suspects who visited the common lodging houses and spoke to one of the victims.

[Mister Whitechapel]

To be fair, silly as most suspects are, Dr Barnardo is one of the few suspects who visited the common lodging houses and spoke to one of the victims.

Oh, of that I agree. However, the fallout from the reveal that Dr Barnardo was the Ripper would be dreadful. And that is the sole reason why I would consider him to be my 'worst', or least desirable, suspect.

If I were to answer as to my thoughts as to the least likely suspect, I would have to say, at the risk of drawing ire from certain circles, Cross/Letchmere.

However, considering my own preferred (if you could call it that) suspect, I am in no position to judge people's convictions!

Yours,
Mister Whitechapel

[Patrick S]

I've always hated the 'Royal Conspiracy'.

Cornwell's 'Sickert the Ripper' drives me up a wall, too. I've read her books and I'm baffled by her methods, astounded by what she's gotten wrong, and confused by some of the connections and logical gymnastics she performs to get her man.

For me, Van Gough, Carroll, any "celebrity suspect" are all laughers.

I'm not a fan of the witness turned Ripper theories. To me it's just another variation of the "celebrity suspect" phenomenon. You take a name on the page, find some anomaly or something "hard to explain" or "suspicous" and you build a "theory" around that. Then you ask everyone to prove he's NOT Jack the Ripper. Obviously, this isn't how it works.