admin tim
03-14-2006, 01:08 PM
As we know, numerous individuals purportedly believed D'Onston to be the Ripper, among them W.T. Stead. D'Onston apparently did little or nothing to discourage these beliefs, and these stories are chronicled in most reference works on D'Onston.
But was this all a mere set-up to enhance D'Onston's image as a 'tough' guy, and most certainly one who was not to be messed with? Several years ago, a local character in Houston tried much the same thing, only he was representing himself to be a Mafia Captain.
This fellow, a 350 lb. Mexican, had virtually taken over the waterfront Warehouse District in Houston, where he simply helped himself to whatever goods were to be found. He also appropriated quite a bit of it for resale, and accepted 'protection' money from businesses wishing to be left alone.
He was living large when he was finally busted and brought to trial. As you may have guessed, he had no Mafia connections whatsoever, and had merely been using rumours of same to exploit the fear and vulnerabilities around the warehouse district. And he had gotten away with it for years until he finally got too greedy.
The point is, it was to this fellow's interest to have these stories and rumours about himself in circulation. And they did take him far. Would it be too fanciful to expect that D'Onston may have tried the same thing for one reason or another? He apparently did nothing to dispel any rumours about his missing wife and was probably only too glad that people suspected that he must have murdered her. He may have thus been much more of a tumblety-type con man than a stone-cold killer. It is also interesting to note that the only stories in circulation at the time concerning those he had allegedly killed were by his own word - whatever that was worth.
Your opinions and comments?
But was this all a mere set-up to enhance D'Onston's image as a 'tough' guy, and most certainly one who was not to be messed with? Several years ago, a local character in Houston tried much the same thing, only he was representing himself to be a Mafia Captain.
This fellow, a 350 lb. Mexican, had virtually taken over the waterfront Warehouse District in Houston, where he simply helped himself to whatever goods were to be found. He also appropriated quite a bit of it for resale, and accepted 'protection' money from businesses wishing to be left alone.
He was living large when he was finally busted and brought to trial. As you may have guessed, he had no Mafia connections whatsoever, and had merely been using rumours of same to exploit the fear and vulnerabilities around the warehouse district. And he had gotten away with it for years until he finally got too greedy.
The point is, it was to this fellow's interest to have these stories and rumours about himself in circulation. And they did take him far. Would it be too fanciful to expect that D'Onston may have tried the same thing for one reason or another? He apparently did nothing to dispel any rumours about his missing wife and was probably only too glad that people suspected that he must have murdered her. He may have thus been much more of a tumblety-type con man than a stone-cold killer. It is also interesting to note that the only stories in circulation at the time concerning those he had allegedly killed were by his own word - whatever that was worth.
Your opinions and comments?