***5 Q With : John Keefe***

[Howard Brown]

The author of "Carroty Nell" ( now in its second edition), Mr. John Keefe was very generous of his time. We thank him for helping The Forums !!!

1. Besides Coles and Mackenzie...are there any other women that you feel were murdered or simply assaulted by the same hand in 1888 and beyond ?


This is going to effectively answer Question 2 as well, but I think that Martha Tabram, Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly fell victim to the killer before McKenzie and Coles did, and that Mary Spink, Bessie Taylor, and Maud Marsh might have been his last victims. People who have strong feelings about a particular suspect -- any suspect -- understandably look for every bit of "evidence" they can find, albeit circumstantial, that supports their position. It seems to me that the people who favor Klosowski have been able to come up with a lot more. I’m still not 100% convinced however, and I sometimes think that Don Rumbelow might have hit the mark with his now-legendary comments about the total stranger stepping forward on Judgment Day. In my mind it’s almost a toss up between the two, but right now I think that I would have to go with Klosowski over a total stranger.


2. What do you think happened to the Ripper? What was his eventual fate ?


I think there is a good chance that the man hanged at Wandsworth Prison in 1903 was Jack the Ripper.


3. Is there any other area of the Whitechapel Murders that is of special interest to you ?
Martha Tabram’s murder has always intrigued me. Was her assailant a soldier, or someone she met afterward? What provoked him to fly into such a blinding rage that he stabbed her thirty-nine separate times? His hands and sleeves must have been soaked with blood, yet no one noticed him. Did a fellow soldiers cover up for him? Or did he live close by, perhaps even in the George Yard Buildings? It’s an interesting case, compounded by the fact that we know relatively little about Martha. We don’t even know when or where she was buried.



4. What was it about the Whitechapel Murders that attracted you at the beginning ?


When I was growing up I was fascinated by the Sherlock Holmes stories with their sinister villains, hansom cabs, gaslights, swirling fog -- all the elements that let my boyhood imagination run wild. Then, during the late 1960s, I read Tom Cullen’s "When London Walked in Terror". It was like reading Conan Doyle’s stories, only Cullen’s villain was real. Cullen’s description of the murder scene in Miller’s Court is still the best that I have ever read. A few years later I came upon Don Rumbelow’s "The Complete Jack the Ripper" and I was completely hooked. I still have my original copy of Don’s book and I cherish it even though the pages are falling out from all the use it has seen.


5. Is there another skein of murders which, in your opinion , is fairly or strongly similar to the Whitechapel Murders ?


Not really. Several serial killers have claimed more victims than Jack did, but those murder sprees haven’t galvanized the public the way Jack has. Jack the Ripper is without doubt the most infamous serial killer in history. That’s because no one knows who he was. He got away with it.
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I suspect that some people might have a question or two about my book. Feel free to include these or not use them, whichever you prefer.



6. Why did you write about Frances Coles? She’s not a popular victim, and her death lacked many of the Ripper’s sensational trademarks.


The first time I heard of Frances Coles was probably in Tom Cullen’s book (he spelled her name wrong), and I must have walked away with the impression that she wasn’t a Ripper victim. I have heard that time and time again. But I happen to be something of a skeptic, and I like to verify things for myself. The more I looked into the murder in Swallow Gardens, the more I became convinced that the people who were dismissing Jack’s involvement might not be on the right track. I also noticed that many of them actually knew very little about Frances Coles, or her death, and the little bit they did know was riddled with errors. It’s sort of a vicious circle -- the newcomer hears that Coles wasn’t a Ripper-victim, so he or she doesn’t bother to look her life or death. Instead, they accept what they have heard and then repeat it to others who go on to believe because that’s what everyone says. Hopefully, Carroty Nell will provide readers with enough information about Frances, and the circumstances surrounding her death, so they can make an informed decision.


7. Why did you come out with a revised edition so soon after the release of the first one?


That’s easy. The artwork on the cover of the first edition was reproduced under license from the Museum of London. The Museum offered two choices -- a two-year, single country license that placed a cap on the number of times the image could be used, or an unlimited, five-year, global license. The cost of the latter was so high that it was never seriously considered. The first edition was therefore limited to sales in the US for a two-year period that expired in April, 2012. The second edition isn’t hindered by any restrictions. Of course it also contains some fresh material and revelations that only came to light after the first edition had been released.


8. What’s next?


I think that I have taken Frances Coles and Jack the Ripper as far a I can. It’s time to move on and get involved with something else. I’m toying with an idea for another book, but it’s too early to reveal any details except to say that it will not be about the Whitechapel Murders.

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Howard, thanks for that. That was a great 5 questions. As mentioned before, I own both editions of John's book, although I haven't yet read the 2nd edition. But I completely relate and understand why he became so interested in Coles. The same thing happened to me with Stride. All those years ago, she was COMPLETELY ignored, and what was written about her was almost entirely wrong. The closer I looked, the more I found, the more interested I became. Same thing now for me with Emma Smith and Martha Tabram. Thanks to John, I won't have to start from scratch on Coles when I get to my section on her in the writing of my own book. I can't say that I will agree with all his conclusions, but there's absolutely no question that I (and many others) will benefit from his insight.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Howard Brown]

Glad you enjoyed it, Tom.....I hope Mr. Keefe does take me up on my offer for him to join.

[Cris Malone]

Originally Posted by John Keefe

When I was growing up I was fascinated by the Sherlock Holmes stories with their sinister villains, hansom cabs, gaslights, swirling fog -- all the elements that let my boyhood imagination run wild. Then, during the late 1960s, I read Tom Cullen’s "When London Walked in Terror". It was like reading Conan Doyle’s stories, only Cullen’s villain was real. Cullen’s description of the murder scene in Miller’s Court is still the best that I have ever read. A few years later I came upon Don Rumbelow’s "The Complete Jack the Ripper" and I was completely hooked. I still have my original copy of Don’s book and I cherish it even though the pages are falling out from all the use it has seen.

Ditto that...

I happen to be something of a skeptic, and I like to verify things for myself.

Ditto that too.
Looks like I'll be purchasing another book.

[Helena Wojtczak]

Hi How ... Glad I logged in today after an absence of many weeks (months?) to read the 5Q with Mr Keefe. I shall be quoting his words on SK in my forthcoming book.

Regards

Helena

[Wicker Man]

Refreshing to read of someone venturing beyond the Canonical Five. A very interesting exchange 'Aitch, thankyou once again.


Regards, Jon S.