We are told Mary Jane Kelly was JtR's last victim. Many have felt there were oddities about this murder. We have discussed and explained some of these, for instance the short inquest. Yet some things that seem peculiar still exist, IMO.
We can see in the thread "Autumn of Terror, 131 Years Later" that there continued to be a trickle of news articles and editorials through the quiet October, wondering when or if JtR would strike again. I will be curious to see what is posted on that thread after the date of Mary's burial.
I have been frustrated by the lack of news articles about JtR after Mary's burial. I have found better information in French publications of the time than I have found in English language publications. It is true my resources are somewhat limited and other than Welsh newspaper archives, not British. Even so, I would have expected the news outlets to continue to theorize about JtR, wonder if he would attack again in the new year, etc. Plus, in this time frame I would expect the news to try to keep alive the story of Mary Kelly. Between Mary's burial and Florence Maybrick's travails, the press had about six months to titillate readers.
Were the papers told to curtail information about JtR? Were the papers blamed for inciting further outrages by JtR? Or is it true that the police had good ideas about the identity of JtR and the papers were told to back off? Was there a political decision to quiet the news coverage about the murders so as to prevent civil unrest? There is that story from about March 1889 where a man was allegedly told the Ripper was dead or something. (Always sounded like Druitt was that suspect.)
It seems a job for the papers would have been to keep public thought high and vigilant about the possibility of another Ripper attack. Though French outlets described continuing vigilance committee efforts and other activities by citizens and police, I have found very little mention of anything to do with JtR after Mary's funeral and burial. Am I correct? If so, why?
We can see in the thread "Autumn of Terror, 131 Years Later" that there continued to be a trickle of news articles and editorials through the quiet October, wondering when or if JtR would strike again. I will be curious to see what is posted on that thread after the date of Mary's burial.
I have been frustrated by the lack of news articles about JtR after Mary's burial. I have found better information in French publications of the time than I have found in English language publications. It is true my resources are somewhat limited and other than Welsh newspaper archives, not British. Even so, I would have expected the news outlets to continue to theorize about JtR, wonder if he would attack again in the new year, etc. Plus, in this time frame I would expect the news to try to keep alive the story of Mary Kelly. Between Mary's burial and Florence Maybrick's travails, the press had about six months to titillate readers.
Were the papers told to curtail information about JtR? Were the papers blamed for inciting further outrages by JtR? Or is it true that the police had good ideas about the identity of JtR and the papers were told to back off? Was there a political decision to quiet the news coverage about the murders so as to prevent civil unrest? There is that story from about March 1889 where a man was allegedly told the Ripper was dead or something. (Always sounded like Druitt was that suspect.)
It seems a job for the papers would have been to keep public thought high and vigilant about the possibility of another Ripper attack. Though French outlets described continuing vigilance committee efforts and other activities by citizens and police, I have found very little mention of anything to do with JtR after Mary's funeral and burial. Am I correct? If so, why?
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