The Sun Articles of 1894

[Howard Brown]

Thanks very much for the link to the article from Feb. 19th, Roy....and you too Querido Jefe Scott for the link to the series on Casebook.

[Roy Corduroy]

From the Sun's clues it might not have been that hard to connect the story back to the 1891 newspaper reports on the Cutbush case in which a possible connection to the Whitechapel murders was mentioned even then?

Okay then, thank you, Debs.

Note at the start of the final article, Feb 19 the reporter asked Labouchere about the House of Lords, which he declined to discuss. From reading the following I understand a little more: NY Times, byline London Feb 13

A great meeting of the London Reform Union to protest against the existence of the House of Lords was held this evening. Sydney Buxton, member of Parlaiment for the Tower Hamlets, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Colonial Office, made a speech in which he said that the Lords had flouted and insulted the people's delegates, and that it was high time they were called to account. Similar speeches were made by Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Henry Labouchere and others.

There was a political struggle going on over the Parish Councils Bill. Not that it means anything to the case per se, but to put the articles in context of the times. But this brings to mind another question: What was the response to the Sun articles in other London newspapers, if any?


Roy

[Roy Corduroy]

In the meantime there was other news the week of the Sun articles. An anarchist bomb injured twenty four persons in Paris. Another anarchist died from his own bomb near Greenwich Royal Observatory. Two days later London police raided the Autonomie Club. An explosion on the German warship Brandenburg killed forty six sailors at Kiel.

Roy

[Roy Corduroy]

During the series, the New York Times ran this on Sunday Feb 18th, 1894.

[Roy Corduroy]

In fact, the Sun "petered out."

The articles that appeared in The Sun in early 1894 have not been discussed lately and I wondered if anyone has done any research on the writer of these articles.

Yes and the above is quoted from his biography, T. P. O'Connor by Hamilton Fyfe, London 1934.

T.P. was a man of many causes, primarily Irish Nationalism. The JtR case is not mentioned in the book. Except in two indirect instances, one on page 150 about O'Connor's accomplishments in his short-lived stint heading the Star. "The Commisioner of London Police was driven from office by ridicule and vituperation, both of which he well deserved." And another, more intriguing passage is on page 39. O'Connor began his career in Dublin and "once as a reporter he had to call on an official named Anderson, brother to Sir Robert, head of the Criminal Investigation Department in London, a fanatical anti Home Ruler. Many political prosecutions were going on at the time and this man was in the Crown Prosecutor's office. 'These are sad times,' said the young T.P. Anderson smiled and chuckled and rubbed his hands. He didn't find them bad he retorted; they gave him plenty of work. The boy flushed with anger."

This refers to Samuel Lee Anderson. And the author is mixing eras, with SRA at CID later. But the point is taken. O'Connor of all people would have an adversarial stance re Anderson.

Roy

[Roy Corduroy]

T.P. O'Connor