New Cutbush Book : The Man Who Would Be Jack: The Hunt For Jack The Ripper

[Robert Linford]

Maybe folks will question him here :

http://www.whitechapelsociety.com/conference/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65:david-bullock&catid=36:speakers&Itemid=111

[Stephen Thomas]

I suppose the best way to describe the book is it is not much different from Donald McCormicks book. Which is a bad thing to say about any Ripper book, especially one written in this day and age.

Thanks for that long explanatory post, Rob. I'd thought that this book would be based on the extremely fine research by Robert Linford, Debra Arif, AP Wolf and others, discussed mainly on Casebook some years ago but apparently not.

[Rob Clack]

Thanks for that long explanatory post, Rob. I'd thought that this book would be based on the extremely fine research by Robert Linford, Debra Arif, AP Wolf and others, discussed mainly on Casebook some years ago but apparently not.

Didn't think I would ever do a post as long as one of Jonathans I was knackered after it.

Yes I spoke to Debs and think she would be one of the best people for the job.

Rob

[Rob Clack]

Thanks very much for the elaboration, Rob.....yet another example of a modern suspect-theory book which gets one of these

It's a shame Howard because Cutbush really needs a good book written about him.

Rob

[Debra Arif]

I would love to see AP and Robert update 'Jack the Myth' together, myself.


Thanks for the summary, Rob. When we last talked about it you said you'd got the part where David was describing the TC initials tattooed on Eddowes' arm...you never did tell me what the conclusion of that section was...did the author try to suggest the intials were Cutbush's and not Conway's?!

[Rob Clack]

Thanks for the summary, Rob. When we last talked about it you said you'd got the part where David was describing the TC initials tattooed on Eddowes' arm...you never did tell me what the conclusion of that section was...did the author try to suggest the intials were Cutbush's and not Conway's?!

Hi Debs,

Basically, 'The Sun' articles from 1894 were alleged to have been written by Louis Tracy and Kennedy Jones, don't know if that is true or not.
When they discovered there was a tattoo on Catherine Eddowes 'TC'. Louis Tracy thought it may have referred to Thomas Conway while Kennedy Jones believed it may have referred to Thomas Cutbush, his reasoning was that Catherine claimed to know the identity of Jack the Ripper and came back from Hop picking to claim the reward.
The attack on Eddowes face was more personal as if she knew her attacker.
There was an alleged Kennington connection between the two as Catherine's daughter Annie Phillips worked in the neighbourhood of Kennington.
Thoas Cutbush believed he had caught syphilis of a prostitute and what if that prostitute was Catherine Eddowes?

All good solid stuff, doesn't explain why Catherine Eddowes would have Thomas Cutbush's initials tatooed on her.

Rob

[Debra Arif]

That's really interesting. Thanks, Rob.
So those particular conclusions are supposedly those of Kennedy Jones and Louis Tracy and not Davis Bullock then? The pair certainly were associated with The Sun newspaper in 1894. It is a real pity there are no references or sources to further research though.
I do wonder if the uncle and nephew claims were something originally rumoured by those involved with writing the Sun story on Cutbush in 1894. I remember reading an 1890 Sun article recently that seemed to be implying that Superintendent Cutbush's role in organising the Met. police superannuation fund was a bit suspect, or something was a bit untoward about him having sole responsibilty for investing the funds...something like that, I think. Maybe they wanted more dirt on him so had him related to 'Jack the Ripper'.

[Howard Brown]

Rob:
I think quite a few folks would agree that a book devoted to the Cutbush affair ( an updated one, that is ) would be a good idea.

[Rob Clack]

That's really interesting. Thanks, Rob.
So those particular conclusions are supposedly those of Kennedy Jones and Louis Tracy and not Davis Bullock then? The pair certainly were associated with The Sun newspaper in 1894. It is a real pity there are no references or sources to further research though.
I do wonder if the uncle and nephew claims were something originally rumoured by those involved with writing the Sun story on Cutbush in 1894. I remember reading an 1890 Sun article recently that seemed to be implying that Superintendent Cutbush's role in organising the Met. police superannuation fund was a bit suspect, or something was a bit untoward about him having sole responsibilty for investing the funds...something like that, I think. Maybe they wanted more dirt on him so had him related to 'Jack the Ripper'.

Hi Debs,

I haven't come across a reference that Tracy and Kennedy wrote the articles. Doesn't mean there isn't one but it would be nice to have sources that are check able.
I think The Sun started in 1893? but yeah it would have been a better story in having Jack the Ripper connected to the Police? I wonder if there was a connection between Inspector Race and Superintendent Cutbush?

Rob:
I think quite a few folks would agree that a book devoted to the Cutbush affair ( an updated one, that is ) would be a good idea.

Me to, it's been long overdue.

Rob

[Debra Arif]

Hi Rob,
It's this version of the Sun it was in; with archives available for 89 and 90 so far. Is it different to the one which made the accusations about Thomas?

sun 1889.JPG

Yes, perhaps it was Race who started the rumours of a Cutbush relationship. Macnaghten may only have repeated the information without properly investigating the claim if the information was not meant for public consumption.

[Howard Brown]

Debs:

I believe that that is the same Sun which carried the 1894 reports.
I am trying to locate a reference to the date the newspaper first appeared in London...but am having a bit o' problem.

[Rob Clack]

Hi Rob,
It's this version of the Sun it was in; with archives available for 89 and 90 so far. Is it different to the one which made the accusations about Thomas?

[ATTACH]10936[/ATTACH]

Yes, perhaps it was Race who started the rumours of a Cutbush relationship. Macnaghten may only have repeated the information without properly investigating the claim if the information was not meant for public consumption.

Hi Debs,

There were two different 'The Sun' with a few years of each other.

This is the one the Cutbush story appears in:

The Sun.
Newspaper Library :no.1-4113 (27 June 1893 - 11 Oct.1906)

and your one is:

The Sun.
Newspaper Library :no.1-49 (21 April 1889 - 23 March 1890)

Confusing isn't it?

Rob

[Debra Arif]

Thanks, Rob. And no relation between the two?
In all other online sources, apart from the catalogue entry you showed, it has the Sun starting in 1892 and not 1893...very confusing.

Sorry,How, missed your post. looks like it was different but I wonder if there was a relationship between the two versions? They were both working class newspapers with similar politics from what I can gather. Do you get that impression too?

[Howard Brown]

My mistake...thanks a lot, Rob, for clearing that up.
Debs...from what I gather, the Sun newspapers I've read were working-class oriented.

[Rob Clack]

Hi Debs,

I don't think there is a connection. The Sun with the Cutbush articles was set up by T P O'Conner of 'The Star' fame. I think he was still at 'The Star' when the other Sun was going.

Rob