Close examination of the Sun reports on THC

[AP Wolf]

The London correspondent of the Liverpool Daily Post writes in that paper today:

I happen to know a good many details connected with the identification of Jack the Ripper with a homicidal maniac now incarcerated in an asylum. These, for reason sufficiently patent to journalists, The Sun has abstained from publishing but I am able to express a strong conviction that chain of circumstantial evidence is complete and irresistible. The Sun has got up the race with a skill and patience that might be well imitated by the Criminal Investigation Department and indeed the fact that the police inquiry signally failed is a disquieting commentary on the investigation of serious crime. The impossibility of giving names and stating facts which might implicate or incriminate others has seriously handicapped the newspaper revelations, but your readers may take it that there are behind the broad outlines proofs which supply all the links in the chain and rivet them emphatically.

'Got up the race' is very good. I like that very unusual expression used in this strange context.
The second underlined quote does seem to indicate a fear of prosecution from a much higher authority. S Y perhaps?

[Howard Brown]

A.P.

It is an unusual phrase...and one I recall running into before in my trawls.
Do you have a date for the Liverpool article ?
Thanks.....

[Robert Linford]

I wonder if it's a horse racing expression (get up - to win).



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossar...land_punting#G

I am sure I remember Peter O'Sullivan commentating on one of Red Rum's Grand National victories "he's going to get up" which I took to mean that he would get to the line first, but maybe he meant 'win'?

[DGB]

That would chime with the handicapped comment later too

[Howard Brown]

Good eye, Dave...

[AP Wolf]

Well I was going for a horse called 'Inspector Race', but my bet might have been bad. Somehow I don't think so.

[Howard Brown]

That might be what was intended, A.P., considering it was Inspector Race who was the Sun's source. You might be right, who knows ?

[AP Wolf]

The article appeared in the Liverpool Daily Post on the 17th Feb. 1894, How.
Personally I think it is a deliberately vague announcement of Inspector Race's very real connection to the Sun articles.

[Chris G.]

That might be what was intended, A.P., considering it was Inspector Race who was the Sun's source. You might be right, who knows ?

I think it was indeed a sly hint on the part of the newspaperman that the source of the Sun story was Inspector Race.

[AP Wolf]

And this thought of mine from 2005 is worth a look as well:
'It is also interesting to note that Inspectors’ Race, Chisholm and Cutbush all shared time together at Lambeth (Kennington) police station and then at the CO’s department at Scotland Yard.
It was of course Race and Chisholm who investigated Thomas Cutbush in 1891, when they shared an office with uncle Charles.'

Given this extremely close working relationship between the three senior officers, and their immediate superior officer, Macnaghten - again in the same office - it seems very unlikely to me that a mistake could have been made by any of the officers concerned in naming Thomas Cutbush as Chief Executive Superintendent Charles Henry Cutbush's nephew.
That defies plain common sense, logic and science.

[Roy Corduroy]

Thanks for sharing the article, AP. Its the first I've heard of any 1894 commentary in the British press about the Sun articles so I think its important.

The whole uncle thing could be quite simple. I believe someone suggested (Natalie?) that maybe since they were neighbors they met and socialized and the boy took to calling him 'Uncle Charles' seeing they had the same last name and all.

But again, thanks for the news clipping, AP. Keep em coming

Your obServ,
Roy

[Robert Linford]

Hi AP

Ok, let's suppose that somehow, some way, one of Charles Henry Cutbush's brothers fathered Thomas. This would make Charles an uncle of Thomas. But as per your argument, if Charles was giving out information that he was Thomas's uncle, then he must too have been responsible for Macnaghten's belief that Thomas's father died when he was quite young. In other words, Charles Henry Cutbush's putative philandering brother died when he was quite young. Now, I cannot remember if I ever searched the death registers manually, quarter by quarter - it was a long time ago - so it's possible there are one or two names missing from the list. But here it is anyway - the list of Cutbush deaths from 1865 to 1880 courtesy Free BMD (although 15 isn't 'quite young' I'm erring on the side of caution). Looking at the ages and genders of those who died, it isn't very promising if you're trying to find a father for Tom.



Surname First name(s) Age District Vol Page Deaths Jun 1865 (>99%) Cutbush William Pancras 1b 36 Deaths Sep 1865 (>99%) Cutbush Lucy Ann W. Ashford 2a 365 Deaths Mar 1866 (>99%) CUTBUSH Mary 65 Whitechapel 1c 275 Cutbush Mary 84 Tenterden 2a 397 Deaths Jun 1866 (>99%) Cutbush Charlotte 73 Milton 2a 442 Cutbush Mary A 75 Rye 2b 2 Deaths Sep 1866 (>99%) Cutbush Julian 17 Lambeth 1d 238 Deaths Dec 1866 (>99%) Cutbush Mary A 22 Kensington 1a 99 Cutbush Thomas 59 Edmonton 3a 124 Cutbush Male 0 Pancras 1b 121 Deaths Mar 1867 (>99%) Cutbush Mary 77 Maidstone 2a 366 Cutbush Sophia 60 Maidstone 2a 354 Cutbush William Edward M 7 W. Ashford 2a 399 Deaths Jun 1868 (>99%) Cutbush Laura Jeannie 1 Epsom 2a 13 Deaths Sep 1868 (>99%) Cutbush John 0 Battle 2b 27 Cutbush William 45 Islington 1b 246 Deaths Dec 1868 (>99%) Cutbush Eliza 57 Edmonton 3a 95 Deaths Mar 1869 (>99%) Cutbush Eliza Sarah 48 Kingston 2a 160 Deaths Jun 1869 (>99%) Cutbush William Ernest 2 Newington 1d 171 Deaths Dec 1869 (>99%) Cutbush Kenneth Ferguson 0 Elham 2a 535 Cutbush Walter Edwin 1 Chertsey 2a 16 Deaths Mar 1870 (>99%) Cutbush Ann 58 W. Ashford 2a 463 Cutbush Charles 86 Cranbrook 2a 441 Deaths Sep 1870 (>99%) Cutbush Annie Ellen 0 St. Geo. H. Sq. 1a 253 Deaths Dec 1870 (>99%) Cutbush Eliza 29 St. Geo. H. Sq. 1a 217 Deaths Mar 1871 (>99%) Cutbush George John 30 Epsom 2a 7 Cutbush Thomas Robert 81 Maidstone 2a 393 Deaths Jun 1871 (>99%) Cutbush Elizabeth Jane 29 Kensington 1a 123 Cutbush Thomas 1 Pancras 1b 116 Deaths Dec 1871 (>99%) Cutbush Henry 76 Lambeth 1d 366 Deaths Mar 1872 (>99%) CUTBUSH Eliza 56 Cranbrook 2a 389 CUTBUSH Luke Flood 67 Richmond, S. 2a 195 Deaths Jun 1872 (>99%) Cutbush Robert 49 Pancras 1b 28 Deaths Sep 1872 (>99%) CUTBUSH Isabella 58 Maidstone 2a 349 CUTBUSH Winifred 0 St. Geo. H. Sq. 1a 243 Deaths Mar 1873 (>99%) Cutbush Mary Anne 57 Lambeth 1d 273 Cutbush Sophia 24 Rye 2b 5 Deaths Jun 1873 (>99%) Cutbush Maria 65 Maidstone 2a 334 CUTBUSH Maria 66 Maidstone 2a 334 Deaths Sep 1873 (>99%) Cutbush George 72 Rye 2b 7 Deaths Dec 1873 (>99%) CUTBUSH Frederick 63 W. Ashford 2a 379 Deaths Sep 1874 (>99%) CUTBUSH William 32 Cuckfield 2b 79 Deaths Jun 1875 (>99%) CUTBUSH Alice 0 Lambeth 1d 291 CUTBUSH Charles 57 Bromley 2a 222a CUTBUSH George 44 Hampstead 1a 448 CUTBUSH Mary 77 Bromley 2a 216 CUTBUSH William Walker 2 Camberwell 1d 488 Deaths Mar 1876 (>99%) CUTBUSH Alfred Thomas 3 Greenwich 1d 548 CUTBUSH Mary 69 Bromley 2a 238 Deaths Jun 1876 (>99%) Cutbush William 58 Brighton 2b 159 Deaths Mar 1877 (>99%) CUTBUSH Alice 10 Maidstone 2a 381 Deaths Jun 1877 (>99%) Cutbush Mary 56 Islington 1b 186 Cutbush Mary Ann 59 Hastings 2b 20 Cutbush Phoebe 0 West Ham 4a 18 Cutbush Thomas 55 Pancras 1b 35 Cutbush Female 0 Islington 1b 172 Deaths Dec 1877 (>99%) CUTBUSH Esther Mary 33 Greenwich 1d 550 CUTBUSH Jane 67 Fulham 1a 133 CUTBUSH Lydia 51 Bromley 2a 203 Deaths Mar 1878 (>99%) CUTBUSH Caroline 69 Maidstone 2a 416 Deaths Jun 1878 (>99%) Cutbush Ann 85 Pancras 1b 28 Cutbush Laura Jane 7 Pancras 1b 126 Cutbush William Thomas 69 Maidstone 2a 351 Deaths Sep 1878 (>99%) CUTBUSH Jesse 53 Maldon 4a 199 Deaths Dec 1878 (>99%) CUTBUSH Ann 56 Cranbrook 2a 425 CUTBUSH Eliza Elizabeth 1 Mile End 1c 407 CUTBUSH Florence 0 Mile End 1c 394 Deaths Mar 1879 (>99%) Cutbush George Ewen 0 St. Olave 1d 224 Cutbush Lizzie Jane 5 St. Olave 1d 231 Deaths Mar 1880 (>99%) Cutbush Ann 67 Tenterden 2a 496 Cutbush John Thomas 52 Holborn 1b 604 Cutbush Joseph Henry 3 Lambeth 1d 350 Deaths Jun 1880 (>99%) Cutbush Ellen Annie 15 Pancras 1b 24 Deaths Sep 1880 (>99%) Cutbush Mary Ann 41 Bromley 2a 218 CUTBUSH Mary Ann 41 Bromley 2a 219 Cutbush William Thomas 0 Romford 4a 137 Deaths Dec 1880 (>99%) Cutbush Robert 1 Shoreditch 1c 72 Deaths Sep 1881 (>99%) Cutbush Elizabeth Annie 24 W. Ham 4a 87 Cutbush Mary Ann 72 Croydon 2a 117 Cutbush Mary Annie 0 Mile End 1c 357 CUTBUSH May Annie 0 Mile End 1c 357 Deaths Dec 1881 (>99%) CUTBUSH Reuben Edwin 11 Mile End 1c 379 Deaths Mar 1882 (>99%) CUTBUSH Mary 85 Maidstone 2a 437 Deaths Dec 1882 (>99%) CUTBUSH Abagail 69 Rye 2b 1 Cutbush Abigail 69 Rye 2b 1 Cutbush Constantine Kensington 56 Brighton 2b 116 CUTBUSH Costantine Kensington 55 Brighton 2b 116 Cutbush Ethel Harriet 0 Mile End 1c 362 Cutbush Francis 0 Fulham 1a 143 Cutbush Lydia Mary 14 Mile End 1c 37_ Deaths Mar 1883 (>99%) CUTBUSH Arthur Edward 0 Mile End 1c 393 CUTBUSH Elizabeth 61 Marylebone 1a 420 Deaths Jun 1883 (>99%) CUTBUSH Edward 37 Daventry 3b 63 Deaths Sep 1883 (>99%) CUTBUSH Frederick Arthur 0 Brentford 3a 35 Deaths Mar 1884 (>99%) Cutbush Henry William 57 Hatfield 3a 269 CUTBUSH John 88 Hollingbourne 2a 445 CUTBUSH Philip 70 Mile End Old Town 1c 357 Deaths Jun 1884 (>99%) Cutbush Albert 30 St. Geo. H. Sq. 1a 262 Deaths Sep 1884 (>99%) Cutbush Arthur Charles 1 St.Saviour 1d 76 Cutbush Charles 37 Fulham 1a 149 Cutbush Mary Ann 55 Islington 1b 182 Cutbush William 76 Tenterden 2a 469

Surname First name(s) Age District Vol Page Deaths Dec 1884 (>99%) CUTBUSH Grace Ethel 0 Lewisham 1d 649 CUTBUSH Sidney Arthur 0 Mile End 1c 358 CUTBUSH Thomas 80 Edmonton 3a 171 Deaths Jun 1885 (>99%) Cutbush Catherine 67 Mile End 1c 361 Deaths Sep 1885 (>99%) Cutbush James 57 Pancras 1b 97

[AP Wolf]

Robert, you know that I always bow down to your particular bent for pure information, the most admirable trait a researcher can possess, or even aspire to. Full respect to you for that.
But, there is something inexplicable here; and seemingly implausible; and I fear we are not going to solve the mystery with the factual information available to us.
Basically we need to drink whisky, plenty of it!
I'm on the case!

[Robert Linford]

OK AP. Meanwhile I'll have a nice cup of tea and a fag, with a Cornetto waiting in the freezer.

[AP Wolf]

It must be the devil's work, Robert, a Cornetto salvaged from the summer for a cold winter's night. I expect to see your name at the Old Bailey very soon for such a heinous criminal miracle. All I have left at cafe is chocolate mini milks.
But if I took those chocolate mini milks, wrapped them in a cone made from The Star newspaper of 1888, squeezed some cream on the top, and then sprinkled my creation with cachous, I swear to god that I could sell them as Cornettos!