Today the sixth edition of the history and politics journal, garrison, contains a feature on 17 Jack the Ripper suspects. I contributed a piece on James Kelly and am looking forward to reading what the other writers have to say on their chosen suspect, not least because any new arguments will need to be incorporated into future editions of my suspect encyclopedia. For the majority of suspects research is usually published in shorter articles, because there is not enough information about them to justify a full-length book.
Despite an excellent study of James Kelly by James Tully, published in 1997, we cannot positively document his movements between 23 January 1888, when he escaped from Broadmoor, and 12 February 1927 when he returned. Like the rest of the suspects the evidence will never be more than circumstantial.
My next article about a Jack the Ripper suspect features Andrew John Gibson, alias Charles Chadwick. It is the most comprehensive study of his extraordinary life and could be written without any reference to the Whitechapel murders. This is available for pre-order and you can download garrison now.
Paul Williams is a writer of fiction and non-fiction best known for his Jack the Ripper Suspects: The Definitive Guide and Encyclopedia.
PaulECWilliams 
Hello Paul, I hope this message finds you.
I gather from your interview with Alan Warren and Michael Hawley that you consider the Goulston Street graffito to have been unconnected to the Whitechapel murders. In which case you deserve extra credit for including my modest contribution to the subject among your catalogue of 300 plus ‘suspects’, since my own discovery of the 1888 Gloster trial resulted directly from a two-fold conjecture – that the graffito referred to a prior heinous event and, as such, it was probably reported in the press. If the ‘irrelevance’ interpretation is correct and my suppositions not so, then a certain fatal event in Pimlico should not have taken place, nor been reported, much less involve an Irish doctor/midwife, his Italian medical associate and, latterly, an American ally (also a trained surgeon).
It is over 20 years since I first brought the case against Dr James Gloster to light, during which time I have subjected it to greater scrutiny, and with surprising results. The deceased, Eliza Schummacher, was not quite the hapless victim as portrayed in contemporary accounts, but an importunate procuress, whose home address in Pimlico (not far from the residence of Sir Charles Warren) functioned as a brothel. Documentation from the case file includes a signature, which, though not Dr Gloster’s, bears an eerie similarity to the handwriting of the Lusk letter. Eliza Schummacher was 39 years old at the time of her death, as was Martha Tabram (stabbed 39 times). Coincidence can be taken only so far and there are sufficient grounds, I believe, for viewing this number as a communicative device .
All of this is fleshed out in my recently self-published opus, ‘A Case of Mother’s Ruin’, a copy of which I should be happy to provide you with, given an appropriate address for despatch. Otherwise it can be obtained from the publisher, Moorleys of Ilkeston, Derbyshire.
Thanks again for having the courtesy to include my earlier work in your medley of malefactors. I think you would find the ‘update’ of some interest.
Kind regards,
Martin Roberts
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Dear Martin,
Thank you for getting in touch. I appreciate this and will obtain a copy of the book. I still have your original article in Ripperana and remain very interested in Dr. Gloster. Looking forward to reading your latest research. Best wishes, Paul.
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Dear Paul,
Many thanks for your response – encouragement at last!
‘A Case of Mother’s Ruin’ can be obtained via this link: https://www.moorleys.co.uk/shop/ (or from myself).
It’s relatively short, inexpensive, and unlike the majority of studies, insofar as it focusses largely on the proceedings of Regina vs. Gloster, wherein I believe a motive for the Whitechapel murders resides.
Whilst you would doubtless find my conclusions surprising, even if somewhat eccentric, I shall not give the game away here, but merely add that only after I’d published the book did I discover an intriguing vintage photograph of a key player in the drama hidden away on a ‘heritage’ website. (I could have saved a thousand words had I known about it beforehand!)
I do hope you get to read my offering eventually and would value any comment you might care to make in consequence.
Best wishes,
Martin R.
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