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Andrew Spallek
Detective Sergeant
Username: Aspallek
Post Number: 70
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Friday, August 08, 2003 - 3:44 pm: | 
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"In that year [1889], Johannesburg was horrified by a series of stealthy murders which were only explained as the handiwork of “Jack the Ripper.”"
-- North American Review Vol 169, Issue 51 October 1899, p. 483.
Anyone know anything further about this? The article doesn't narrow the time period down any futher.
Andy
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Stephen P. Ryder
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 2812
Registered: 10-1997
| | Posted on Friday, August 08, 2003 - 4:08 pm: |
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Chris George posted something on this earlier this year on the old boards:
quote:
I am not sure there has been discussion of the possibility of Ripper-like murders in South Africa close to the time of the murders in Whitechapel. I came across the following quote:
"In that year [1889], Johannesburg was horrified by a series of stealthy murders which were only explained as the handiwork of 'Jack the Ripper.' No one thought at that time, however, of saddling the Transvaal government with responsibility for them, or of sending plaintive petitions to England as to the danger of life in the South African Republic! Everyone understood, then as now, that gold-fields offer peculiar attractions to questionable characters of all classes." Found on p. 483 in "A Transvaal View of the South African Question," by Dr. F. V. Engelenburg, The North American Review, Volume 169, Issue 515, October 1899, pp. 473-488.
Best regards
Chris George
Unfortunately there were no responses to it then.
The only thing I can think of is that Ripper suspect Frederick Deeming was living in Johannesburg at around that time (he returned from South Africa in the Spring of 1890)... so it could be connected with him and his trial. Whether the murders really occurred, or whether this was public speculation (i.e. if Deeming was the Ripper, and he had lived in Johannesburg, then of course there were Ripper murders in Johannesburg). I believe some newspaper research from that region would likely clear up the story... I'll put it on my "to do" list for my next trip to the LoC (unless Chris Scott beats me to it! :-D)
(A side-note, there is a chapter in Scoops and Headlines: Twelve Great South African Stories entitled "Jack the Ripper Strikes Again"... I thought that this might be related to your quote, but it turns out to be a Ripper-like case from 1934, near Cape Town).
Stephen P. Ryder, Editor
Casebook: Jack the Ripper
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Stephen P. Ryder
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 2813
Registered: 10-1997
| | Posted on Friday, August 08, 2003 - 4:35 pm: |
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Further to my last:
"His [Deeming's] questionable whereabouts during this time were later filled with dubious police and press speculation, especially in South Africa where Deeming became a patsy for every unsolved swindle and murder that occurred in this period [March 1888 through October 1889]."
-- John Godl, The Life and Crimes of Frederick Bailey Deeming
Stephen P. Ryder, Editor
Casebook: Jack the Ripper
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Christopher T George
Inspector
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 275
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Friday, August 08, 2003 - 7:18 pm: |
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Hi, Andrew and Stephen:
To my mind, Deeming was simply a domestic murderer. However, it is interesting to note that authors such as Robin Odell and Colin Wilson (Jack the Ripper: Summing Up and Verdict) say that while Deeming's exact whereabouts in 1888 are unknown, he was likely in South Africa, from where as you stated, Stephen, he returned to England in spring 1890. Although we don't know if Deeming was responsible for the reported murders in Johannesburg, and I would think he probably was not, the suspect appears to have had a liking for various edged weapons, as reported in the St. Louis Republican of 8 April 1890, here on the Casebook. Samuel Mercier of Rain Hill, Lancashire, who knew the suspect in England stated that Deeming had an extensive collection of weapons "including swords, knives, spears and an assegai which he said he had got from Zululand."
All the best
Chris |
Andrew Spallek
Detective Sergeant
Username: Aspallek
Post Number: 71
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Friday, August 08, 2003 - 11:22 pm: |
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Yes, I thought of Deeming too, but it doesn't fit.
I think there is no doubt that some sort of a series of murders did occur. The article is about South African politcs of the period and makes the point that the government was not held responsible for them by the public (unlike London in 1888). Clearly something happened in the order of serial murders.
If Deeming was in the author's mind, why not mention him by name? Doesn't make any sense to leave him anonymous.
So far I've not come up with any further information, but I don't have access to South African newspapers.
Andy
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Andrew Spallek
Detective Sergeant
Username: Aspallek
Post Number: 72
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, August 09, 2003 - 4:34 pm: |
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Here is mention of three murders in South Africa in 1882 that may have been attributed to Deeming. But the article cited above seems clearly to tie a series of Ripper murders to 1889 -- after the Whitechapel killings.
http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/exhibs/deeming/49.htm
Andy
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Andrew Spallek
Chief Inspector
Username: Aspallek
Post Number: 600
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Friday, October 01, 2004 - 2:01 pm: |
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These seem to have been the murders in question. From the Times of London -- forgot to write down the date, but I believe it is 1 April 1892:
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