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Times (London)
5 October 1972

From The Times Diary
Farce on Ripper

Daniel Farson's book "Jack the Ripper," which identifies Montague John Druitt as the Whitechapel murderer, has run into unsuspected legal snags in Australia, the country where Farson believes that "the final pieces of evidence... which will close the file for ever" may still exist.

The peculiar libel laws of the state of New South Wales have dissuaded the Sydney Sun Herald from giving Druitt's name in their preview of the book, and have restricted the Australian Broadcasting Commissions to references to a "Mr. D." The difficulty is that in New South Wales it is, in effect, possible to libel the dead, and family descendants offended by Farson's allegations would be in a position to sue.

Michael Joseph, the book's publishers, who have a consignment bound for Australia at the moment, are seeking advice from their agents there before deciding whether to risk a writ.

Farson's book does make it clear that Montague Druitt's cousin, Dr. Lionel Druitt, who had a surgery in the Minories at the time of the murders, did emigrate to Australia, and probably has untraced descendants still living there.


Related pages:
  Daniel Farson
       Authors: Obituaries - Daniel Farson 
       Press Reports: Times - 11 July 1972 
       Press Reports: Times - 5 October 1972 
       Ripper Media: Jack the Ripper (Farson) 
       Ripper Media: Jack the Ripper: A Suspect Guide - Father of G.W.B. 
  Montague John Druitt
       Dissertations: Emily and the Bibliophile: A Possible Source for Macnaght... 
       Dissertations: Montague John Druitt 
       Dissertations: Mr. Valentine's School 
       Message Boards: Montague John Druitt 
       Official Documents: The Macnaghten Memoranda 
       Press Reports: Acton, Chiswick & Turnham Green Gazette - 5 January 1889 
       Press Reports: Daily News - 22 May 1886 
       Press Reports: Dorset Chronicle - 10 January 1889 
       Press Reports: Hampshire Advertiser - 12 January 1889 
       Press Reports: Richmond and Twickenham Times - 5 January 1889 
       Press Reports: Southern Guardian - 1 January 1889 
       Press Reports: Southern Guardian - 22 December 1888 
       Press Reports: Thames Valley Times - 2 January 1889 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 10 March 1881 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 12 July 1880 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 13 February 1888 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 20 September 1888 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 24 June 1876 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 26 June 1876 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 29 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 30 April 1885 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 30 November 1888 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 31 May 1884 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 4 November 1884 
       Press Reports: Times [London] - 5 July 1884 
       Ripper Media: Jack the Ripper Revealed 
       Ripper Media: Jack the Ripper: A Cast of Thousands - Mark Mann 
       Ripper Media: Jack the Ripper: A Suspect Guide - Montague John Druitt 
       Ripper Media: Jack: The Grim Ripper 
       Ripper Media: Montague Druitt: Portrait of a Contender 
       Ripper Media: The Prince, His Tutor and the Ripper 
       Ripper Media: The Ripper Legacy: The Life and Death of Jack the Ripper 
       Ripper Media: When London Walked in Terror 
       Suspects: Montague John Druitt 

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