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** This is an archived, static copy of the Casebook messages boards dating from 1998 to 2003. These threads cannot be replied to here. If you want to participate in our current forums please go to https://forum.casebook.org **
MJ Druitt
Casebook Message Boards: Witnesses: Specific Witnesses:
MJ Druitt
Author: Diana
Friday, 20 October 2000 - 09:05 pm |        | | No, this does not belong in the suspects board. Could Druitt have been killed by Jack because he was a witness? If I put rocks in my pockets and jumped in the river, once the water actually reached my windpipe I would be rapidly pulling the rocks out of my pockets! I know Jack did not get any jollies out of killing men, but I don't think he would be above eliminating a witness. |
Author: Jon
Friday, 20 October 2000 - 10:10 pm | | If Jack had to eliminate a witness surely he would use his trusty knife.
I think its reasonable to conclude that because of the rocks in his pocket, that MJD must have been unconscious when he hit the water.
The rocks were not large enough to prevent a conscious man from fighting for life, but just large enough to help keep a body on the bottom. And they didnt even do that.
I think if MJD had witnessed anything then him being a barrister would tend to suggest to me that he would have high-tailed it to the police. Not keep it to himself.
One thing for sure, in my opinion, is that there is much more to this suicide story than we are ever likely to learn.
I'm also anxious to see David Anderson's book on further discoveries of Montague John Druitt.
Regards, Jon |
Author: Diana
Saturday, 21 October 2000 - 08:29 am | | | If the knife was an essential part of Jack's signature -- his lustmord he would not need to use it on a man since his purpose was different. Maybe he knew that overcoming and killing a young healthy man would have to be undertaken in a different manner than killing a broken down middle aged woman. If Druitt witnessed anything it would have been connected probably to MJK. You're right, I wonder if it was really a suicide. |
Author: Lisa Muir
Sunday, 22 October 2000 - 01:27 am | | I could, maybe, buy the theory that Druitt was, perhaps, murdered. Maybe, I could buy that. But isn't it pushing the limit to suggest that he was murdered by Jack? Where's the connection? What are the odds that the two of them ever crossed paths?
Druitt was involved in and discovered in the midst of something scandalous. He was dismissed from his position at the academy. He becomes depressed, remorseful. Someone else is involved in the scandal as well. Someone that is aware of
Druitt's frail state of mind. Someone that fears exposure. Someone that is not reluctant to do anything he has to do in order to protect himself.
That's the sort of murder theory that makes sense to me. Druitt being a witness to Jack, though...I can't for the life of me see it. Not now, at least. I'm always(well, almost always) open to suggestion. |
Author: stephen borsbey
Sunday, 22 October 2000 - 03:41 am | | | i used to think that druitt was the murderer until i read about the misery in his life. it is this that caused him to commit suicide and not guilt over killing the women.. |
Author: Jon
Sunday, 22 October 2000 - 10:09 am | | The official proceedings have not survived, so all we have are a few news reports and the testimony of brother William figures prominantly in all these.
In fact all we know of MJD's last days is provided by either William or the police report of the condition of his body.
William tells us that he received word, on Dec 11th, that MJD had not been seen in his chambers at Kings Bench Walk for more than a week.
William then goes to London and enquires at the school and tells us that he found that MJD had been dismissed on Nov. 30th.
Unfortunatly, we have no testimony from Mr Valentine at the school to corroborate this.
But William searches MJD's residence at Elliot Place and finds a letter addressed to himself.
The letter has not survived but was only summarized by the coroner, we do not know verbatim what the contents of the letter were.
The "since Friday, I felt I was going to be like mother" was the coroner summarizing the letter, but not the actual words.
Kings Bench Walk is much nearer the Thames than taking a train-ride to Hammersmith. And what was at Hammersmith?, who had he arranged to meet there?
His mother was not in nearby Chiswick Asylum till long after MJD's death, so he wasnt going to pay her a final farewell.
Why take his cheques with him?
Why put stones in his pocket?
Maybe he couldnt swim, but he had been educated at a school where swiming was part of the ciriculum, and had been described as a good alrounder at sports.
If he wrote a suicide note on Saturday Dec 1st and returned to Blackheath, why did he not clear out his rooms? He had been dismissed the day before, but he couldnt have wrote the note that same day as it referes to "since Friday", so he must have written it on Saturday, but then why not put "since yesterday".
If he had been dismissed Friday, and spent the night at Eliot Place, then decided to commit suicide, then why take the cheques with him. And why the return ticket, (dated Dec 1st), from Charing Cross to Hammersmith?
All anyone has to do is refer back to the suicide note...and declare "he was obviously of unsound mind....."
The note was a catch-all for anything that remained unexplained.
For more on this perspective read 'The Ripper Legacy' by Howells & Skinner.
Regards, Jon |
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