Without having to retype everything, this series of posts says it all as far as the hogwash that Stephenson sat around dreaming up a plan to go to the London Hospital with the complaint of “neurasthenia”.  It didn’t and more importantly, couldn’t have happened since one does not go to a hospital or doctor and complain of neurasthenia. Only a doctor can diagnose neurasthenia…. Read on.

I highlighted the words…”said to be”….since, dear reader, NONE of these three names appear on this document, generously provided by Robert C. Linford.

Comments and ideas welcome .

1. His physical features, afflictions, & cause of death.

2. His known intellectual pursuits ( by way of his writings ).

3. His relationships to others during his 75 years.

4. How he relates to each census report, in regard to status and what is verifiable and what is not.

This unusual statement above refers to the first London Hospital discharge paper ( see thread) which Spiro Dimolianis(Aus.) provided for the community back in 2006. The Currie Ward was a facility within the London Hospital that had a security protocol which prevented patients from leaving the ward after a certain time of night. Furthermore, Stephenson wrote a letter ( October 16th, 1888) from this very ward, demonstrating that he had been in that particular ward from at least July 26th,1888 up until that date,at least,and perhaps beyond.

Mr. Dimolianis could not or would not provide the final link to the proof of this, the most important document in all Stephensonia, which was the proof of the document’s origin.

In 2008, as mentioned on the London Hospital Discharge # 1 thread, Mike Covell traveled to London, saw the curator of the Hospital archives, learned about the protocol of the ward as well as seeing the actual document which is precisely what Mr. Dimolianis provided in the first place, but without that all important proof of origin.

Stephenson’s possible complicity of anything to do with any murders committed in 1888’s Autumn of Terror, is officially terminated at this point.

Further comments to follow.

Unlike its predecessor, this document is unaltered from what Ripperologists have been led to believe. Stephenson left the London Hospital in July to eventually join British Theosophist & Author, Minna Mabel Collins. More on that liason later.

The above first provided for the Ripperological community in 2006 by Australian Ripperologist, Spiro Dimolianis.

It is NOT how the discharge appears in one of the books supporting the theory that Stephenson was Jack The Ripper in one very important way….a fact which was known to each pro-Donston-as-Ripper author if they had seen the document in the first place.

It demonstrates that Stephenson was in the Currie Ward prior to being released from The London Hospital in early December 1888.

Stephenson wrote a letter to the police, dated October 16th, 1888 and addressed from The Currie Ward, providing further collaboration to the discharge’s mention of that ward.

British Ripperologist Mike Covell visited The London Hospital in early 2008 and saw the actual document & verified that everything that is on the document is as Mr. Dimolianis’ copy of the document mentions with no alteration whatsoever.

The Currie Ward will be discussed in length on the blog in the near future. Mr. Covell had the opportunity to speak with the curator of the Hospital’s archives and was informed of the protocol of that ward.

To be filled in during the month of April, 2008.

The first individual who history records as believing in either Stephenson’s “guilt” in the Whitechapel Murders was an unemployed ironmongery salesman named George Marsh. Further biographical material will appear on the blog in the future.  Marsh lived at 24 Pratt Street,Camden Town.

 Marsh & Stephenson became acquainted sometime in early December 1888…after Stephenson was discharged on December 7th, 1888 from the London Hospital after his 134 day stay.

  Marsh stated in a deposition made  to Inspector Thomas Roots, of Scotland Yard, on December 24th, 1888, that the two met at the Prince Albert Public House in Upper St. Martins Lane and met two or three times per week up until Marsh presented his perception of Stephenson to Roots.

Marsh apparently took Stephenson’s diatribe on the Whitechapel Murders seriously. 

Marsh has been unjustly called a “dupe” by both Mr. Harris and Edwards, since it is or was their belief that Stephenson ’set” Marsh up in order to  have Marsh go to Scotland Yard where both theorists claim Stephenson knew that Roots would be at Scotland Yard and that Roots would be the recipient of the story Marsh would deliver  in order to cast suspicion on Stephenson, which, by Stephenson’s appearance two days later, would be immediately dispelled, since Roots did know Stephenson from a period of time that Roots declared as about 20 years prior in the December 26th,1888 report he prepared as a summation of the two men’s separate appearances at Scotland Yard,known as The Roots Report among the Ripperological community.

Nothing is known about the report that Roots wrote up about Marsh’s visit two days before on the 24th, which technically, if not necessarily followed up on by Scotland Yard, made Stephenson a suspect for 48 hours or less.

 A careful perusal of the Roots Report clearly shows that neither Roots or any other police official took Marsh’s initial statement seriously. Roots had every opportunity to write down any suspicion he or The Yard had about Stephenson on this document, but there is not one iota of suspicion cast upon Stephenson whatsoever.

Marsh, as mentioned, was not a dupe, but perhaps a man convinced of at least the possibility that Stephenson wrote letters either anonymously to the police or to other individuals similar to the Ripper letters which were en vogue at the time. Marsh brought handwriting samples of Stephenson’s which are discussed in the deposition he delivered as well as a good description of Stephenson’s physical appearance, address and  some bits of biographical information, some of which were probably embellishments of deeds stated by Stephenson.

Stephenson’s career as a “viable suspect” probably never got off the ground, even in the brief 48 hour period he was known to at least Inspector Roots.

As of December 26th,1888, Stephenson’s status as a suspect in the murders in the East End ceased to exist in the eyes of Scotland Yard and for all practical purposes, everywhere else.

As mentioned, more information and required editing of this particular section will follow. I intend to transcribe the Roots Report, Marsh’s deposition, Stephenson’s letter to Scotland Yard and other data in the near future.