If you wish to purchase a copy of Chris Jones's book, mentioned in the video, you can do so via the website www.florencemaybrick.com
In 1992 a journal came to light in which the author had written details of the Jack the Ripper crimes and in which he claimed to have been the man responsible for the murders of the canonical five victims.
Although the author didn't actually give his name, it was obvious from information contained in the journal that the author was - or, to be more precise, was claiming to be, Liverpool cotton merchant James Maybrick.
James Maybrick died in May 1889, and, shortly after his death, his American wife, Florence, was arrested and charged with his murder. Following a trial, that many believed (and believe) was a travesty of justice, she was found guilty and was sentenced to death.
However, the Home Secretary, Sir Henry Matthews, granted a reprieve and her sentence was commuted to one of penal servitude for life. She was released after having served fifteen years in prison, after which she returned to America where she died in 1941.
The case received widespread publicity when, in 1992, the journal - which has since been heavily promoted as the diary of Jack the Ripper - came to light.
Since this was the first time ever that the name of James Maybrick was linked to any of the Whitechapel murders, the sole case against his having been Jack the Ripper stands or falls on whether the diary was actually written by him.
In this video, Richard Jones discusses the case with author Chris Jones (no relation) and together they separate the facts from the fiction about this, to say the least, controversial document, whilst, at the same time, revealing some fascinating insights into the Maybrick poisoning case of 1889.
