[65] Police were skeptical, believing Walsh to be too old to be the dead man. As to why the Melbourne man was in Adelaide, Abbott said: We have evidence that he had separated from his wife, and that she had moved to South Australia, so possibly he had come to track her down., Fitzpatrick said: This is an amazing mystery to solve. Researchers now say the man is Carl Charles Webb, an electrical engineer from Melbourne. Cryptic clues about man found on an Adelaide beach in 1948 spawned theories of jilted lovers and cold war spies but the truth may open up even more questions. He said their investigations had also found a link to the name "TKeane" which was printed on the Somerton Man's tie. He married Eliza Amelia Morris Grace (died in 1946) in 1892 and opened a bakery in Springvale, Victoria. One of the witnesses told the police she observed a man looking down at the sleeping man from the top of the steps that led to the beach. The phrase was identified as coming from the classic book of Persian poetry Rubiyt of Omar Khayym. Early 1950: Prosper Thomson's divorce is finalised. [24] All identification marks on the clothes had been removed but police found the name "T. Keane" on a tie, "Keane" on a laundry bag and "Kean" on a singlet, along with three dry-cleaning marks; 1171/7, 4393/7 and 3053/7. Was it suicide? Carl/Charles Webb Was Not the Somerton Man. By then, Dorothy had moved from Melbourne to Bute, a town 89 miles northeast of Adelaide. He teamed up with renowned US forensic expert Colleen Fitzpatrick - who specialises in cold cases - to build an extended family tree using the DNA. ), Carl 'Charles' Webb's prisoner-of-war brother bears resemblance to Somerton Man https://t.co/c7KcGhtiuI. [75], Following the death, the boy's mother, Roma Mangnoson, reported having been threatened by a masked man who, while driving a battered cream car, almost ran her down outside her home in Cheapside Street, Largs North. The cryptographers reported that it would be impossible to provide "a satisfactory answer": if the text were an encrypted message, its brevity meant that it had "insufficient symbols" from which a clear meaning could be extracted, and the text could be the "meaningless" product of a "disturbed mind". Per a 1949 inquest report, a doctor who examined the Somerton Man's remains placed his time of death around 2 a.m. The case of the Somerton Man In 1948, the body of an unidentified man was found on Somerton Beach in Adelaide, Australia. The pair analysed DNA evidence from hairs caught in a plaster cast made of the mans face more than half a century ago by investigators. [44], In 1994, John Harber Phillips, Chief Justice of Victoria and Chairman of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, reviewed the case to determine the cause of death and concluded that, "There seems little doubt it was digitalis. Abbott speculates that Carl had may have gone to Adelaide intending to find her. Theories abounded, including that the person - dubbed Somerton Man - was a spy. 10 p.m.11 p.m.: Estimated time he had eaten a pasty based on time of death. If the book was found one or two weeks before, it suggests that the man had visited previously or had been in Adelaide for a longer period. One newspaper article refers to the book being found about a week or two before the body was found. ), Others posited that the Somerton Man was a former professional ballet dancer, drawing on the coroners comment that his calf muscles were high and well developed, such as found in women, and suggestion that he had been in the habit of wearing high-heeled and pointed shoes., Perhaps the most convincing theory centered on Thomsons son Robin, whose distinctive ears and teeth closely resembled the Somerton Mans. [110] Initially there were no known pre-death photographs of Webb, but further investigation uncovered his likely presence in a 1921 Swinburne University football team photograph, though the image did not identify Webb directly,[112] and in November 2022 Australian Story revealed photographs of Webb from the 1920s found in a Webb family photo album. While the mystery man's remains were exhumed last year by SA Police, Professor Abbott has in the meantime persisted with his own independent efforts to crack the case. Mystery of the somerton man: Taman Shud case - Caso Criminal VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line, Why an Indian comedian is challenging fake news rules. When the bakery closed down, Carl retrained as an electrical instrument maker. [58], The News featured their story on its first page, giving more details of the dead man. [49][89], In October 2011, as interest in the case resurfaced, Attorney-General John Rau refused to exhume the body, stating: "There needs to be public interest reasons that go well beyond public curiosity or broad scientific interest." Still, she denied knowing the man, and authorities didnt press her on the issue. Thomson's real name was considered important because it may be the decryption key for the purported code. Hicks stated that if death had occurred seven hours after the man was last seen to move, it would imply a massive dose that could still have been undetectable. They may or may not have been cohabiting. Other curious finds baffled authorities. And then and then came Spring, and Rose-in-hand The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. (As for the American origins of the attire, Abbott speculates that Keane bought the clothing second-hand from a G.I. [citation needed], After discovering that Robin Thomson had died in 2009, Abbott contacted Rachel, the daughter of Roma Egan and Robin Thomson, who had been adopted and grew up in New Zealand. [106] While much of the DNA is degraded, in February 2018, the University of Adelaide team obtained a high-definition analysis of the mitochondrial DNA from the hair sample from Somerton Man. Although they commented between themselves that it was odd that he was not reacting to the mosquitoes, they had thought it more likely that he was drunk or asleep, and thus did not investigate further. [31] The lack of success in determining the identity and cause of death of the man had led authorities to call it an "unparalleled mystery" and believe that the cause of death might never be known. For the next 70 or so years, speculation and increasingly outlandish theories dominated discussion of the Somerton Man. Whether there was some social connection to Robins mother is still on the table for investigation, Abbott tells ABC, but may be one of those things well never know now.. The site at tamamshud.blogspot.com shows exactly how it was uncovered and gives the precise methodology so that anyone can test it for themselves. Tragic End To Four-day Search For Father And Son, "BOXALL ALFRED: Service Number NX83331". A researcher focusing on the famous Somerton man case believes that he has identified the man who washed . [2] There has been intense speculation ever since regarding the identity of the victim, the cause of his death, and the events leading up to it. 16 November 1905: Carl "Charles" Webb born in Footscray, Melbourne, Victoria. Somerton Man's death: Unearthed records a step closer to solving "I have spoken to them, except they're all of a generation well below him and so none of them knew himand have no photos in their old family albums or in their garden sheds, unfortunately," he said. "So When That Angel of the Darker Drink", Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, "World War II Nominal Roll, "Boxall, Alfred", "List of facts on the Taman Shud Case that are often misreported", "Somerton Man identified as Melbourne electrical engineer, researcher says", "Seven-decade mystery of Somerton Man solved", "Professor's 15-year search for answers seeks to crack the secret code to the death of the 'Somerton man' found on an Adelaide beach", Unidentified Body Found at Somerton Beach, South Australia, on 1st December 1948, "Unsolved Death from 1948: The Somerton Man (The Taman Shud Case)", 'Unparalleled Mystery' Of Somerton Body Case, Curious aspects of unsolved beach mystery, Army Officer Sought to Help Solve Somerton Body Case, Unbreakable: Somerton Man's poetic mystery, "Computational linguistic analysis of the Tamam Shud Cipher", "No Sydney Clue to Dead Man Found at Somerton, S.A.", A Body, A Secret Pocket and a Mysterious Code, 30-Year-Old Death Riddle Probed In New Series, "Jessica Thomson's reaction to the dead man's bust", Somerton body said to be that of wood cutter, Somerton Body may be that of station hand. Some answers may come soon, some may take years, and some may never be answered, Abbott tells ABC. [5], Carl Webbs father Richard August Webb (died in 1939) had emigrated to Australia from Hamburg, Germany. "We have evidence that he had separated from his wife, and that she had moved to South Australia. " Several years ago, Ms. Egan had her DNA analyzed, and links were found to people in the United States (including relatives of Thomas Jefferson ). 16 RACHEL EGAN'S DNA LINKED TO PROSPER THOMSON.. - The Somerton Man For 73 years, the identity of a well-dressed man found slumped by a sea wall of Somerton beach, south of Adelaide, in 1948 has been a mystery leaving room for theories featuring jilted lovers and cold war spies. In 1945, at the Clifton Gardens Hotel in Sydney, she had given it to an Australian Army lieutenant named Alf Boxall, who was serving at the time in the Water Transport Section of the Royal Australian Engineers. after 11:15am: Buys a 7d bus ticket on a bus that departed at 11:15a.m. from the south side of. He added that there was sufficient DNA evidence to "definitively"disprove any links with his wife Rachel Egan, whose father ballet dancer Robin Thomson was believed to have potentially been a descendant of the Somerton Man. 16 RACHEL EGAN'S DNA LINKED TO PROSPER THOMSON.. by peterbowes on May 31, 2021. [23] It was believed that the suitcase was owned by the man found on the beach. 'Somerton man' mystery is 'SOLVED': Extraordinary twist in Australia's most baffling death 70 years after he was found dead on a beach with a coded note in his pocket. Mystery of dead man on beach: was he a Victorian? [50], When she was shown the plaster cast bust of the dead man by DS Leane, Thomson said she could not identify the person depicted. On the night of November 30, 1948, two separate couples noticed a smartly dressed man lying on the sand, his head propped against a sea wall, according to Smithsonian magazines Mike Dash. A police report was made by Detective Don O'Doherty. Meilan Solly is Smithsonian magazine's associate digital editor, history. stationed in Australia. [73] By November 1953, police announced they had recently received the 251st "solution" to the identity of the body from members of the public who claimed to have met or known him. [note 2] Detective Sergeant Lionel Leane, who led the initial investigation, often protected the privacy of witnesses in public statements by using pseudonyms;[14] Leane referred to the man who found the book by the pseudonym "Ronald Francis" and he has never been officially identified. [B]ut I cannot say whether it was administered by the deceased himself or by some other person.. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find something. Following a public appeal by police, the book from which the page had been torn was located. Tamam Shud Case: Everything We Know About The Somerton Man - PEDESTRIAN.TV The man was well-built, about 40 to 50 years old, 5. And from 4000 names, the pair narrowed it down to one - Carl Webb. The case is also known after the Persian phrase tamm shud (Persian: ),[note 1] meaning "is over" or "is finished", which was printed on a scrap of paper found months later in the fob pocket of the man's trousers. 1994: The Chief Justice of Victoria, John Harber Phillips, studies the evidence and concludes that poisoning was due to digitalis. At 6:30 am on December 1, 1948, police were called to Somerton Park beach south of Adelaide, South Australia after the body of a man was found. The Somerton Man - Mystery Solved? - Apple Podcasts In addition, witness statements have disappeared from the police file over the years.[8]. In 1949, Jessica Thomson requested that police not keep a permanent record of her name or release her details to third parties, as it would be embarrassing and harmful to her reputation to be linked to such a case. Johnson, about 45, of Arthur St, Payneham, was found on Somerton Beach, opposite the Crippled Children's Home yesterday morning. He then stated its absence was not unknown but that he could not make a "frank conclusion" without it. She said that she had received a letter from Boxall and had replied, telling him that she was now married. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine "For more than 70 years, people have speculated who this man was and how he died," South Australia Attorney General Vickie Chapman said. Despite repeated requests for an exhumation, the . I sworebut was I sober when I swore? Did you talk to her about that at all?" 1951: Dorothy Webb reported to be living in Bute, South Australia. Per a 1949 inquest report, a doctor who examined the Somerton Mans remains placed his time of death around 2 a.m. (The DNA studied by Abbott and Fitzpatrick came from the Somerton Mans death mask, not his body, and was analyzed as part of a separate, parallel investigation.) [63], In early January 1949, two people identified the body as that of 63-year-old former wood cutter Robert Walsh. Also inside were a shaving brush, shoe polish, a knife, scissors, a screwdriver and assorted attire, some of which was labeled with variants of the name T. [91][92], An exhumation was carried out on 19 May 2021. Its much more than identifying the Somerton man as Carl Webb, its also solving the mystery of how and why he died that may take years.. 16 October 1912: Prosper Thomson is born in central Queensland. The two daily Adelaide newspapers, The Advertiser and The News, covered the death in separate ways. [108][109], On 26 July 2022, Abbott announced that he and genealogist Colleen Fitzpatrick had determined that the man was Carl "Charles" Webb, an electrical engineer and instrument maker born on 16 November 1905, in Footscray, a suburb of Melbourne. [44], In 2004, retired detective Gerry Feltus suggested in a Sunday Mail article that the final line "ITTMTSAMSTGAB" could stand for the initials of "It's Time To Move To South Australia Moseley Street" (Jessica Thomson lived in Moseley Street which is the main road through Glenelg). [32], Cleland speculated that, as none of the witnesses could positively identify the man they saw the previous night as the same person discovered the next morning, there remained the possibility the man had died elsewhere and had been dumped. Shed been adopted as a child and grew up in New Zealand, unaware of her potential links to the cold case. WRGOABABD Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, The mystery death haunting Norway for 46 years, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool, Banana artwork in Seoul museum eaten by visitor, Donald Trump arrives in Scotland on golf visit, Indian 'killer' elephant relocated to tiger reserve, Ding becomes China's first male world chess champion. Inside his pocket were the printed words "Tamam Shud", which means "finished . Police checked incoming train records and believed the man had arrived at the Adelaide railway station by overnight train from either Melbourne,[29] Sydney or Port Augusta. There is no evidence that police knew in 1949 that she was not married. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. Privacy Statement A post-mortem ruled he had died from. [68] Detectives from Victoria initially believed the man was from there because of the similarity of the laundry marks to those used by several dry-cleaning firms in Melbourne. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. Also in the suitcase was a thread card of Barbour brand orange waxed thread of "an unusual type" not available in Australiait was the same as that used to repair the lining in a pocket of the trousers the dead man was wearing. Carls oldest sister Freda Grace was married to Thomas Gerald Keane. "The technology available to us now is clearly light years ahead of the techniques available when this body was discovered in the late 1940s," Forensic Science South Australia's Assistant Director of Operations, Dr Anne Coxon, said. [14], According to the pathologist, John Burton Cleland, the man was of "Britisher" appearance and thought to be aged about 4045; he was in "top physical condition". When Thomson was taken by authorities to visit a death mask of Somerton mans face, the taxidermist present, Paul Lawson, told ABCs Australian Story last year it was obvious she knew the man. [113][116], Dorothy recalled one instance in March 1946 in which her husband apparently attempted suicide with an overdose of ether. Meilan Solly [114], Forensic Science South Australia, who were still investigating, declined to comment on Abbott's findings. Abbott also tracked down the Barbour waxed cotton of the period and found packaging variations. What was his cause of death? When police arrived, they found the man lying in the sand with his head resting on the sea wall, with his legs out in front of him, and his ankles crossed. But a number of curious items found on the body encouraged ongoing speculation. However, a bus conductor named Leslie Francis Wytkin (or Wytkins) handed in a copy of the. Detective H. Strangway and Constable J. Moss are enquiring. He said he had tracked down and spoken to Mr Webb's living relatives. However, she also reported that, at some time in late 1948, an unidentified man had attempted to visit her and asked a next door neighbour about her. According to ABC News, a wooden spatula and a brush were used to carefully exhume the remains, which were then placed in a new coffin before being taken away to a forensic science centre. Johns possessions included items which imply he resided in the US at some point, such as US coins and a map of Chicago. Now Australian scientists are close to solving the mystery", "Australia Exhumes the Somerton Man, and His 70-Year Mystery", "After 65 years, new picture could reveal Unknown Man's identity | News.com.au", "How the Somerton Man played cupid from the grave", "Who was the Somerton Man? The Tamm Shud case, also known as the Mystery of the Somerton Man, is an unsolved case of an unidentified man found dead at 6:30 am, December 1st of 1948, on the Somerton Park beach, just south of Adelaide, South Australia. [20] Although named "City Baths", the centre was not a public bathing facility, but rather a public swimming pool. (Supplied) The suitcase When passers-by discovered the man's body on December 1, 1948, he was dressed in a brown suit and had a half-smoked cigarette on his lapel. A half-smoked cigarette was resting on his collar, and there was a line from a Persian poem in his pocket - but investigators had no idea who he was. Mystery of Somerton man's identity solved after 73 years, researchers in Australia say This week Prof Derek Abbott of the University of Adelaide claimed to have identified Somerton man as. [104], In July 2013, Abbott released an artistic impression he commissioned of the Somerton man, believing this might finally lead to an identification. Theres almost a sequel film here, [not] of who is Somerton man?, but now its the mysterious case of Charles Webb., Remains of mystery Somerton man exhumed 70 years after his death, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Somerton Man Identified Through DNA, Researchers Say - New York Times A photograph of the scrap of paper was released to the press.[36]. A professor who has dedicated decades to solving one of Australia's most enduring mysteries claims he has discovered the identity of the Somerton man. Shortly afterwards she moved to Adelaide and was listed in telephone directories under the surname of her future husband, Prosper Thomson. Feltus in 2010 claimed he was given permission by Thomson's family to disclose her names and that of her husband, Prosper Thomson. Although the last character in this line of text looks like an "L", it is fairly clear on closer inspection of the image that this is formed from an "I" and the extension of the line used to delete or underline that line of text. [78] The coroner could not determine the young Mangnoson's cause of death, although it was not believed to be natural causes. The Somerton man died alone on a beach in 1948. Now Australian - CNN In 2019, ABC's Radio National released a six-part series titled, This page was last edited on 23 April 2023, at 05:58.
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