Leather Apron

[lynn cates]

Piser

Hello Jon. Thanks.

Equally respectfully, do you believe all the 50 stories in "The Star"--some of them erroneous--were all inspired by Piser, who was exonerated?

Cheers.
LC

[Jon Guy]

Hi Lynn
I`m not aware of all 50 stories so I can only say there appears to have been a lot of tittle tattle going about once the press and the police started asking the good folk of Spitalfields for their thoughts following the Nichols murder. But there`s no smoke without fire and there does appear to be a side to Pizer that could have earned him a reputation, as his going into hiding suggests.

[Bridewell]

Two and Two Together

Hi Lynn
I`m not aware of all 50 stories so I can only say there appears to have been a lot of tittle tattle going about once the press and the police started asking the good folk of Spitalfields for their thoughts following the Nichols murder. But there`s no smoke without fire and there does appear to be a side to Pizer that could have earned him a reputation, as his going into hiding suggests.

Hi, Folks,

As Pizer admitted being known as 'Leather Apron' and was reputedly in the habit of ill-using prostitutes, is it not likely that the local street-walkers, who had suffered at his hands, put two and two together to make five and assumed that their erstwhile tormentor had gone that bit further and started killing people?
'Leather Apron' was already the nickname of John Pizer and, by extension, became the nickname of the Whitechapel Murderer also. Does it need to be any more complicated than that?

Regards, Bridewell.

[lynn cates]

legend

Hello Jon. Thanks.

"I can only say there appears to have been a lot of tittle tattle going about"

Completely agree. And stories about 3 or 4 different chaps went into making the legend.

But Piser does not constitute the whole story--nor come close.

Cheers.
LC

[curious4]

Leather Apron

Hello all,

Didn't the whole Leather Apron thing start with the apron found in the yard where Annie Chapman was murdered? Of course it turned out to be a red herring, but by that time the grapevine and the newspapers had got hold of the idea and, finding it popular, quickly transformed it into a person called Leather Apron. Chicken or egg?

And Pizer, already unpopular and known to attack prostitutes was the number one candidate for JTR. Cased solved - except for the unfortunate fact that he had a cast-iron alibi.

Best wishes,
C4

[lynn cates]

story

Hello C4. Not quite. Actually, it was that leather apron that piqued the Met's curiosity. And when Richardson talked about his knife . . .

"The Star" interviewed about 50 ladies between Polly and Annie's deaths and they told a bizarre tale of a man who carried a knife and shook them down for money.

Doubtless, some of the tales were apocryphal--but not all of them.

Cheers.
LC

[curious4]

Leather Apron

Hello Lynn,

Wasn't that about what I said. That the apron in the yard was what started the whole thing. I must be slipping, not making myself clear.


Anyway, can't get into any long discussions, off to Italy for three weeks' holiday, but will look forward to crossing swords again when I get back.

All the best,
C4

[lynn cates]

legend

Hello C4. Well, the legend was around before that. The apron caused them to take interest in John Richardson.

Good luck in Italy. Spend lots of money--they need it.

Cheers.
LC

[Michael W Richards]

Hi, Folks,

As Pizer admitted being known as 'Leather Apron' and was reputedly in the habit of ill-using prostitutes, is it not likely that the local street-walkers, who had suffered at his hands, put two and two together to make five and assumed that their erstwhile tormentor had gone that bit further and started killing people?
'Leather Apron' was already the nickname of John Pizer and, by extension, became the nickname of the Whitechapel Murderer also. Does it need to be any more complicated than that?

Regards, Bridewell.

Hi Bridewell,

To my knowledge Pizer himself never admitted to being known as Leather Apron, in fact he and his family all denied ever hearing anyone call him by that name. I believe the Met Police declared he was.

Do you have a source for that statement?

Best regards,
Mike R

[Bridewell]

The Times

Hi Bridewell,

To my knowledge Pizer himself never admitted to being known as Leather Apron, in fact he and his family all denied ever hearing anyone call him by that name. I believe the Met Police declared he was.

Do you have a source for that statement?

Best regards,
Mike R

Hi Mike,

The Times newspaper dated Thursday 13th September 1888:

John Pizer 22 Mulberry-street, Commercial-road stated he was a bootmaker. He had been known by the nickname of "Leather Apron". He went home on Thursday night from the West-end of the town...

Regards, Bridewell.

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Chapman Inquest—

[Coroner] Are you known by the nickname of "Leather Apron"?

[Pizer] Yes, sir.

Regards,

Simon

[Bridewell]

Thanks

Hi All,

Chapman Inquest—

[Coroner] Are you known by the nickname of "Leather Apron"?

[Pizer] Yes, sir.

Regards,

Simon

Hi Simon,

Thanks for the confirmation.

Regards, Bridewell.

[Michael W Richards]

Hi Simon, Bridewell,

Fair enough. I was aware of the statement he made at the Inquest and I am also sure that even if he was not known by that name he would have gladly accepted the moniker since he was being publicly exonerated in the process. He was in fear for his life after all.

From A-Z, 1996 edition, page 359, third paragraph;

"Sergeant Thick then gave the only testimony ever elicited that Pizer was known as "Leather Apron": he said he had know Pizer for many years,and when people in the neighborhood spoke of "Leather Apron" they meant him."

4th paragraph;

"The press was totally unable to confirm this. Pizer, when interviewed, said he had not known he was referred to as "Leather Apron until Thick arrested him, and observed that while he wore a leather apron home from work , he had not done so for some time, having been out of work. His neighbors, family and friends unanimously denied that he had ever been nicknamed "Leather Apron".

I feel that under the circumstances an admission to a nickname, even if inaccurate, offered him safety.

Best regards,

Mike R

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Yes, it's interesting that earlier the same day [prior to his appearance at the inquest] he had denied in the Echo that he was known as Leather Apron.

[On being taken to the police station] "The Sergeant said to me, 'You are the man whom the women call 'Leather Apron.' This, however, I denied. I do not acknowledge (said Piser to the reporter) that name at all, and I have not recently worn a leather apron.

"Were you not surprised (the reporter at once asked) when he said you were known as 'Leather Apron'?

"Yes. I was not aware that I was known by that name. None of my neighbours have ever called me by it."

However, had Pizer not changed his story at the inquest, he could never have [allegedly] pursued a case for libel against the Star, Daily Telegraph and an American newspaper.

Regards,

Simon

[Abby Normal]

Hi, Folks,

As Pizer admitted being known as 'Leather Apron' and was reputedly in the habit of ill-using prostitutes, is it not likely that the local street-walkers, who had suffered at his hands, put two and two together to make five and assumed that their erstwhile tormentor had gone that bit further and started killing people?
'Leather Apron' was already the nickname of John Pizer and, by extension, became the nickname of the Whitechapel Murderer also. Does it need to be any more complicated than that?

Regards, Bridewell.

No it does not