Leather Apron

[lynn cates]

the legend lives on

Hello Jon. Thanks.

"Piser is the inspiration for Leather Apron."

Well, almost certainly part of it. I would suggest that the "slippers" and "knife" were his contribution.

"We have the real person Leather Apron, a single, 38 year old man who occasionally stays with his mum in Whitechapel, when he`s not staying in Lodging Houses around the City. His nickname is Leather Apron, he wore a leather apron and, although he obviously denies it, he is know by the Police for bullying women."

Isn't this like saying, "Someone assaulted a woman. She claimed it was 'Cookie.' But Fred is known as cookie. So Fred assaulted her."?

"Then we have the legend Leather Apron, born of the press enquiries looking for possible suspects, and at the time they only had the slaughtermen and the local bully. Leather Apron, obviously, took the biscuit."

Again, the legend was inspired by more than one. In fact, if my conjections (heh-heh) be correct, the main inspiration was a chap with an odd walk, crazy looking eyes, who carried knives, and who asked prostitutes for money.

"Sure, Isenschmid is now part of the legend of Leather Apron, thanks to those Holloway girls, but surely, and I hope you don`t mind me calling you Shirley, he had nothing to do with the inspiration for Leather Apron?'

Actually, as I have said before, the girls called him LA on the 11th; "The Echo" piece has a "man answering the description of Leather Apron" in Upper Holloway on 10 September. Was that Piser? I don't think so.

Did JI contribute to the legend? In my mind, there is no doubt.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

Johny Upright

Hello Maria. Try "Johny Upright."

Oddly, at one point, he was accused of being the ripper.

Cheers.
LC

[Observer]

What does it matter if Isenshmid was the inspiration for the individual known as Leather Apron? He wasn't a killer, there is no evidence whatsoever that he was responsible for any of the Whitechapel murders.

[Michael W Richards]

What does it matter if Isenshmid was the inspiration for the individual known as Leather Apron? He wasn't a killer, there is no evidence whatsoever that he was responsible for any of the Whitechapel murders.

Hi Observer,

Well, we dont know of any murders he may have committed, but if Isenschmid was Leather Apron he had shown himself to be a potential danger to Unfortunates, he had the skill and knowledge needed, and he had severe mental issues.

Since Unfortunates were being killed in that area at that time, and the police thought they were looking for a madman with near surgical skills, he becomes a prime candidate for the murders before his confinement.

Unfortunately for the people who see the logic and reason in suspecting him in those murders, that would mean that a Canonical Group was a bad guess by the authorities and that at least 2 Rippers walked the streets for a time.

And thats just not cricket to some.

Best regards,

Mike R

[Observer]

The Ripper wasn't a mad man as such Mike, which is why Isenschmid doesn't fit the bill. I don't think he was the man who inspired the Leather Apron scare either. And as far as I'm concerned the same hand killed at least four of the canonical five.

Regards

Observer

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Echo, 11th September 1888—

"It is stated that the many absurd rumours about the man 'Leather Apron' have been enquired into and found to be utterly void of truth.

"A high authority at Scotland Yard, asked what truth there is in the ensuing account of the personage, said: 'just as much as there is in the career of Leatherstocking; only I prefer Fennimore Cooper's literary style.'

"The man suspected - rightly or wrongly - of being him is a person of weak physique, and but a short time ago underwent a very painful operation, when a large carbuncle was extracted from the back of his neck. Since then, until within quite recently, he has been an inmate of a convalescent home, and at the present time his physical [powers?] are less than those of any woman."

Does anyone smell a rat?

Regards,

Simon

[Observer]

Hi Simon

Such a man was not capable of being the Whitechapel murderer, who most certainly was not a man of weak physique. I seem to recall a poster who described Annie Chapman as being a large robust woman who could hold her own so to speak. I think it was Lynn Cates. Would a man, whose physical powers were less than those of any woman, be able to easily overpower and strangle her without any signs of a struggle? The doctors involved in the case seemed to think that the Ripper was a man of considerable strength, I'd tend to agree with them.

Regards

Observer

[Roy Corduroy]

Does anyone smell a rat?

No. And I don't have the decoder to know what you mean.

Roy

[Michael W Richards]

Hi Simon

Such a man was not capable of being the Whitechapel murderer, who most certainly was not a man of weak physique. I seem to recall a poster who described Annie Chapman as being a large robust woman who could hold her own so to speak. I think it was Lynn Cates. Would a man, whose physical powers were less than those of any woman, be able to easily overpower and strangle her without any signs of a struggle? The doctors involved in the case seemed to think that the Ripper was a man of considerable strength, I'd tend to agree with them.

Regards

Observer

Hi Observer,

If I may interject on the above, I think its a mistake to assume that the killer "overpowered" the women and was therefore somewhat robust. The facts seem to indicate the murders were close to silent...any mere physical attack would still allow for grunts, groans and other sounds..perhaps like the ones Cadosche says he heard.

I think the evidence in a few cases suggests some kind of choking before or as the throat was being cut. Since we have scarves aplenty we need not have a strong man, just one that acts swiftly once the air is cut off.

Best regards,

Mike R

[lynn cates]

rodentia

Hello Simon. Thanks.

I smell a rat--where Piser is concerned.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

powerful strangler

Hello Mike. There is no doubt but that Polly and Annie were strangled. And, although both women were impaired at the time of their demise, the assailant was a powerful man.

Now if you read JI's Colney Hatch description . . . .

Cheers.
LC

[Roy Corduroy]

Hello Simon. Thanks.

I smell a rat--where Piser is concerned..

Oh that's what he was talking about? Leather Apron was a press invention. By publicly clearing John Piser at inquest, the authorities put the Leather Apron scare to bed (where it should be) and allayed the public's fears. What's not to like about that. John Pizer didn't kill anyone. ' Leather Apron' didn't kill anyone.

Leather Apron: Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.

Roy

[Jon Guy]

Hi Simon

a short time ago underwent a very painful operation, when a large carbuncle was extracted from the back of his neck.

According to a number of witnesses the chap who had a bit of a kerfuffle with Annie Farmer in George St in November had an abscess on the back of his neck too.

[lynn cates]

real item

Hello Roy. Thanks. Then what did John Richardson mean when he indicated that the violent chap was the REAL "Leather Apron" and that many in the neighbourhood thought him responsible for the murders?

Cheers.
LC

[Observer]

Hi Observer,

If I may interject on the above, I think its a mistake to assume that the killer "overpowered" the women and was therefore somewhat robust. The facts seem to indicate the murders were close to silent...any mere physical attack would still allow for grunts, groans and other sounds..perhaps like the ones Cadosche says he heard.

Best regards,

Mike R

Hi Mike

The experts of the time thought differently. They seemed to think the murderer possessed considerable strength.

Regards

Observer