Leaving the Kelly Murder via Mitre Square?

[Bridewell]

I hadn't seen this entry before as it is positioned as something of a postscript to the main article, but it is taken from the Bournmouth Visitors' Directory dated 14th November 1888 (ie 5 days after the Kelly murder):

"A gentleman engaged in business in the vicinity of the murder" (presumably Kelly not Eddowes) "stated on Sunday that he was walking through Mitre-square at about ten minutes past ten on Friday morning, when a tall, well-dressed man, carrying a parcel under his arm, and rushing along in a very excited manner, ran into him. The man's face was covered with blood splashes, and his collar and shirt were also blood-stained. The gentleman did not at the time know anything of the murder".

Is this a garbled version of Hutchinson's account with a few blood splashes thrown in for good measure, or a complete invention? If it is neither of those, the man seen would surely be of considerable interest. It suggests a man who traversed between Mitre Square and Dorset St in opposite directions on different dates, & so possibly someone who travelled the route on a regular basis. If it has any genuine relevance at all it would support Caroline Maxwell and Maurice Lewis (& a very late time of death for Mary Kelly). Any thoughts? Does this story cross-reference with any other source?

[ChrisGeorge]

I hadn't seen this entry before as it is positioned as something of a postscript to the main article, but it is taken from the Bournmouth Visitors' Directory dated 14th November 1888 (ie 5 days after the Kelly murder):

"A gentleman engaged in business in the vicinity of the murder" (presumably Kelly not Eddowes) "stated on Sunday that he was walking through Mitre-square at about ten minutes past ten on Friday morning, when a tall, well-dressed man, carrying a parcel under his arm, and rushing along in a very excited manner, ran into him. The man's face was covered with blood splashes, and his collar and shirt were also blood-stained. The gentleman did not at the time know anything of the murder".

Is this a garbled version of Hutchinson's account with a few blood splashes thrown in for good measure, or a complete invention? If it is neither of those, the man seen would surely be of considerable interest. It suggests a man who traversed between Mitre Square and Dorset St in opposite directions on different dates, & so possibly someone who travelled the route on a regular basis. If it has any genuine relevance at all it would support Caroline Maxwell and Maurice Lewis (& a very late time of death for Mary Kelly). Any thoughts? Does this story cross-reference with any other source?

Hi Bridewell

The first thing that might be said is that Mitre Square is at a distance from Dorset Street so that's quite a way for the bloodsplashed man to traverse without being seen by other passersby.

Chris

[Monty]

I'm tempted to suggest it holds a touch of Whites story however....

Monty

[Wickerman]

Well it was Friday so if the parcell was wrapped in newspaper then they were Fish & Chips, and the blood stains?, well have you seen line-ups at the chippy these days!

[Monty]

I must admit, its a story I've not seen before.

Monty

[ChrisGeorge]

I must admit, its a story I've not seen before.

Monty

Hi Monty

Actually I think I have heard this story before somewhere.

Chris

[richardnunweek]

Hi,
This tale has always fascinated me, it was sighted approx 40 minutes before the millers court body was discovered, and the very fact that it happened in Mitre square is a coincidence being the site of the previous murder.
Solution.
Possibly Strides killer was en-route home, when he came across Eddowes, and also after killing Mary.?
Regards Richard.

[Sally]

I think this account appeared in several papers at the time. It may be pure journalistic invention, a synthesis of the last murder scene and the menacing parcel-carrying gent figure rife in the press at this time. Interesting though, all the same.

[Rob Clack]

May (and I stress may) have a connection with Mrs Paumier's story.

Rob

[Phil H]

I have no idea what standing should be given to this "anecdote".

What interests me is that it seems to indicate that bloodstained people could traverse Whitechapel and attract minimal attention. This character (if he existed) seems to have had no qualms - other than hastening - through an area which was supposedly in the grip of terror. He does not appear to have been stopped, or to have been acting in any way furtively.

It throws a gloss on whether or not "Jack" would have had to have acted in any particular way, or have attracted attention, in moving between Mitre Square and Goulston St after Eddowes' lkilling.

Phil

[Sally]

Hey Phil

I have no idea what standing should be given to this "anecdote".

What interests me is that it seems to indicate that bloodstained people could traverse Whitechapel and attract minimal attention. This character (if he existed) seems to have had no qualms - other than hastening - through an area which was supposedly in the grip of terror. He does not appear to have been stopped, or to have been acting in any way furtively.

Which is why I tend to the view that he was probably an invention - nothing further seems to have come of it.

It throws a gloss on whether or not "Jack" would have had to have acted in any particular way, or have attracted attention, in moving between Mitre Square and Goulston St after Eddowes' lkilling.

I think that's a slightly different issue. It was dark, there were other people around, and I suspect it depended on how he moved around as much as anything else. If he wasn't acting suspiciously (unlike the bloodstained, parcel-carrying Mitre Square dasher) he could easily have been seen, and not noticed.



Phil[/QUOTE]

[Bridewell]

I suppose that, in an area full of butcher's shops, where they slaughtered the beasts on the premises the sight of a blood-stained man would not have been all that unusual. If (& I accept it's highly questionable) this is a sighting of the killer it probably poses more questions than it answers, because it would mean that a murderer who fled north-east after killing Eddowes, travelled in the opposite direction after killing Kelly. Many thanks to all for your observations on this, by the way.