the key

[curious4]

Rings from a black man

Hello Curious,

Sorry this took so long. The reference to Annie buying rings "from a black man" can be found in Sugdens "The Complete History of JTR", paperback, page 93.

Cheers,
C4

[curious4]

"Posh" Jack

Hello Ben,

Well, having surgical skills wouldn´t necessarily mean you were dressed up to the nines. Also some slummers and do-gooders would dress down while visiting the East End - not into vermin-ridden rags, of course, but something less elegant than they usually wore. Although, skimming through the press reports, I came across a report in the Evening Standard of 11 Sept. 1888 of an 80-year-old man having his gold watch and chain stolen by a gang in Hanbury Street, so presumably some people were better-dressed than others.

Best wishes,
C4

[curious]

Hello Curious,

Sorry this took so long. The reference to Annie buying rings "from a black man" can be found in Sugdens "The Complete History of JTR", paperback, page 93.

Cheers,
C4

Very interesting. Will have to check that out.

Thanks.

[Batman]

1. No mention of special methods to enter No.13
2. Contradiction of who closed the door. Cox says MJK banged the door and then a moment later says the man did it.


Mary Ann Cox stated: I live at No. 5 Room, Miller's-court. It is the last house on the left-hand side of the court. I am a widow, and get my living on the streets. I have known the deceased for eight or nine months as the occupant of No. 13 Room. She was called Mary Jane. I last saw her alive on Thursday night, at a quarter to twelve, very much intoxicated.
[Coroner] Where was this ? - In Dorset-street. She went up the court, a few steps in front of me.
[Coroner] Was anybody with her ? - A short, stout man, shabbily dressed. He had on a longish coat, very shabby, and carried a pot of ale in his hand.
[Coroner] What was the colour of the coat ? - A dark coat.
[Coroner] What hat had he ? - A round hard billycock.
[Coroner] Long or short hair ? - I did not notice. He had a blotchy face, and full carrotty moustache.
[Coroner] The chin was shaven ? - Yes. A lamp faced the door.
[Coroner] Did you see them go into her room ? - Yes; I said "Good night, Mary," and she turned round and banged the door.
[Coroner] Had he anything in his hands but the can ? - No.
[Coroner] Did she say anything ? - She said "Good night, I am going to have a song." As I went in she sang "A violet I plucked from my mother's grave when a boy." I remained a quarter of an hour in my room and went out. Deceased was still singing at one o'clock when I returned. I remained in the room for a minute to warm my hands as it was raining, and went out again. She was singing still, and I returned to my room at three o'clock. The light was then out and there was no noise.
[Coroner] Did you go to sleep ? - No; I was upset. I did not undress at all. I did not sleep at all. I must have heard what went on in the court. I heard no noise or cry of "Murder," but men went out to work in the market.
[Coroner] How many men live in the court who work in Spitalfields Market ? - One. At a quarter- past six I heard a man go down the court. That was too late for the market.
[Coroner] From what house did he go ? - I don't know.
[Coroner] Did you hear the door bang after him ? - No.
[Coroner] Then he must have walked up the court and back again? - Yes.
[Coroner] It might have been a policeman ? - It might have been.
[Coroner] What would you take the stout man's age to be ? - Six-and-thirty.
[Coroner] Did you notice the colour of his trousers ? - All his clothes were dark.
[Coroner] Did his boots sound as if the heels were heavy ? - There was no sound as he went up the court.
[Coroner] Then you think that his boots were down at heels ? - He made no noise.
[Coroner] What clothes had Mary Jane on ? - She had no hat; a red pelerine and a shabby skirt.
[Coroner] You say she was drunk ? - I did not notice she was drunk until she said good night. The man closed the door. By the Jury: There was a light in the window, but I saw nothing, as the blinds were down. I should know the man again, if I saw him.
By the Coroner: I feel certain if there had been the cry of "Murder" in the place I should have heard it; there was not the least noise. I have often seen the woman the worse for drink.

[Batman]

Is Barnett the only source for the missing key?

There is a mystery of the key topic here https://www.casebook.org/forum/messages/4921/6293.html but it seems to fail to mention that they had to break down the door to get it.

I at once forced the door with a pickaxe, and we entered the room.

https://www.casebook.org/press_reports/st._james_gazette/881110.html

It seems it was a catch lock on the inside.

The door was fastened, not that it had been locked from the inside, but having a catch lock, the person who had gone out last had merely slammed the door behind him, and it had thus become fastened.

The lock of the door was a spring one, and the murderer apparently took the key away with him when he left, as it cannot be found.

https://www.casebook.org/press_reports/daily_news/18881110.html

I can not find a source for the next claim:

In the meantime, the window frame was removed and a police photographer took several pictures of the remains, one of which survives to this day, testament to the demented savagery of the man who called himself Jack the Ripper.

Paley, Bruce. Jack the Ripper: The Simple Truth (p. 149). Cox & Wyman Ltd. Kindle Edition.

Paley also indicates that Barnett was brought to scene to observe the body through that same window.

JOE BARNETT'S STATEMENT.
He himself had been taken by the police down to Dorset-street, and had been kept there for two hours and a half. He saw the body by peeping through the window.

https://www.casebook.org/press_reports/star/s881110.html

Abberline at the inquest replies...

[Coroner] Can you give any reason why they were burnt ? - I can only imagine that it was to make a light for the man to see what he was doing. There was only one small candle in the room, on the top of a broken wine-glass. An impression has gone abroad that the murderer took away the key of the room. Barnett informs me that it has been missing some time, and since it has been lost they have put their hand through the broken window, and moved back the catch. It is quite easy. There was a man's clay pipe in the room, and Barnett informed me that he smoked it.

I can only guess at some point Barnett heard that the killer had the key. Since he likely had it, he didn't want the connection, so claimed it had been stolen. Yet he had to come up with a reason for how they could get in and out. Abberline said it was quite easy to move back the latch. Yet we have pick-axes knocking open doors, a window frame out, and nobody including the person who knew the trick to it, showing it at the time.

If you saw bodycam footage of that today, and learned all those facts with a running commentary, you couldn't fail to notice how dodgy this whole missing key story is. Yes it is easy to lock a latch type door behind you by closing it, but it is also easier to use this simple easy hand through the window (they are all looking through) method to open it and not a pick-axe.