Man with a package

[Eliza]

There was a man seen with two of the victims, and each time, he was carrying an odd-shaped package wrapped in a burlap-type material. I think this man, who was apparently never identified, is one of the more likely suspects. It's difficult to believe that the sighting of the man at two crime-scene locations is a coincidence.

It seems unlikely that a Whitechapel resident, going about his daily (or nightly) business, would openly carry a package in a crime-ridden area. If something is valuable/important enough to be wrapped, surely the impulse of the owner would be to conceal it while walking down the street.

However, I think the killer might feel it safer if his weapon were wrapped. It's quite possible--even likely--that he had been in some sort of legal trouble previously. Perhaps he was stopped and searched by police. He may have been leery of keeping a weapon in his pocket--due to police searches or pickpockets.

His knife might have had incriminating stains--and he may have felt he couldn't risk it being stolen or uncovered in a search. Carrying a package, however, would have made the weapon look harmless. It would also have allowed him to keep his weapon in view at all times, and keep a firm hold on it.

I would suggest comparing the description of the man with the package to known suspects.

[Pcdunn]

Do you have any citation for this information? I think your details are incorrect, but am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt if need be.

[Jon Guy]

Do you have any citation for this information? I think your details are incorrect, but am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt if need be.

I believe Eliza is referring to the men (or man) seen by PC Smith in Berner Street, and George Hutchinson in Commercial Street.

[Michael W Richards]

There was a man seen with two of the victims, and each time, he was carrying an odd-shaped package wrapped in a burlap-type material. I think this man, who was apparently never identified, is one of the more likely suspects. It's difficult to believe that the sighting of the man at two crime-scene locations is a coincidence.

It seems unlikely that a Whitechapel resident, going about his daily (or nightly) business, would openly carry a package in a crime-ridden area. If something is valuable/important enough to be wrapped, surely the impulse of the owner would be to conceal it while walking down the street.

However, I think the killer might feel it safer if his weapon were wrapped. It's quite possible--even likely--that he had been in some sort of legal trouble previously. Perhaps he was stopped and searched by police. He may have been leery of keeping a weapon in his pocket--due to police searches or pickpockets.

His knife might have had incriminating stains--and he may have felt he couldn't risk it being stolen or uncovered in a search. Carrying a package, however, would have made the weapon look harmless. It would also have allowed him to keep his weapon in view at all times, and keep a firm hold on it.

I would suggest comparing the description of the man with the package to known suspects.

Hello Eliza,

The man with the package in Berner Street seen talking with Liz is likely someone we can tentatively identify. Its probably William Wess taking his latest edition of The Workers Friend to some associates. The fact that he didn't mention talking to Liz shouldn't be all that surprising, we have at least 3 members that state they were called to see the woman in the passageway at 12:45, we have Morris Eagle saying he was there at that time and he says he saw nothing. And young Issac said that he was sent out by Louis alone shortly after he was summoned to the passage...which he said happened close to 12:45.

I can easily see Wess providing some of the same contradictory evidence.

The package idea presupposes that it would be less conspicuous to do so, when it would be most likely the first thing any constable would check. I agree with blood evidence on the knife being a concern...I think the apron section in Mitre Square was taken for that reason, but just popping the knife in an inside pocket in a coat or jacket, or in the belt, would be easier.

[Joshua Rogan]

The "newspaper parcel" carried by the man PC Smith saw with Stride (across the road from the club, not where she was found) was most likely not a bundle of newspapers, but one or more objects wrapped in newspaper. In fact the majority of reports describe it in that way, such as the Daily Telegraph 6 Oct;
"What did you notice about him? - He had a parcel wrapped in a newspaper in his hand. The parcel was about 18in. long and 6in. to 8in. broad"

This parcel is substantially larger than the one described by Hutchinson;

"The man I saw carried a small parcel in his hand about 8in long, and it had a strap round it. He had it tightly grasped in his left hand. It looked as though it was covered with dark American cloth."