Bumping Mr Blotchy...

[Chava]

Seriously guys. He's seen with 2 victims & one almost-victim. The only reason people don't like him for Kelly is that she was alive & singing for an hour or so after he went in with her. But like I've said before, we know nothing about the killer's MO. He could have jumped them out of nowhere or within the first few minutes. Or he could have spent significant time with them before he killed them. Or both...

Here is Ada Wilson’s description of her attacker:
Height 5’6. Sunburnt face. Fair moustache. Dark coat, wideawake hat.

Here is Lawende’s description of the man seen with Catherine Eddowes before her death:
Height 5’ 7-9. Fair complexion. Small fair moustache. Red necktie. Rough/shabby. Wearing a loose pepper and salt jacket and grey cloth cap. Slightly later versions have the moustache as ‘full’.

Here is Mary Cox’s description of the man seen going into her room at Millers Court with her:
Short, stout shabby man with a blotchy face and full carroty moustache. Billycock hat.

[mpriestnall]

Blotchy was probably Jack for me. I only focus on the canonical victims. I can't give quotes/sources off the top of my head, but I'm sure there is a quite a few sightings
at the other murders describing JTR as short and stout (or broad shouldered which for me is the same thing as being stout).

[Simon Wood]

Don't forget Mr. Galloway's description. "He was short, stout, about 35 to 40 years of age. His moustache, not a particular heavy one, was of a carroty colour, and his face was blotchy through drink and dissipation. He wore a long, brown overcoat, and altogether presented a most villainous appearance."

[mpriestnall]

To expand Simon's point. From another thread:

Quote

Nov 16, The Star

"Mr. Galloway, a clerk employed in the City, and living at Stepney, has made the following statement :- "As I was going down the Whitechapel-road in the early hours of Wednesday morning, on my way home, I saw a man coming in the opposite direction, about fifty yards away. We both crossed the road simultaneously, and came face to face. The man had a very frightened appearance, and glared at me as he passed. I was very much struck with his appearance, especially as he corresponded, in almost every particular, with the man described by Mary Ann Cox. He was short, stout, about 35 to 40 years of age. His moustache, not a particularly heavy one, was of

A CARROTY COLOR, AND HIS FACE BLOTCHY

through drink and dissipation. He wore a long, dirty brown overcoat, and altogether presented a most villainous appearance. I stood still and watched him. He darted back almost immediately to the other side of the road, and then, apparently to avoid a group of women a little further on, crossed the road again. I determined to follow him, and just before reaching the coffee-stall past the church he again crossed the road. On nearing George-yard he crossed over and entered a small court. He reappeared in a couple of minutes, crossed Whitechapel-road for the sixth time, and proceeded up Commercial-street. Up to this time he had walked along briskly, but directly he got into Commercial-street, he slackened speed and

ACCOSTED THE FIRST WOMAN

whom he met alone, but was repulsed. On approaching Thrawl-street a policeman on point duty suddenly appeared. The man was evidently startled, and for a moment it looked as though he would turn back or cross the road. He recovered himself, however, and went on. I then informed the constable of what I had seen, and pointed out the man's extraordinary resemblance to the individual described by Cox. The constable declined to arrest the man, saying that he was looking for a man of a very different appearance."

Unquote

[mpriestnall]

According to Paul Begg's "Jack the Ripper - The Facts" P285.

Maxwell "noticed Kelly outside the Britannia,, talking to a man aged about thirty who was approximately five foot five tall and stout, and was dressed as a market porter."

I don't believe Kelly was the Miller's Court victim and believe this is Jack arranging her relocation.

BTW the market porter attire was to enable Jack to fit in with the locale and to cover up his blooded clothes.

[mpriestnall]

Swanson's report 30th September 1888:

"He [Schwartz] thus describes the first man, who threw the woman down: age, about 30; ht 5ft 5in[s]; comp., fair;
hair, dark; small brown moustache, full face, broad shouldered;"

[mpriestnall]

From Sarah Lewis's inquest deposition:

"When I went in the court I saw a man opposite the Court in Dorset Street standing alone by the Lodging House. He was not tall - but stout -"

Was this not Hutchinson, but Blotchy (Jack) returning to murder Kelly's substitute?

[mpriestnall]

According to Paul Begg's "Jack the Ripper - The Facts" P145.

"Packer described the man as middle-aged (perhaps 35), about five foot seven, stout and square built."

The height is a little out, but not so much and the build is consistent.

[mpriestnall]

According to Paul Begg's "Jack the Ripper - The Facts" P76.

PB talking about Elizabeth Long's description of the man she saw with Chapman:

"He appeared to be a little taller than the woman - which if the woman was Chapman would make him between five foot and five foot five -"

[mpriestnall]

My candidate is short and broad-shouldered. Hence my interest in this. I'm done now!

[John Wheat]

My candidate is short and broad-shouldered. Hence my interest in this. I'm done now!

So was William Henry Bury.

[mpriestnall]

So was William Henry Bury.

Fair enough!

There does seem there is some consistency with the build across the canonical murders ie short and stout.

I missed out pointing the similarities regarding hair colour across the various sightings. I think there is a case for making out Jack had dark brown/dark reddish hair colouring.

Of course the perceived colour of the hair could be influenced by the light under which the witness sighting was made. Eg. dark red could be seen as black for example.

[c.d.]

What exactly does "broad-shouldered" mean? Is there one set definition that everybody who used it is in agreement on or does the term vary widely depending on someone's interpretation of it?

c.d.

[Herlock Sholmes]

One point that I’ve always felt worth at least considering is clothing. A few layers of clothing plus a coat might make someone appear more broad shouldered and bulky than they actually were and these murders took place in autumn/winter and in the early hours of the morning when someone might have wrapped up more than usual.

[Losmandris]

The problem here is, I believe that the descriptions used here could be applied to literally hundreds of men living in the area at the time. Just look at any photos from the time you see lots of Mr Blotchies!