The "Suspects": Current Opinion

[DVV]

And to be fair to the Crossmere botherers, I would extend that to all the named suspects, against whom a case has yet to be made that would stand up and lead to a prosecution in the court of history.
Caz
X

Hello Caroline,

It's a matter of standards. Which are yours ?

Cheers

[Lechmere]

Caz
This throwaway remark sparked this all off:
‘I still think there is no possible case against Lechmere, but you know that already.’

This can only sensibly be interpreted as meaning ‘that it's impossible for him to have been guilty.’
Perhaps that’s not what you meant to say – but you know on these boards the slightest thing gets seized upon. You weren’t being too subtle. You were – if you forgive me for pointing it out – being rash and clumsy with your phraseology.

In December 1872 Harriet Buswell was horribly murdered – it became known as the Great Coram Street Murder.
A German preacher, Dr. Henry James Bernard Gottfried Hessel was charged with the murder and brought to trial in January 1873. The case was eventually thrown out as the case against him was purely circumstantial and very flimsy.
(I have an interest in this unsolved murder…)

[DVV]

First murder in Lechmere's so prolific career ?

[Lechmere]

Who knows DVV - he had family living near by.

[Sam Flynn]

So we must either be looking for someone wearing salt and pepper trousers...

Salt and pepper trousers... the original seasonal wear. Perhaps it was Montague Cruet after all?

[MrBarnett]

Gareth,

Your relish of puns is one of the islands of sanity in the crazy world of ripperology. Must be a Welsh thing. I'm surprised you haven't put Mr Organ Morgan forward as a suspect!

MrB

[Sam Flynn]

Your relish of puns is one of the islands of sanity in the crazy world of ripperology. Must be a Welsh thing. I'm surprised you haven't put Mr Organ Morgan forward as a suspect!

Now, there's a thought, MrB.

"Do not go gentle into that good night... coz Jack will kill yo ass!"

[MrBarnett]

My personal choice of DT suspect would be Captain Cat's Meat, No-Good Boyo being too much of a stereotype.

MrB

[Sam Flynn]

My personal choice of DT suspect would be Captain Cat's Meat, No-Good Boyo being too much of a stereotype.

My money's on Willy-Nilly Postman or Ocky Milkman. Both lived locally, were out on the streets in the small hours, and had jobs which regularly took them past the sites of the murders.

[MrBarnett]

Get your tape measure out, boy, if their routes were less than 30 yds from the murder sites, then Crossmere's history.

[J6123]

I have to say that I was initially intrigued by the Lechmere theory. Particularly interesting is the idea that, if the Ripper was disturbed by Lechmere's approach, then why didn't Lechmere see or hear anything?

I find it hard to imagine Lechmere as the Ripper though. For Lechmere to have been the Ripper, two unlikely things would have to happen....

1. after being in a stable marriage for a long time, and fathering a number of children, apparently without any mental illness or emotional disturbances or tendency towards violence, he would have to suddenly develop the pathology of the Ripper.

2. His wife would have to somehow not notice anything. specifically, that her husband had become so troubled, depraved and violent, that he was serially committing crimes like the one at Miller's Court.

[caz]

Hello Caroline,

It's a matter of standards. Which are yours ?

Cheers

Never go out without make-up or knickers; always buy my round and say please and thank you; slow to take offence.

Ah, you didn't mean that, did you David?

The same standards that would have got a suspect arrested on suspicion given what we know about his behaviour and movements today, I guess. I don't make the law or decide who gets arrested and who doesn't, or on what basis. So better ask a policeman, eh?

Love,

Caz
X

[caz]

Caz
This throwaway remark sparked this all off:
‘I still think there is no possible case against Lechmere, but you know that already.’

This can only sensibly be interpreted as meaning ‘that it's impossible for him to have been guilty.’

Nay, nay and thrice nay, Ed! You still don't get it, do you? Firstly, 'I think' is a matter of opinion, and I still think no case will ever be made against him, considering the failed efforts to date. He could still have been guilty, but to make a case for it there has to be evidence that would have got him arrested on suspicion at the very least. If none exists today, he could have been up to his neck in slaughtered, mutilated prossies but there can be no case against him - ever.

To sum up, on what we know about Lechmere currently, there is no case in my opinion. On what we are ever likely to discover about him in the future, it will prove impossible to build a case - again, in my opinion.

Love,

Caz
X

[Jon Guy]

if the Ripper was disturbed by Lechmere's approach, then why didn't Lechmere see or hear anything?

If disturbed by Lechmere, the Ripper would have initially been crouching by the body in the gloom, and then probably just skulked off in the shadows, walking close by the Board School wall.

Lechmere didn`t even notice Nichols until he was almost opposite her.

[caz]

Lechmere didn`t even notice Nichols until he was almost opposite her.

Or so he said, Jon...

Love,

Caz
X