Is "Mr. Blotchy" the best suspect we have?

[jerryd]

And here is Warren's report. Note the bold last line.


A discussion took place whether the writing could be left covered up or otherwise or whether any portion of it could be left for an hour until it could be photographed; but after taking into consideration the excited state of the population in London generally at the time, the strong feeling which had been excited against the Jews, and the fact that in a short time there would be a large concourse of the people in the streets, and having before me the Report that if it was left there the house was likely to be wrecked (in which from my own observation I entirely concurred) I considered it desirable to obliterate the writing at once, having taken a copy of which I enclose a duplicate.
After having been to the scene of the murder, I went on to the City Police Office and informed the Chief Superintendant of the reason why the writing had been obliterated.
I may mention that so great was the feeling with regard to the Jews that on the 13th ulto. the Acting Chief Rabbi wrote to me on the subject of the spelling of the word "Jewes" on account of a newspaper asserting that this was Jewish spelling in the Yiddish dialect. He added "in the present state of excitement it is dangerous to the safety of the poor Jews in the East [End] to allow such an assertion to remain uncontradicted. My community keenly appreciates your humane and vigilant action during this critical time.
It may be realised therefore if the safety of the Jews in Whitechapel could be considered to be jeopardised 13 days after the murder by the question of the spelling of the word Jews, what might have happened to the Jews in that quarter had that writing been left intact.
I do not hesitate myself to say that if that writing had been left there would have have been an onslaught upon the Jews, property would have been wrecked, and lives would probably have been lost; and I was much gratified with the prompitude with which Superintendent Arnold was prepared to act in the matter if I had not been there.

[GUT]

But at the end of the day the buck stopped with Warren and he could have said "No leave it".

[jerryd]

But at the end of the day the buck stopped with Warren and he could have said "No leave it".

As Commissioner, yes, he could have, but he didn't. He upheld the order made by Arnold. That was my original point.

Arnold-'An Inspector was present by my directions with a sponge for the purpose of removing the writing when the Commissioner arrived on the scene'

Warren-'I was much gratified with the prompitude with which Superintendent Arnold was prepared to act in the matter if I had not been there.'


Warren was ready to uphold the order whether he was present or not. He didn't seem displeased with Arnold's order even though they probably knew they would catch grief from the City Police. I agree with you that Charles Warren had the ultimate decision. However, he chose to back up Arnold's decision to have the graffitti removed.

[Harry D]

Everything points to Blotchy being MJK's last punter that night. That's unless you choose to believe Hutch's eidetic memory, or Ms. Maxwell's unlikely testimony. What can we read into his blotchiness, if anything? Did he have a skin condition? In the poor lighting it could've been mistaken for sunburn (a sailor, perhaps?), thus linking him to Ada Wilson's attacker, or maybe his face was just flush from the ale?

[Wickerman]

Everything points to Blotchy being MJK's last punter that night.

Yet, the press suggested that is not quite true.

"The inquiries hitherto made indicate that the man who was seen to enter the house with the woman about twelve o'clock was not the murderer. It is believed that the victim went out subsequently and spent whatever money she may then have had, as no money was found in the pockets of her clothing."

Everything that has survived may lead us to draw your conclusion, but the police had far more information at their disposal than we have.
If the police 'knew' Mary had never left Millers Court after midnight, then there would have been no cause for the Coroner to call Mrs Maxwell to testify.

[Harry D]

Yet, the press suggested that is not quite true.

"The inquiries hitherto made indicate that the man who was seen to enter the house with the woman about twelve o'clock was not the murderer. It is believed that the victim went out subsequently and spent whatever money she may then have had, as no money was found in the pockets of her clothing."

That's the press. Do you believe everything you read in the newspaper?

Everything that has survived may lead us to draw your conclusion, but the police had far more information at their disposal than we have.
If the police 'knew' Mary had never left Millers Court after midnight, then there would have been no cause for the Coroner to call Mrs Maxwell to testify.

Since you mention the police, Walter Dew was of the opinion that Hutchinson & Mrs. Maxwell were both mistaken.

[Wickerman]

That's the press. Do you believe everything you read in the newspaper?

I'm thinking you might, as there was nothing by way of official opinion to suggest that Blotchy was her last customer.

Since you mention the police, Walter Dew was of the opinion that Hutchinson & Mrs. Maxwell were both mistaken.

Correct, but how does that support the belief that Kelly never went out again?

[Batman]

Blotchy never came forward, was never traced and never found, well at least not as 'blotchy'.

Galloway/papers claimed that a man like Blotchy was seen but a PC said the man was working in concert with the police, but was not an officer. What was that role? White Chapel Vig. Committee member?

Then we have Blotchy like appearances throughout the Whitechapel Murders and in related media.

Galloway said the police where looking for a different man, probably due to Hutchinson.

The other reason for not selecting Blotchy is the time of death, yet why this should be a problem given MJK is singing in her room pretty drunk shortly before her death and was likely still with this client.

No one saw Blotchy leave.

[Wickerman]

Then we have Blotchy like appearances throughout the Whitechapel Murders and in related media.

How many red-headed males with a drink-sodden complexion do you think lived around Whitechapel?, the combination was hardly unique.

Here, in the Echo, we read of the Police opinion on the subject of Cox's suspect. Their source appears to have been inquest testimony of Cox, c/w a City Police source.

"Cox stated in the most positive manner that the man was short and stout, shabbily dressed, wore a round black billycock hat, and had a blotchy face, and a full carrotty moustache, with a clean-shaven chin. The first care of the police on receiving this statement on Friday was to compare it with the descriptions given by various people and at various times of men supposed to have been seen in company of the murderer's previous victims.

Making a comparison with previously identified suspects is to be expected, and the conclusion arrived at was:

Unfortunately the accounts do not tally in a number of important particulars; in fact, they are very much more consistent with the description they afterwards received."

Towards the end of the paragraph we read about the City Police suspect seen by Lawende:
"The City police have been making inquiries for this man for weeks past, but without success, and they do not believe that he is the individual described by Cox."

The City Police had access to at the very least the same, but likely more information than we do today, and they concluded that the Lawende suspect and the Cox suspect were not the same.
Their conclusion should be obvious to anyone who has no desire to make them appear the same.

[Damaso Marte]

An idea that had some currency on this forum a few years ago was that Blotchy's skin condition was caused by septicemia, which he may have contracted by getting an open wound on his hand contaminated with various bodily fluids and fecal matter while mutilating a woman in Mitre Square

[Rosella]

Victorian working conditions were never exactly safety conscious. Good ole Blotchy could have got his skin condition from working with hazardous chemicals or outside in the wind and rain or from various health conditions or from drinking too much. It would be good to trace MJK's client though and explore his background, though I guess that's impossible now.

[Wickerman]

As a description of a skin condition, "Blotchy" is a little too imprecise, it may have been anything, including simply Rosacea.

[Batman]

Is it possible that Hutchinson is that man Galloway reported to the PC who said he was working in concert with them?

[Batman]

Is it possible that Hutchinson is that man Galloway reported to the PC who said he was working in concert with them?

If you compare the description of Cox, Lewis and Galloway there is not a whole pile of differences and lots of similarity. All are stout short men dressed shabby.