Hutchinsons statement....

[Sam Flynn]

Apologies to Sam Flynn. In an earlier post I said 'her' and have been informed that he's a guy. Sorry about that.

Not half as sorry as I am... I went and bought a new dress for the weekend, and now I'll have to give it away

[Bridewell]

The point I have been making for what seems like forever is, that Sarah Lewis confirms that part of Hutchinson's story.

In the abbreviated court version of her Inquest Testimony Lewis is reported as saying:
"When I went in the court I saw a man opposite the Court in Dorset Street standing alone by the Lodging House........another young man with a woman passed along".

Thankfully, the press covered the inquest and we get a little more information from a variety of press sources.
The Daily Telegraph added:
"Further on there was a man and woman - the later being in drink."

The Daily News added a little more:
"I also saw a man and a woman who had no hat on and were the worse for drink pass up the court."

The Morning Advertiser simply wrote:
"A young man went along with a young woman."

From this we can see that Hutchinson did not invent Astrachan, the man existed (regardless of his appearance), Sarah Lewis confirms that her unknown loiterer (Hutch?) was in position while a man & woman (who was the worse for drink), did walk up the court just as Hutchinson described.

Thanks, Jon. That does indeed look like corroboration. Next question I have is: If the sighting is corroborated, why not believe the description too?

[Bridewell]

Thanks, Jon. That does indeed look like corroboration. Next question I have is: If the sighting is corroborated, why not believe the description too?

I'll cheat and answer my own question with something which has only just occurred to me - a hypothesis only:-

The man with MJK was Hutchinson and someone else was the lurker who got a good look at MJK's companion (i.e. at Hutchinson himself). Fearing that someone has got too good a look at him, Hutchinson converts himself into the lurker (now knowing that Sarah Lewis has confirmed the existence of such an individual) and provides a description (in effect of himself) but completely different to his own actual appearance.

N.B. I don't advance that as the most likely explanation, but it does account for some of the anomalies (why Hutchinson waited until after the inquest before coming forward) and some of the seemingly unnecessary details (that Hutchinson has himself talking to MJK at one point - covers the possibility that he may have been seen talking to her - but especially that the description was unusually detailed!)

Having postulated all that, I still prefer the scenario wherein Hutchinson's interest is in relieving Astrakhan Man of his valuables.

[GUT]

I'll cheat and answer my own question with something which has only just occurred to me - a hypothesis only:-

The man with MJK was Hutchinson and someone else was the lurker who got a good look at MJK's companion (i.e. at Hutchinson himself). Fearing that someone has got too good a look at him, Hutchinson converts himself into the lurker (now knowing that Sarah Lewis has confirmed the existence of such an individual) and provides a description (in effect of himself) but completely different to his own actual appearance.

N.B. I don't advance that as the most likely explanation, but it does account for some of the anomalies (why Hutchinson waited until after the inquest before coming forward) and some of the seemingly unnecessary details (that Hutchinson has himself talking to MJK at one point - covers the possibility that he may have been seen talking to her - but especially that the description was unusually detailed!)

Having postulated all that, I still prefer the scenario wherein Hutchinson's interest is in relieving Astrakhan Man of his valuables.

I think Hutch's interest was MJK, and her warm little bed.

[Sam Flynn]

I think Hutch's interest was MJK, and her warm little bed.

Hutch would only have been in his late teens at the time, so I doubt that. Is it not possible that he was merely a cocky teenager with a vivid imagination, hoping to earn a few shillings from the press and/or police for his stories?

[GUT]

Hutch would only have been in his late teens at the time, so I doubt that. Is it not possible that he was merely a cocky teenager with a vivid imagination, hoping to earn a few shillings from the press and/or police for his stories?

A late teen, not interested in a getting into the sack with a shiela known to be willing, yeah sure.

[Wickerman]

I'll cheat and answer my own question with something which has only just occurred to me - a hypothesis only:-

The man with MJK was Hutchinson and someone else was the lurker who got a good look at MJK's companion (i.e. at Hutchinson himself). Fearing that someone has got too good a look at him, Hutchinson converts himself into the lurker (now knowing that Sarah Lewis has confirmed the existence of such an individual) and provides a description (in effect of himself) but completely different to his own actual appearance.

Ah....but keeping his fingers crossed that the real lurker doesn't come forward?

Having postulated all that, I still prefer the scenario wherein Hutchinson's interest is in relieving Astrakhan Man of his valuables.

Yes, I've postulated as much myself in the past.

[Sam Flynn]

A late teen, not interested in a getting into the sack with a shiela known to be willing, yeah sure.

Why would an 18 year old be interested in a beery prostitute in her mid/late twenties, in the small hours of the morning, when he could entertain himself for free?

[GUT]

Why would an 18 year old be interested in a beery prostitute in her mid/late twenties, in the small hours of the morning, when he could entertain himself for free?

Horemones.

Especially if he was actually locked out of his boarding place.

[Sam Flynn]

Horemones. Especially if he was actually locked out of his boarding place.

He's basically a kid, and he's knocking about with a seasoned prostitute at 2 in the morning? Sorry, doesn't add up.

[GUT]

Not sure where the idea he was just a kid comes from, but even if true the next question is how old was Mary? She was said to be easy on the eye.

[Wickerman]

Thanks, Jon. That does indeed look like corroboration. Next question I have is: If the sighting is corroborated, why not believe the description too?

Indeed Colin.
Even if we do away with Hutchinson altogether, as if he never existed.
The couple seen by Sarah Lewis remain to be accounted for. It is a shame Lewis did not know Mary Kelly, as Lewis was only a friend of the family at No.2.
However, Mrs Kennedy, who did live at No.2 (being the daughter of the Keylers), would have known Kelly.
And Kennedy does say she saw Kelly outside the Britannia about 3:00 am. So, as controversial as our Mr Astrachan is, on the face of it he was not Kelly's final client.

Dismissing the description is only a tool, it's a convenient means to criticize Hutchinson.

[Wickerman]

Not sure where the idea he was just a kid comes from, but even if true the next question is how old was Mary? She was said to be easy on the eye.

Merely six years older than Hutchinson.

There is seven years between the wife and I, it could be said that both Hutch & I have a thing for older women

[GUT]

Merely six years older than Hutchinson.

There is seven years between the wife and I, it could be said that both Hutch & I have a thing for older women

My point Precicely Jon even if he was 17 or 18 and she 25 with a warm bed and a known commodity, I wouldn't rule out him fancying his chances.

[Flower and Dean]

He's basically a kid, and he's knocking about with a seasoned prostitute at 2 in the morning? Sorry, doesn't add up.

... How so? If he was in his late teens then by those days' standards he wouldn't have been "basically a kid". He very clearly didn't have parents enforcing a strict curfew on him and threatening to ground him.

I don't know why you're assuming that a teenager in the 1800s East End would have been sheltered to the point of having no crushes, never staying out late, or anything of the sort.