Why Didn't the Police Have Schwartz and/or Lawende Take a Look at Hutchinson?

[Wickerman]

I wonder if the erroneous description of Bowyer being a young man can be attributed to the line where he is described as being a soldier 20 years. Perhaps misread as him being "a soldier 20 years old"?

[Abby Normal]

Thomas Bowyer was apparently an ex-military man who had spent time in India.

Has it ever been established if Bowyer was a regular collector or a heavy, used for evictions etc?

The whole thing about McCarthy sending Bowyer to discover MJK has never sat well with me unless sending Bowyer was a regular thing.

Hi batman
Im sure it has. He was ex military, so makes sense.

Ive always thought bowyer might make a valed suspect. He discovered the body, was ex military, would have known marys habits and that she was was recently single. I think he knew about the broken window trick to unlock her door.

Also, debra found an article that has a direct quote from him, where he places himself in millers court in the middle of the night when she was killed.

[Batman]

The thing is though, he was sent and then we have reports that when he informed officers he was quite visibly in a state of shock. What I am wondering is if McCarthy knew more than he was letting on. If irregular then it would be a strange coincidence that this day and this day only McCarthy didn't go for the rent.

[Sam Flynn]

If the broken pane was stuffed by the coat, surely the Pilot coat, left there by Mrs Harvey (for cleaning?) must be a different coat?

Yes, I was thinking the same.

[Joshua Rogan]

If the broken pane was stuffed by the coat, surely the Pilot coat, left there by Mrs Harvey (for cleaning?) must be a different coat?

Jon,
The article you posted says that Bowyer "put his hand through the hole and drew aside the curtain and the coat."
Which seems to make it clear that the coat was hanging over the window (with the curtain between it and the glass) rather than stuffed into the broken pane. No?

[DJA]

The thing is though, he was sent and then we have reports that when he informed officers he was quite visibly in a state of shock. What I am wondering is if McCarthy knew more than he was letting on. If irregular then it would be a strange coincidence that this day and this day only McCarthy didn't go for the rent.

Mary Kelly had not paid rent since the double event.

How did JtR know Barnett had left permanently.

Why did McCarthy break his own door down.

Was it McCarthy and son at Abberline's retirement party.

[Sam Flynn]

Why did McCarthy break his own door down.

He forced it open with a pick, presumably because he had lost the spare key or couldn't find it in time.

[Batman]

Mary Kelly had not paid rent since the double event.

Suggesting she wasn't paying with money at least.

How did JtR know Barnett had left permanently.

It's a good question but there is still a pervading view that JtR's victims, took him to spots where they would have some time together. So they led him to their deaths.

Why did McCarthy break his own door down.

It's a good question because they were waiting for dogs so in no rush. The thought McCarthy didn't have a spare key is strange.

Was it McCarthy and son at Abberline's retirement party.

Dunno.

[DJA]

Bowyer knew the window was broken.

Phillips knew the window was broken.

Apparently it had been broken for weeks.

McCarthy didn't know?

[c.d.]

Given the situation, I think McCarthy can be forgiven for not thinking clearly and logically. I don't see any reason to suspect him of the murder.

c.d.

[Batman]

Given the situation, I think McCarthy can be forgiven for not thinking clearly and logically. I don't see any reason to suspect him of the murder.

c.d.

He did have heaps of time though because they were waiting for dogs until 13:30. That's hours after they saw her body.

Dogs never arrived.

[Simon Wood]

On November 14th 1888, the New York Sun's London correspondent Arthur Brisbane interviewed Robert Anderson.

Anderson told him—

“At 11 o’clock the last murder was discovered, and we knew of it here in Scotland Yard a few minutes later. The officer who had wired us the event asked us also to send the bloodhounds. I personally object to the service of these animals in a thickly populated city like this, though I believe it would be extremely valuable in the case of a rural murder. However, as Superintendent Arnold was just then with me, I asked him what he thought, and he begged me not to send the hounds: that it would only lead to mischief.”

Inspector Abberline told the inquest—

“We remained until about 1.30 pm, when Superintendent Arnold arrived, and he informed me that the order in regard to the dogs had been countermanded, and he gave orders for the door to be forced.”

John McCarthy put a different spin on matters. He told Central News—

“The Inspector [Abberline] waited a little while, and then sent a telegram to Sir Charles Warren to bring the bloodhounds, so as to trace the murderer, if possible.”

This cannot have been true if Inspector Abberline was correct when he told the inquest—

“I had an intimation from Inspector Beck that the bloodhounds had been sent for, and the reply had been received that they were on the way. Dr. Phillips was unwilling to force the door, as it would be very much better to test the dogs, if they were coming.”

Other policemen were also anticipating the arrival of bloodhounds.

Echo, 12th November 1888—

“The Press Association says – ‘It is stated that an officer was waiting at Leman Street police station for six or seven hours on Friday for the hounds which had been telegraphed for. There are reasons to believe that Sir Charles Warren was at this time out of town, and in his absence no one knew where the animals were, or how they could be obtained.’”

Sir Charles Warren was not out of town. That morning he was at Scotland Yard [Whitehall Place].

The dogs were not on their way, as Inspector Beck had intimated to Abberline; but not, as Superintendent Arnold had informed Abberline, because the order had been countermanded.

There never were any bloodhounds to send.

The story is BS.

[Batman]

So they waited for nothing because of confusion?

[Simon Wood]

You could put it that way.

I prefer to believe it was a BS story to gloss over the time period between Abberline's arrival at 11.30-ish and 1.30 pm when the door to Room 13 was allegedly broken down.

A lot can be accomplished in two hours.

[Batman]

I am still wondering why he didn't keep a spare key. If he had one and failed to admit to it then that's a bit incriminating.


Seems strange a landlord wouldn't be able to access their own premises in Whitechapel.