Was Hutchinson discredited in the memoirs of Anderson, Abberline, and Macnaghten?

[Observer]

As I and others posted off topic in the "soliciting or night attack" thread I decided to start this thread.

Hi Observer,

Lawende never stated that he believed the suspect in question had a foreign appearance. It is quite possible for a gentile man to share physical similarities with another man who happens to be Jewish, even if it boils down to height, weight, colouring, moustache, dress or whatever else. That doesn’t permit us to conclude, for one moment, that Lawende detected anything Jewish foreign-looking about the man at the time of the initial sighting. The very idea of Lawende playing cat and mouse police with the tantalising “Yes, I unhesitatingly identify this man as the suspect I saw that night, but no, I’m not going to swear to it”, is too ridiculous to contemplate anyway. If the identity attempt actually occurred, it’s far more likely that Lawende wasn’t remotely sure of the identification and refused to swear to it for that reason.

Hi Ben

Abberline was commenting years after the fact, it dosn't matter if Lawende failed to recognise the race of his suspect on the night of the sighting, by the time Abberline commented the race of Lawendes suspect would have been known to Abberline. It follows that Abberline was technically at fault when he commented to the effect, "witnesses who described foreign suspects only acquired rear sightings". Am I being pedantic? Yes, but we can forgive Abberline for his comments, he's commenting years after the event.

And what of Anderson?

He stated,
"the only person to get a good look at the killer was Jewish"

Elizabeth Long wasn't Jewish. Of course we have to determine what constitutes "a good look", I reckon she got a decent look at the man she observed with Annie Chapman. Did Lawende get "a good look" at his suspect? Not according to your good self, I quote you

" If the identity attempt actually occurred, it’s far more likely that Lawende wasn’t remotely sure of the identification and refused to swear to it for that reason."

Macnagten? Confusing to say the least.

Do you see where I'm coming from Ben? The police officers in question are commenting years after the events of 1888, they do not mention Hutchinson, they do not discredit his statement, and it is fruitless to twist and turn their comments in order to suggest that they did so.


Hutchinson was bound to have made a big impression on the minds of the senior police officers following his statement, if he was subsequently discredited why did they not openly discredit him in their memoirs?

The newspapers are another kettle of fish, there's much more in the newspapers to suggest that Hutchinson's statement was discredited.

all the best

Observer

[The Good Michael]

Observer,

Do you know what you've just done?

Mike

[Observer]

Observer,

Do you know what you've just done?

Mike

Hi Mike.

Proven a point. The response to this thread, apart from your good self, hasn't been exactly prolific !!! In fact a nice big round number. I's a clique thing you see.

all the best

Observer

[DVV]

Hi Observer,

the good question might be : "Has Hutchinson been forgotten..."

Amitiés,
David