A closer look at George Hutchinson

[The Rookie Detective]

The reason why George Hutchinson was never asked about Sarah Lewis, is because he didn't come forward to the police until after the inquest had concluded.

George turned up at the police station to give his account just after the Inquest had concluded that very same day.

Bearing in mind that the Coroner leading the inquest for Mary Kelly took a different stance than the previous coroner who had headed up the previous Ripper murders.

The inquest was over in a matter of hours.

But this may have been done deliberately as a ruse to bring the killer out of the woodwork; bearing in mind the killer appears to have waited for the results of previous inquests, before committing another murder.

How would the killer feel about his most prolific kill being effectively condensed down into a few hours of review with one of the quickest Inquests ever for such a high profile murder case.

The fact that Hutchinson has also remained an enigma is perhaps another factor when considering the motivation of a man who chooses to wait until the inquest is over before going to the police.

Hutchinson's timing doesn't do him any favours.

Lots to ponder here.

[Herlock Sholmes]

The reason why George Hutchinson was never asked about Sarah Lewis, is because he didn't come forward to the police until after the inquest had concluded.

George turned up at the police station to give his account just after the Inquest had concluded that very same day.

Bearing in mind that the Coroner leading the inquest for Mary Kelly took a different stance than the previous coroner who had headed up the previous Ripper murders.

The inquest was over in a matter of hours.

But this may have been done deliberately as a ruse to bring the killer out of the woodwork; bearing in mind the killer appears to have waited for the results of previous inquests, before committing another murder.

How would the killer feel about his most prolific kill being effectively condensed down into a few hours of review with one of the quickest Inquests ever for such a high profile murder case.

The fact that Hutchinson has also remained an enigma is perhaps another factor when considering the motivation of a man who chooses to wait until the inquest is over before going to the police.

Hutchinson's timing doesn't do him any favours.

Lots to ponder here.

Hi RD,

I’d have thought that the police would have wanted to be sure that he was actually where he’d claimed to have been and at that time. He mentioned seeing a policeman which might at least have confirmed the time but he didn’t mention Sarah. I haven’t checked any other versions of her statement but this one is a little vague:

” The man was looking up the court; he seemed to be waiting or looking for some one. Further on there was a man and woman - the later being in drink.”

Where is “further on”? Into the court or along Dorset Street?

If it was ‘into the court’ then how could Hutchinson not have mentioned a woman that was in the passageway at the same time as Mary and Astrakhan man (it couldn’t have been another couple because Hutchinson had followed the pair)

[The Rookie Detective]

Hi RD,

I’d have thought that the police would have wanted to be sure that he was actually where he’d claimed to have been and at that time. He mentioned seeing a policeman which might at least have confirmed the time but he didn’t mention Sarah. I haven’t checked any other versions of her statement but this one is a little vague:

” The man was looking up the court; he seemed to be waiting or looking for some one. Further on there was a man and woman - the later being in drink.”

Where is “further on”? Into the court or along Dorset Street?

If it was ‘into the court’ then how could Hutchinson not have mentioned a woman that was in the passageway at the same time as Mary and Astrakhan man (it couldn’t have been another couple because Hutchinson had followed the pair)

It seems to me that Sarah witnesses Hutchinson standing outside the court BEFORE the couple arrive.

However; it's also important to note that Elizabeth Prater stated that she had stood near McCarthy's for around 20 minutes between 1am -1.20am (approx) but that her male companion did not show up.

It makes me wonder whether the man seen by Lewis was in fact Elizabeth Prater's male companion who had turned up late and was waiting for Prater, who had already gone.

It's assumed that the man seen outside Millers Court was Hutchinson, but it may have been the man Prater had waited for earlier.

[Wickerman]

...

whats also very curious is that in his first statement to police he omits he went into the court and stood near her place. now indicating he actually knows exactly where she lives. hmmmm.
...

You're referring to his press version?
If that is what he meant, remember, the words are written by the journalist, if he was confused then you are blaming the wrong source.
Alternately, if that is actually what Hutch did say, what are you suggesting?
Telling all of London through the press is hardly getting away with anything, so I don't see the relevance of the point.

[Wickerman]

What strikes me about Hutchinson is why he waited to come forward, his detail of the killer, and his possible sighting on Middlesex Street after the murder...

Ex police who have passed through this site have told us all that witnesses don't always come forward straight away. There is often nothing suspicious about that. Lawende didn't come forward, and he has been regarded as one of the most important witnesses.
Lawende was found on a house-to-house enquiry, he is another who didn't come forward.

On the other hand, if you follow the sequence of events, the public (which includes Hutch), were being told by the press on Friday evening, & Sat. morning, that Kelly had been murdered late Friday morning, sometime after 9:00am.
Hutch saw Mary about 7 hours before that, so why was his sighting of any importance. A lot can happen in 7 hours.

It was only confirmed in the press on Sunday evening that the police thought Kelly had been murdered around 3:00am, this is the day Hutch said he went to a constable and told him his story.
Apparently, nothing was done about it, then on Monday, after the inquest had concluded the Star newspaper published their late afternoon edition where they wrote that Cox had identified the murderer around 1:00am.
Hutch would know this was not correct because he saw Kelly around 2:00-2:30am, long after the incident with Blotchy.
So, his friends at the home advised him to go to the police.

Mrs Kennedy also saw Kelly outside the Britannia around 3:00am.

Theorists on Casebook often leave out all these details in an attempt to create suspicion where it isn't warrented.

[Wickerman]

It’s a strange one…


Sarah Lewis deposed: “I live at 24, Great Pearl-street, and am a laundress. I know Mrs. Keyler, in Miller's-court, and went to her house at 2, Miller's-court, at 2.30a.m. on Friday. It is the first house. I noticed the time by the Spitalfields' Church clock. When I went into the court, opposite the lodging-house I saw a man with a wideawake. There was no one talking to him. He was a stout-looking man, and not very tall. The hat was black. I did not take any notice of his clothes. The man was looking up the court; he seemed to be waiting or looking for some one. Further on there was a man and woman - the later being in drink. There was nobody in the court. I dozed in a chair at Mrs. Keyler's, and woke at about half- past three. I heard the clock strike.”

So Sarah Lewis sees a man ‘opposite the lodging house.’ What does she mean by that? It appears to mean at the entrance to Miller’s Court or wouldn’t she have said that the man was standing ‘outside’ the lodging house..therefore across the street? And as Hutchinson talked about ‘leaving the corner of Miller’s Court’ this appears to confirm where the man (Hutchinson) was standing. But this begs an obvious question…if Hutchinson was there, and Sarah Lewis entered the court with him standing there and with Mary and Astrakhan Man up ahead, how did Hutchinson not see her? She would have walked straight passed him. And even if the man (Hutchinson) was across the road outside the lodging house watching the court, and Lewis entered in time to see Mary and Astrakhan man, again we have to ask how Hutchinson managed not to see her enter the court?

“When I left the corner of Miller's court the clock struck three o'clock. One policeman went by the Commercial street end of Dorset street while I was standing there, but not one came down Dorset street. I saw one man go into a lodging house in Dorset street, but no one else. I have been looking for the man all day.”

No mention of seeing a woman enter the court alone.

Have I missed something?

:-) a couple of things actually.

You read the bit above - "Further on there was a man and a woman".

The reporter taking down Lewis's testimony described the couple walking along Dorset St. ahead of Sarah Lewis.
In the Daily News version, that reporter included a bit more of Lewis's story.
Lewis had said - "I also saw a man and a woman who had no hat on and were the worse for drink pass up the court".

The official record taken down by the Court Recorder was written in long-hand, so only the most pertinent details were written. The press were required to write in short-hand, which means the press have a more complete version of what Sarah Lewis told the court.
The problem with press versions is, they edited their coverage, which means we have to collate all the press versions and put them together to create a more complete story.
No single press version is better than another, they are all pieces of the same puzzle, and must be used together.

Sarah Lewis followed a man & woman walk along Dorset St., the woman was 'worse for drink', the couple passed up the court.
Sarah Lewis did not know Mary Kelly by sight, so couldn't tell the court who the woman was.
When Lewis arrived at the entrance to the court, she then noticed a man standing opposite, this was Hutch.

As Lewis herself entered the court she noticed the court was empty - she said "there was no-one in the court".
Given that Hutch had watched Kelly & Astrachan walk into the court, and enter Kelly's room, and Lewis confirmed his story that she saw a couple also enter the court as a man stood opposite, then Lewis confirms Hutch.

You ask why Hutch didn't mention seeing Lewis?
We don't know if he did, it was Sgt. Badham who took his statement down, presumably Badham didn't think the woman was the Ripper, and if Hutch said he saw a woman that he did not know, then that is not much use, Badham didn't include that detail.
However, when Abberline interviewed Hutch later the same night, Hutch may have given him a lot more information, but that interview has not survived. Which means we do not know what Hutch told the police, his statement to Badham was just a witness statement, which doesn't include everything.
Abberline will use that first statement in order to pose questions, when he interviewed Hutch later on.

[Herlock Sholmes]

:-) a couple of things actually.

You read the bit above - "Further on there was a man and a woman".

The reporter taking down Lewis's testimony described the couple walking along Dorset St. ahead of Sarah Lewis.
In the Daily News version, that reporter included a bit more of Lewis's story.
Lewis had said - "I also saw a man and a woman who had no hat on and were the worse for drink pass up the court".

The official record taken down by the Court Recorder was written in long-hand, so only the most pertinent details were written. The press were required to write in short-hand, which means the press have a more complete version of what Sarah Lewis told the court.
The problem with press versions is, they edited their coverage, which means we have to collate all the press versions and put them together to create a more complete story.
No single press version is better than another, they are all pieces of the same puzzle, and must be used together.

Sarah Lewis followed a man & woman walk along Dorset St., the woman was 'worse for drink', the couple passed up the court.
Sarah Lewis did not know Mary Kelly by sight, so couldn't tell the court who the woman was.
When Lewis arrived at the entrance to the court, she then noticed a man standing opposite, this was Hutch.

As Lewis herself entered the court she noticed the court was empty - she said "there was no-one in the court".
Given that Hutch had watched Kelly & Astrachan walk into the court, and enter Kelly's room, and Lewis confirmed his story that she saw a couple also enter the court as a man stood opposite, then Lewis confirms Hutch.

You ask why Hutch didn't mention seeing Lewis?
We don't know if he did, it was Sgt. Badham who took his statement down, presumably Badham didn't think the woman was the Ripper, and if Hutch said he saw a woman that he did not know, then that is not much use, Badham didn't include that detail.
However, when Abberline interviewed Hutch later the same night, Hutch may have given him a lot more information, but that interview has not survived. Which means we do not know what Hutch told the police, his statement to Badham was just a witness statement, which doesn't include everything.
Abberline will use that first statement in order to pose questions, when he interviewed Hutch later on.

Hi Wick,

I was hoping that you would show up.

Thanks for the info.

The issue as I see it though is that if Kelly and Astrakhan Man walked along Dorset Street and turned into the court with Lewis walking behind them how did Hutchinson overtake them to take up his stationary position across the road so that he could see them entering the court after they had stood at the corner of Miller’s Court for 3 minutes?

[Patrick Differ]

Hi Wickerman- thank you for this info. I believe Hutchinson was telling the truth eventhough for him it was a risk to come forward. I also believe that if the Ripper were local and frequented the Britannia and Ten Bells he would have likely learned about Mary Kelly. Her predicament with rent and the fact she entertained indoors. What better way to get her indoors then dress to impress and make her an offer she could not refuse. " You will be ok for what I have told you"...Certainly English speaking but a foriegner in appearance?
Edmund Reid though the killer frequented a certain Public House and my guess is, given the location to where all these victims tended to live, the Britannia could in fact be a key to this case. Just my thoughts obviously.

[Wickerman]

Hi Wick,

I was hoping that you would show up.

Thanks for the info.

The issue as I see it though is that if Kelly and Astrakhan Man walked along Dorset Street and turned into the court with Lewis walking behind them how did Hutchinson overtake them to take up his stationary position across the road so that he could see them entering the court after they had stood at the corner of Miller’s Court for 3 minutes?

If you remember, Kelly & Astrachan walked into Dorset st., while Hutch stood at the corner. He said they stopped at the entrance of the court to talk, for a minute or two.
Hutch doesn't say he continued to walk down the south side of the street, but he must have in order to hear what they were saying.
They must have stood there long enough for Hutch to catch up and then stand directly opposite, it only needs to be a few seconds.

Lewis doesn't say she saw a man standing opposite as she was walking down the street. She only noticed him when she reached the court.

[Wickerman]

Hi Wickerman- thank you for this info. I believe Hutchinson was telling the truth eventhough for him it was a risk to come forward. I also believe that if the Ripper were local and frequented the Britannia and Ten Bells he would have likely learned about Mary Kelly. Her predicament with rent and the fact she entertained indoors. What better way to get her indoors then dress to impress and make her an offer she could not refuse. " You will be ok for what I have told you"...Certainly English speaking but a foriegner in appearance?
Edmund Reid though the killer frequented a certain Public House and my guess is, given the location to where all these victims tended to live, the Britannia could in fact be a key to this case. Just my thoughts obviously.

I don't think Astrachan was the killer, he must have left about 3:00 am, Kelly goes back on the streets and was seen talking with a man outside the Britannia.
If you follow the stories of Mrs Kennedy & Sarah Lewis, and the man who accosted them the previous Wednesday night, he tried to get one of them to come down a dark alley with him. This is the same man who was seen talking with Kelly at 3:00 am Friday morning.
This must be the main suspect.

[Abby Normal]

I don't think Astrachan was the killer, he must have left about 3:00 am, Kelly goes back on the streets and was seen talking with a man outside the Britannia.
If you follow the stories of Mrs Kennedy & Sarah Lewis, and the man who accosted them the previous Wednesday night, he tried to get one of them to come down a dark alley with him. This is the same man who was seen talking with Kelly at 3:00 am Friday morning.
This must be the main suspect.

your speaking of tje bethnal green botherer of course. does he fit tje description of brittania man too?

can you refresh my memory on all of this? who saw kelly again at the brittania?

[Patrick Differ]

Hi Wickerman- a few observations. The testimony of Sarah Lewis and Mrs Kennedy puts them as the 2 females on Bethnal Green and also the two women who heard the cry " Murder" sometime before 4am? Am I reading that correctly?

If so then these 2 women arrive at Millers Court around 2:30 am and 3 am respectively but not together , and along with Hutchinson, appear to see a well dressed man with a woman
On Dorset Street in close proximity to the Crossingham Lodging House closest to Commercial Street and not far from the Corner where the Britannia is and around the corner to Fashon and Commercial where the Queens Head is located.

This appears to corroborate Lewis and Hutchinson from a timing and location perspective. Its not clear to me that Mrs Kennedy saw Kelly at the Britannia at 3am. Lewis did not know Kelly by sight and its not clear Kennedy would have. Lewis evidently testified to not knowing her by sight.

I don't see anything that would say Hutchinson is making up the story. It might be that Kelly, being attractive, had a going rate of 6d as that is what she asked Hutchinson for? Did Astrakan Man hear the offer and up the offer - one she would not refuse?

Did Mrs Kennedy inject herself into this story? Lewis and Hutchinson seem to match. It could also be an error in timing by Kennedy.

I think the fact that a man seen well dressed supports Hutchinsons story. He may have felt some level of humiliation for not having the 6d and then watch as a well dressed man gets her full attention with a laugh. Enough so that he thought it was off. It did not fit the location or time perhaps. The man himself is what was off so he followed. There were others about.

Could Kelly , obviously not sober, entertain 2 men between 2 and just before 4am when Murder is heard? . Or leave Astrakhan Man just after 3am to be seen by yet another person at the Britannia at around 3 am again with yet another well dressed man on Dorset Street?

If Kennedy was the woman with Lewis at Bethnal Green, I find it very odd that she repeats almost identical stories to Lewis

There was a Middle Class Society in Whitechapel well explored by Charles Booth. It wouldnt surprise me if JtR came from their ranks as opposed to some impoverished polish immigrant. That's what Astrakan Man points to in my mind. Here again how much would an outfit like that actually cost if it they were knockoffs being produced by the Rag Merchants of Petticoat Lane?

[Sunny Delight]

I don't think Astrachan was the killer, he must have left about 3:00 am, Kelly goes back on the streets and was seen talking with a man outside the Britannia.
If you follow the stories of Mrs Kennedy & Sarah Lewis, and the man who accosted them the previous Wednesday night, he tried to get one of them to come down a dark alley with him. This is the same man who was seen talking with Kelly at 3:00 am Friday morning.
This must be the main suspect.

Sarah Lewis passes Mr Ringers public house at 2:30am and sees a man who had accosted her and a friend. He is with a female. Lewis actual word was she 'met' him again. What did she mean by that? Poor terminology on her behalf perhaps. She says she passed by them and looked at the man before again turning around and looking back again once she had reached Dorset Street. Going up Dorset Street she sees a man standing at Crossinghams just opposite Millers Court. He appears to be waiting for someone from the Court. Lewis eventually dozes in a chair before hearing a cry of murder at 3:45am or so.

George Hutchinson as we know meets Mary Kelly around 2am. He eventually follows Kelly and her client back to her home in Millers Court. The time may be by then 2:15am. He states he stayed there until 3am. He doesn't mention seeing Sarah Lewis but then he may not have been asked, 'did you see anyone else' but rather 'did you see anyone suspicious'.

Mrs Kennedy states that at 3am she sees two females with a man at the Brittania or Ringers, much the same as Lewis. One of the females is hatless and in other reports stated to be the deceased Mary Kelly. Kennedy does not retire to bed straight away once she reaches Millers Court, but sits up and at around 3:45am hears a cry of murder.

There are differences between Lewis and Kennedy but here is a key issue. Why was Lewis called to the Inquest due to the fact she possibly saw someone suspicious at half 2, when at 3am Mrs Kennedy saw Mary Kelly alive and well. Not only that but she was also in the company of another female who was never identified nor came forward. Isn't the most logical explanation that Mrs Kennedy's story is a garbled version of what Sarah Lewis eventually told the Inquest?

[Sunny Delight]

Hi Wickerman- a few observations. The testimony of Sarah Lewis and Mrs Kennedy puts them as the 2 females on Bethnal Green and also the two women who heard the cry " Murder" sometime before 4am? Am I reading that correctly?

If so then these 2 women arrive at Millers Court around 2:30 am and 3 am respectively but not together , and along with Hutchinson, appear to see a well dressed man with a woman
On Dorset Street in close proximity to the Crossingham Lodging House closest to Commercial Street and not far from the Corner where the Britannia is and around the corner to Fashon and Commercial where the Queens Head is located.

This appears to corroborate Lewis and Hutchinson from a timing and location perspective. Its not clear to me that Mrs Kennedy saw Kelly at the Britannia at 3am. Lewis did not know Kelly by sight and its not clear Kennedy would have. Lewis evidently testified to not knowing her by sight.

I don't see anything that would say Hutchinson is making up the story. It might be that Kelly, being attractive, had a going rate of 6d as that is what she asked Hutchinson for? Did Astrakan Man hear the offer and up the offer - one she would not refuse?

Did Mrs Kennedy inject herself into this story? Lewis and Hutchinson seem to match. It could also be an error in timing by Kennedy.

I think the fact that a man seen well dressed supports Hutchinsons story. He may have felt some level of humiliation for not having the 6d and then watch as a well dressed man gets her full attention with a laugh. Enough so that he thought it was off. It did not fit the location or time perhaps. The man himself is what was off so he followed. There were others about.

Could Kelly , obviously not sober, entertain 2 men between 2 and just before 4am when Murder is heard? . Or leave Astrakhan Man just after 3am to be seen by yet another person at the Britannia at around 3 am again with yet another well dressed man on Dorset Street?

If Kennedy was the woman with Lewis at Bethnal Green, I find it very odd that she repeats almost identical stories to Lewis

There was a Middle Class Society in Whitechapel well explored by Charles Booth. It wouldnt surprise me if JtR came from their ranks as opposed to some impoverished polish immigrant. That's what Astrakan Man points to in my mind. Here again how much would an outfit like that actually cost if it they were knockoffs being produced by the Rag Merchants of Petticoat Lane?

Booth's map is ignored by many who cannot accept that there actually was a not unsubstantial middle class- well to do society based in Whitechapel. A lot of the time it is used to criticise George Hutchinson. His statement is too detailed and no one would have dressed like that anyways. Whitechapel was only the lowest of the low. Booth's map shows something far different. I have always felt the Ripper came from the middle class community that was based in the heart of Whitechapel.

[Wickerman]

Hi Wickerman- a few observations. The testimony of Sarah Lewis and Mrs Kennedy puts them as the 2 females on Bethnal Green and also the two women who heard the cry " Murder" sometime before 4am? Am I reading that correctly?

Yes, the house in the court, No. 2, was the home of Mrs Kennedy. Her parents, Mr & Mrs Gallagher/Kellegher lived there.
Lewis had gone to her friends house apparently because she had an argument with her hubby.

If so then these 2 women arrive at Millers Court around 2:30 am and 3 am respectively but not together , and along with Hutchinson, appear to see a well dressed man with a woman. . .

Lewis saw the same couple that Hutchinson saw. Mrs Kennedy saw a different couple talking with Kelly, about 30-40 mins later.

On Dorset Street in close proximity to the Crossingham Lodging House closest to Commercial Street and not far from the Corner where the Britannia is and around the corner to Fashon and Commercial where the Queens Head is located.

This appears to corroborate Lewis and Hutchinson from a timing and location perspective. Its not clear to me that Mrs Kennedy saw Kelly at the Britannia at 3am. Lewis did not know Kelly by sight and its not clear Kennedy would have. Lewis evidently testified to not knowing her by sight.

In the Evening News, we read:

Mrs. Kennedy is confident that the man whom she noticed speaking to the woman Kelly at three o'clock on Friday morning is identical with the person who accosted her on the previous Wednesday.

I don't see anything that would say Hutchinson is making up the story. It might be that Kelly, being attractive, had a going rate of 6d as that is what she asked Hutchinson for? Did Astrakan Man hear the offer and up the offer - one she would not refuse?

Did Mrs Kennedy inject herself into this story? Lewis and Hutchinson seem to match. It could also be an error in timing by Kennedy.

I think the fact that a man seen well dressed supports Hutchinsons story. He may have felt some level of humiliation for not having the 6d and then watch as a well dressed man gets her full attention with a laugh. Enough so that he thought it was off. It did not fit the location or time perhaps. The man himself is what was off so he followed. There were others about.

Could Kelly , obviously not sober, entertain 2 men between 2 and just before 4am when Murder is heard? . Or leave Astrakhan Man just after 3am to be seen by yet another person at the Britannia at around 3 am again with yet another well dressed man on Dorset Street?

If Kennedy was the woman with Lewis at Bethnal Green, I find it very odd that she repeats almost identical stories to Lewis

Do you think their experiences would be different?

There was a Middle Class Society in Whitechapel well explored by Charles Booth. It wouldnt surprise me if JtR came from their ranks as opposed to some impoverished polish immigrant. That's what Astrakan Man points to in my mind. Here again how much would an outfit like that actually cost if it they were knockoffs being produced by the Rag Merchants of Petticoat Lane?

It sounds like you are describing 'slumming', it was trendy for well-to-do West Enders to rent a room in the East End for a night or a weekend, to sample the boardy night-life of the poor.





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