The Lechmere/Cross "name issue"

[David Orsam]

How many of these men do we know used an alternative name at the inquest?

How many of these men HAD an alternative name that they could legitimately use?

[Fisherman]

My mistake - I never knew they made twenty person dome tents.

[David Orsam]

According to Fisherman:

"James Scobie said that there was a prima faciae case that suggests that Lechmere was the killer" (22 August 2016),

and

"It is a very good candidacy as it stands, good enough to warrant a trial according to James Scobie" (24 November 2016)

This goes way further than the simple notion that Lechmere can't be cleared.

It's a shame that Scobie's opinion was based on proven inaccurate information.

[Sam Flynn]

His theory is that he didn't stop killing. He continued killing with different MO 'till he dropped.

Anyone know if there were any murder victims who were beaten to death with a Zimmer frame in 1920?

[Fisherman]

Anyone know if there were any murder victims who were beaten to death with a Zimmer frame in 1920?

What is your personal belief, Gareth? If a serial killer remains uncaught, will he go on killing forever, or will it taper off together with his sexual urges and his physical abilities?

What´s your take on it?

[Patrick S]

How many of these men do we know used an alternative name at the inquest?

Who was the person found alone with Nichols?

Who disagreed with a PC over what was said and done on the murder night?

Of course we can´t clear Emma Green either - after all, she lived right next to where Nichols was found dead (and I am vaguely disappointed that you forgot her). But the fact of the matter is that we CAN sometimes clear suspects, like for example Ostrog, who was demonstrably not present at the murder sites. So there must always be a striving to do so, even if it will fall short many a time.
After that, we can turn the tables and see who of the suspects has the most things pointing the OTHER way, the way of guilt.

That is an interesting exercise in the same vein - we will not be able to prove it as it stands, but we can look at the evidence just the same and form theories from it.

Or we can just say "sod it" and leave the boards, convinced that we will never see a solution.

I tend to go with the former suggestion.

Well. I'm not the one who published a thread called something like "lets see if we can get Lechmere off the hook".

[Patrick S]

How many of these men HAD an alternative name that they could legitimately use?

Many of them. You had Robert Baul (Paul). John Thail (Thain). Alfred Malshaw (Mulshaw). Walter Purkess (Purkiss). Of course, I'm relying upon press reports. I mean, they're reliable enough to be treated as the source of 'blood evidence', so I'm sure they have told us all we need to know about "the carman" and half century of murder around the east end.

[Fisherman]

Well. I'm not the one who published a thread called something like "lets see if we can get Lechmere off the hook".

It was "Let´s get Lechmere off the hook". I´m not one to pull my punches.

It didn´t work, though.

[Fisherman]

Many of them. You had Robert Baul (Paul). John Thail (Thain). Alfred Malshaw (Mulshaw). Walter Purkess (Purkiss). Of course, I'm relying upon press reports. I mean, they're reliable enough to be treated as the source of 'blood evidence', so I'm sure they have told us all we need to know about "the carman" and half century of murder around the east end.

So am I! But I don´t think it was a full half century. And I don´t think they covered every murder he committed.

[David Orsam]

Did Paul leave his house at 3.45 ?

No, he left slightly before, according to the two sources we have, the <lloyds interview and the inquest recordings in the papers. He said he was in Bucks Row at exactly 3.45 in Lloyds, and he said in the inquest reports by the papers that he left home shortly before that time, meaning that it tallies with what he told Lloyds.

How did know what time it was ?

Same answer as for Lechmere, only that Paul claimed that 3.45 was an exact timing. To me, the best suggestion is perhaps that he heard a bell strike the quarter hour as he walked down Bucks Row.

Paul did not use the words "slightly before" did he? That is you changing the words again.

The LWN was countering the claim that PC Neil had found the body at 3.45 with the counterclaim that Paul and Cross found the body at 3.45.

We don't know what time Paul left his house nor what time he walked into Bucks Row. It could have been 3.40 or 3.42 as much as 3.45. How can one possibly distinguish between these alternatives?

Well perhaps one answer is that PC Mizen said in sworn testimony that he was approached by Cross and Paul "at a quarter past 4". Not about 3.45, at 3.45. This would have been about five minutes after Paul walked into Bucks Row.

[Patrick S]

So am I! But I don´t think it was a full half century.

I assume, in that he was just shy of 40 in 1888 that you have him getting started, what, around 1870? 1875 at the latest? Wrapping things up around 1905? A little before?

I guess I'll have to wait for the book to know for certain. Although, I may wait for the inevitable film adaptation. I'm thinking Michael Fassbender could pull off Lechmere. Eddie Marsan as Robert Paul. Daniel Craig as PC Neil. Melissa McCarthy as Martha Tabram. Toni Collette as Polly Nichols. Rose O'Donnell as Annie Chapman. Cameron Diaz as Liz Stride. Christina Applegate as Katherine Eddowes. Olivia Wilde as Mary Kelly. Russell Crowe as Abberline. Tom Hanks as Swanson. It should be rated R for violence and nudity (so long as it's not Rosie O'Donnell and/or Melissa McCarthy).

[Fisherman]

Patrick S: I assume, in that he was just shy of 40 in 1888 that you have him getting started, what, around 1870? 1875 at the latest? Wrapping things up around 1905? A little before?

I am pretty certain that the man who killed Mary Kelly was also responsible for the 1873 Battersea torso case. I can tie these two cases together, but I am not saying how at present. That is the earliest case that involves very clear connections to the Ripper series. And of course, since I think Lechmere was the Ripper, I believe he is the likely torso killer too.
As for the other end of the chain, I will go no further than 1889, but there may be reason to look as far as 1898. So more of a quarter of a century than half a century. Hope that suffices!

I guess I'll have to wait for the book to know for certain. Although, I may wait for the inevitable film adaptation. I'm thinking Michael Fassbender could pull off Lechmere. Eddie Marsan as Robert Paul. Daniel Craig as PC Neil. Melissa McCarthy as Martha Tabram. Toni Collette as Polly Nichols. Rose O'Donnell as Annie Chapman. Cameron Diaz as Liz Stride. Christina Applegate as Katherine Eddowes. Olivia Wilde as Mary Kelly. Russell Crowe as Abberline. Tom Hanks as Swanson. It should be rated R for violence and nudity (so long as it's not Rosie O'Donnell and/or Melissa McCarthy).

I have no particular desire to see Tom Hanks nude.

[John G]

I assume, in that he was just shy of 40 in 1888 that you have him getting started, what, around 1870? 1875 at the latest? Wrapping things up around 1905? A little before?

I guess I'll have to wait for the book to know for certain. Although, I may wait for the inevitable film adaptation. I'm thinking Michael Fassbender could pull off Lechmere. Eddie Marsan as Robert Paul. Daniel Craig as PC Neil. Melissa McCarthy as Martha Tabram. Toni Collette as Polly Nichols. Rose O'Donnell as Annie Chapman. Cameron Diaz as Liz Stride. Christina Applegate as Katherine Eddowes. Olivia Wilde as Mary Kelly. Russell Crowe as Abberline. Tom Hanks as Swanson. It should be rated R for violence and nudity (so long as it's not Rosie O'Donnell and/or Melissa McCarthy).

I miss read this initially- I thought you wrote Oscar Wilde as Mary Kelly, which I thought would be somewhat surreal!

[Fisherman]

I miss read this initially- I thought you wrote Oscar Wilde as Mary Kelly, which I thought would be somewhat surreal!

And...?

[Sam Flynn]

I'm thinking Michael Fassbender could pull off Lechmere.

Indeed, but who'd be playing Lechmere in that scenario?