Was Lech known as Cross at Pickfords??

[Fisherman]

Dave:

"So let's just get this clear...are you arguing that the police didn't know where to find Cross..."

Not until he had spoken to them on his own initiative, no. And our best guess is that he did so on Sunday, AFTER Paulīs interview in the press.

"(presumably because Mizen was either too thick, or too gullible, to follow procedure, and take down the details)"

Read the Echo, Dave: Mizen NOW knew the mans name to be Cross, and he had had it confirmed that he really WAS a carman, just as Mizen had expected. Itīs pretty decisive - Mizen did not take their names down, since he felt certain that his fake colleague had taken care of that.

"...and that Cross come forward voluntarily to the police, before the inquest, but carefully and without giving his employers details?"

Nope. He would have give the employers details and his address alright - but kept the name Lechmere away from the searchlight.

"I thought your contention was that Cross had come forward to the police before the inquest because he thought Paul's statements to the press might otherwise incriminate him..."

True, Dave - true!

"surely if he came forward to the police before the inquest at all, they would've, (belatedly perhaps), noted down his particulars at that time, and so, on the morning of the inquest, would've known exactly where to find him (Pickfords) and under what name (Cross) at short notice..."

Yes, they would know where to find him. But why would they go to Pickfords to pick him up if they had already summoned him to the inquest on Sunday? If he had agreed to show, why send someone to fetch him?

"If on the other hand, as the murderer, he didn't report to the police before the inquest, then why on earth did he turn up in front of Coroner Baxter at all?"

For the exact same reason as outlined ad nauseum - to save his own skin. If he did not contact the police on Sunday, then they would not know where to find him, and if he came to the inquest then he did so on his own initiative. The reason, though, would have been the exact same - he knew that he had been implicated as standing where the body was - alone ...

The best,
Fisherman

[Fisherman]

Debra:

"Is there a Pickfords' archive that could settle the question of what name he used there at least?"

Edwardīs explored that avenue - with no result, Iīm afraid.

The best,
Fisherman

[Debra A]

Hello Debs. Thanks. I'd be astonished if they had, but who knows? May be worth a go.

How about the LMA?

Cheers.
LC

Hi Lynn.
The NA catalogue threw up quite a lot of hits for 'Pickfords' when I did a quick search last night but I didn't look at any of them in detail to see what they related to specifically.

[lynn cates]

Kew

Hello Debs. Thanks. I'd be astonished if they had, but who knows? May be worth a go.

How about the LMA?

Cheers.
LC

[Debra A]

Hello Debs. I contacted Pickford's several weeks ago. They did not answer my inquiry.

Cheers.
LC

OK, thanks, Lynn. Maybe the NA then?