A new critique of the Cross/Lechmere theory from Stewart Evans

[Jenni Shelden]

Hi Fish,
interesting. Thanks,
Jenni

[Lechmere]

Robert
Through your breakfast and smoking party proposals you have already soundly established that you ain’t much cop at getting into the mind of a serial killer.

[Fisherman]

Well, I too can think of a few reasons why I a guilty man might give the wrong name :

If he wanted to buy enough time to do a bunk, and never be heard of again. This doesn't apply to Cross.

If he had a previous, serious conviction under his usual name, and didn't want to alert the police to it. If this applies to Cross, it will have to be substantiated.

If he had an unconscious desire to be caught. This doesn't fit Cross's personality as so far painted.

I've run out of suggestions but I'll keep pondering.

You do that, Robert. Meanwhile, I will tell you that I think suggestion number two is an interesting one. It may be that the name Lechmere was coupled to some sort of criminal activity; a sexual assault, a threat, something like that. Such a thing may have made him reluctant to name it, for fear of having it recognized by a servant of the law. But I am not speaking conviction, since we should have found such a thing. I am more thinking allegations, known to the police but never substantiated and legally followed through.

The best,
Fisherman

[Abby Normal]

Jenni, Stride was killed on a Saturday night - he did not work at all that night. And Stride was killed on Berner Street, which was Lechmere´s old home grounds - he had lived for many years there, in James Street, Mary Ann Street etcetera. We speculate that he may have payed his mother visits on the weekends - perhaps especialy since a daughter of his was staying with his mother. His mother lived on 147 Cable Street, to which Berner Street was a thoroughfare from the Doveton Street direction. He may thus have visited his mother and daughter, and after leaving her, he may have killed Stride and gone on to kill Eddowes. And the route leading to Mitre Square from Berner Street would have been his old working trek from James Street to Pickfords.

Chapman may actually have been killed before 4 o clock too - Phillips´estimation pointed in that direction. Long and Cadosch may have been wrong, and Richardson was all over the place when testifying.

So, Jenni, some of the murders were along his working trek - Tabram, Nichols, Chapman, Kelly - whereas the remaining two can be coupled to his old quarters, where his mother still stayed with his daughter.

How big would you say that the chance was that the only two murders that took place on a Saturday and earlier than the others, were the exact two ones relating to his old quarters?

Exactly, Jenni. Exactly.

The best,
Fisherman

Very interesting fish.

[Robert]

Well, I too can think of a few reasons why I a guilty man might give the wrong name :

If he wanted to buy enough time to do a bunk, and never be heard of again. This doesn't apply to Cross.

If he had a previous, serious conviction under his usual name, and didn't want to alert the police to it. If this applies to Cross, it will have to be substantiated.

If he had an unconscious desire to be caught. This doesn't fit Cross's personality as so far painted.

I've run out of suggestions but I'll keep pondering.

[Fisherman]

Thanks Ed,
but, and Im really not having a go, if he killed MAN on route to work at 4am, that is inconsistent with the supposed times of deaths of the others, eg 5.30 for Chapman, 1pm for Stride or etc. Did he work shifts?

Jenni

Jenni, Stride was killed on a Saturday night - he did not work at all that night. And Stride was killed on Berner Street, which was Lechmere´s old home grounds - he had lived for many years there, in James Street, Mary Ann Street etcetera. We speculate that he may have payed his mother visits on the weekends - perhaps especialy since a daughter of his was staying with his mother. His mother lived on 147 Cable Street, to which Berner Street was a thoroughfare from the Doveton Street direction. He may thus have visited his mother and daughter, and after leaving her, he may have killed Stride and gone on to kill Eddowes. And the route leading to Mitre Square from Berner Street would have been his old working trek from James Street to Pickfords.

Chapman may actually have been killed before 4 o clock too - Phillips´estimation pointed in that direction. Long and Cadosch may have been wrong, and Richardson was all over the place when testifying.

So, Jenni, some of the murders were along his working trek - Tabram, Nichols, Chapman, Kelly - whereas the remaining two can be coupled to his old quarters, where his mother still stayed with his daughter.

How big would you say that the chance was that the only two murders that took place on a Saturday and earlier than the others, were the exact two ones relating to his old quarters? The four victims that were killed along his work route were all killed on working days in the early mornings, whereas the victims killed in his old home ground, were killed on a Saturday, at a time corresponding quite well with visiting his mother, and then leaving, perhaps nippiong in on a local pub for some time before heading out again.

If Stride had been killed on a weekday at 3.30, it would break the pattern. If Chapman had been killed at 1 AM on a Saturday, it would break the pattern. If Kelly was killed at 1 AM on a Saturday, it would break the pattern. If Eddowes had been killed at 3.30 on a weekday, it would break the pattern.

Instead, they ALL fit in. The four victims alongside the working trek are all killed in the early morning hours on working days, the two relating to the double event are both killed much earlier, on a Saturday night.

Think statistics. Think consequence.

The best,
Fisherman

[Abby Normal]

Lechmere was, of course, at all times accompanied by Vincent van Gogh, Walter Sickert and MJ Druitt and followed in a carriage by Sir William Gull.

You know Lechmere, I'm beginning to think you actually believe all this over-detailed speculation you spout.

nah
I wouldn't put Lech in the same company as those ridiculous "suspects" (except possibly Druitt). Lech is in the same boat as a possible suspect like Barnett- just possibly the ripper but more than likely just a witness.

[Jenni Shelden]

thanks Fishman, see above
J

[Jenni Shelden]

Thanks Ed,
but, and Im really not having a go, if he killed MAN on route to work at 4am, that is inconsistent with the supposed times of deaths of the others, eg 5.30 for Chapman, 1pm for Stride or etc. Did he work shifts?

Jenni

[Fisherman]

How do you know he would be near the other murder sites?

I don´t know it per se, Jenni.

But I know where he lived.

And I know where he worked.

And I know that there were two main thoroughfares between where he lived and where he worked.

From that I extrapolate that there is a fair chance that he passed close by the murder sites on the murder mornings.

In my former post, I wrote:

"his working route seemingly may have taken him past the Smith, Tabram, Nichols, Chapman and Kelly murder sites"

That does not mean that I say that he DID pass the sites. It means that there is a good possibility that he did, and that it would be completely logical IF he did. It would be less logical to think that he did not, since that would require something that broke the monotony of his everyday work trek; illness, vacation (ha!), loosing his way (double ha!) or being away on business (I really don´t know how many ha´s that stands for, but there you are).

All the best,
Fisherman

[Lechmere]

And you know what? He climbed through Mary Kelly's window and what did he find? Joe Barnett had beaten him to it.

I'm glad I don't engage in superficial speculation.

[Phil H]

Lechmere was, of course, at all times accompanied by Vincent van Gogh, Walter Sickert and MJ Druitt and followed in a carriage by Sir William Gull.

You know Lechmere, I'm beginning to think you actually believe all this over-detailed speculation you spout.

[Lechmere]

On the name swap it is about anomalies. If you are looking at an individual’s behaviour for signs of suspicious activity then noticing anomalies is a useful way to proceed.
Regarding Charles Lechmere, he was asked his name over a hundred times and always replied ‘Lechmere’.
This was in respect of the electoral resister, the census, his children’s baptisms and their marriages. Their school records, his shop keeping in trade directories. On his funeral car he wasn’t down as ‘Charles Lechmere, known to his friends down the boozer as Crossy Boy’.

It is like this.

“When asked your name, how do you reply?”

“Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Cross, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere,”

“Hold on a second, when did you call yourself Cross?”

“Oh, only when I was found standing alone next to a freshly murdered Jack the Ripper victim.”

“That’s fine, proceed”

“Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, Lechmere, etc”

I could come up with any number of scenarios as to why a guilty man might chose to re-name himself in this manner. It would be guess work and it really isn’t necessary. The mere fact of the name swap is enough of a red flag.

Jenni
If you plot the murder sites to the places to which Lechmere was closely connected and the routes he would take between them and at the times he would plausibly be passing, then there is a pretty exact match.
I have marked them out before on here on maps.

[Jenni Shelden]

How do you know he would be near the other murder sites?

Im logging off too..no Im not because I know how to talk nicely and logically!

[Phil H]

I´m logging off for an hour or two now. Or three.