The Chapman murder and Charles Lechmere

[MrBarnett]

Hi Lechmere,

What you say makes perfect sense.

It occurs to me that another possible reason for the deception was not wanting his name to appear in the papers. Not simply to avoid embarrassment or unwanted press intrusion, but because there was someone out there who might have had reason to suspect someone called CAL as a potential murderer. He may have been consorting with Whitechapel 'ladies' for years on his way to work, using his 'posh' name and tales of his ancestors to impress them. Had he threatened or roughed up any who weren't impressed?

All supposition, of course, but a possibility nevertheless.

MrB

[Lechmere]

Cog

I think it is decidedly unlikely that Lechmere called himself Cross when he started at Pickford’s in about 1868.
His sister died the next year as a Lechmere and we can see evidence in his life that he was very conscious of his Lechmere heritage.

It is fairly clear that PC Mizen failed to take the names of Paul and Lechmere on the morning of 31st August. He was reported as stating at the inquest that the man he met was now known to him as Cross. In other words he only found out his name on the morning of the inquest.

My interpretation as to why Mizen failed to take their details on that morning was because Lechmere told him there was a woman lying in the street (not a very serious incident) and that Mizen was wanted by another policeman in Bucks Row (i.e. that policeman had sent Lechmere as a messenger and would probably have already taken his details if it had been deemed necessary).
Mizen should probably have taken their details anyway, but his negligence in doing so was minor if the circumstances were as Lechmere described (according to Mizen).
If Lechmere’s account was true then Mizen was indeed lazy, idle and a liar.

It is most unlikely that Lechmere could have gone to the police on the Saturday evening, indeed at any time prior to Sunday evening, as the police issued a statement on Sunday evening that in essence denied Paul’s newspaper story and continued to paint Neil as the first finder of Nichols.

Lechmere’s attire at the inquest is another one of those awkward anomalies about the man. Excuses can be made for him, but the detail I find impossible to square away is the apron. Why wear that when he took the stand? To my mind it was to reinforce his workman status, to make him look more humble and harmless. It went along with his repeated ‘yes sir’ and ‘no sir’-ing which was another noticeable feature of his testimony.

[Sam Flynn]

He may have been consorting with Whitechapel 'ladies' for years on his way to work, using his 'posh' name and tales of his ancestors to impress them.

Given that the majority of Whitechapel ladies could be "impressed" for fourpence, that seems rather unlikely, MrB.

[MrBarnett]

Hi Sam,

I'm sure many of the transactions were purely commercial and conversation was limited to ''Ow much?' and 'Fourpence'.

But I'm equally sure that some punters would indulge in a little banter. Charles, with his Lechmere bee in his bonnet (assuming he had one) could well have come out with 'Fourpence?? You should be paying me, darling - I'm gentry I am.' And if (and it can only be an if because we have no evidence) Charles had been availing himself of the local facilities over a number of years he would have come to know a few of the girls quite well and the likelihood of banter would increase.


MrB

[Sam Flynn]

Hello MrB

The "girls", perhaps, but probably not the raddled, gin-soaked wrecks that formed the bulk of the Ripper's hit-list.

[Lechmere]

'Never mind the coarse sack apron, I'm gentry eyes am so 'elp me, so 'ows abart a discant?'
Is that what you were thinking of?
And then he caught a dose and embarked on a murderous rampage?

[MrBarnett]

Hi Sam,

Charles was no spring chicken himself, and on a carman's wages he probably couldn't afford the cream of the crop on regular basis.

Regards,

MrB

[MrBarnett]

Lech,

Not exactly. My idea was that in some of these transactions a certain Cockney banter might well occur. Think of 'You would say anything but your prayers', for example. Now in Charles' case he might well have played on his genteel antecedents in a humorous way. And if he used the same 'girl' on a number of occasions, he might well have elaborated on the theme and let slip his real name.

So his fear would have been to be identified as a user of prostitutes when he was trying to present himself as Mr respectable.

Regards,

MrB

[Lechmere]

Maybe Mr B, but I hope that when I speculate I have evidences to back up my theorizing and your conjecture is a step too far for me to incorporate into my theory!
U am a cautious wishy washy soul.

[Sam Flynn]

Charles was no spring chicken himself, and on a carman's wages he probably couldn't afford the cream of the crop on regular basis.

Even when he was on his uppers, I'm sure he could've done a lot better than fourpence, MrB.

[Scott Nelson]

Since Walter Dew's early suspicion of Cross, the first (to my knowledge) modern suspicion of Cross was an article by Derek Osborne, titled "The Man Who Was Jack the Ripper," in the no. 33 issue of Ripperana (July 2000). This was followed by "Watchman, Old Man, I Believe Somebody Is Murdered Down The Street," by John Carey in the no. 36 issue (April 2001), followed by a really interesting piece, "To The Ripper A Son?" again by Osborne (no. 37 July 2001), which contains background census and electoral register information on Lechmere. The no. 40, April 2002 issue of Ripperana has, "Chasing Shadows - Charles Cross - The Carman," again by John Carey and also issue no. 62, October 2007, "The Man Who Hated George Lusk" by Osborne, wherein he considers Hutchinson and Cross as either of the senders of the kidney and letter.

[MrBarnett]

Hi Sam,

So what class of man do we think were their customers? (genuine newbie question here)

I thought the kind of men seen with these women (allowing for witness error, of course) included soldiers, sailors, clerkly types - all people with steady jobs and regular incomes who could pay a bob or two if they really wanted to push the boat out. Just as I could afford to buy a £100 bottle of wine to go with my dinner, but generally I spend 5 or 6 quid in Tescos. LOL

I wouldn't have thought Lechmere, with his large family, had huge amounts of dosh to splash around each week. Given the character that seems to emerge from the little we know about him, he doesn't sound like the sort of guy that would blow the rent money on high quality goods. He'd probably shop in the pound store.

Regards,

MrB

[MrBarnett]

Scott,

Can I get hold of back issues or is this material online?

Regards,

MrB

[Lechmere]

Dew didn't mention that Cross was under suspicion.
Incidentally he never mentioned Cross's name. I suspect he couldn't remember it although the sub editor in the newspaper serialisation did record it, strangely enough. Perhaps the newspaper looked it up?
Dew mentioned that Paul (also unnamed) was regarded with suspicion.

Scott
Do you now where any of those articles are available?

[Sam Flynn]

So what class of man do we think were their customers?

Working- or poverty-class men in the main, not too far above the breadline themselves, and many of them under it.

I thought the kind of men seen with these women (allowing for witness error, of course) included soldiers, sailors, clerkly types.

Indeed, but at the lower end of the ranks, and from the lowliest strata of society. Even the squaddies they hooked up with found the proverbial "beer-goggles" necessary, if the Tabram case is anything to go by.