Charles Allen Lechmere - new suspect?

[Harriet the Student]

Just watched a documentary on Demand 5, Jack the Ripper: The Missing Evidence that claimed a guy called Charles Allen Lechmere was the Ripper - based on the fact that he had links to all of the murder locations and was actually one of the men who discovered Polly Nichol's body. The theory goes that he was caught red handed at the scene and used the fact that Nichol's dress was pulled down over her abdominal wounds to suggest that it was an interrupted murder. Does anyone know any more about Lechmere as a suspect? It seemed like a good theory to me, if a little lacking in detail.

[GUT]

You need to read some of the threads on casebook, you'll find a bit about him.

You will also then read some rebuttals.

[Lechmere]

This one is new to me but it sounds interesting.

[Abby Normal]

Welcome harriet
The poster Lechmere is kidding-he, along with poster Fisherman are the main researchers on Lechmere the suspect, and both were heavily involved in the program-Fisherman is actually in it.

There are a million threads/posts on Lechmere/cross on this site.

[AlanG]

I understand what they are getting at with regards to being the first man to find the body but that is assuming he walked to the scene at the exact time as was stated in the documentary. No allowances for time lapse or being 3 or 4 minutes later than you thought?

[AlanG]

That is also assuming he walked at roughly the same pace as them on smooth concrete in good leather shoes as opposed to uneven cobbles and who knows the quality of his shoes he wore? That could add 3 or 4 minutes to his journey alone as opposed to doing it today?

[Ghost]

Nope. Never heard of him.

[TomTomKent]

I understand what they are getting at with regards to being the first man to find the body but that is assuming he walked to the scene at the exact time as was stated in the documentary. No allowances for time lapse or being 3 or 4 minutes later than you thought?

In a time before watches were common in many classes, or phones with handy clocks in one corner were in every pocket,when a lot of statements about what the time was came from judging how long ago you heard a bell you paid no atttention to?

Theories of time keeping are possible, but are shaky grounds once you include a sensible margin for error on all statements.

[Fisherman]

That is also assuming he walked at roughly the same pace as them on smooth concrete in good leather shoes as opposed to uneven cobbles and who knows the quality of his shoes he wore? That could add 3 or 4 minutes to his journey alone as opposed to doing it today?

We were walking at a leisurely pace, Andy and I, Alan. Lechmere said that he was late for work, so he would have hurried. You also need to weigh in that todays layout of the streets is different, and the distance you have to walk is a bit longer today than it was in 1888. And we had to negotiate cars and other people along the way, whereas Lechmere was quite alone with no cars passing down the streets he crossed.

Actually, most judgers of this usually say that six minutes would have been enough in 1888. We used seven minutes, seven seconds.

All the best,
Fisherman

[Kaz]

We were walking at a leisurely pace, Andy and I, Alan. Lechmere said that he was late for work, so he would have hurried. You also need to weigh in that todays layout of the streets is different, and the distance you have to walk is a bit longer today than it was in 1888. And we had to negotiate cars and other people along the way, whereas Lechmere was quite alone with no cars passing down the streets he crossed.

Actually, most judgers of this usually say that six minutes would have been enough in 1888. We used seven minutes, seven seconds.

All the best,
Fisherman

Fisherman, are you Christer Holmgren?
Excuse my ignorance.

[barnflatwyngarde]

Just watched a documentary on Demand 5, Jack the Ripper: The Missing Evidence that claimed a guy called Charles Allen Lechmere was the Ripper - based on the fact that he had links to all of the murder locations and was actually one of the men who discovered Polly Nichol's body. The theory goes that he was caught red handed at the scene and used the fact that Nichol's dress was pulled down over her abdominal wounds to suggest that it was an interrupted murder. Does anyone know any more about Lechmere as a suspect? It seemed like a good theory to me, if a little lacking in detail.

Welcome to the madhouse Harriet.

I can echo Gut's comment.
Check out the thread dealing with Cross/Lechmere.

You will find it on "Message Boards" - "Suspects" - "General Suspect Discussion" - "Suspect Battle".

There is also a thread dealing with the actual documentary.
"Message Boards" - "Audio Visual" - "Visual Media" - "The Missing Evidence".

Some of the postings can get a bit tetchy, but I am sure they all love their mothers!

[Scott Nelson]

Fisherman, are you Christer Holmgren?
Excuse my ignorance.

No, he's the Messiah.

[barnflatwyngarde]

No, he's the Messiah.

No he's not!

He's a very naughty boy.

[Harriet the Student]

Thanks for all the leads guys, I'll be checking out those threads!

[Sally]

And of course, there's this one...

http://forum.casebook.org/showthread...ighlight=cross

Voting's still open I think - but best to get fully acquainted with all the arguments first.