Richardson's View

[Chava]

I know this is not going to be a popular suggestion! But having looked over and over again at the pic of the backyard of 29 Hanbury Street I think it's entirely possible that John Richardson may not have seen Annie Chapman's body while he was there. He says he sat on the 1st step from the ground and cut some leather off his boot. If he's telling the truth. And if that boot is the right boot, then he's looking away from the scene. Unless he's looking down to cut stuff from his left boot--and Annie's legs protrude which, given they were 'drawn up to the body' they may not have done--his view is completely obscured by the door even at that level. The door cuts off everyone's view. I'm not saying she was definitely there and he definitely missed her. But I am saying it's possible she was there and he could have missed her. I know that Elizabeth Long identifies Annie talking to a man at 5.30. She's sure of that time. And I know Coachman Cadoche says he heard 'no' and someone stumble against the fence at roughly 5.15-20. And he's sure of that time. So times don't jibe. I always thought 5.15-30 am was a very risky time for the murderer. It's beginning to get quite light. People are about. Getting up and going to work. Visiting the backyard privy in the process. Mrs Long could have seen another woman picking up another man. Cadoche might have heard something on the other side of the yard and mistaken where the sound came from. This isn't My New Theory. But I'm no longer so convinced by the old one.

[The Baron]

I know this is not going to be a popular suggestion! But having looked over and over again at the pic of the backyard of 29 Hanbury Street I think it's entirely possible that John Richardson may not have seen Annie Chapman's body while he was there. He says he sat on the 1st step from the ground and cut some leather off his boot. If he's telling the truth. And if that boot is the right boot, then he's looking away from the scene. Unless he's looking down to cut stuff from his left boot--and Annie's legs protrude which, given they were 'drawn up to the body' they may not have done--his view is completely obscured by the door even at that level. The door cuts off everyone's view. I'm not saying she was definitely there and he definitely missed her. But I am saying it's possible she was there and he could have missed her. I know that Elizabeth Long identifies Annie talking to a man at 5.30. She's sure of that time. And I know Coachman Cadoche says he heard 'no' and someone stumble against the fence at roughly 5.15-20. And he's sure of that time. So times don't jibe. I always thought 5.15-30 am was a very risky time for the murderer. It's beginning to get quite light. People are about. Getting up and going to work. Visiting the backyard privy in the process. Mrs Long could have seen another woman picking up another man. Cadoche might have heard something on the other side of the yard and mistaken where the sound came from. This isn't My New Theory. But I'm no longer so convinced by the old one.

Good post!

Yes, in all likelihood Richardson missed the body completely, I also read, he had problem with his eye, and long hair.


The Baron

[Trevor Marriott]

I know this is not going to be a popular suggestion! But having looked over and over again at the pic of the backyard of 29 Hanbury Street I think it's entirely possible that John Richardson may not have seen Annie Chapman's body while he was there. He says he sat on the 1st step from the ground and cut some leather off his boot. If he's telling the truth. And if that boot is the right boot, then he's looking away from the scene. Unless he's looking down to cut stuff from his left boot--and Annie's legs protrude which, given they were 'drawn up to the body' they may not have done--his view is completely obscured by the door even at that level. The door cuts off everyone's view. I'm not saying she was definitely there and he definitely missed her. But I am saying it's possible she was there and he could have missed her. I know that Elizabeth Long identifies Annie talking to a man at 5.30. She's sure of that time. And I know Coachman Cadoche says he heard 'no' and someone stumble against the fence at roughly 5.15-20. And he's sure of that time. So times don't jibe. I always thought 5.15-30 am was a very risky time for the murderer. It's beginning to get quite light. People are about. Getting up and going to work. Visiting the backyard privy in the process. Mrs Long could have seen another woman picking up another man. Cadoche might have heard something on the other side of the yard and mistaken where the sound came from. This isn't My New Theory. But I'm no longer so convinced by the old one.

Totally agree good post !

https://www.trevormarriott.co.uk

[Abby Normal]

if she was there, there is no way he could have missed. she would have literally been at his feet, and in his line of sight as hes looking down at his boot. she wasnt there yet. times a little off but corroberated by long and cadosh.

[Wickerman]

if she was there, there is no way he could have missed. she would have literally been at his feet, and in his line of sight as hes looking down at his boot. she wasnt there yet. times a little off but corroberated by long and cadosh.

That's more like it!
Good post.

[etenguy]

I know this is not going to be a popular suggestion! But having looked over and over again at the pic of the backyard of 29 Hanbury Street I think it's entirely possible that John Richardson may not have seen Annie Chapman's body while he was there. He says he sat on the 1st step from the ground and cut some leather off his boot. If he's telling the truth. And if that boot is the right boot, then he's looking away from the scene. Unless he's looking down to cut stuff from his left boot--and Annie's legs protrude which, given they were 'drawn up to the body' they may not have done--his view is completely obscured by the door even at that level. The door cuts off everyone's view. I'm not saying she was definitely there and he definitely missed her. But I am saying it's possible she was there and he could have missed her. I know that Elizabeth Long identifies Annie talking to a man at 5.30. She's sure of that time. And I know Coachman Cadoche says he heard 'no' and someone stumble against the fence at roughly 5.15-20. And he's sure of that time. So times don't jibe. I always thought 5.15-30 am was a very risky time for the murderer. It's beginning to get quite light. People are about. Getting up and going to work. Visiting the backyard privy in the process. Mrs Long could have seen another woman picking up another man. Cadoche might have heard something on the other side of the yard and mistaken where the sound came from. This isn't My New Theory. But I'm no longer so convinced by the old one.

It's hard to see how John Richardson could possibly have missed poor Annie's body if it had been there. She would have been right next to him and at that time it was beginning to get light. But we do not have to guess. John Richardson testified at the inquest that he could not possibly have missed the body had it been there - and he knew precisely where the body had been at that time.

The stuff around the blunt knife was a bit weird though. Presumably he was concerned at being considered a suspect if he had brought a sharp knife to the inquest. I'm not sure if he was saying he actually cut the leather from his boot at the market or on the step. I found it a bit confusing and no-one asked what he did with the blunt knife after- I suppose he kept it in his pocket, there was no mention of his going back inside. The whole carrot for the bunny routine sounds strange - why would he take the knife with him? Maybe this was simply a white lie to explain his carrying a knife.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I know this is not going to be a popular suggestion! But having looked over and over again at the pic of the backyard of 29 Hanbury Street I think it's entirely possible that John Richardson may not have seen Annie Chapman's body while he was there. He says he sat on the 1st step from the ground and cut some leather off his boot. If he's telling the truth. And if that boot is the right boot, then he's looking away from the scene. Unless he's looking down to cut stuff from his left boot--and Annie's legs protrude which, given they were 'drawn up to the body' they may not have done--his view is completely obscured by the door even at that level. The door cuts off everyone's view. I'm not saying she was definitely there and he definitely missed her. But I am saying it's possible she was there and he could have missed her. I know that Elizabeth Long identifies Annie talking to a man at 5.30. She's sure of that time. And I know Coachman Cadoche says he heard 'no' and someone stumble against the fence at roughly 5.15-20. And he's sure of that time. So times don't jibe. I always thought 5.15-30 am was a very risky time for the murderer. It's beginning to get quite light. People are about. Getting up and going to work. Visiting the backyard privy in the process. Mrs Long could have seen another woman picking up another man. Cadoche might have heard something on the other side of the yard and mistaken where the sound came from. This isn't My New Theory. But I'm no longer so convinced by the old one.

One of the issues for me concerns the initial opening of the door. How far would a person normally push open a door so that he can step down two steps to ground level? Surely enough to reveal a body? Yes he was checking the cellar door but all arguments that propose him not seeing the body appear suggest that he’d have continued to face rigidly to the right and to have pretty much kept the door touching the left side of his body.
And as Eten has said of course, Richardson said that he had a complete view of the yard and couldn’t possibly have missed the corpse (and he later saw the corpse in situ and so he was well aware of how much floor space she’d have taken up.)
So for me, I’d say that it not entirely physically impossible that he didn’t see her but I’d say that it was unlikely in the extreme.

[Losmandris]

Just putting it out there and I in no way endorse this idea, but has Richardson ever been considered as a suspect?

Tristan

[Herlock Sholmes]

Posted by Etenguy,

.
The stuff around the blunt knife was a bit weird though.

True. I’d say that Richardson didn’t have to have mentioned the knife though. He could easily have said that he’d sat on the step to smoke his pipe. Or just for a breath of air. So his mentioning of the knife was voluntarily done.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Just putting it out there and I in no way endorse this idea, but has Richardson ever been considered as a suspect?

Tristan

If he hasn't then he’s just about the only man that was vertical at the time that hasn’t been suggested Tristan.

[Losmandris]

If he hasn't then he’s just about the only man that was vertical at the time that hasn’t been suggested Tristan.

I think you could be right. Maybe a little too brazen to kill someone in your own backyard, so possibly likely to be suspect no.1!

Tristan

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

Just putting it out there and I in no way endorse this idea, but has Richardson ever been considered as a suspect?

Tristan

Here you go

https://forum.casebook.org/forum/ripper-discussions/suspects/general-suspect-discussion/10160-john-richardson-the-killer#post10160

Bonnet De Duche!

[Losmandris]

Here you go

https://forum.casebook.org/forum/ripper-discussions/suspects/general-suspect-discussion/10160-john-richardson-the-killer#post10160

Bonnet De Duche!

There a thread for everything!

Tristan

[Herlock Sholmes]

Here you go

https://forum.casebook.org/forum/ripper-discussions/suspects/general-suspect-discussion/10160-john-richardson-the-killer#post10160

Bonnet De Duche!

As Pierre dismissed him as a suspect Al then I’d say that there was a chance of him being the ripper!

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

As Pierre dismissed him as a suspect Al then I’d say that there was a chance of him being the ripper!

Pierre points out, Richardson is great for that one crime, none of the others. It's a good point. Linking suspects to multiple scenes. Where was her suspect? Rounding the Cape or something.