eddowes..direction to death.

[Rubyretro]

I think that (and the timing and the unlikelihood of yet another couple matching Eddowes' description) gives that particular sighting more credence to all the others. I just wish there were more discussion on this man as he's by far the closest suspect to have been the killer (though admittedly there wouldn't be much to talk about, given that we don't know who the hell he was ).

[/QUOTE]

The thing is, Mascara, London was (is !) absolutely full of men and women -even at that time of night/early morning. There is a very very high chance that some of them talked together and paired off !

The couple seen by Lawende were not in Mitre Square, nor even seen going down the passage to the Square -and maybe they never did.

Lawende et al saw the couple for a minute or so, as they hurried past, and their attention seemed more directed at the man, as he could have been a
potential threat to them, as he apparently looked a bit of a ruffian.

Lawende identified Eddowes by her clothes alone -but the clothes that he must have seen in the mortury were surely ripped and stained with blood and faeces.

If he only saw the live woman's clothes for a minute, in the dark, without paying particular attention, then he could only have realistically have got an 'impression' of them...and is that really enough to make a firm identification ?

Once again, the aggressive look of the man fit with a popular idea of a killer
-but we know that serial killers can look very mild and normal looking indeed.

I think that, given the timing, the police wanted this to be Jack and Eddowes
...but it probably wasn't.

[PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR 1]

I agree with the comments that the victims led the murderer to the places where they were murdered.

Nichols was last seen heading for Whitechapel Road, but ended up in the more secluded Buck's Row.

Chapman was last seen walking in the direction of Hanbury Street and ended up in a yard at the back of one of its houses.

Stride was last seen near a yard in Berner Street but ended up in the darkness of the yard.

Eddowes was last seen in Church Passage but ended up in a dark corner of Mitre Square.

Kelly was last seen looking for a customer and obviously took him back to her room.

Their own habits unfortunately played into the murderer's hands and he knew that they would.