Kate's Last Half Hour

[Leanne]

They were just passing through. Probably after a night out, like Lawende, etc.

Blenkinsop was not the watchman of a warehouse, but of some roadworks in St James' Square.

I knew that Blenkinsop was not the watchman of the warehouse but a watchman in St. James Square. I knew that there was another watchman inside the warehouse.
Blenkinsop saw some people PASS the entrance to Mitre Square. He didn't notice anyone enter Mitre Square.

[Robert St Devil]

They were just passing through. Probably after a night out, like Lawende, etc.

Blenkinsop was not the watchman of a warehouse, but of some roadworks in St James' Square.

Star 1st Oct;
"James Blenkingsop, who was on duty as a watchman in St. James's-place (leading to the square), where some street improvements are taking place, states that about half-past one a respectably-dressed man came up to him and said, "Have you seen a man and a woman go through here?" "I didn't take any notice," returned Blenkingsop. "I have seen some people pass.""

Most likely the questioner was one of the detectives sent out, trying to establish where and when Kate and her killer had entered Mitre Square, but Blenkinsop was unable to help, and wrongly estimated the time of the encounter



There's no mention of women specifically and no descriptions - "I didn't take any notice," returned Blenkingsop. "I have seen some people pass."



Times 12 Oct
"George James Morris, the next witness called, said he was watchman at Messrs. Kearley and Tonge's tea merchants, in Mitre-square. He went on duty there at 7 o'clock in the evening.
THE CORONER. - What happened at a quarter to 2 o'clock? - Police-constable Watkins, who was on the Mitre-square beat, knocked at the door of the warehouse. It was slightly "on the jar." He was then sweeping the steps down towards the door, and as he was doing so the door was pushed. "
"There was nothing unusual in his door being open or in his being at work at a quarter to 2 o'clock on Sunday morning.
By a juryman. - His door had not been on the jar more than two or three minutes before Watkins called him"

So Morris had just opened the door slightly and was sweeping the dirt toward it, and probably out of it if Watkins hadn't arrived.

I knew that Blenkinsop was not the watchman of the warehouse but a watchman in St. James Square. I knew that there was another watchman inside the warehouse.
Blenkinsop saw some people PASS the entrance to Mitre Square. He didn't notice anyone enter Mitre Square.

You give them books, Joshua, and what do they do?
Eat the pages

[Leanne]

In that Star 1st October report I just read this:
The Night Watchman's Story.


The Star man next got hold of Morris, the watchman at Kearley and Tonge's. He was standing at the door, and said, first, that he had just been through the warehouse and had gone to the front door to look out into the square two moments before Watkins called to him last night.

"Do you always take a look out into the square?"

"Every night in the week, BARRING SATURDAY NIGHT, I stand at this door and smoke my pipe from one till two o'clock. It is a habit with me, and the police on the beat know it well, but on Saturday nights I HAVE SOME WORK TO DO INSIDE THAT INTERFERES WITH IT."

[Wickerman]

Blenkinsop saw some people PASS the entrance to Mitre Square. He didn't notice anyone enter Mitre Square.

No Leanne, Blenkingsop saw some people "go through here", meaning through the Place - St. James Place, no direction is given.

In fact the man asking the question may well have pointed in one direction, perhaps towards Mitre Square?, as he asked the question, but we don't know.
The most we may assume is that if any other direction was implied by the question the reporter would not have bothered printing the story, but that is only an assumption.

[Leanne]

No Leanne, Blenkingsop saw some people "go through here", meaning through the Place - St. James Place, no direction is given.

In fact the man asking the question may well have pointed in one direction, perhaps towards Mitre Square?, as he asked the question, but we don't know.
The most we may assume is that if any other direction was implied by the question the reporter would not have bothered printing the story, but that is only an assumption.

WHAT REPORT ARE YOU READING???????

Star 1st Oct;

"James Blenkingsop, who was on duty as a watchman in St. James's-place (leading to the square), where some street improvements are taking place, states that about half-past one a respectably-dressed man came up to him and said, "Have you seen a man and a woman go through here?" "I didn't take any notice," returned Blenkingsop. "I have seen some people pass.""

[Leanne]

If the man who asked the question pointed, towards the Mitre Square entrance and Blenkinsop said "I have seen some people pass", and meant pass THROUGH the entrance doesn't that contradict "I didn't take any notice"?????????

Blenkinsop meant "I have seen some people pass BY the entrance"....and keep going.

[Leanne]

SOME PEOPLE!....How many people do you think were using Mitre Square that night, and why did Jack choose it? He'd just been interrupted on Berner Street!

[Michael W Richards]

SOME PEOPLE!....How many people do you think were using Mitre Square that night, and why did Jack choose it? He'd just been interrupted on Berner Street!

Nobody was interrupted on Berner Street, the physical evidence says so. Liz Stride was just murdered, not butchered. Not directed specifically at you, but to continue to use this as an excuse for the lack of mutilations is annoying, it has to end sometime...she was killed. Period. That's all that was intended by the evidence.

[Wickerman]

If Blenkingsop saw "some people pass", then what was it that he didn't take any notice of?
The direction they were heading or, whether they were a male & female?

As St. James Place is a square, and we have no idea where in that square those road works were, then equally we have no idea which direction those people were heading.
Just like Mitre Square, St. James Place has three exits; St. James Passage (to Mitre Square), Duke Street, & King Street.
There's a 33 1/3 % chance those people were heading to Mitre Square

[Leanne]

If Blenkingsop saw "some people pass", then what was it that he didn't take any notice of?
The direction they were heading or, whether they were a male & female?

That detail perhaps plus their clothing, their hair color, their complexions, their expressions, what they were carrying.....

As St. James Place is a square, and we have no idea where in that square those road works were, then equally we have no idea which direction those people were heading.
Just like Mitre Square, St. James Place has three exits; St. James Passage (to Mitre Square), Duke Street, & King Street.
There's a 33 1/3 % chance those people were heading to Mitre Square. [/QUOTE]
OK, Let's pretend they all went into Mitre Square...…..why did the killer choose such a busy location?

[DJA]

Anyone passing through would have been between Duke Street and Mitre Street.
Mitre Square is better accessed directly by those streets rather than the passage.

If Jack and Kate entered Mitre Square from the usual three points, it is likely Morris would have heard them.

[DJA]

do you know where we can find the original report on what Blenkinsop saw? Was it in a newspaper report?

It was a newspaper report.

St James Place was the small street that accessed the court.

Implies he was watching over that street's upgrade/repair and onsite equipment.

[Leanne]

A Couple Asked After.
STAR, 1ST OCTOBER:
James Blenkingsop, who was on duty as a watchman in St. James's-place (leading to the square), where some street improvements are taking place, states that about half-past one a respectably-dressed man came up to him and said, "Have you seen a man and a woman go through here?" "I didn't take any notice," returned Blenkingsop. "I have seen some people pass."

AT WHAT TIME DID THEY PASS?

[DJA]

Before one thirty

That's all we have

[Michael W Richards]

A Couple Asked After.
STAR, 1ST OCTOBER:
James Blenkingsop, who was on duty as a watchman in St. James's-place (leading to the square), where some street improvements are taking place, states that about half-past one a respectably-dressed man came up to him and said, "Have you seen a man and a woman go through here?" "I didn't take any notice," returned Blenkingsop. "I have seen some people pass."

AT WHAT TIME DID THEY PASS?

I think its interesting that the reporter gives the time he says he saw this, we don't get a direct quote on that time from the watchman. "I have seen some people pass" is a far broader statement.