Efforts to Indentify the Broad Shouldered Man

[c.d.]

What efforts were made by the police to identify the BS man? I am not really aware of any. You would think that he would be the prime suspect in the Stride murder and also a good candidate for being Jack himself. You would think that a sketch would have been made based on Schwartz's description and distributed. With sketch in hand, the police could have made the rounds of the pubs in the area where his assault on Liz took place. The prostitutes could have been questioned as well. This is not to say that this wasn't done but is there any record of it? If not, does this speak to how Scotland Yard viewed Schwartz's credibility?

c.d.

[Chris]

What efforts were made by the police to identify the BS man? I am not really aware of any. You would think that he would be the prime suspect in the Stride murder and also a good candidate for being Jack himself. You would think that a sketch would have been made based on Schwartz's description and distributed. With sketch in hand, the police could have made the rounds of the pubs in the area where his assault on Liz took place. The prostitutes could have been questioned as well. This is not to say that this wasn't done but is there any record of it? If not, does this speak to how Scotland Yard viewed Schwartz's credibility?

We do know from Swanson's report dated 19 October that the description given by Schwartz was circulated [to the police] by wire immediately after the murder. It was also published in the Police Gazette of 19 October. For some reason I've never understood, the police initially seem to have tried to suppress the descriptions given by both Schawrtz and Lawende, rather than releasing them to the public.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Chris,

Eddowes inquest, 11th October 1888–

[Lawende] I observed a man and woman together at the corner of Church-passage, Duke-street, leading to Mitre-square.
[Coroner] Were they talking?
[Lawende] The woman was standing with her face towards the man, and I only saw her back. She had one hand on his breast. He was the taller. She had on a black jacket and bonnet. I have seen the articles at the police-station, and believe them to be those the deceased was wearing.
[Coroner] What sort of man was this?
[Lawende] He had on a cloth cap with a peak of the same.
[Mr. Crawford] Unless the jury wish it, I do not think further particulars should be given as to the appearance of this man.
[The Foreman] The jury do not desire it.

Why was Mr Crawford, the City solicitor, being so cautious, when nine days earlier . . .

The Times, 2nd October 1888–

"The following is a description of a man seen in company with a woman who is supposed to be the victim of the murderer in the City. The man was observed in a court in Duke-street, leading to Mitre-square, about 1:40 a.m. on Sunday. He is described as of shabby appearance, about 30 years of age and 5ft. 9in. in height, of fair complexion, having a small fair moustache, and wearing a red neckerchief and a cap with a peak."

Regards,

Simon

[Chris]

Simon

Yes, that's another odd aspect. The description that had already appeared in the Times doesn't seem much different from the one in police records, except that the height is a bit greater, the clothing is described in less detail, and the part about the man having the appearance of a sailor is omitted.

Here's a comment from the Daily Telegraph of 12 November (whose author was apparently unaware that the description had been published in the Police Gazette):
These authentic descriptions, we have reason to know, have been secretly circulated by the authorities of Scotland-yard since Oct. 26, but the complete details have never been made public. This reticence is one of the mysteries of police administration, and it is difficult to find an explanation to account for the fact that this important information has been "confidentially communicated" to police-officers throughout the kingdom, but has been withheld from the people who have had the best opportunities of seeing and of, therefore, recognising the assassin. The point which the police appear to have been at most pains to suppress is the significant one that the unknown murderer has the "appearance of a sailor."

Accounts vary, but at least three of the reports of the inquest have Henry Crawford, the City Solicitor, saying that there was a "reason" or a "special reason" why the description should not be given in court.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Chris,

One of the most telling things in all this is how Swanson so clumsily attempted to square the Schwartz/Lawende evidential circle in his 19th October report.

Somebody, doubtless a master of understatement, wrote in the margin, "This is rather confused . . ."

Regards,

Simon

[Chris]

One of the most telling things in all this is how Swanson so clumsily attempted to square the Schwartz/Lawende evidential circle in his 19th October report.

Somebody, doubtless a master of understatement, wrote in the margin, "This is rather confused . . ."

It seems to me that Swanson is saying that if Schwartz and PC Smith saw different men, then it's more likely that Schwartz's man was the murderer than that PC Smith's man was, but that in any case the murderer could have been someone else. And the author of the marginal note finds the wording unclear, but goes on to articulate the same conclusion.

If the transcript in USB is accurate, the mention of Lawende comes later on.

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi All,

Yes, BS Man's description was widely circulated amongst the police, but not so much to the public. My guess is that they thought they had their man and didn't want to spook him by publishing his description. Strangely, Pipeman's description was not circulated as widely.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott