The cut in the throat

[claire]

Lynn,
I'm disinclined to address every point in your post. Still, let's say this. I've declined your invitation to go through all the papers; I'm just going to go on the fact that I used to work on crime statistics both for the Home Office and five universities, so I feel a little qualified to speak up for myself here. Murder clear-up rates have been consistently high since the inception of the collection of stats on the same; during the period of our enquiry, a sizeable percentage (c. 45-55%) of murders were cases of infanticide; similarly, the majority of the remainder were domestics or the perpetrator was previously known to the victim. As a consequence, the overwhelming majority (between 90 and 98% in the reference period) were cleared up within 72 hours of their occurrence (and, yes, I concede, clear-up does not equal arrest or conviction, simply that the perpetrator had been reasonably identified, had been arrested or was subject to arrest: you'll know, of course, that most arrested for unlawful killing confess or are clearly responsible).

What distinguished the WM series was the highly unusual fact that a perpetrator was not readily identifiable in each case. Further, the MO was brutal and swift and involved mutilation in four of that C5. As I said, I'm not flat out saying that there couldn't have been more than one perpetrator for the C5, and I'm inclined to feel that Stride, at least, is a case for possible exclusion.

Then, of course, I couldn't possibly know or, as you have it, even construct a tenable argument.

[lynn cates]

Evans & Skinner

Hello Roy. I found that in "The Ultimate Companion" p. 59. The report was dated September 19 but unsigned. He was found on Caledonian road and sent to the Clerkenwell Police Station. He was later released.

Cheers.
LC

[richardnunweek]

Hi Sarah Lee,
When I started this thread, although being well aware that the report I released was against the grain, I considered it of intrest , as it was from a evening edition of the 1st october, and it clearly states that the early edition reports of ear to ear were incorrect, and not only that described the injury to the throat of Stride which differs markedly.
Added to that.. Dr Philips, and Dr Gordons professional opinions that the wounds to the throat on both victims differed , making it two two different killers, was amble reason to start this thread.
As to the [ excluding Stride] pairing of the remaining victims, I still would not discount the letter of the 24th, just because it proceeded the 'Dear Boss', although I am fully aware, that it contained nothing that was not known in the media, it is because of that, in addition to other factors that I am swaying towards Eddowes and MJK, as being paired together.
Regards Richard.

[Roy Corduroy]

Lynn, can you direct me to the source material of Isenschmid being picked up at a vacant house in Clerkenwell in Aug 88? What house, where? Who picked him up?

Roy

Now back to regularly scheduled programming.

[SarahLee]

Back to the Opening post . . .

Oh how I wish that I could accept that newspaper report as accurate.

While it's not impossible that Stride was an interrupted "Ripper killing", there's nothing there beyond the circumstantial to persuade me that she was. If that report could be accepted as fact it would finally and firmly put the matter to rest for me . . . but it just doesn't tally with the post-mortem reports which would indicate a case of mistaken reporting. I do wonder where that story originated though

As for the others: There is little doubt in my mind that Nichols and Chapman were killed by the same hand. I also strongly believe that Eddowes and Kelly shared the same murderer . . . and on the balance of probability I'm more inclined to link the two pairs than not.

[lynn cates]

on conspiracy

Hello Sally.

"And of course, the opportunities for successful conspiracy diminish in direct proportion to the number of conspirators. "

Agreed. I believe that, ultimately, this was Richard Nixon's problem.

Cheers.
LC

[Sally]

conspiratorial chaos?

Hello Sally.

"As for conspiracy theories - there are plenty about... aren't there?"

Well, it seems to me that there are. Of course, the problem with EACH of them is, not that they are conspiracy theories (for conspiracies sometimes happen), but that they all fall apart due to their internal inconsistencies.

Cheers.
LC

Conspiracies do sometimes happen, apparently. Although often not, in all probability. The problem with a conspiracy is that is may be so much more than the sum of its parts.

And of course, the opportunities for successful conspiracy diminish in direct proportion to the number of conspirators.

As conspiracy is by its nature a super-high-risk affair; it requires the very strongest of motives to exist in the first place. This, I feel, is where it so often lets itself down.

[lynn cates]

internal inconsistencies

Hello Sally.

"As for conspiracy theories - there are plenty about... aren't there?"

Well, it seems to me that there are. Of course, the problem with EACH of them is, not that they are conspiracy theories (for conspiracies sometimes happen), but that they all fall apart due to their internal inconsistencies.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

vielen dank

Hello Ruby. Thanks!

Cheers.
LC

[Sally]

LC

"One might choose to argue for conspiracy. But that is very hard to do with any degree of plausibility."

Who's doing that?

I was making general obsevations Lynn; not directing accusations at anybody in particular. As for conspiracy theories - there are plenty about... aren't there?

[Rubyretro]

It is in his book -page 24

[lynn cates]

avid reader

Hello Ruby. Is that in Neal's book or is it a thread? I'd love to read that.

By the way, there is no deduction here--only an induction.

Cheers.
LC

[Rubyretro]

Hello Ruby.

"

She was a known regular prostitute"

I believe that this is the first time I have seen the adjective "regular" appended to Liz's purported trade. Often, she is referred to as a "casual" prostitute.

Cheers.
LC

Neal Sheldon, when citing Stride's sentancing at Thames Magistrate's Court
for being "drunk and disorderly, and soliciting prostitution" continues with " her most familiar beats to ply her tradein London's East End was at Commercial Road East to as far afield as Stratford and Bow". This is the same woman who had already been registered as a prostitute in police files in her native Sweden. So I think that we can deduce that she was a regular prostitute.

[lynn cates]

Baxter

Hello Velma.

"I do agree with whoever mentioned the fact that she was killed by someone with the confidence to pull it off in such a public place."

Add to that his silent escape and you have Wynne Baxter! He noted the dissimilarity in Kate and Liz on the one hand and Polly and Annie on the other, yet he could not dismiss the boldness and escape.

Cheers.
LC

[Fisherman]

Sally:

"Without wanting to start a Stride Fight; in your opinion, how do we know there was no intent to eviscerate in that instance?"

We donīt, simple as that. But the fact remains that no evisceration was carried out on Stride, and when we combine this with the comparatively shallow cut to her throat, we have a good case for an absent Ripper. If the cut in the throat had gone all the way down, notching the vertebrae, it would have been another thing, I think. But as it stands, the interruption theory seems to rest on the Ripper being interrupted halfway through his cut to the throat, and thatīs a bit too coincidental in my view.

There are other things too, but Iīll take your advice and stop short here!

The best,
Fisherman