The Sixteen Possibilities of the Murder of Mary Jane Kelly

[Hamrammr]

We're all suspicious of Hutch's remarkable powers of memory and description. And the man he describes (if I'm right in saying this) wasn't seen by anyone else that night.

If only the police had put that last sentence into a question to Hutch... Preferably under a bright, hot spotlight.

[claire]

7b.

I don't believe that a man with such extraordinary observational powers as 'Hutch' presented as having would have wandered around for days after MJ's murder oblivious to either her death or the implications of what he had seen.

[DVV]

Hi Mort Belfry,

Don't be mistaken : Bond didn't know when Mary had her last meal.
He supposed she had it at around 10 or 11 pm....that's all. And this supposition has nothing to do with forensic expertise.
Rigor mortis indicated that she was killed between 2 and 8 in the morning.
That was all he could say as a forensic expert.

Amitiés,
David

[Mort Belfry]

Personally I would say I can't see why Dr Bond would be so far off what time Kelly had her meal.

I don't think Hutchinson would lie for no discernable reason.

And I believe the killer would have had the light on until the moment he left.

This narrows it down to 4a, 5a and 5b for me.

[belinda]

I believe Mary was Jack's last victim.He probably saw her as his ultimate achievement

[Uncle Jack]

I would go with option 7c. It seems the most likely in my opinion

[Garry Wroe]

Thanks, Dave. From little acorns do great oaks grow.

All the best.

Garry Wroe.

[DVV]

Would a drunken Kelly have taken to the cold and rainswept streets after Blotchy’s departure, for example? If so, could she have done so without alerting her neighbours to her comings and goings? And could George Hutchinson have misconstrued Kelly’s behaviour to the extent that he believed her to have been no more than a little tipsy at the time of their alleged Commercial Street encounter

Hi Garry,

excellent points and questions.
Imo, she never ventured out again, for as you said, she was drunk, it was late and cold, and nodody heard her coming and going.
As to Hutch...well...since we know he was to meet Astrakhan Man again on Sunday morning....

Amitiés,
David

[spyglass]

Ben,
Quite right, I have always questioned just exactly how the police worked in the 1880's ,if they went through training or did they just work on their own initatives and expeirence's, or was there a formular they all worked to.
I remember reading somewhere that the police of today would have taken a bigger intrest in Hutchinson, then they "seemed" to do back then.

[Garry Wroe]

Excellent work, Mort. I would suggest, however, that Catherine Picket is added to the model. Her story provides confirmation that Kelly was singing until one o’ clock or thereabouts, and the singing tends to corroborate the extent of Kelly’s drunkenness. Those who knew Kelly regarded her as quiet and friendly when sober, but noisy and quarrelsome whilst under the influence. Hence the singing lends implied support to Mary Ann Cox’s observation that Kelly was in a near-incoherent state shortly before midnight. Given that Kelly entered her room with Blotchy and yet more alcohol, it is highly likely that she was drunker still when the singing finally subsided at one o’ clock. This, of course, represents an important consideration in any attempt to determine subsequent events. Would a drunken Kelly have taken to the cold and rainswept streets after Blotchy’s departure, for example? If so, could she have done so without alerting her neighbours to her comings and goings? And could George Hutchinson have misconstrued Kelly’s behaviour to the extent that he believed her to have been no more than a little tipsy at the time of their alleged Commercial Street encounter?

Food for thought.

All the best.

Garry Wroe.

[DVV]

Indeed Ben,

they were satisfied that Hutch was a poor dosser with no regular employment.
What else ?
They could have asked him when and where he met Kelly 3 years ago...
Did they ask ?
Very possibly...Unfortunately we don't know Hutch's answer.

Amitiés,
David

[Ben]

Just a strictly general observation about suspect investigation, but in 1888, there was only so much "checking" that the police could realistically have hoped to achieve. That's not to say they wouldn't have done their best, but there were obvious limitations.

Best regards,
Ben

[spyglass]

HI Mike,
True...Hutchinson could have been telling the truth, and was'nt involved at all.
I simply think what he said just does'nt feel right to me and that there was more to it then meets the eye.
However I dont believe he was the killer.

[The Good Michael]

HI ALL!

I have never felt that Hutchinson was the killer, but always thought he was up to no good, "possibly" involved, maybe as a lookout ( accomplice ) and only came forward in case he had been spotted and to put himself out of the frame.
I have allways thought Abberline made a mistake in not treating him with more suspicion ( unless he did, but we dont know about )

Spy,

There really should be no doubt that Hutchinson was thoroughly checked out, interrogated, and walked around town by the police. It doesn't mean he didn't lie. It just means that they believed him, initially, because he checked out.

Mike

[spyglass]

HI ALL!

I have never felt that Hutchinson was the killer, but always thought he was up to no good, "possibly" involved, maybe as a lookout ( accomplice ) and only came forward in case he had been spotted and to put himself out of the frame.
I have allways thought Abberline made a mistake in not treating him with more suspicion ( unless he did, but we dont know about )