The fire in the grate...

[Magpie]

Something came up in the chatroom yesterday evening that I don't think I've seen proposed before (my apologies if I'm wrong).

Is it possible that the fire in the grate was stoked up by the Ripper just prior to his leaving so that if someone were to look through the window before dawn they would be able to see his handiwork?

It's hard not to see the crime scene as a very deliberate composition, and as any artist will tell you, proper illumination is vital to any work. I think that the Ripper wanted the discovery of the body to hold the maximum shock value, and it would be a disappointment to him if someone were to look into or enter Kelly's room in the couple of hours after his departure and before sunrise without witnessing the full horror of his deeds.

Has this been mooted before?

[Doctor X]

I wish to thank you for using "moot" properly. [It an obsession with him.--Ed.]

I have not--in my limited experience. I guess the only way to answer that question would be determination of how long the fire had been going. I am not sure anyone has any clue on that.

But . . . then . . . why not leave the door and window open?

--J.D.

[j.r-ahde]

Hello Doctor X!

And thus giving a message to the people passing by;

"Here I am slaughtering my latest victim! Come and get me!"

All the best
Jukka

[Mitch Rowe]

Heck..Why not go to the press and tell them theres been a murder down the street?
Im just taking a wild guess here but I dont see the ripper as caring too much about first impressions. He knew people would find out what he did. It was going to be sensational anyway. Besides..I doubt if the Ripper even knew ther was a window there.

[Doctor X]

j.r-ahde:

Exactly.

Assuming he did not cover up the window. Anyone know what condition the window was in--would a passer by not trying to peer in be able to see anything?

Mitch:

I do not think he cared much about when people would discover his work--having done his previous known murders in the street. Mary Kelly was going to make an "impression" soon enough! I think his only concern was getting away with it when done. Obviously, he succeeded.

--J.D.

[j.r-ahde]

Hello Doctor X!

I find it even possible, that he was among the crowd following the police actions!

(And maybe quietly and unnnoticed sneering by himself! )

All the best
Jukka

[Doctor X]

There is, to my knowledge, quite a few murderers who have done that--watched the investigation. Certainly, Jack could have done that.

Which, in my mind, lessens the likelihood of him being a raving "psychopath"; he was not noticed.

--J. "The FOOLS!" D.

[richardnunweek]

Hi,
The fire issue is a intresting one, the main question asked being ,'Who lit the fire'?
Four observations prompt me to suggest that Mjk herself lit the fire.
A]Maurice Lewis ... 'Return with some milk'.
B] Her boots and their position in the room.
C] Her clothes dangled over the broken backed chair, where found
D] The melting of the kettle,
To me the above points lead me to the scenerio that Kelly was alive during waking hours, and that she left her room obtained milk.lit the fire with any fuel she had, went out saw Maxwell, allowed herself to be picked up by a market porter around 845am, suggested to him that he called on her in say 15minutes saying' Second door on the right my Love, down the court'.
She then returned to her room, fillled the kettle with water to make tea, for her , and her client, then undressed leaving her boots near the fireplace, and her dress and other clothing on the chair, before sitting on the bed when down to her chemise.
It was at this point her killer entered , closed the door and killed her immediately.
That is why the kettle melted ,as no one removed it away from the heat
Regards Richard.

[Fisherman]

Hi Richard!

You write:
"To me the above points lead me to the scenerio that Kelly was alive during waking hours, and that she left her room obtained milk.lit the fire with any fuel she had, went out saw Maxwell, allowed herself to be picked up by a market porter around 845am, suggested to him that he called on her in say 15minutes saying' Second door on the right my Love, down the court'.
She then returned to her room, fillled the kettle with water to make tea, for her , and her client, then undressed leaving her boots near the fireplace, and her dress and other clothing on the chair, before sitting on the bed when down to her chemise.
It was at this point her killer entered , closed the door and killed her immediately.
That is why the kettle melted ,as no one removed it away from the heat"

...and I have a small objection: if the market porter was a punter - any punter, to Mary´s mind - I fail to see that she would have undressed in advance and sat down on the bed to wait for him.
Undressing would have been a chilly affair with the broken window panes, and I don´t think that she would have taken the risk to jump the gun (or is that knife...?)

About the kettle: How can you be sure that the fire on that very night was the one that melted it?

The best, Richard!
Fisherman

[Doctor X]

How can we be sure that Maxwell's testimony is accurate?











--J.D.

[Fisherman]

How can I be sure that was a serious question...?

Fisherman

[richardnunweek]

Hi Fisherman,
My scenerio is based on observation, that being,the most obvious is Mjk lit the fire on awakening proberly by Catherine Picketts knock around 730am.
That being the case when she returned to the room around 845am the room would have been relatively warm.
Regarding my suggestion that the man did not accompany her back, I felt Mjk would not have wanted to be seen escorting a man back to the court especially so close to her landlords shop in daylight, also if the man was her killer, it would have suited him to go solo.
Also it would have given her time to undress to await his arrival, as for the kettle, it does appear to have melted that evening /morning as no information came forth to oppose that assumption, and as I understand Mrs Harvey had breakfast with kelly on thursday morning surely she was in a position to answer police questions regarding that.
Regards Richard.

[Doctor X]

How can I be sure that was a serious question...?

Because I am wearing my Serious Pants.

That and I have PEZ.

--J.D.

[Fisherman]

Richard writes:

"the most obvious is Mjk lit the fire on awakening proberly by Catherine Picketts knock around 730am"

...Pickets unanswered knock, that is!

Doctor X writes:

"Because I am wearing my Serious Pants.

That and I have PEZ."

Well, doc; that settles it, then!

The best,
Fisherman

[Doctor X]

You cannot resist the PEZ!

You love it!

Your life is meaningless without PEZ!

--J.D.

P.S. I realize that certain topics are, to put it mildly, "contentious." 'tis rather easy for some to take debate as personal rather than investigative.