Did Mary know her killer?

[MayBea]

He knew she was a prostitute and approached her when she wasn't really working.

She had a meal in her stomach so she wasn't desperate. Why risk taking a stranger into her home.

Didn't she entertain him with song?

He had a hankie ready to use as a probable contraceptive. How did he know she liked to use one?

[Wickerman]

Mary is simply Kate with the killer having more time.

c.d.

That is the simplest way to look at it, yes, I agree.

[Wickerman]

Or know like Mrs Maxwell knew [or perhaps thought she knew] Kelly?

When we look at her statements, both to the press and the court, it appears Maxwell was no nearer to Kelly than on the opposite side of the street.
Maxwell worked at No. 15, and lived next door at No. 14.

No. 15 Dorset St. is directly opposite No. 27, McCarthy's, so Maxwell walked to her left away from Kelly. Although the street is not too wide, it is quite possible she mistook another woman for Kelly.

When Maxwell left to go get milk she also walked away, westward in the direction of Bishopsgate. And on her return Maxwell claims to have seen Kelly at the far end of the street, that is something in the order of 120-150 ft away from No. 14.

There is a report in the Aberdeen Journal, 12th Nov., that tells us Maxwell described Kelly as wearing a "black dress with red trimmings".
It may not have been Kelly afterall.

Interestingly, Maurice Lewis, who also claimed to have seen a woman leave about 8 o'clock and return with milk about 9 o'clock.
This is what Maxwell did, not Kelly. I wonder if the reporter confused Lewis's statement for Kelly, when he was talking about Maxwell.

There must be simple answers to all this confusion.

[FrancoLoco]

Yeah, this comes up over and over again and people think it could be incredibly significant but we always have to ask knew how? It could run the gamut from lover to someone she met that day.

c.d.

Or a previus client.

[Wickerman]

It's strange the McCarthy's guy came to check on Kelly when she hadn't paid rent in so long, they choose that morning to check up on her?

Not strange, Landlords have said the best time to catch these 'ladies' is in a morning, as they typically are out most of the night.

Thats a paraphrase from one landlord who had the same problem with renters.

[Wickerman]

... He's trapped in a lock room unlike some of the other ripper murders were he has some means of escape.

If someone did walk in on him, he is the one with the advantage.
I doubt anyone entering the room is expecting to be attacked by a knife wielding maniac.

[RockySullivan]

What do we know about Thomas bowyer? I wonder where did McCarthy keep his axe...
The Kelly murder shows the ripper did work inside....what would the difference be between the scene of a torso dismemberment & the Kelly murder.....the cleanup?

[c.d.]

Mary is simply Kate with the killer having more time.

c.d.

[c.d.]

Hello Michael,

What rage elements are you referring to? Is it really possible to look at Kate's mortuary photos and conclude that there is no way she would have ended up looking like Mary if only her killer had more time?

c.d.

[Michael W Richards]

If you base your response to this question solely on the available evidence you would be compelled to pre-suppose a personal relationship of some kind. The evidence points to either Blotchy remaining and doing the deed, or someone coming in after he leaves and killing her...after she willingly lets him enter the room sometime after 3am. Either way, its a known man to Mary as the felon.

The physical evidence shows some rage elements previously unseen in Canonicals, and the circumstantial evidence has her in the company of the man she comes home with or a man she willingly lets in.

My bet is on the other "Joe" Mary was seeing behind Barnetts back....a man she says "treats her badly" from time to time to a friend....

Cheers

[RockySullivan]

Hello Rocky,

It was six weeks not six months. I don't see anything suspicious in what McCarthy did nor apparently did the police.

c.d.

6 weeks sorry. Do you think it's suspicious that McCarthy didn't own a key to his building and needed to break the door down with an axe? Despite what the incorrigible police may or may not find suspicious, I certainly find it suspect that the owner of a building wouldn't have a key to his own room.

[c.d.]

Hello Rocky,

It was six weeks not six months. I don't see anything suspicious in what McCarthy did nor apparently did the police.

c.d.

[RockySullivan]

That's true cd, makes it all the more that strange bowyer peaked thru the window that morning. Kelly was six months
Late on rent....and McCarthy decided to collect only a few hours after shes literally ripped to pieces. Would landlords typically collect rent on a holiday like lords mayors day? Why let her slide so long and then send bowyer that morning. If bowyer had come early would he have seen the ripper? Is it possible bowyer did interrupt the ripper and that's when he left while bowyer ran for help...

[c.d.]

I forgot to add they he also could have asked Mary if she was expecting anyone that evening. Regardless, we know he was willing to take his chances.

c.d.

[c.d.]

Hello Rocky,

I think it was a reasonable assumption that no one would be coming by late at night and even if they did they most likely would knock. If there was no answer they would probably assume she was with a client and simply go away. He also could have used something to block the door and prevent anyone from entering.

c.d.