Coles Case

[RavenDarkendale]

With the voting running pretty much neck and neck, if not Tom Sadler, does your no vote mean JtR? And if not Tom Sadler and not JtR, whom do you suspect?

[Stephen Thomas]

But I'm not against a rough, short sailor...

Ooh, get you dearie. (UK humour).

[Haskins]

Case not proven and so, having recently watched Twelve Angry Men, I had to vote no. However I don't think that Cole was killed by the Ripper.

[Stephen Thomas]

Twelve Angry Men has more bearing on the Caroline Maxwell testimony.

[Richard Dewar]

If you switched the Dates Stride and Coles Killings. . .

If you switched the dates of the Stride and Coles killings, my guess is Coles would be one of the canonical five and most experts would be dismissing Stride.

[sdreid]

This coming Saturday is the 125th anniversary of Coles' murder no matter who did it. R.I.P. Frances

[Harry D]

If only Coles' murderer could've been caught. We might not be discussing the Ripper today.

Is it true that Macnaghten thought that Sadler was responsible for killing Coles AND McKenzie?

[Abby Normal]

did sadler kill coles?
probably.

was he the ripper?
no.

[Harry D]

did sadler kill coles?
probably.

Wasn't Sadler busy being drunk as a skunk and getting his ass handed to him that night to commit the murder?

[Elamarna]

Did he kill Coles? Not sure so possible,

was he the Ripper? 100% No

[John G]

I think it very unlikely that Sadler murdered Coles'. Between 1:15 and 1:50 he was involved in a fight involving some dock labourers outside St Katherine's Dock, leaving him with a bad scalp wound. He was also extremely drunk and possessed a very blunt knife.

[Jon Guy]

I think it very unlikely that Sadler murdered Coles'. Between 1:15 and 1:50 he was involved in a fight involving some dock labourers outside St Katherine's Dock, leaving him with a bad scalp wound. He was also extremely drunk and possessed a very blunt knife.

He didn`t even have a knife, John. He didn`t use one when he picked a fight with the two dockers, and when he was later randomly searched by a policeman no knife was found.

He was thoroughly looked into by the police , and the media, and the charges were dropped
Definitely, not guilty

[Abby Normal]

Wasn't Sadler busy being drunk as a skunk and getting his ass handed to him that night to commit the murder?

Hi harryD
he was a drunk angry violent mess that night and also pissed off at coles and they were together several times throughout the evening.

I'm not wedded to the idea but my money is on him.

[Abby Normal]

He didn`t even have a knife, John. He didn`t use one when he picked a fight with the two dockers, and when he was later randomly searched by a policeman no knife was found.

He was thoroughly looked into by the police , and the media, and the charges were dropped
Definitely, not guilty

Hi Jon
but wasn't later enough time for him to get rid of it?

also, wasn't he aquitted at trial and not charges dropped?

[Jon Guy]

Hi Abby

but wasn't later enough time for him to get rid of it?

Yes, if guilty, Sadler could have got rid of it after the murder but before he was searched by a copper an hour or so later. But, why did he not use the knife when he took on the two dockers and was badly beaten ?

The truth is that Sadler was so drunk and wounded when he could have met Coles in Swallow Gardens that he could barely stand and Coles would have beaten him up !! Whomever, cut her throat managed to get Coles on the floor and cut her throat with a steady hand.

also, wasn't he aquitted at trial and not charges dropped?

He was appearing at the Police Court, which decides whether he should go on for trial.
I was looking for the correct "term" and this is what the Casebook wiki says, which is what I went with, but you may be correct.

Sadler received legal representation from the Seaman's Union who had collected some strong witnesses in his favour; as a result, charges against him were dropped on 2nd March before the case could go to court
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