Torso Killer discussion from Millwood Thread

[Joshua Rogan]

I would not make that guess myself - we are dealing with a killer who seemed to spare no time between killing and cutting. Of course, the head was cut off at a later stage than the legs, but my guess is that this may have been a simple precaution in order to make identification harder. Overall, my belief is that the head more often than not played a big role in what he did, and I believe he left it on as long as he was "doing his thing" with the body. and only disposed of it when the time had come for dumping it.

Are you sure about that? The doctors make no such assumption, merely noting that the "cut surfaces at the hips were black and dry, but the surface at the neck moist and red".
To my mind, this can be accounted for by Dr Clarke's description of the body as he found it; "Covering over the cut surface of the neck & over the right shoulder were the remains of what had been a chemise".

The simple act of removing the chemise would have exposed the cut surfaces of the neck again, like picking a scab.

[Debra A]

Forgive me for asking, but why is it said that the part found 200 yards from the river may have been thrown with the intent to get it into the river? Isnt that an almighty throw? I am probably misunderstading things, but I need an explanation!

It is said because I am saying it as an idea. We are allowed those still aren't we?!
The police were reported as claiming that all the remains were thrown from the Albert Bridge at the same time, experiments were done with times and tides and a time of a 6am dumping from the bridge concluded.

There are differing reports of the Battersea Park find. It was reported to have been found in a thicket or shrubbery, near the wall of the frame ground, 200 yards from the river but there are also reports that it was in the same shrubbery but 200 yards from the nearest gate, 200 yards being the common factor...but from which? Which is correct? Are both correct even?. One thing that goes against my suggestion of a throw from the Albert bridge in to the shrubbery below of the park below is that a large portion of the Ulster was also found nearby where the remains had been found and fabric would be harder to land from a throw.

The chest and portion of midriff (minus organs of the chest) of the torso in the shrubbery was wrapped in a skirt and brown paper, tied with Venetian blind cord, as in the Whitehall case. This parcel was not on public display though and had lain in the same spot for 24 hours before police were called by the gardener Davis, alerted by the smell. He ignored it the previous day and no one else spotted it in the meantime because it was in an area not accessible to the public. Was there a message for the gardener in that case?

[Debra A]

Albert Bridge and Battersea Park

[rjpalmer]

The Shelley estate dumping - fluke.

Sorry, Fish, but yes, I think it is a fluke.

Sir P Shelley was in Bournemouth in 1889 and died at the end of the year. He left Chelsea in disgust sometime in the early 1880s after the legal fight over his theatre. So the house was evidently let out to someone else.

More to the point, his mother Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in 1818, some 70 years earlier. Why would Lechmere or anyone else be expected to know the former address of her son? Let's find an example of a well-known British author of 70 years ago. William Golding will do (Lord of the Flies). Do you know the former address of any of his sons? No doubt there were long-time residents in Chelsea in the immediate neighborhood that would be familiar with the Shelley estate, but why would Lechmere or some random abortionist know of it? There were shrubs by the side of the street; someone had to own the house. The remains were tossed into the shrubbery.

If this was an attempt to associate the crime with Frankenstein, then it failed miserably, because no connection was made until quite recently. Or do you have a contemporary source of someone making this obscure, if colorful, connection? It seems a bit too subtle for someone who elsewhere hacks women to death on the pavement.

Finally, most of Jackson's body was thrown into the river. Why do people throw bodies into rivers? To put them on display? Not likely.

I'm afraid I see no "psychological" connection between this case and the Whitechapel murders. Most people see them as birds of a very different feather.

Another question you might ask yourself: if the Whitehall victim was another 'display,' then why was part of the body buried, and the main section in a pitch black vault? Doesn't that sound like an attempt at concealment? If the culprit had put the body in a chair in the front of the building site with a sign around its neck, I might agree with you.

But these observations have been made before and will be made again.

All the best, Fisherman. I don't mean to sound like a nay-sayer; I just can't agree with you on this one.

[Fisherman]

Sorry, Fish, but yes, I think it is a fluke.

Sir P Shelley was in Bournemouth in 1889 and died at the end of the year. He left Chelsea in disgust sometime in the early 1880s after the legal fight over his theatre. So the house was evidently let out to someone else.

More to the point, his mother Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in 1818, some 70 years earlier. Why would Lechmere or anyone else be expected to know the former address of her son? Let's find an example of a well-known British author of 70 years ago. William Golding will do (Lord of the Flies). Do you know the former address of any of his sons? No doubt there were long-time residents in Chelsea in the immediate neighborhood that would be familiar with the Shelley estate, but why would Lechmere or some random abortionist know of it? There were shrubs by the side of the street; someone had to own the house. The remains were tossed into the shrubbery.

If this was an attempt to associate the crime with Frankenstein, then it failed miserably, because no connection was made until quite recently. Or do you have a contemporary source of someone making this obscure, if colorful, connection? It seems a bit too subtle for someone who elsewhere hacks women to death on the pavement.

Finally, most of Jackson's body was thrown into the river. Why do people throw bodies into rivers? To put them on display? Not likely.

I'm afraid I see no "psychological" connection between this case and the Whitechapel murders. Most people see them as birds of a very different feather.

Another question you might ask yourself: if the Whitehall victim was another 'display,' then why was part of the body buried, and the main section in a pitch black vault? Doesn't that sound like an attempt at concealment? If the culprit had put the body in a chair in the front of the building site with a sign around its neck, I might agree with you.

But these observations have been made before and will be made again.

All the best, Fisherman. I don't mean to sound like a nay-sayer; I just can't agree with you on this one.

ONE fluke is fine, R J - but ALL of them?

And cutting away the abdominal wall in large flaps from two victims is not and can never be birds of a very different feather. It is the same plumage all over. Just saying. That's one of the other flukes you must allow for.

Do you?

On how it was "only lately" realized that there may be a Frankenstein connection - that's hardly the fault of an inventive killer, is it? He really could not have tried any harder or in any other way if that connection was what he strived for, could he?

And is there any chance you could react to my post 108?

[Fisherman]

It is said because I am saying it as an idea. We are allowed those still aren't we?!
The police were reported as claiming that all the remains were thrown from the Albert Bridge at the same time, experiments were done with times and tides and a time of a 6am dumping from the bridge concluded.

There are differing reports of the Battersea Park find. It was reported to have been found in a thicket or shrubbery, near the wall of the frame ground, 200 yards from the river but there are also reports that it was in the same shrubbery but 200 yards from the nearest gate, 200 yards being the common factor...but from which? Which is correct? Are both correct even?. One thing that goes against my suggestion of a throw from the Albert bridge in to the shrubbery below of the park below is that a large portion of the Ulster was also found nearby where the remains had been found and fabric would be harder to land from a throw.

The chest and portion of midriff (minus organs of the chest) of the torso in the shrubbery was wrapped in a skirt and brown paper, tied with Venetian blind cord, as in the Whitehall case. This parcel was not on public display though and had lain in the same spot for 24 hours before police were called by the gardener Davis, alerted by the smell. He ignored it the previous day and no one else spotted it in the meantime because it was in an area not accessible to the public. Was there a message for the gardener in that case?

Okay, Debra, thanks for the clarification.

On your question whether we are allowed ideas out here, I wish I could be all optimistic. However...

[Debra A]

I agree about the Shelley estate dumping. As I've said before, many times, the bush tops were broken were the parcel was thrown in, as noted by police according to the press. They went as far as to say that there was no way the parcel could have been pushed through the railings, it had to have been thrown over. The Shelley house was being rented. I used to have the name of the tenant noted but I have lost it now.

[Fisherman]

Are you sure about that? The doctors make no such assumption, merely noting that the "cut surfaces at the hips were black and dry, but the surface at the neck moist and red".
To my mind, this can be accounted for by Dr Clarke's description of the body as he found it; "Covering over the cut surface of the neck & over the right shoulder were the remains of what had been a chemise".

The simple act of removing the chemise would have exposed the cut surfaces of the neck again, like picking a scab.

Interesting reflection (you produce them in spades, it would seem), but I donīt think the doctors would have made the distinction if they realized it was a matter of a wound surface being opened up by peeling away the cloth from it. Not that I'm sure, though, since you ask. I am sure of very few things, although it may perhaps sometimes seem the other way around.

[Fisherman]

I agree about the Shelley estate dumping. As I've said before, many times, the bush tops were broken were the parcel was thrown in, as noted by police according to the press. They went as far as to say that there was no way the parcel could have been pushed through the railings, it had to have been thrown over. The Shelley house was being rented. I used to have the name of the tenant noted but I have lost it now.

With whom do you agree, Debra? And what is it you agree about? There are differing views out here.

[Abby Normal]

Hi Abby
The idea I suggested was that the park find was in an area directly beneath a section of the Albert Bridge and may even have accidentally landed in the frame ground in an area of the park not open to the public and had also been meant for the river. Dave Gates suggested a few years ago that Jackson may have been killed in the park in the spot where a section of her torso was found but it has to be remembered that this portion found in the frame ground was wrapped. I have mentioned before that the way the portions were wrapped did make me think at one time that not all the clothing was removed from the body before it was dismembered. The thigh being wrapped in a leg of the underwear for example but IIRC the park portion was also wrapped in brown paper. Did homeless people sleeping rough carry brown paper to sleep on to keep warm?

Perhaps. IMHO she was neither killed nor dismembered in the park. She may have been approached by her killer in the park though.
thanks for the response and all the info debs your a godsend! : )

[Debra A]

With whom do you agree, Debra? And what is it you agree about? There are differing views out here.

Sorry, Christer. I agree with RJ that the Shelley estate dump seems to have been a fluke. I've said it all along.

[Debra A]

Perhaps. IMHO she was neither killed nor dismembered in the park. She may have been approached by her killer in the park though.
thanks for the response and all the info debs your a godsend! : )

Good. I agree she wasn't killed in the park, Abby. Dave Gates suggested it as a possibility a long time ago and I think Joshua just mentioned it again? I am obviously confused by the Casebook layout at the moment.

[Joshua Rogan]

Interesting reflection (you produce them in spades, it would seem), but I donīt think the doctors would have made the distinction if they realized it was a matter of a wound surface being opened up by peeling away the cloth from it. Not that I'm sure, though, since you ask. I am sure of very few things, although it may perhaps sometimes seem the other way around.

Fair enough.
Interestingly, the New York Herald (who were approached by "John Cleary" described the torso but said that one of the leg cuts was fresh, and the neck and other leg were older. I think I'd go with Hebbert, though, sounds like the Herald got things more or less arse about face...

[Joshua Rogan]

Good. I agree she wasn't killed in the park, Abby. Dave Gates suggested it as a possibility a long time ago and I think Joshua just mentioned it again? I am obviously confused by the Casebook layout at the moment.

I didn't mean she was necessarily killed and dismembered in the park either, although come to think of it, all that blood would probably be good fetilizer for the nursery plants....

[Debra A]

Hmm. Now I'm left wondering why there was a large piece of the Ulster coat left in the park not far from the torso section.