a groom at the inquest

[richardnunweek]

Hello all,
Although I am aware newspaper accounts are sometimes wildly inaccurate, what does one make of ,
The Evening star wednesday 14th Novenber 1888.
It had the heading included in its column.
IMPORTANT TESTIMONY OF A GROOM AT THE INQUEST YESTERDAY.
It goes on to state that Hutchinson attended the inquest and related his sighting of kelly meeting Astracan, It also gave a opinion that the woman Cox obviously was mistaken with her story of Blotchy as descriptions are like chalk and cheese.
It also states that another man at the inquest [ Not named] gave a almost identical description as Hutchinson did, and the two men were not known to each other.
It also mentions that hutchinson said that after Kelly and her mystery man entered the room there was a sound of merryment.
All the above is obviously all belony or is it?
Regards Richard.

[Mike Covell]

Hi Richard,

I have a massive collection of newspaper reports from four different Hull Newspapers from 1888 and remember seeing this story, i will dig out the folders and start trawling through them.

Failing that the Inquests are all saved under Official Documents,

here is the link to Mary Kelly's Inquest,

http://www.casebook.org/official_documents/inquests/inquest_kelly.html

Good luck

[Chris Scott]

Hi Richard
I assume the origin of this was a syndicated story in that it was widely reported both in US and UK papers that Hutchinson was a groom. There is also mention of him being of "military appearance."
This report occurs widely almost verbatim and usually includes the assertion that Hutchinson not only waited outside the entrance to Millers Court but also ventured up the court to Kelly's door which is where he heard "sounds of merriment" and singing
regards
Chris

[Chris Scott]

This is a version of the story I mentioned above - this from the Atchison Daily Globe (US)
I was mistaken also in that this story says that Hutchinson went up the court later, when all was quiet.
Chris

London Nov. 14.
The hopes of the police of catching the Whitechapel murderer, which had almost entirely died out, were raised to the acme of buoyancy yesterday in consequence of the testimony at the Kelly inquest of George Hutchinson, a groom, who had known the victim for several years and who saw a well dressed man with Jewish cast of countenance accost her on the street at two o'clock on the morning of the murder and the circumstances of his acquaintance induced him to follow the pair as they walked together. He looked straight into the man's face as he turned to accompany the woman and followed them to Miller (sic) court out of mere curiosity. He had no thought of the previous murders and certainly no suspicion that the man contemplated violence, since his conspicuous manifestations of affection for his companion as they walked along formed a large part of the incentive to keep them in sight. After the couple entered the house Hutchinson heard sounds of merriment in the room and remained at the entrance to the court for fully three-quarters of an hour. About three o'clock the sound ceased and he walked into the court, but finding that the light in the room had been extinguished went home. During the hour occupied in standing at the entrance to or promenading the court he did not see a policeman.

[NOV9]

What were the witnesses using to tell time with?

What were the witnesses using to tell time with?

It is 3:AM in the morning and the witness says I heard a muffled sound of murder.

Do they all have alarm clocks or wristwatches? They are poor and can hardly make rent, but they all have clocks and candles to see the time in the night.

Mary owned only one candle, so where was her watch or clock?

Do they all sit up and look at the clock when they hear something in the ally?

Where is all this time line information comming from?

[Stephen Thomas]

After the couple entered the house Hutchinson heard sounds of merriment in the room and remained at the entrance to the court for fully three-quarters of an hour. About three o'clock the sound ceased and he walked into the court, but finding that the light in the room had been extinguished went home.

That's most interesting Chris, especially as the rest of the article mirrors the police statement. Sounds of merriment? I imagine the reporter confused this with the Mr Blotchy Face story but one never knows, does one.