Who's talking Cobblers ? John Richardson ?

[RockySullivan]

Here you are...
The canopy looking assembly by the steps, covering the entrance to the cellar.

Thanks wickerman for posting the photo. The cellar was the whole reason richardson went into the yard...to check if the padlock was still in place since some tools had been stolen from the cellar. So did richardson keep the cellar padlock before the robbery? Seems strange to leave te cellar unlocked if so many people were in the yard at night. Dark cellars, stolen tools....stolen tools were mentioned at the whitehall inquest I quotes a few pages back and I do think it's possible there is a connection.

[RockySullivan]

Is there anything about richardsons past that would indicate he had the knowledge to kill and remove organs? What are the details of his military service? What exactly does packing case making involve ? Did he help the catsmeat business growing up in the building ? We already know he walks the streets with a sharp knife in his pocket....that he changed his story once he produced the butter knife indicates to me that was not the actual knife....he hadn't thought out his lies and when he realized the butter knife was t sharp enough to cut his boot he had to change his story once again. Richardsons lies are much more damning than Lechmeres

[Wickerman]

(Assuming Dr. Phillips was correct...)
"....it is difficult to understand how it was that Richardson did not see the body when he went into the yard at 4.45 am but as his clothes were examined, the house searched, and his statement taken in which there was not a shred of evidence, suspicion could not rest upon him, although police specially directed their attention to him."
Swanson, 19th Oct. 1888.
The Ultimate Jack the Ripper Sourcebook, p.68.

Which sounds to me like they put him through the wringer at the time.

[GUT]

(Assuming Dr. Phillips was correct...)
"....it is difficult to understand how it was that Richardson did not see the body when he went into the yard at 4.45 am but as his clothes were examined, the house searched, and his statement taken in which there was not a shred of evidence, suspicion could not rest upon him, although police specially directed their attention to him."
Swanson, 19th Oct. 1888.
The Ultimate Jack the Ripper Sourcebook, p.68.

Which sounds to me like they put him through the wringer at the time.

But Jon don't you understand this is yet another theory that relies on the police not being able to fnd their backsides with a mirror on a stick.

[RockySullivan]

(Assuming Dr. Phillips was correct...)
"....it is difficult to understand how it was that Richardson did not see the body when he went into the yard at 4.45 am but as his clothes were examined, the house searched, and his statement taken in which there was not a shred of evidence, suspicion could not rest upon him, although police specially directed their attention to him."
Swanson, 19th Oct. 1888.
The Ultimate Jack the Ripper Sourcebook, p.68.

Which sounds to me like they put him through the wringer at the time.

It sure sounds like he was a suspect at the time? I wonder if they searched the cellar or just his mother home and if they searched his john street home. If he was a suspect why weren't his three contradicting stories every straighten out? IMHO I am suspicious the wet leather apron had not been sitting for days as mrs richardson claimed was actually freshly cleaned.

[RockySullivan]

But Jon don't you understand this is yet another theory that relies on the police not being able to fnd their backsides with a mirror on a stick.

That's not necessarily the case. If richardson stuck to his stories, what could they have on him, especially if his mom was covering for him. As long he didn't admit the body was there, all they'd had was suspicions and no evidence. If richardson had told chandler he was in the yard with with a knife like he testified at the inquest the investigation would have taken a different turn.

[RockySullivan]

(Assuming Dr. Phillips was correct...)
"....it is difficult to understand how it was that Richardson did not see the body when he went into the yard at 4.45 am but as his clothes were examined, the house searched, and his statement taken in which there was not a shred of evidence, suspicion could not rest upon him, although police specially directed their attention to him."
Swanson, 19th Oct. 1888.
The Ultimate Jack the Ripper Sourcebook, p.68.

Which sounds to me like they put him through the wringer at the time.

The key point to be taken from this is "suspicion COULD NOT rest upon him, although police specially directed their attention on him". To me that means, he was suspected of being the murderer but the investigation hit a brick wall.

[GUT]

The key point to be taken from this is "suspicion COULD NOT rest upon him, although police specially directed their attention on him". To me that means, he was suspected of being the murderer but the investigation hit a brick wall.

Well to me it means we looked closely at him but found there was no reason to suspect him of anything, if the "investigation ht a brick wall" why wouldn't have Swanson sad something like "We liked the look of Richardson but couldn't pin t on him, but I suspect he was our man". Nope instead Swanson appears to pump of Koz.

[Wickerman]

The key point to be taken from this is "suspicion COULD NOT rest upon him, although police specially directed their attention on him". To me that means, he was suspected of being the murderer but the investigation hit a brick wall.

Well, if Richardson was lying then Mrs Long & Cadosch are also wrong.
So then you have to find a solution for someone being on the other side of the fence from Cadosch at the same time as Chapman was laid there all mutilated and exposed.

[RockySullivan]

Well to me it means we looked closely at him but found there was no reason to suspect him of anything, if the "investigation ht a brick wall" why wouldn't have Swanson sad something like "We liked the look of Richardson but couldn't pin t on him, but I suspect he was our man". Nope instead Swanson appears to pump of Koz.

Why wouldn't richardson three different version of events, one to chandler and two at the inquest, be considered evidence?

[RockySullivan]

Well, if Richardson was lying then Mrs Long & Cadosch are also wrong.
So then you have to find a solution for someone being on the other side of the fence from Cadosch at the same time as Chapman was laid there all mutilated and exposed.

I suspect richardson was cleaning up his mess in the yard and was likely there much longer than he claimed. Did liz know richardson from spitalfields market since they both worked there? Could she have lied?

[RockySullivan]

I'm not saying we shld dismiss the witnesses to try to frame richardson, but his story doesn't check out, and he's obviously lying.

[RockySullivan]

I could have sworn I read amelia richardson say her son kept a knife in the basement with his leather apron in one of the press reports. Was the cellar searched I wonder? If so we would likely see mention of it. Could richardson have not just checked the cellar padlock...but actually have gone into the cellar that morning?

[RockySullivan]

Could the reason richardson changed his story to include working on his boot been that he learned the police found his boot spring next to the body?

[GUT]

Could the reason richardson changed his story to include working on his boot been that he learned the police found his boot spring next to the body?

And the evidence of this is ...???????