Originally posted by Wickerman
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Yes, as personally I had not considered Swanson's lengthy summary report until I refreshed my memory of it, which just added more to what I already found to be a mystery.
We know Abberline interviewed Schwartz, and while he had some doubts about Schwartz's interpretations (who was Lipski directed at by B.S., did Pipeman chase him or just also leave the area? etc), he didn't seem to indicate he questioned the events themselves (Lipski was shouted, pipeman moved in the same direction, etc).
And given Schwartz's description is not so far off the one Lawende gives, there starts to be enough indications that there could be two genuine sightings that night. Whether that "could be" is true is of course highly debatable, but at this stage of the investigation, I think the police would see that as a potentially important notion to follow up. That would make Schwartz a more important witness to have on record by itself. Also, given he did see an altercation between Stride (he identifies Stride at the mortuary as the woman he saw) and a man only 15 minutes prior to her discovery, that's puts him as the witness with the closest to death last sighting of all the murder save perhaps Lawende et co, but their identification of Eddowes is only of her clothes, so far less convincing it was an actual sighting.
I think those reasons alone make it a mystery that Schwartz didn't testify at the inquest, and the complete lack of chatter about that, is also strange to me. H.O. shows interest in him, after it was known he didn't testify, and yet the letter as worded suggests he did. Even if we allow for the letter to be a miswording, and interview not inquest was intended, there still does not appear to be any explanation by the police about where Schwartz is. And I can't see any indication they went looking for him, but similarly no indications they lost faith in him is recorded either. It's the complete lack of information, of any sort, that I find unsettling as it leaves us in an absence of evidence situation, which is to be left hanging. That's not fun, and the temptation is to fill in that void with something, but that something is just a guess no matter how satisfying it may be to make the darkness go away.
Swanson's report, indicating Schwartz identified Stride at the mortuary (I thought I had read that, but couldn't recall where), and the search for families of the name Lipski in the area, all point to a belief in Schwartz. Some of the discussions regarding doubt look to me that they are either referring to how useful he would be in a court, simply because he couldn't say for sure who Lipski was shouted at, and other details. The could both believe him, yet doubt his usefulness as a witness (particularly as they consider the point that there's still 15 minutes unaccounted for, so is the fellow he saw even related to her murder).
Anyway, I think some of it reflects my indecision over whether or not Stride was even a Ripper victim. I could just be wanting to feel like at least something about her case could be resolved.
- Jeff
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