Originally posted by NotBlamedForNothing
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Originally posted by NotBlamedForNothing
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There were three ways out of Dutfield's Yard - into the street, into the club, and into the houses that opened into the yard. Michael repeatedly ignores the last option - the police of the time did not.
"A thorough search was made by the police of the yard and the houses in it, but no trace could be found of any person who might have committed the murder. As soon as the search was over the whole of the persons who had come into the yard and the members of the club were interrogated, their names and addresses taken, their pockets searched by the police, and their clothes and hands examined by the doctors. The people were twenty-eight in number. Each was dealt with separately, and they properly accounted for themselves. The houses were inspected a second time and the occupants examined and their rooms searched. A loft close by was searched, but no trace could be found of the murderer." -Detective-Inspector Reid
There are several ways for Stride's killer to escape unnoticed by Fanny Mortimer.
If we accept Michael's theory that Lewis Deimshutz arrived at 12:45, then Mortimer failed to see or hear Deimschutz, his cart, and the pony. Anyone this unobservant would have missed seeing Stride's killer leave unless he was dancing down the streets waving a bloody knife and yelling that he was the Ripper.
Back in the realm of reality, there are several options.
The killer was Leon Goldstein, who Mortimer thought might have left Dutfield's Yard just before she went back inside.
The killer left into Berner Street before Mortimer began observing.
The killer left into Berner Street between Mortimer going back inside and Deimschutz' arrival.
The killer left into Berner Street between Deimschutz entering the club and the return of club members into the Yard. This requires not being detected by Deimschutz during this time.
The killer hid behind the doors into the Yard when Deimshutz arrived, then pretended to be one of the first people to come into the Yard after the alarm was raised. While this is not impossible, it is clearly a worse plan than just ducking into Berner Street when Deimschutz goes inside. It requires not being detected by a group, not just by a single man. It also requires the police and doctors failing in their search of you.
The bigger consideration for any theory is how did Elizabeth Stride get into Dutfield's Yard. The only reasonable possibilities are Stride entered the Yard before Fanny Mortimer came to her doorway or between Mortimer going back inside and Deimschutz' arrival.
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