Eyelashes?

[The Grave Maurice]

Something just occurred to me. I hope it's original, but it probably isn't.

Some of the witnesses report the colour of a suspect's eyelashes. I've never understood those observations. Does anyone ever notice the colour of someone's eyelashes? I certainly don't, unless they're false and loaded with mascara.

Is it possible that the witnesses meant to say eyebrows? That would at least make sense of this, admittedly, minor issue.

[Ben]

It's a very good point, GM, whether it's original or not (and my suspicion is that it is).

Best and/or Gardner may have confounded "eyelashes" with "eyebrows" when speaking to the press, but I suspect this doesn't hold quite as true for Hutchinson (the only other eyelash-spotter to emerge from the investigation, to my knowledge), who despite having specified "eyelashes" in his police account, clearly referred to eyebrows when speaking to the press, indicating that he at least was aware of the difference.

All the best,
Ben

[joelhall]

But having said that Hutch was speaking out of his hat anyway. Of course it's possible that was how language was used at the time, in the same way that 'father-in-law' was used for 'step-father'. Needless to say it must have been eyebrows unless they had a seriously close look at the suspect.

[Wickerman]

The eyes have it...

If you compare Hutchinson's police statement with the press interview, we can see what the intention was:

Police:
...complexion pale, dark eyes and eye lashes, slight moustache, curled up each end,..."

Press:
"...He had a heavy moustache curled up and dark eyes and bushy eyebrows."

The police recorder should have wrote eyebrows instead of eyelashes.


But that does not explain other witness statements concerning a well-dressed but suspicious man with unusual eyes.

Mrs Kennedy who saw the 'Britannia man'.
"...Just then the woman noticed the unnatural glare of the man's eyes,..."

When comparing the statements of Paumier, Lewis, and Kennedy, the Sunday Times reports:
"... Nearly all the accounts agree, however, as to his wearing a black moustache and having a very remarkable and unpleasant glare in his eyes."

Bowyer saw a strange man speaking to Kelly in Millers Court:
"...He was, perhaps, 27 or 28 and had a dark moustache and very peculiar eyes..."

Best and Gardiner described a man seen with Stride:
He had rather weak eyes. I mean he had sore eyes without any eyelashes.

Were they all the same man?

Regards, Jon S.

[joelhall]

Maybe it's Maybelline?

[Errata]

I would posit that the only reason a person would notice the color of someone's eyelashes would be if a: they were unusual (like bright orange lashes on a black haired man) or b: if the witness was a woman. Guys notice eyebrows, women notice eyelashes if they are a length or shape that they covet or find peculiar. If you cut your eyelashes off, the first person to notice will be a woman. Even I, who doesn't give a crap about makeup or appearance in general, notice eyelashes. I don't know why.

[Wickerman]

Hutchinson was a woman?

[Bridewell]

Hutchinson

But having said that Hutch was speaking out of his hat anyway.

This is the argument which contends that, because he claims to have seen so much, Hutchinson cannot have seen anything at all?

The following is from the Casebook entry re Hutchinson:

"Hutchinson described the man as about, 5ft 6" in height and 34 or 35 years of age, with a dark complexion and dark moustache turned up at the ends. Wearing a long Astrakhan coat, a white collar with black necktie, in which was affixed a horseshoe pin. He wore a pair of dark spats with light buttons over button boots and displayed from his waistcoat a massive gold chain. His watch chain had a big seal with a red stone hanging from it. He had a heavy moustache curled up, and dark eyes and eyelashes, he had no side whiskers and his chin was clean shaven. He looked like a foreigner. He carried a small parcel in his hand, about 8 inches long and it had a strap round it, he had it tightly grasped in his left hand, it looked as though it was covered in dark American cloth. He carried in his right hand, which he laid upon the woman's shoulder, a pair of brown kid gloves. One thing I noticed, and that was that he walked very softly."

The description is detailed but not, IMHO, wholly impossible, as he says he paid particular attention to the man's appearance and went out of his way to get a good look at him. Furthermore his presence is (apparently) corroborated by Mrs Lewis. Hutchinson may have been 'talking through his hat', but I don't see how it's possible to state it as the proverbial definitely ascertained fact.

Regards, Bridewell.

[Wickerman]

To be fair to Hutchinson, the only issue should be the degree of embellishment, if any.
His story, in part, is confirmed by Lewis, but the 'appearance' of the man he saw is not.

Regards, Jon S.

[Bridewell]

To be fair to Hutchinson, the only issue should be the degree of embellishment, if any.
His story, in part, is confirmed by Lewis, but the 'appearance' of the man he saw is not.

Regards, Jon S.

Hi Jon,

Agreed, but nor is it contradicted.

Regards, Bridewell.

[Errata]

Hutchinson was a woman?

Oh. No. I'm saying if a man is quoted on someone else's eyelashes, the eyelashes were either very peculiar, or the guy was misquoted and meant eyebrows. If it's a woman quoted, she could well have been looking at the eyelashes.

[Wickerman]

Hi Jon,

Agreed, but nor is it contradicted.

Regards, Bridewell.

Precisely so Colin.
There is no reason to dismiss his statement, we can always question the detail but there is no justification for discarding it altogether, as some have chosen to do.

Off topic.
I thought I'd ask, is "Bridewell" also a colloquial term at your end of the country for a holding cell, or pre-trial detention room?
I only recently discovered this term in use in Yorkshire and dammit, I grew up there, but don't recall anyone using the word when I was a kid.

Oh. No. I'm saying if a man is quoted on someone else's eyelashes, the eyelashes were either very peculiar, or the guy was misquoted and meant eyebrows. If it's a woman quoted, she could well have been looking at the eyelashes.

I was teasing, but you're quite right though, women pay attention to different details. Quite often the smaller details when compared to men.

Regards, Jon S.

[Michael W Richards]

I would posit that the only reason a person would notice the color of someone's eyelashes would be if a: they were unusual (like bright orange lashes on a black haired man) or b: if the witness was a woman. Guys notice eyebrows, women notice eyelashes if they are a length or shape that they covet or find peculiar. If you cut your eyelashes off, the first person to notice will be a woman. Even I, who doesn't give a crap about makeup or appearance in general, notice eyelashes. I don't know why.

What about people who suffer from Alopecia? I recall that a character in the conspiracy trials for JFK, a David Ferrie, used to color in his eyelashes using some paint or some prosthetics because he had no eyebrows or lashes.

Cheers

[Cogidubnus]

The Great Imitator?

What about people who suffer from Alopecia?

Hi Mike

That's an interesting point, as I seem to recall reading that alopecia syphlitica is one of the possible symptoms thrown up by secondary syphilis

All the best

Dave

[Wickerman]

Madarosis, Dave, where a person loses body hair, quite often the eyelashes. A symptom of syphilis.

These debates about the 'eyes' always remind me of Malcolm McDowell..
(maybe I'm dating myself here..)