Mike Covell’s Blogg

September 5^th 1888

Whilst inquiries were ongoing in Whitechapel, the British Press were still covering the inquest and subsequent adjournment of Mary Ann Nichols.  Once again the story of the alleged assault outside Foresters’ Music Hall was making the headlines, with The York Herald, dated that day, featuring a brief overview of the incident. 

Further up north The Dundee Courier and Argus, dated September 5^th 1888, printed a report that claimed Great Britain was awash in a crime epidemic and the police were to blame.   Among the listed cases of recent murder, mutilation and suicide, was a brief report that the police in Whitechapel were clueless and had yet to make an arrest.

The following was the main report of the day, it was featured in several newspapers, from the following,

Aberdeen Weekly Journal,

The Dundee Courier and Argus,

The Leeds Mercury,

The Irish Times,

THE WHITECHAPEL MURDER.  It is stated that the police conducting the inquiries into the Whitechapel Murder believe that they have a clue to the perpetrators of the crime, and that certain persons are being kept under surveillance.  No arrest, however, is expected to be made until after the adjourned coroner’s inquiry, when important evidence pointing to the murderer or murderers may be given, unless the suspected persons attempt to leave the district.

September 4^th 1888

With no new clues, and no suspects the press of the day were still discussing the murder of Mary Ann Nichols.  Statements from police officers and medical men were published, and telegrams announced activity in the district, but still there was no viable explanation for the murder. 

Some press reports were eager to link every and any crime in London to the case, and on September 4^th 1888, the Western Mail, were quiet eager to report that two crimes in London had allegedly been committed on females. 

The first report covered the alleged attack on a woman outside Foresters Music Hall, the second covered the poisoning and robbery of a lady near Clapham Common.   

The press were in a frenzy, and it wouldn’t be long before suspects and victims would start to fill the columns.

  The Spooky Isles

Continuing on with Jack the Ripper Week is The Spooky Isles, with a fantastic post on The Top Five Jack the Ripper movies.  The post, written by Eric McNaughton, can be viewed here,

http://www.spookyisles.com/2012/09/top-5-jack-the-ripper-films/

Today, hot off the press, is another article on The Spooky Isles, from some fella called Mike Covell.  The article is entitled “Jack the Ripper Scares during the “Autumn of Terror” and can be viewed here,

http://www.spookyisles.com/2012/09/jack-the-ripper-scares-during-autumn-of-terror/

More on Charles Cross:

The theory that Charles Cross aka Charles Allen Lechmere, who was also mistakenly called “George” in the earlier press reports, and Ripper books, is gathering pace, with more publications featuring the story. 

Charles Cross was born Charles Allen Lechmere in the year 1849.  His birth was registered in St. Anne’s Soho, and he was the son of John Allen Lechmere and Maria Louisa Lechmere, nee Rouson.   

In 1858, Charles’ mother, Maria Louisa remarried, to Thomas Cross, who was a police constable.  Charles took his surname on occasion.

In the 1861 Census, they can be seen residing together, [RG9, P276, F29, P5, GSU542605]

Thomas Cross       36           Head      Police Constable

Maria Louisa Cross            34           Wife

Emily Cross                          14           Dau        Scholar

Charles Cross                      11           Son

 In 1871, at the age of 20, he married Elizabeth Bostock, who was at the time aged 21.  The marriage took place on July 3^rd 1870, in the Parish of Christ Church, Watney-street, in the Borough of Tower Hamlets.  Charles’ father was named as John Allen Lechmere, and Elizabeth’s father was listed as Thomas Bay Bostock.  Charles’s occupation is listed as Carman, and the marriage took place at the Christ Church.  [P93/CTC2, Item 026]

 The 1871 Census lists, [Class RG10, P530, F45, P28, GSU8213387]

In the Civil Parish of St George in the East,

Charles A Lechmere            21           Head      Carman

Elizabeth Lechmere            21

 The London Echo, dated September 3^rd 1888, featured the following,

 Charles A. Cross, a carman, in the employ of Messrs. Pickford and Co., said that on Friday morning he left his home about half-past three. He reached Messrs. Pickford’s yard at Broad-street, City, at four o’clock. He crossed Brady-street into Buck’s-row. Was there any one with you? - No, I was by myself. As I got to Buck’s-row, by the gateway of the wool warehouse, I saw someone lying at the entrance to the gateway. It looked like a dark figure. I walked into the centre of the road, and saw that it was a woman. At the same time I heard a man come up behind, in the same direction as I was going. He was about thirty or forty yards behind then. I stepped back to await his arrival. When he came, I said to him, “Come and look over here. There’s a woman.” We then both went over to the body. He stooped one side of her, and I stooped the other, and took hold of her hand, which was cold. Her face was warm. I said to the man, “I believe the woman is dead.” The other man at the same time, put his hand on her breast over her heart and remarked, “I think she is breathing, but very little, if she is.” He then said, “Sit her up,” I replied, “I’m not going to touch her. You had better go on, and if you see a policeman tell him.” When I found her, her clothes were above her knees. There did not seem to be much clothing. The other man pulled her clothes down before he left.

Did you touch the clothes? - No, Sir.

Did you notice any blood? - No, it was too dark. I did not notice that her throat was cut. I then left her, went up Baker’s-row, turned to the right, and saw a constable. I said to a constable - the last witness - “There’s a woman lying in Buck’s-row. She looks to me as though she was dead, or drunk.” The other man then said, “I believe she is dead.” I don’t know who this man was; he was a stranger, but appeared to me to be a carman. From the time I left my home I did not see anyone until I saw the man who overtook me in Buck’s-row.

The Coroner - Did you see anything of a struggle.

Witness - She seemed to me as if she had been outraged.

You did not think so at the time? - Yes, I did; but I did not think she had been injured.

You had no idea that she had been injured at all? - No.

 The Star, another London based newspaper, also published September 3^rd 1888, featured the following, which gave the address for Charles Cross,

 CARMAN CROSS was the the next witness. He lived at 22 Doveton street, Cambridge-road. He was employed by Pickfords. He left home on Friday at twenty minutes past three, and got to Pickford’s yard at Broad-street at four o’clock. He crossed Bradley-street into Buck’s-row. He was alone. He saw something lying in front of the gateway - it looked in the distance like tarpaulin. When he got nearer he found it was a woman. At that time he heard a man coming up the street behind him; he was about 40 yards behind. Witness waited until he came up. He started as though he thought witness was going to knock him down. Witness said to him, “There’s a woman.” They both went to the body and stooped beside it. Witness took the woman’s hand, and finding it cold said, “I believe she’s dead.” The other man put his hand on the breast outside the clothes - over her heart - and said, “I think she’s breathing, but very little.” He suggested they should shift her - set her up against the wall - but witness said, “I’m not going to touch her. Let’s go on till we see a policeman and tell him.” Before they left the body the other man tried to pull the clothes over the woman’s knees, but they did not seem as though they would come down. Witness noticed no blood; but it was very dark. He did not see that her throat was cut. They went up Baker’s-row, and saw the last witness. Witness said to him, “There’s a woman lying down in Buck’s-row on the broad of her back. I think she’s dead or drunk.” The other man said, “I believe she’s dead.” The policeman said, “All right.”

The following day, The Times, dated September 4^th 1888 featured the following testimony:

 George Cross, a carman, stated that he left home on Friday morning at 20 minutes past 3, and he arrived at his work, at Broad-street, at 4 o’clock. Witness walked along Buck’s-row, and saw something lying in front of the gateway like a tarpaulin. He then saw it was a woman. A man came along and witness spoke to him. They went and looked at the body. Witness, having felt one of the deceased woman’s hands and finding it cold, said “I believe she is dead.” The other man, having put his hand over her heart, said “I think she is breathing.” He wanted witness to assist in shifting her, but he would not do so. He did not notice any blood, as it was very dark. They went to Baker’s-row, saw the last witness, and told him there was a woman lying down in Buck’s-row on the broad of her back. Witness also said he believed she was dead or drunk, while the other man stated he believed her to be dead. The constable replied “All right.” The other man left witness at the corner of Hanbury-street and turned into Corbett’s court. He appeared to be a carman, and was a stranger to the witness. At the time he did not think the woman had been murdered. Witness did not hear any sounds of a vehicle, and believed that had any one left the body after he got into Buck’s-row he must have heard him.

Charles Cross died in 1920 and was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, who eventually passed away on 12 September 1940.  Her death was registered:

Name: Elizabeth Lechmere, Birth date: Abt 1849, Date of Registration: Jul- Aug- Sep 1940, Age at Death: 91, Registration District: Essex South Western, Inferred County: Essex, Vol: 4A, Page: 418.

Charles Allen Lechmere’s last will and testament reads:

Charles Allen Lechmere, of 2 Rounton-road, Campbell-road, Bow, Middlesex, died 23^rd December 1920.  Probate London, 2 June to Elizabeth Lechmere, Widow, Effects £262

Today, The Docklands and East London Advertiser, featured a follow up report on Charles Cross as a suspect in the Ripper Murders.  The article can be read here, http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/did_jack_the_ripper_s_family_die_in_1943_wartime_london_air_raid_disaster_1_1503479

 The story of Charles Cross as Jack the Ripper was also published in the past 24 hours in Pakistan!!!  The story, available online at Pakistan Today, can be viewed here:

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/09/04/news/entertainment/was-jack-the-ripper-a-cart-driver-from-bethnal-green/

From Hell Companion

Ignoring the Hughes brothers film starring Johnny Depp and Heather Graham but going back to the roots of the story I think every Ripperologist remembers the first time they read Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell’s Graphic Novel.  A mixture of fact and fiction in a rip roaring plot that leaves the reader gasping for more (Moore). 

The colours are so vivid, and whilst most of the book is written in black and white, the odd dash of red really brings the page to life, and the final chapter is one that stays with the reader long after they have read the book.  The supplementary material is always a pleasure to read, but as something as massive as this, and it is a big collective volume, you would think there would be a little more…..

Thankfully, Alan Moore has announced that a companion to From Hell is to be released in March 2013!!!  Personally I am not sure I can wait that long.  The publication will feature previously unpublished material including scripts, photos, never before seen sketches, and anecdotes.  A sketch of the cover has appeared online and once again the publication is being produced with Eddie Campbell :

 http://alanmooreworld.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/jack-ripper-is-coming-back.html

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/07/14/top-shelf-panel-eddie-campbell-confirms-from-hell-companion-for-march-2013/fromhellcompanion-2/

September 3^rd 1888

By September 3^rd 1888 more British newspapers were featuring the case, but with very few new details making print.  A few letters to the press were published in this period, but many, like the letter written to The Daily News, by Mr. Henry Tibbetts, 24, of Artillery-lane, Bishopsgate-street Without, were already very negative in feeling towards the Met. Police.  Even press opinion was speaking out against policing in the district, with The Dundee Courier and Argus, of the same date, publishing a scathing commentary on the Whitechapel police.  The same publication theorised that a gang might be involved.

The story also reached Yorkshire when The York Herald published a short report on the case.  The short report featured details on the opening of the inquest, and how the body had been identified.

The Hull press, up to this point, had covered the discovery of Nichols, which was published in the last edition of The Eastern Morning News, on April 1^st, and a brief overview of events so far in the September 3^rd 1888 edition of The Hull Daily Mail.

September 2^nd 1888

 After the initial press response to the murder of Mary Ann Nichols, the British press showed no sign of letting up, in fact, the flood gates had opened and more and more national newspapers were printing reports regarding the mysterious murder.  Some newspaper titles published numerous reports, including the Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper that published no fewer than 3 articles in their September 2^nd 1888 edition!  These included the following bold headlines,

THE WHITECHAPEL HORROR, page 1

THE WHITECHAPEL MURDER, page 6

ANOTHER AWFUL MURDER IN WHITECHAPEL, page 7

 Surprisingly even at this early stage the press were eager to report on the victim’s antecedents, with a number of reports concentrating on the life of Nichols in the run up to the murder.  Eyewitnesses came forward to discuss the victim at the inquest and the press published the testimony of Henry Llewellyn, who described the gory details of the wounds inflicted on Nichols.   

Well 124th “The Autumn of Terror” is well under way and already the articles and theories are cropping up about Jack the Ripper, victims, and suspects.

In the press:

The Telegraph led the way with a series of articles that looked at the murders, some of which were good, some of which were not so good.

The first, worth a mention was a reprint of The Telegraph’s coverage of the murder of Mary Ann Nichols, which can be viewed here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9512915/Jack-The-Ripper-The-Daily-Telegraphs-report-of-Polly-Nicholss-inquest-from-1888.html

The second article, featured on The Telegraph’s website was a look at suspects.  Sadly this was mostly the usual suspects rounded up with little research done on them with mistakes and errors that have since been researched, debunked, and published.  The article can be read here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9512906/Jack-the-Ripper-the-suspects.html

Finally, and I have saved the best till last, is the theory that Charles Cross was Jack the Ripper!!  The Telegraph article can be read here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9512928/Was-Jack-the-Ripper-a-cart-driver-from-Bethnal-Green.html

Never one to miss a good theory, the Indian press picked up on the story, and featured the theory on News Track India!  The article can be read here:

http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2012/09/01/95-Jack-the-Ripper-may-have-been-cartman-who-found-body-of-1st-victim-.html

One of the oddest reports to surface was from Washington, which was published in The Sudan Tribune, in which the Sudanese government on Thursday formally informed the African Union (AU) that it no longer wished to be considered for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The article featured a quote from the Geneva-based UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer, who stated, “Electing Sudan to the international community’s highest human body is like putting Jack the Ripper in charge of a women’s shelter.”

The article is featured here:  http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article43768

Bloggs:

Jon Rees, Moderator of JTRForums.Com was featured on The Spooky Isle’s website discussing Mary Ann Nichols.  The article can be viewed here:  http://www.spookyisles.com/2012/08/how-the-jack-the-ripper-murders-began/

Social Networking sites have been awash with Ripper related posts, with Twitter leading the way for the first time over Facebook.

Television networks have also been keen to feature Jack the Ripper, with both Jack the Ripper: Tabloid Killer, and the Jack the Ripper documentary proposing Robert Mann featuring M.J. Trow being shown.