One of the things you and Mr. Holmgren have done so well is to explain *why* the police missed Lechmere: they had a completely erroneous idea of *who* would be the type of person to commit the murders - it was almost certainly "a crazy foreigner" in their minds. It's the same today: Lechmere's rejected as a suspect because he's not exciting enough for conspiracy theories! (Well, that and the fact that solving the murders ruins the Ripper cottage industry).

I subscribed as soon as you said someone was trying to get you banned. I'm sick and tired of these people who don't have a live and let live attitude. I believe in free speech and I'm beginning to get very worried about the state of affairs in the world today. I see lots of things I don't agree with but I don't want anyone banned, unless they call for violence. Keep up the good work!

Really enjoy your work. Shame about the drama, I think channels likes yours are what youtube SHOULD be.

This is another excellent and absorbing delve into JTR territory. This episode in particular, demonstrates perfectly why not to just take the police word alone for any suspect.

Given his background Melville would've recognised a tea-leaf when he saw one and had them arrested, but when it comes to a serial killer, he may as well have studied PG tips as PC tips for the good it did him. Whenever i hear the term 'homicidal maniac,' in relation to suspects in this case, im more inclined to rule them out, as it denotes a lack of control and an inability NOT to draw attention to themselves. Thanks Edward for another great video. Don't stop, no matter how the other side try to drag you down.

I'm surprised that you say someone has tried to get your channel banned. What's the matter with these people? If I come across something on You Tube that I don't like or can't agree with, guess what? I don't watch it! You obviously do your research well and you always present an interesting case. I'm all for you. Keep up the good work!

Hi. I didn't think he could go any further with Charles' scenario but Mr. Stowe is now expanding the net to cover more rippers and alike with explanations for a broader viewing experience into this cold case. Really enjoyable as always.

Based on the points referred to in your video there’s little wonder that the culprit was never caught is there ? Another highly entertaining film.

Another astounding video analysis! I have remained silent when viewing your work here to expose Lechmere for the most part, but seeing you holding up and talking about the late great Philip Sugden's Complete History brought back memories as I still own my copy of the book from the mid-nineties. I also agree on it being one of the most realistic and least nonsensical works on the subject. Keep up the great and fascinating observations!

Fascinating ! Bravo. You’ve obviously done your homework. Thank. you

They are worried, Edward. Trying to stamp you out is a sure fire admittance of being worried. Nobody worries about the ridiculous. People only worry about the serious and what they can't control. The idea that yourself and Christer may well have solved this case really troubles them. Excellent episode once again. Your knowledge of everything JTR never ceases to amaze me. PS) I live just up the road from the old Banstead lunatic asylum. A fifteen minute walk away 😉

Superb content as always, Edward! Thank you!

Thanks Ed always look forward to learning from you

Excellent research! You've definitely studied other suspects as scrupulously as you've studied Lechmere.

Well narrated and lovely backdrops👍

Excellently researched and put together sir ( as per usual ). Keep up the good work !

Keep up the good work mate from Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺 👍

Brilliant Edward, excellent video,you have convinced me however of lechmère ,thank you look forward to more x

I love this channel I can't believe someone wanted to get you banned 🇮🇪

I really enjoyed this video. Fascinating stuff!

The Macnaghten initial draft or Macnaghen memorandum is a key document in Ripperology. The 3 men on the list were the best suspects he could come up, he got key details wrong ie Druitt was said to be a Dr, he was in fact a Barrister and none of them are convincing. Furthermore, Macnaghten remarked that there was no proof against Druitt, Ostrog or Kosminski and I think this shows that the police had no real suspects and had no idea who Jack the Ripper was.

Yet another excellent and informative upload by Edward Stow. Superbly presented by the researcher who cracked and solved the Jack the Ripper mystery!!!

Thank you you are so interesting, I watch all your videos, always look forward to your next one.

I appreciate the time,effort, and research you put in to your videos.

I grew up in the area in the 50’s and your videos are fascinating . Please keep it up.

Another excellent video!

What an ending! I didn’t expect that

Well done! Love the details and Scotland Yard backdrop. I'm fully convinced Lechmere is our man.

Great series I am hooked My original thesis was that Kominski was the Ripper but your work is having e take a fresh look at Lechmere Well done

Love the content still Ed, at least you willing to explore all avenues.

Brilliant, as ever! Full disclosure: I am 100% in the ‘Lechmere done it’ camp and am convinced that at least four of the canonical Whitechapel murders occurred in part *because* the perpetrator was never a police suspect! Lechmere was, to my mind, one of the luckiest serial killers in history - and also one of the canniest. The man was seen standing over the very recently deceased, if not dying, body of Polly Nichols in a long, narrow and otherwise empty street. After the events of that morning, I imagine that Lechmere spent an anxious few days waiting for a knock on the door. When that knock didn’t come, I can again imagine his dawning sense of relief, elation and - ultimately perhaps - invulnerability. Cleverly, when it was apparent to him that he was not a suspect, he announced himself to the police with the intention of exonerating himself further. From a psychological perspective, I conjecture that the feeling of power and invincibility he derived from this close call contributed to the relatively quick succession in which he carried out the ensuing ‘canonical’ murders - culminating in the blood bath in the lodgings of Mary Kelly. Again, I imagine that he couldn’t believe his luck when it transpired that his chosen victim had her own room, where he could ‘get to work’ realising his horrible fantasies in a way that he never could in the open street (but maybe had on previous occasions, when he’d had access to a suitable bolt-hole where he’d carried out the torso dismemberments). The focus of the Victorian-era police on foreigners and ‘lunatics’, rather than actual evidence, was in my opinion their downfall. At that time, the largely unquestioned assumption was that only someone ‘other’ - i.e. a ‘savage’ or ‘madman’ could carry out the Whitechapel crimes. History has now taught us that most serial killers are able to execute their crimes because they are perfectly unremarkable - I’ve seen it termed “the banality of evil”, which is a great way to describe it. Anyway, there are just my thoughts. By the way, Edward, you are not just a ‘ripperologist’, but a meticulous historian. Thanks for another tremendous video. 🙏

I have an interest in both JTR and Horse racing and it's the same in both. When discussing who he was or who will win the Derby people get very irate and defensive if you disagree with them. Human nature. Well done again Edward, more more more.

Love your Channel.

Your work is excellent sir best ripperologist well done for your hard work

I am really enjoying your videos, you present the information incredibly well. A question for your next Q&A - are there any surviving records from Lechmere's employer - Pickerings? Has this ever been looked into? I am thinking specifically about clocking in/time sheets (if this was even done by the company)... it would be fascinating to see what time he got to work on the work days on which some of murders took place.

The Whitechapel murderer was also the Thames Torso killer. So, Mike roams around the countryside, committing a crime spree of petty theft in his 20s and 30s. Then in his 40s start dismembering women? Nope.

This subject attracts untold numbers of extreme opinions. Don’t let it get you down and probably you should not get bogged down in reading the extreme views. Your analysis is impressive.

Brilliant, as usual. Although Your heading 'Jack the Ripper Police suspect investigated'. astonished me, I thought you were claiming that , a ( high ranking )Policeman, was now the center of your Ripper suspects. However, that was a very detailed account of Ostrog's 'Career' so much so, that I had to stifle my laughter, as I imagined the Carry-on crowd making a film of him. What a life he led

Excellent research as usual Ed, can't wait for the next one ,love it

Well done .Clear and concise.

Good episode Ed, lechmere not off the hook yet!

I think all the accumulated lore and drama about JTR over time makes it impossible for some people at this point to accept the very logical and simple solution to the mystery that Charles Lechmere is… They need this sad and gruesome story to be ‘unexplainable’ and the perpetrator to be some kind of supernatural genius, the bleak reality is too much for them.

Excellent. People often point to Druitt and Kosminski based on nothing more than Macnaughten's suspisions. They tend to forget we also included Ostrog among his prime suspects. Bizarre and ridiculous. The idea that a man who was not even directly involved in the case would have better idea, the idea that the police would have some idea, when we see how many cases where the person ultimately caught wasn't even on police radar. And Macnaughten, just as Anderson, may have had other agendas, aside from having no actual investigative qualifications. Well investigated and well presented as always.

Super will watch tonight 👍

I find it incredible how incompetent these high-ranking officers were not to have known or attempted to learn the actual whereabouts of Ostrog at the time the Ripper murders occurred. I'm so happy you are doing these films and, one by one, ticking off the usual suspects from that long list. One down, many more to go, eh? If anyone can do it, you can! BTW--just for the record...I'm with you...firmly on Team Lechmere being the man behind the mask. Great film...keep 'em coming!!

It's ludicrous that anyone would try to ban you for having views different to them. I am not as convinced as you it was Lechmere but I really enjoy the videos on this channel, and the arguments you put forward. I think your views on the other suspects will be intriguing. Look forward to seeing them!

Another interesting film. The fact that Ostrog appears at all in the "3 most likely" list of the Force's finest, tells us all we need to know. I remember reading the Sugden book years ago and agree that it is the best general text produced to date imho.

I LOVE HOW DETAILED THE RESEARCH IS IN YOUR VIDEOS ED, I'M CONVINCED IT WAS LECHMERE. EVEN HIS PHOTO SAYS IT ALL IN THE EYES.

Sound like he definitely had a split personality given the kind of names he went by when trying to throw the police off. Excellent video once again 👍🏼

This guy knows his stiluff. 👍

Interesting stuff as usual! In your diggings with Christer Holmgren, I was wondering if you've turned up any other new clues that point to Lechmere. Going by modern day serial killers M.O.'s, have you scanned British newspapers from the 1860's to 1880's for articles on animal mutilations in the area where Charles grew up? Or possibly archived records from schools he attended for something similar?

Excellent as always ed . Any idea why the mills and Wilson programme last night neglected to put lechmere forward ? Twas from 2019 so after the missing evidence , but, first time I've seen it .

Much the best 'Jack the Ripper' channel on YT.

Congratulations Edward on keeping a straight face when naming the aliases at 17:50.

Pertaining to the three suspects it's nothing more then theory and conjecture. Coming from a man who's appointment to his position was not based on skill or qualifications as a lew enforcement offical. Lechmere is the only viable suspect who can be placed at most if not all the scenes of the crime.

Subscribed

At 16:57, is that the famous JtR era PUB behind you on the corner? And the iron fence on the right, is that the church that some of the working ladies would hang out at night?

Great episode and very insightful. It makes you wonder if the Police just had a list of suspects and they would check against that to see who 'fits'. For a particular crime.

They better not ban your channel! Lechmere is the Ripper.

Low hanging fruit indeed Ed. Stereotypical sticky finger pointing lack of competence and fact checking by the police in 1888. Another great factual and detailed presentation video here. Terrific Ed again.

Isn't that Police Commissioner James Munro? (1:44) I remember him from your video on the Pinchin Street Torso.

It's crazy there were so many murderers at that time.

Lechmere even wiped his bloody hand clean on Robert Paul`s shoulder when he approached Paul in Bucks Row.

Wow,, good old Police work got it wrong again. Thanks for Post it was great 👍

He'd have been too old to be JtR all the witness never mentioned the man was over 40. They all said 28 as the youngest and 35 as the oldest i believe. And people looked alot older in those days 40 was middle aged and 60 was like you'd need a stick to hobble around

I am writing 8 montys after this video was put on KZfaq. I am convinced by Edward's many arguments. However, I have a slight, tiny, 'but' that I would like to be considered - it may have already been dealt with. When Letchmere stopped Paul and asked him to take a look, what had he done with his knife?

Has it ever been mentioned that Paul saw Charles carrying a black bag for the 🔪?🤔

I don't think that it is by any means certain that the police did not make discrete enquiries about Lechmere. They seems to have eliminated Robert Paul as a suspect, and that immediately begs two questions. Firstly why would they look into the second man to come into contact with the body but not the first? Secondly why would Paul be a suspect, if both he and Lechmere agreed that he was the second man on the scene? Presumably they didn't think that Robert Paul murdered Polly Nichols, then walked round the block and and encountered a very puzzled Lechmere. My best guess is that they didn't trust either mans account, and considered the possibility that they might have acted together.

I am a firm believer that you have identified the correct culprit in Lechmere. What puzzles me is, why did he stop the murders? Could you let me know. I have heard that there are other serial killers that do stop their killing sprees for lengths of time. Also, I am intrigued about other murders that occurred shortly before and after the White Chapel murders possibly being Lechmere's work as well. Great videos and information. We love you here in the U.S.

Don’t give up, you’re on to something

I am absolutely satisfied in my own opinion, letchmere was jack the ripper, 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿✌️

I believed it was lechmere aswell, but only because another English youtuber explained why he believed it, and the fact that he didn't want to sit the woman up. That was it, well pretty much only because he didn't want to touch her, but the other channel tour of...I forgot already, 🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️ just had an interview with someone else, and it never occurred to me, the story could have been wrong and he wasn't described by other witnesses for the other women, and the worst part is, it's not like there's anyone left to actually punish 🥺 you done a really good job, everyone, even the police that were there obviously only had theories, and we all have a version of that. These internet trolls need to calm down under their bridges and realise this isn't their real life, if anything it should teach them how short life can be, and knowing what this creature done, the last thing I would want to do is become cruel or angry with someone else. I'm so ashamed to be human sometimes, all youtubers have to deal with them 🤍😒🙂🦘🇦🇺🦘✌️.

ive never set any store by the police suspects if the police knew so much why dident they catch in the first place

This guy was a menace to society but he didn't seem dangerous. Not JTR I think.

charles lechmere/cross gang

Mrs Richards: "I paid for a room with a view!" Basil: (pointing to the lovely view) "That is Torquay, Madam." Mrs Richards: "It's not good enough!" Basil: "May I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically past?..." Mrs Richards: "Don't be silly! I expect to be able to see the sea!" Basil: "You can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky." Mrs Richards: "I'm not satisfied. But I shall stay. But I expect a reduction." Basil: "Why?! Because Krakatoa's not erupting at the moment ?"

Just wanted to ask somthing about the Polly Nicholas murder? When Letchmere and Robert Paul go and find a police officer, I know Letchmere was the one who spoke with the police officer and said there's a policeman down at Buxs road who wants your help, but why didn't Robert Paul say anything to the officer when he would have known that there was no police officer?

Hello edward do you think whoever jtr was would have confessed on their deathbed unless their death was unexpected

Hello, i was wondering about lechmeres mother and wife, is there any info on the reason for he and his wife's separation, i think that would be worth delving into,i have my own thoughts on it but would like to know facts if there is any out there. Kind regards.

I'm quite surprised that they didn't include Joseph Merrick 'The Elephant-Man' in their suspect list .Though i am sure in the future some fantasist will write a book that does . It could be intersting to time the walk from Pickfords to both 29 Hanbury St & Miller's Court as they both occured on work days. Lechmere for me is well & truly under the micrscope ,where as the vast majority of other suspects are just plainly ludicrous , The entire J.T.R. field of study is subjective ,so surly anything or one that precipitates debate has to be a bonus.

Ostrog...when I lived in Tunbridge Wells ...he was about their in 1880's which was interesting ...stealing stuff..as I always follow the case.

Great.

At 23:11 in the film a newspaper clipping is shown detailing Ostrog’s theft of jewellery from a Mr. George William Betjemann who was, I believe, a predecessor of Sir John Betjemann the famous Poet Laureate. Just saying.

Wow, there be some drama heating up in the Ripper fandom...

Got your grain of salt?... Let's cut to the chase. Firstly. let me congratulate you on being arguably the best Ripperologist on the net. Bravo! Recently I said I thought Ostrog was Jack the Ripper. I half retracted the opinion due to the way Mr Stow seemed convinced that it was Lechmere. I mentioned retinal science as pointing to Ostrog as the last person the canonical five saw. Actually I thought that there were six victims (and still do), the first one being earlier that year. Now on further research I believe that Jack the Ripper was Lechmere as Mr Stow maintains. This is due to the discovery that the last person they saw was not Ostrog but Lechmere, who told them he was Ostrog. In other words the final memory they had referred to the residual name Ostrog not the physical resonance frequency of his body shape etc. Lechmere may have been reported to the London Police as having surgical knives and being cruel to women but having used the name Ostrog, McNaughten may have worked on the women's reports referring to Ostrog. There is evidence that Lechmere used the name Cross. He had changed his name once. It may have not been the last time he gave another name. He may have been Ostrog to the victims. Perhaps he did carry 30 surgical knives and was a homicidal maniac according to the women who denounced him thinking he was Michael Ostrog. Motive for the crimes? Maybe he had a childhood memory problem from slaughtering cats for his mother's cat food business. She was successful which leads one to imagine she was strict . This may have given him a type of PTSD which emerged later in life. It's possible he had a thing about syphilis, perhaps even being a sufferer. This is why he made off with uteruses etc. He studied the life of cats which gave him a rare look into the habits of cats and their promiscuity which he didn't like that much. He also probably knew how to determine syphilis in women as well as cats. Perhaps he saw himself as a white knight, being the father of nine children. But this is digression. There appears to have been a strong bond between Lechmere and his mother since after a disagreement he left his mother's home, just before the Jack the Ripper crimes began. Lechmere would have had plenty of opportunity to falsely tell his victims he was Michael Ostrog being in the area every night for 21 years. Ostrog was imprisoned in France during the crimes not to mention that most of the time he was in prisons and asylums for sneak thief activities etc. The women would not have known Ostrog long enough to know he was not Lechmere. I thought at first it was Pizer since he ticked the boxes. I imagined he told the women he was Ostrog. The cast iron alibi I thought was due to his friendship with a local police officer. However this would have been discredited over 135 years. Lechmere however was under the radar all those years. In short Lechmere appears the most likely candidate for the title Jack the Ripper. Retinal evidence asserts this to be the case. The problem being that they recalled who he said he was...Ostrog...though they saw Lechmere's body shape last. This holds up according to the retinal evidence. The name Ostrog was the last thing they perceived.

An isane asylum? OSTROG was just a plain old career criminal. He was a busy guy, can't see him ripping women up though. Between you and Helgrum my vote is for Lechmere.

19th century version of box ticking old boys club not very bright here's the top job in police work old boy remember eton, and oxford

Inspector Lestrade wouldn't have made such an elementary mistake.

i think its still who you know these days

Very Comprehensive, never considered Ostrog a serious suspect. It would be good if you could look at suspects such as Jacob Levy or William Henry Bury, although personally I doubt we truly know who Jack the Ripper was. Lechmere is a possible but not conclusive for me.

I’m curious, what is the one clue that convinces you beyond a shadow of doubt , it was lechmere?

he is more of confidence trickster of course he used false names he was obviously a man of certain intelligence did not want exposing himself

Wasn't he in prison in France during the Ripper murders???

I have to be honest and say many years ago I thought the ripper was James Kelly and now I think it's Lechmere. George Chapman was left handed and we all know the ripper was right handed. In that photo of Lechmere he's holding his hat with his right hand. Just saying. Cheers!

Do you think lechmere was trying to frighten his mother into allowing him back into the house?

Well we can go anywhere ..the guy who heard victim over fence ...and heard cries of 'no' ..he was French ...after terming, by witnesses, was a Foreigner ..he was on the scene ... and done nothing to look over fence, closer more than anybody else and a known place for street girls to come and go in through that ally way of the building to back yard ..again reports of Foreigner ..could mean not local! ...to just push him away as suspect again ..no one looked to him further .. we are all in theory' ...who said that .....but good stuff ..

I suspect george Hutchinson. He was the witness outside mary kellys room on the night of her murder and did not go to the poloce for some days after her murder. What isnt mentioned is that he was mary kellys jealous ex-boyfriend and theyd broken up 2 weeks before her murder after a jealous argument. After tabrams murder mary stopped working for a while and this is what gave him the idea and motivation for the rest of the murders. he used to read her newspaper reports of the murders to scare her into stopping her working. We know of his murderous inclination as he was convicted of a poisoning years after the ripper murders and this is used to discount him as jack as the MO is different,but the later murders were copycats of the original tabram murder. Also,marys door was locked and police had to break into the property,the key had gone missing 2 weeks earlier when Hutchinson amd kelly had split.

Hi ed,i agree ostrog should never have been a suspect,this post though is about harriet lilley.its true her statement a week later is hardly ideal however theres some specific details she says that interest me. She hears a painfull moan and 2 or 3 faint gasps which passed away..also she says she heard whispers and voices but couldnt make out what was said. Now,if we look at agonal breathing,healthline says agonal breathing may sound like gasping,it may sound like snorting labored breathing it may sound like the person is moaning.it can last a few breaths or could go for hours.wikipedia add this..strange vocalizations.so,i doubt if mrs lilley heard of these peculiar details from gossip or newspapers.she seems to have got these details correct,and i also doubt she ever heard of agonal breathing or knew what it meant.thank u.

Surely it's blatant masonry is all over Jack...

Ostrog, Druit and Kosminski have never been serious suspects. None of them have anything that links them to the crimes, nothing more than finger pointing. Kosminski, however, is a muddled character. Records indicate there were two Kosminski familes living in the same area. The details of which have become mixed up to produce a whole new person. Ostrog is easily dismissed for the reasons you point out, but some Ripperologist still fall for him. Lastly, Druit as the Ripper rests on a few family members having nothing more against him other than Druit being melancholy. As always your videos Eddie are outstanding, but when is your book published? That i would love to read.