Leather Apron.

[Guest Stephen Turner]

Before Jack, the Whitechapel murderer had another nick-name, Leather Apron..

Jack Pizer,was nick-named "Leather Apron" and was known for bullying prostitutes. The newspapers published lengthy stories about L/A, reporting that he was the only name linked with the Whitechapel murders. He was described as a Jewish slipper maker with a sinister expression, an unusually thick neck,Black hair and a small black moustache. He was said to carry a "Leather knife"and move without making a noise.In other words the perfect melodramatic villian.

Sergeant Thicke arrested Pizer on 10th Sept.Pizer, a boot finisher, was 5ft 4ins tall,with a dark face, dark moustache, and side whiskers, he was taken to leman st Police station. Five long bladed knives were found at his home, A resident of Hanbury St,Emanual Delbast Violenia, identified Pizer as the man who had threatened a woman with a knife in the early hours of 8th Sept. Things did not look good for Pizer.However, Violena could not identify Chapmans body at the morgue as the woman threatened by Pizer, and after three hours cross-questioning proved to be unreliable as a witness. Pizer was able to provide a suitable alibi for his where-abouts on the nights of the two murders. and after 36 hours, he was released form custody, but he had recieved a torent of abuse from the Press, who had labled him a "crazy Jew, and half man half beast.

[Christopher T. George]

Before Jack, the Whitechapel murderer had another nick-name, Leather Apron..

Jack Pizer,was nick-named "Leather Apron" and was known for bullying prostitutes. The newspapers published lengthy stories about L/A, reporting that he was the only name linked with the Whitechapel murders. He was described as a Jewish slipper maker with a sinister expression, an unusually thick neck,Black hair and a small black moustache. He was said to carry a "Leather knife"and move without making a noise.In other words the perfect melodramatic villian.

Sergeant Thicke arrested Pizer on 10th Sept.Pizer, a boot finisher, was 5ft 4ins tall,with a dark face, dark moustache, and side whiskers, he was taken to leman st Police station. Five long bladed knives were found at his home, A resident of Hanbury St,Emanual Delbast Violenia, identified Pizer as the man who had threatened a woman with a knife in the early hours of 8th Sept. Things did not look good for Pizer.However, Violena could not identify Chapmans body at the morgue as the woman threatened by Pizer, and after three hours cross-questioning proved to be unreliable as a witness. Pizer was able to provide a suitable alibi for his where-abouts on the nights of the two murders. and after 36 hours, he was released form custody, but he had recieved a torent of abuse from the Press, who had labled him a "crazy Jew, and half man half beast.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Stephen

Yes as you know Pizer was able to produce an alibi for the Nichols murder, that he was seen watching the fire at the Shadwell docks at the time of that murder, on the night of August 30-31. It is by no means clear whether Pizer was known as "Leather Apron" -- the testimony appears to point toward him having been known by that name but he himself denied he was been called that name. At the least, Pizer aka "Leather Apron" (?) is an eliminated suspect and probably not Jack the Ripper.

I have often wondered if there is something wrong about Sir Robert Anderson's statement that it was a "definitely ascertained fact" that the Ripper was a poor Polish Jew, if Anderson had the information muddled, and the suspect he was thinking of was Pizer whose people would not give him up as Anderson put it.

You will know that it is generally thought that the suspect meant by Anderson was Aaron Kosminski, whose name pops up in the Macnaghten memoranda and in Swanson's notes to Anderson's book, The Lighter Side of My Official Life. But Anderson himself did not give a name so one has to wonder if the poor Polish Jew might have been Pizer and not Kosminski as Swanson's note asserts. The problem with that line of thinking is that Pizer does not seem to have been taken to the "seaside home" for the (presumably) City police officer to identify him, as it appears might have happened with Kosminski. On the question of Kosminski and the seaside home, see "Kosminski and the Seaside Home" By Stewart P Evans.

Best regards

Chris George

Edited August 11, 2005 by Christopher T. George

[Guest Stephen Turner]

Thanks Chris, some great information for our "Constant readers"

Here's what Anderson has to say in his memoirs,The lighter side of my official life

"One did not need to be a Sherlock Holmes to discover that the criminal was a sexual maniac of a virulent type;that he was living in the immediate vicinity of the scene's of the murders; and that, if he was not living absolutlely alone, his people knew of his guilt,and refused to give him up to justice. During my absence abroad the Police had made a houes to house search for him, investigating the case of every man in the district whose circumstances where such that he could come and go and get rid of his blood-stains in secret. and the conclusion we came to was that he and his people were certain low class Polish Jews, for it is a remarkable fact that the people of that class in the East end will not give up one of their numbers to Gentile justice."

And, Later.

" I will merely add that the only person who had a good view of the murderer, unhesitatingly identified the suspect the instant he was confronted with him, but he refused to give evidence against him."

Edited August 11, 2005 by Stephen Turner