Charles Lechmere / Cross
Personal Life
Born 1849 Saint Anns Soho
Parents married in 1846.
Mother Maria Louisa Roulson
One sister, Emily, Three years older
1851 census records show dad is no longer with family?
1851 census show her head of household. Charles and Emily both living with her
1858 moved family to white chappel and mom married Thomas Cross
1861 census shows Charles last name is now Cross
1871 census shows Charles now married to Elizabeth, both 21 years old. Charles name is now back to Lenchmere and shows him working as a car man
1881 census still married both now age 31 still shown as car man, four children, age, 7, 4, 2, and 1
1891 census still married both now 41 still a car man, now shows 8 kids age, 17, 14, 12, 11, 8, 7, 5, and 1
1901 census he is still married, now both 51, no new children, some have moved out of house, change of job, now railway agent car man.
9th child born March 2nd, 1888 died in 1890 it was a daughter
Triggers, Tragedies
Death of daughter 1890
Between 1851 and 1858 father no longer in the household. Not sure if died or left family
1885 mom remarried, step father died before 1871 census, 1872 census mom re married again, 1881 census mom re married again, 1891 census moms current husband now dead
1901 death of mom her age was 77
1911 census still married both 61 new job again listed as general shop and sweet stuff
Died 1920 at the age of 71
Worked in white chappel during the time of murder
Was known to walk to work using same streets murders occured on :
Evidence
Walked route to work on streets the murders mostly occured
Was a witness to Marry Nicoles murder
Step fathers occupation was a police constable
August 31st, 1888 around 3:40 a.m. stumbled upon Marry Nicoles body while walking to work
Worked as a local car man
40 min walk from his house to work
It took him through the epic center of Ripper killings
All murder but one happened between his home on Doveton Street, Bethnal Green and his job on Brod Street
Only murder not located here was Elizabeth Stride
Mother lived near this murder
Took this walk to work during the hours the murders took place
Dealt with the delievry of meat
Would explain blood on hands or clothing
Documented police records of police statement
Ripper investigators theory
Said he left home at 3:30 a.m. to walk to work
While walking through Buck's Row on other side of street saw something laying against a gateway.
Walked to the middle of the road to get a better look, saw it was a figure of a woman
At the same time he saw the woman he heard someone 40 yards away coming up the road also
Said he stepped back waited for the person to come to him and said "come and look over there, there is a woman" This other person is Robert Paul
Charles continued witness statement
Robert Paul's police statement.
Both men walked over to the body Charles lifted the womans hands while Robert stood over the head
Charles said that the hands were cold and limp and stated he told Robert "I believe she is dead"
Charles touched her face which felt warm and Robert placed his hands on her heart and said "I think she is breathing, but its very little life is she is."
Charles said Robert suggested they shift her he thinks he meant that they should sit her up right. Charles said " im not going to touch her"
Charles said womans legs were uncovered but her bonnet was off but close to her head
Charles said when he looked at the body he didnt notice the throat was cut becuase it was very dark
He said him and Robert left the body. Saw police constabel Mizen whom they told about the woman laying in Buck's row. Charles said he told the constable she looks either dead or drunk, and robert said I think she is dead.
Police man answered alright
Charles said Robert left soon after words, He appeared to be a car man but he has never seen him before
Questions the Coroner ask Charles
He asked if he saw the police Neil in Buck's row Charles said "no I saw no one after leaving home other than Robert and the constable on Bakers row"
Was asked did the other man tell you who he was, Charles said no, he only said he would fetch the police but he was running late. I was running late also
It was 3:45 a.m. when I was on Buck's row when I was on my way to work
He said it was dark and he was in a hurry saw a man standing where the woman was, the man came towards me I was worried he was dangerous then man said "come look at this woman"
I found the woman laying on her back I grabbed her wrist found she was dead ad her hands were cold, said it was to dark to see the blood, thought she died in a struggle
Said he was to be punctual at work so I went on and told the other man I would send the first police I saw
I saw a police Church row just at the top of Buck's row. I told him what id seen and asked him to come
The police did not say if he was going to come or not just kept continuing calling the people up. Robert thought that was a great shame after I told him the woman was dead
Stated the woman was so cold she must have been dead some time
Robert thought she had been left there waiting to die or that she was murdered somewhere else and was carried there to Buck's row
Robert said it showed no police man had been on that beat for a long time because she was so cold and she was plain enough to see her bonnett was laying two feet from her head
Gave police false name
Some think statements to police were lies to throw them off trail
Differences between Charles and Roberts witness reports
Told police his name was Charles Cross but as been listed as Charles Lenchmere on all census reports since he moved out of his mothers
Some think he gave this name to protect himself because of all the news papers and interest in the Ripper killings
Some believe he used the last name of cross because his step father was a police man
Did give police his correct adress and his correct place of employment
Some say he gave a false name because he had something to hide
Questions about what he told constable Mitzen
Mitzen said "Charles told him you are wanted in bucks row by another police man a woman is lying there"
Charles knew no other police man was there
Some think Cross lied to make him look better since he left a dead woman alone in the gateway and was to worried about being late to work
Some think he said this to throw off police
Charles said he did not tell Mitzen was wanted by another police officer. He said he told him you are wanted down there and pointed to Buck's row
Was again asked by a member of the jury when he was brought into the inquest room "did you tell Mitzen that another police man wanted him" and he answered " no because I did not see another police man on Buck's row"
Charles said he was standing still in the middle of the road when Robert was coming. Robert said he was standing where the woman was
Some believe Robert interrupted Charles during the killing and Charles instead of running away acted like he just found her body
Father John Allen Lechmere