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[DJA]

http://www.casebook.org/forum/messages/4923/18921.jpg

[Herlock Sholmes]

Fair point. But if he said that he didn't see the cloth there earlier it seems to indicate that he remembered looking in the direction of the doorway. But your right perhaps he just had his eyes downward as he briefly scanned the area. I still feel that it's possible, even likely that the cloth was placed there intentionally. It all depends though on the reason that he took away the cloth. Saying that, I've read on here, the suggestion that Eddowes may have thrown it there herself? I haven't checked maps to see if this is a likely route for her though. As I've previously mentioned I've been away from the world of JTR for a few years. What's the current thinking on the idea that Eddowes herself discarded the rag? To be honest it's something that I'd never considered and could possibly alter my opinion on whether Jack wrote the message or not.

I've only just seen DJAs post so I'm adding a bit here. This indicates that the message was inside the doorway, out of sight. I've never understood or accepted Warren's reasoning for having it rubbed off.

[DJA]

If it was written on the thin part of doorway(jamb) why didn't Long notice it earlier?

HS

Constable Alfred Long, 254 A, Metropolitan police: I was on duty in Goulston-street, Whitechapel, on Sunday morning, Sept. 30, and about five minutes to three o'clock I found a portion of a white apron (produced). There were recent stains of blood on it. The apron was lying in the passage leading to the staircase of Nos. 106 to 119, a model dwelling-house. Above on the wall was written in chalk, "The Jews are the men that will not be blamed for nothing." I at once searched the staircase and areas of the building, but did not find anything else. I took the apron to Commercial-road Police-station and reported to the inspector on duty.
[Coroner] Had you been past that spot previously to your discovering the apron? - I passed about twenty minutes past two o'clock.
[Coroner] Are you able to say whether the apron was there then? - It was not.
Mr. Crawford: As to the writing on the wall, have you not put a "not" in the wrong place? Were not the words, "The Jews are not the men that will be blamed for nothing"? - I believe the words were as I have stated.
[Coroner] Was not the word "Jews" spelt "Juwes?" - It may have been.
[Coroner] Yet you did not tell us that in the first place. Did you make an entry of the words at the time? - Yes, in my pocket-book. Is it possible that you have put the "not" in the wrong place? - It is possible, but I do not think that I have.
[Coroner] Which did you notice first - the piece of apron or the writing on the wall? - The piece of apron, one corner of which was wet with blood.
[Coroner] How came you to observe the writing on the wall? - I saw it while trying to discover whether there were any marks of blood about.
[Coroner] Did the writing appear to have been recently done? - I could not form an opinion.
[Coroner] Do I understand that you made a search in the model dwelling-house? - I went into the staircases.
[Coroner] Did you not make inquiries in the house itself? - No.
The Foreman: Where is the pocket-book in which you made the entry of the writing? - At Westminster.
[Coroner] Is it possible to get it at once? - I dare say.
Mr. Crawford: I will ask the coroner to direct that the book be fetched.
The Coroner: Let that be done.

[Sam Flynn]

If it was written on the thin part of doorway(jamb) why didn't Long notice it earlier?

Long would only have had the doorway in his field of vision for a second or two, assuming his eyes weren't looking elsewhere as he passed. Even if they weren't, it's all too easy to overlook something as mundane as some chalk scrawled on a wall. In Long's defence, he worked for the Metropolitan Police, not the Borough Cleansing Department

[DJA]

It wasn't there earlier.
Reckon Jack was still at 6 Mitre Street. Prolly putting Kate's organs in ethanol.

[Herlock Sholmes]

If it was written on the thin part of doorway(jamb) why didn't Long notice it earlier?

HS

[DJA]

First line on the daddo was ~ 49.5 inches.

[Joshua Rogan]

Given it was the weekend before the Michaelmas term and that GSG was well written,perhaps we have a lecturer on our hands.
Prolly a medical one.
The height indicates someone about 5"3".
Hmm.

The height was limited by the black painted bricks so I don't think it's any indication of the writer's height.

[Joshua Rogan]

I remember it being commented on about the fact that not everyone would carry or own a piece of chalk. Who would? A school teacher, therefore Druitt.

Tailors used chalk too.
Not to mention countless other professions, and of course kids - I recall spending a large proportion of my childhood scribbling on walls and pavements with a lump of chalk.

[Joshua Rogan]

Hi HS. I think Dave (DJA) believes his suspect had access to 6 Mitre Street, hence the reference.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I must be missing something here?

Sorry to appear dim but I don't understand the 6 Mitre Street reference?
Regards
HS

[DJA]

Timeline is worth a look.
Reckon Kate's organs were still at 6 Mitre Street.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I remember it being commented on about the fact that not everyone would carry or own a piece of chalk. Who would? A school teacher, therefore Druitt. I also always assumed that it was written on the wall inside the doorway but it has been stated that it was on the jamb? Does this explain why the message was written in 4 lines rather than the more 'natural' 3? Why didn't Long notice it then when he first past the doorway? Also, if he used the cloth to wrap the womb and kidney, which to me, seems likely, it means that he would have had to go back to his room/house and then back out to an area potentially crawling with police just to discard a cloth that he could have disposed of in the fire or over someone's wall the next day. This points strongly to the idea that he placed the cloth deliberately, which surely points to the fact that it was a 'pointer' to the message. I need a tardis!

[DJA]

I would love to know why, yes. And the answer would probably be disappointingly commonplace, but still...

If someone blackmails you more than once.....

[DJA]

Since reading my first Ripper book in 1984 I've always wished that I had the final answer to whether Jack wrote the GSG or not. I recall discussing it at length and, on balance, everything seemed to me to point to yes. I was always amazed when I heard people say that Jack cut away a piece of Eddowes apron to wipe his knife! I also recall that years ago there was debate about which part of the doorway the message was actually on.
More than any other area of the case this one was always the one I had discussions/debates around. I've been away from the subject for a while so I'm not up to date on current thought or research.
Regards
HS

Given it was the weekend before the Michaelmas term and that GSG was well written,perhaps we have a lecturer on our hands.
Prolly a medical one.
The height indicates someone about 5"3".
Hmm.