An authorship analysis of the Jack the Ripper letters (Andrea Nini, 2018)

[Sam Flynn]

He actually wrote that he didn`t have time to get ears for police.

I know that, and it doesn't contradict what I originally posted: he was "unable" to cut off the ears because "he didn't have time". When I said that he was unable to do so, I didn't feel the need to give the reason because the text of the Saucy Jacky postcard is so well-known.

[Jon Guy]

Ample opportunity? Yes, really. He had time enough to remove a uterus, a kidney and a section of colon; cutting off both ears (plural) would have taken mere seconds, and taking them away so he could subsequently send them to the police (which he did not do) would have taken no time at all.

Was there really ample opportunity after he removed a uterus, a kidney and a section of colon, and the facial mutilations.

Again, part of one ear was found amongst her clothing. How did this detach itself ?

[Sam Flynn]

Mere seconds, Jon.

Of course the ear was at least partly cut off, but it was only one of them, and it was NOT taken away and it was NOT sent to the police. The only thing that was ever sent was the Lusk kidney, and that was not sent to the police, either.

[Jon Guy]

Perhaps by asking to hold it back it would give the Star newspaper an advantage over their rivals because the journalistic piece would already have been written when the news of the letter finally broke

Or perhaps the killer didn`t want to advertise to the world that he would be stalking the streets of Whitechapel that weekend.

[Robert St Devil]

Does anyone know:

1. why page 2 of Dear Boss has a hole-punch in the upper left corner and Page 1 doesn't? It was obviously done after the writing since it punches through the word police? Observing closer, it looks like a similar hole-punched sheet is behind it.

2. the size of the envelope? The photo on this site makes it look smaller in width than the pages, to the point I'm trying in vain to find any appearance of a vertical crease on the page. I can make out the lower crease better than the upper crease, possibly being folded in thirds to form a rectangular shape. However the envelope looks square.

[Spider]

Well, it was addressed;

The Boss
____Central News
__________Office
____London City

It was.

[Joshua Rogan]

Morning all, just passing this along from Keith Skinner:

Spider’s post #56 brought to mind a point about the “Dear Boss” letter of which I’ve never been quite clear. The letter, dated September 25th 1888, was received at The Central News on September 27th 1888. Two days letter, on September 29th 1888, the original letter and envelope were forwarded to Mr. Williamson (who I’m assuming to be the Chief Constable) with a covering note from the Editor of the Central News, or by somebody on his behalf. What I am curious about is what prompted them to send it on September 29th, what time on that Saturday was it forwarded to Mr Williamson, when was it received and who, at Scotland Yard, upon receipt, knew of its existence? The letter could be read as a response to the murders in Whitechapel and the City but standing against that interpretation is the fact that Stride’s body was found at 1.00AM on Sunday October 30th and Eddowes' body was discovered at 1.45AM on Sunday October 30th. I have often wondered whether Warren and Arnold were aware of this letter when the decision to expunge the writing on the wall at Goulston Street, without photographing the handwriting for comparison against the letter of September 25th, was taken at 5.30AM on Sunday October 30th 1888. I can’t remember ever having seen the point directly addressed in any of the surviving contemporary documentation?

Best Wishes, Keith Skinner

I was just pondering this point myself...
As far as I can tell, there's no corroboration of the two letters' existence outside the Central News before the 1st Oct. Yes, the Dear Boss envelope wad postmarked 27th Sept, but there's no way to be sure the letter (or that version of the letter) was inside it. It's easy enough to put a false date at thr top of a letter if you're faking it. Likewise, without proof of when Dear Boss was received by the police, it remains possible that it was written (or rewritten) and forwarded to Mr Williamson after the Double Event had occurred, but with the covering letter dated the day before.

[Abby Normal]

He actually wrote that he didn`t have time to get ears for police.
Which could mean he cut one off, dropped it and couldn`t find it when he heard Watkins.


Ample opportunity. Really ?

Bingo!!

[Abby Normal]

Or perhaps the killer didn`t want to advertise to the world that he would be stalking the streets of Whitechapel that weekend.

Bingo again Jon!

Also serial killers tend to be controlling manipulative types. It could be a test to see if they followed his instructions.

[Abby Normal]

Ample opportunity? Yes, really. He had time enough to remove a uterus, a kidney and a section of colon; cutting off both ears (plural) would have taken mere seconds, and taking them away so he could subsequently send them to the police (which he did not do) would have taken no time at all.

Nevertheless an ear was severed. Period.

[Trevor Marriott]

Nevertheless an ear was severed. Period.

No a portion was severed, note a portion of an ear, not ears plural stop changing the goalposts

Have you stopped taking the anti delusion pills ?

https://www.trevormarriott.co.uk

[Abby Normal]

Perhaps by asking to hold it back it would give the Star newspaper an advantage over their rivals because the journalistic piece would already have been written when the news of the letter finally broke


www.trevormarriott.co.uk

If it was a hoax, Whoever hoaxed and sent the the letter, would have been already been ready with any journalistic piece about the letter, since they they wrote the letter!

And you were a detective? Lol!

[Abby Normal]

And let’s not forget the writer saying he wants to get to work soon.
Another coincidence?

[Abby Normal]

No a portion was severed, note a portion of an ear, not ears plural stop changing the goalposts

Have you stopped taking the anti delusion pills ?

www.trevormarriott.co.uk

Have you always been a moron or has senility set in early?

[Joshua Rogan]

Does anyone know:

1. why page 2 of Dear Boss has a hole-punch in the upper left corner and Page 1 doesn't? It was obviously done after the writing since it punches through the word police? Observing closer, it looks like a similar hole-punched sheet is behind it.

2. the size of the envelope? The photo on this site makes it look smaller in width than the pages, to the point I'm trying in vain to find any appearance of a vertical crease on the page. I can make out the lower crease better than the upper crease, possibly being folded in thirds to form a rectangular shape. However the envelope looks square.

Hi Robert,
Letters from Hell has pictures of the Dear Boss letter and envelope. I can't see any punched holes (was your version created from the police facsimile perhaps?), but the fold lines are clearly visible on the letter and the resultant rectangle matches the envelope.