Abberline telegram

[Aethelwulf]

Can anyone make out the street name? Can't get the first letter. Looks like 39 _intler Street. Interesting that the writer states 'all long liz's blood is used up' - perhaps he did really collect some and that is her blood on the Wouster letter. It's an odd thing to claim as I don't think anyone at the time or since thought her blood was taken? Could it be related to those mysterious oblong clots on her hand that Phillips couldn't explain?



Other point of note is that Annie Farmer was attacked the day before.

[rjpalmer]

It must be Cutler Street, off Houndsditch, and the dot is not actually part of the writing.

[rjpalmer]

Judging by the 1881 and 1891 census returns, there wasn't any No. 36 Cutler Street. The last house was No. 33. Hence the joke.

[Aethelwulf]

It must be Cutler Street, off Houndsditch, and the dot is not actually part of the writing.

ah yes well spotted, was misled by the dot.

Looking at the map, Cutler Street would indeed be an ideal base to strike into whitechapel. Close but slightly removed.

[Indian Harry]

One of the side effects of following the Jack the Ripper case is that again and again you are reminded of how similar we are to the people back then. It doesn't matter that 135 years separate us and that there is a big technological divide between our generations. People are people. When I read through the inquest testimony I find the witnesses very relatable. Now that brings us here to the telegram above. Our current world is full of trolls and sometimes someone does something really outlandish like mailing powders to public figures, issuing false confessions or orchestrating a 'prank' that harms and offends society. The telegram to Abberline shows us that even in those days the same kind of trolls existed.

[Aethelwulf]

One of the side effects of following the Jack the Ripper case is that again and again you are reminded of how similar we are to the people back then. It doesn't matter that 135 years separate us and that there is a big technological divide between our generations. People are people. When I read through the inquest testimony I find the witnesses very relatable. Now that brings us here to the telegram above. Our current world is full of trolls and sometimes someone does something really outlandish like mailing powders to public figures, issuing false confessions or orchestrating a 'prank' that harms and offends society. The telegram to Abberline shows us that even in those days the same kind of trolls existed.

ha ha probs right harry - we all have our own line in niche stupidty that we like to belive in (see JFK thread).

as said, just intrigued by the ref to S's blood. I could understand say the other half of kidney, heart or something else was known he took. Probs more hoaxes but there a quite a few other messages and chalks that predate the GSG that mention doing X more murders then handing himself in.

I wonder who actually lived at 39 cutler street (if that is a real number for that street), at least in 1881 and 1891 census returns?

[rjpalmer]

I wonder who actually lived at 39 cutler street (if that is a real number for that street), at least in 1881 and 1891 census returns?

As I wrote earlier, the address appears to be fictitious and doesn't appear in 1881/1891. The last house number on Cutler Street that I can find is No. 33 which in near the 'Old Clothes Exchange.'

No. 2 is part of Fleur de Lis Court. Presumably many in Aldgate would have known the area because it dealt in second-hand clothes.

[Aethelwulf]

As I wrote earlier, the address appears to be fictitious and doesn't appear in 1881/1891. The last house number on Cutler Street that I can find is No. 33 which in near the 'Old Clothes Exchange.'

No. 2 is part of Fleur de Lis Court. Presumably many in Aldgate would have known the area because it dealt in second-hand clothes.

Thanks RJ - despite it being only the third post I managed to miss the earlier message.

Call me crazy, but I want to leave the door open a tiny crack on this telegram, purely because of the reference to Stride's blood. In all probablity I'm making a mystery where there is none. I can understand a reference to Kelly's blood, as everyone knew it was a bloody affair, or even Eddowe's blood or Kelly's heart etc. It's just an oddity that two letters are both saying indirectly that they collected Stride's blood - first in the Wouster letter and then in this telegram. It seems an unlikely thing to suggest for the least likely victim. I wonder if there was a story doing the rounds that this had happened? Or are we dealing with the same writer who was in Wouster and then the east end. We can always blame Bachert - he ceratinly seems to have taken a break from his shop keeping for a little holiday in Brum and Wouster the previous month.

I doubt it will ever happen but given there is virtually no physical evidence, wouldn't it be worth examing the blood smear. Perhaps I should petition Ms Cornwell to the effect that Sickert was in the West Midlands!

[Aethelwulf]

Ok - here is my final offering on this then I'll shut it. One of the PSG messages vrs telegram (assuming Dundee Courier journalist copied it down correctly (the other message has basically the same lettering except for a a very different J for Jack and R for Ripper - the R is more standard cursive in the other message (recall the two very different sigs in up goes the sponge).

[Indian Harry]

ha ha probs right harry - we all have our own line in niche stupidty that we like to belive in (see JFK thread).

as said, just intrigued by the ref to S's blood. I could understand say the other half of kidney, heart or something else was known he took. Probs more hoaxes but there a quite a few other messages and chalks that predate the GSG that mention doing X more murders then handing himself in.

I wonder who actually lived at 39 cutler street (if that is a real number for that street), at least in 1881 and 1891 census returns?

Anything is possible. But if Jack had enough time to patiently collect blood from Stride I would be willing to bet that he would instead use the time to extract an organ. So my money is on a prankster being the author. It's interesting none the less.

[Aethelwulf]

Anything is possible. But if Jack had enough time to patiently collect blood from Stride I would be willing to bet that he would instead use the time to extract an organ. So my money is on a prankster being the author. It's interesting none the less.

Perhaps he went out that night intent on getting an organ and blood, ideally I suppose from one person. Perhaps the all the peripheral stuff with Stride put him off and he went looking for no.2. Yes perhaps a prankster but I still think it odd that someone in Wouster and then someone in whitechapel is alluding to the fact that they collected Stride's blood. It is intersting and I think that is partly my point - these boards are like groundhog day with nothing new ever being discussed. I see we're back on yet another go at Chapman ToD which will turn out to be useless again. Give a while and it'll come again.

[Sam Flynn]

It's not " 30," with a long comma after the zero, is it?

[Aethelwulf]

It's not " 30," with a long comma after the zero, is it?

Sort of see what you mean. Could be a hiding in plain sight joke - here is not my address/my address. There is that other letter with the signature and address blacked out with coffins that Cornwell has had analysed, could be similar sort of thing, but looks more like 39 to be honest.

[rjpalmer]

Sort of see what you mean. Could be a hiding in plain sight joke - here is not my address/my address. There is that other letter with the signature and address blacked out with coffins that Cornwell has had analysed, could be similar sort of thing, but looks more like 39 to be honest.

I haven't seen him around lately, but for years there was a bloke on this forum who was convinced the number 39 held special significance for the Whitechapel Murderer. 39 stab wounds to Martha Tabram was just the tip of the iceberg.

I imagine this telegram would have really tickled his grey matter, had he known of it.

[rjpalmer]

I remember his name now: Richard Nunweek. I guess he did know about the telegram (see Post 1) :

NOT JUST A NUMBERS GAME (casebook.org)