Lusk Letter sent to George Lusk of the vigilante committee

..... It was preserved in spirits of wine - a readily available substance used by people of all classes and of many trades, apart from lab technicians or medics - at least, not for the purpose of preserving samples.

I just take issue with the correction Sam....I did say it was in a manner inconsistent with Labs or teaching hospitals specifically, because I believe they preserved tissues or organs in glycerine, and the section sent in had been kept "in spirits". I was debunking the medical student myth,.... if indeed authentic, and the package contents were from Kate.

If it was real, its less likely that it was from a man trained to preserve organs in glycerine.

Cheers Sam.

[Sam Flynn]

Hi Mike,

Even if there was no way to authenticate the kidney section as being from Kate Eddowes, it was believed to be human, and female, and taken from a body within the previous two weeks...

The latter two premises are very difficult to defend. For a start, there is preciousl little that distinguishes a female kidney from that of a male. That element, at least, of the press report sounds like utter twaddle.

preserved in a manner inconsistent with lab samples or student disections.

It wasn't. It was preserved in spirits of wine - a readily available substance used by people of all classes and of many trades, apart from lab technicians or medics - at least, not for the purpose of preserving samples.

If anyone is still posting regarding the Lusk Letter "From Hell", does anyone have a comment or thought as to why Mr Lusk stuck the note and package in his drawer for a day roughly, before even telling anyone he had received it?

I personally agree with Elias...this of all the communications makes me wonder...and not because it had a kidney section. Thats sort of the "icing".

No name, no threats, no "I'm a blood thirsty madman" lines like some in Dear Boss and others. Simple, to a non-authoritative resident of the area, and just sharing the proceeds... if you will. Or the gate receipts to use another analogy. Two local men involved in the same game, but in different roles, and with much different objectives.

Even if there was no way to authenticate the kidney section as being from Kate Eddowes, it was believed to be human, and female, and taken from a body within the previous two weeks... from its arrival at Lusks, and preserved in a manner inconsistent with lab samples or student disections.

And just like the apron section on Sept 30th, there is only one killing being referenced for that "Double" night.

Best regards.

[Sam Flynn]

Hi Elias,

But, while reports from different doctors varied on detail and conclusions on the kidney (like whether it was female, whether it was diseased etc) didn't they all agree that it was at the very least human?

Dr Openshaw opined thus, and we must respect his judgment. However, it still niggles me that he allegedly went on to say that it was female, taken from a woman aged 45, and that he apparently needed a microscope to form this opinion - none of which strikes me as particularly believable, and on which basis I can't help feeling that there's an element of press exaggeration here. I also can't quite dismiss from my mind the possibility that Openshaw, for all his skill, might have fallen foul of the broad similarity between pig and human kidneys.

Just on the point about the media coverage, isn't it safe to assume that word-of-mouth would've filled in all the gory details

Word of mouth may not have been good enough for a hoaxer bent on passing himself off as the "real" Jack. It just required one false rumour to be followed, and his deception would have been obvious.

[Elias]

Hi Elias,The next, and final, mutilation killing didn't get the saturation coverage in the press that Eddowes' murder had received, and official details about the Kelly murder were largely kept out of the public domain. The same had been true, to a lesser extent, of the Chapman murder - although some maverick papers carried more details than others. It was certainly widely known that Chapman's uterus had been removed, however - so why, then, didn't "Jack", or a student, send a portion of womb after that murder? I'd suggest that it may have something to do with the fact that pig and human uteri don't much resemble one another, whereas pigs' kidneys are not only more readily available, but are morphologically quite similar to their human equivalents.

Hi Sam,

Good point about the Chapman murder. But, while reports from different doctors varied on detail and conclusions on the kidney (like whether it was female, whether it was diseased etc) didn't they all agree that it was at the very least human?

Just on the point about the media coverage, isn't it safe to assume that word-of-mouth would've filled in all the gory details for anyone who wanted to know - which, judging by the crowds that gathered outside Miller's Court, was pretty much everyone.

[Sam Flynn]

Hi Elias,

If someone was prepared to do that once, someone who had access to such things (ie a med student), surely they would've continued after other murders, especially after the attention this letter ended up getting.

The next, and final, mutilation killing didn't get the saturation coverage in the press that Eddowes' murder had received, and official details about the Kelly murder were largely kept out of the public domain. The same had been true, to a lesser extent, of the Chapman murder - although some maverick papers carried more details than others. It was certainly widely known that Chapman's uterus had been removed, however - so why, then, didn't "Jack", or a student, send a portion of womb after that murder? I'd suggest that it may have something to do with the fact that pig and human uteri don't much resemble one another, whereas pigs' kidneys are not only more readily available, but are morphologically quite similar to their human equivalents.

[Elias]

I think of all the communications this is the one most likely to have been from the killer. I'm still inclined to think that it was a hoax, but it's quite a leap from one hoaxer who sends a letter to the police/news whoever, and one who goes to some trouble to send a piece of kidney with it. I've always had a niggling thought that if it was a hoaxer, it must've been someone with a lot more 'appetite' for the murders than the other letter writers, maybe a copycat killer for example, someone who was doing more than just having a cheap laugh at the press or police's expense. I can't see why someone would go to the trouble of actually sending something purporting to be from a victim only once. If someone was prepared to do that once, someone who had access to such things (ie a med student), surely they would've continued after other murders, especially after the attention this letter ended up getting.

[Veritas]

Interesting that the Lusk letter (which I think was authentic), is not signed Jack the Ripper. Rumbelow said that he (the Ripper) was rejecting the name,

[Doctor X]

There is that noise again.

Sort of a "squeaking" sound.

Curious.

--J.D.

[Tom_Wescott]

You new kids are a hoot. We appreciate you stopping by and telling us how to go about our business, though. You might want to now go over to www.zodiackiller.com and spread schoolin'. They could use you're help. We're fine here now though. Thanks.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Doctor X]

Oh sorry . . .

. . . thought someone posted.

--J.D.

[23Skidoo]

If the child so dislikes having his fanny publicly spanked, it need merely cease acting out and throwing tantrums.

It is not terribly complicated. . . .

--J.D.

Vigi's a guy he doesn't have a fanny....

[Doctor X]

If the child so dislikes having his fanny publicly spanked, it need merely cease acting out and throwing tantrums.

It is not terribly complicated. . . .

--J.D.

[Vigilantee]

You really should be muzzled dog boy.

[Doctor X]

It doesnt matter which way round it is moron.

You clearly haven't or you wouldnt [Sic--Ed.] make such an obvious mistake.

Save it is not. Really chaffs the nethers of this child does it not?

You really are an obnoxious **** arent you....

Sorry to make you cry.

Yours truly,

--J.D.