The 'Moab & Midian' Letter

[YankeeSergeant]

Whitehall victim

Quick question, what do we know if anything about the Whitehall victim mentioned in the Moab and Midian letter?

[YankeeSergeant]

Author/ Hoaxer

Do we have any good suspects for authoring the three letters?

[YankeeSergeant]

Moab and Midian

You think Dr. Parker wroter this (and perhaps the Dear Boss and Saucy Jacky letters) with reference to and/or on behalf of Cutbush? Good theory, especially the religious aspect, for a story. No offence.

Realistically, I'd say the 'Jack the Ripper' letter trilogy was probably written by the same person, but by a definite hoaxer. You can tell they're fake by the broken promises made in them; fair enough quite a large part of Eddowes' ear was sliced off (at least that's what it looks like in her mortuary photos), but I think it's a safe bet to assume that that was coincidental. Plus the ear wasn't mailed to the police (though I guess you could explain that away by the killer getting sidetracked by his 'work' on the body).

I don't know enough about Bulling to form an opinion as to whether or not I think he could've been the hoaxer, but one thing's almost for sure, or at least from my perspective, a somewhat educated man (or woman, who knows) wrote the Moab & Midian (and Dear Boss) letter(s). It's very literate apart from a few minor grammatical 'errors', but if whoever was writting these got interrupted when jotting the stuff down, it could explain why they tend to lack proper grammar about halfway through to the end of the letters.

Though I am intrigued as to why the author went down the religious route with Jack the Ripper (the author's character, not the actual killer/Whitechapel Murderer). Until M&M, he was, like what's been said already, a street-smart bloke with a macabre sense of humour. Was there speculation after the Double Event that these murders may have been the work of a religious man that could've influenced the author to include the God stuff? I ain't got a slightest clue as to what a Moab or Midian is, but are those connected to anything Jewish? Perhaps the writer got 'inspired' by the GSG.

Moab and Midian were lands mentioned in the Old testament. Specifically Moses dwealt in the the land of the Midians for some time before the Exodus. I would not classify it as a particularly Jewish reference as 1888 was a time of far more religious education than we see now. NOt certain about the Anglican church but most Protestant denominations focus more heavily on the Bible than the Catholics do and the story of Moses and the exodus is one that is covered in detail in Protestant Sunday SChools.

[caz]

Hi All,

The most interesting thing about this 5th October letter is that the author, signing himself JtR, writes, "The police now reckon my work a practical joke, well Jacky's a very practical [practical underlined three times] joker ha ha ha . . ."

I don't think anyone at the time considered the murders of four women a practical joke, so it is possible that the author was talking about his letters to Central News.

If so, why on October 5th would he think the police considered them a hoax when only the previous day his "Dear Boss" letter and "Saucy Jacky" postcard had been plastered all over London on Metropolitan Police posters in the vain hope of someone recognising the handwriting?

My memory's a bit rusty here, but I think the first official murmur of the JtR correspondence being a hoax came from Charles Warren on about 10th October.

So maybe the Moab and Midian author had inside knowledge.

Regards,

Simon

Hi Simon,

I’m sure you are right about the author referring to the letters as his ‘work’ rather than the murders. Looking at page 29 of Letters From Hell [Evans & Skinner], I see that the Star reported on October 1st that:

‘A practical joker…wrote to the Central News last week, intimating with labored flippancy that he was going to commence operations again in Whitechapel shortly…’

Other press reports also indicated that the letter and postcard were believed to have been written by a practical joker.

On page 38, if I’m not mistaken, we have the Daily Telegraph reporting on October 4th (the day before Moab & Midian was supposedly written) that the Central News regarded Dear Boss ‘in the light of a practical joke’ and that even Scotland Yard did not ‘profess to attach any great importance’ to the letter and postcard, but still thought it worth having facsimiles prepared for the press in case anyone might recognise the handwriting.

Though I am intrigued as to why the author went down the religious route with Jack the Ripper (the author's character, not the actual killer/Whitechapel Murderer). Until M&M, he was, like what's been said already, a street-smart bloke with a macabre sense of humour. Was there speculation after the Double Event that these murders may have been the work of a religious man that could've influenced the author to include the God stuff? I ain't got a slightest clue as to what a Moab or Midian is, but are those connected to anything Jewish? Perhaps the writer got 'inspired' by the GSG.

Hi M&P,

Again, according to Letters From Hell, [page 35] we are informed that the Moabites were ‘severely punished for their treatment of the Israelites’. Also, when the Israelites were encamped in the plains of Moab, ‘the Midianites were invited by the Moabites to procure a curse on the children of Israel’.

The possibility is that the author of Moab & Midian was pretending to be a Jewish ripper, who was playing God and punishing the Whitechapel unfortunates, in recognition of how the Moabites and Midianites were ‘completely subdued and brutally punished’ for their conduct towards the Israelites.

What I can’t quite work out yet is the date the GSG first appeared in the papers. On page 37 of LFH, we are told that the Star and the Pall Mall Gazette both reported the message on October 8th as: ‘The Jews shall not be blamed for nothing’ [sic].

No doubt the Moab & Midian author could have known what the message said at least three days earlier, when he was writing. But I’d like to be sure, because there would be an obvious resonance between Jews and blame, and the women of Moab and Midian needing to be killed on behalf of the Israelites.

Another thing I’m not quite sure about is when the text of the Moab & Midian letter would have first seen the light of day. The above two reports of October 8th refer to it, but say that it has been ‘deemed prudent’ to withhold the content, and the indications are that the police asked Central News not to release the details. Did an independent hoaxer dream up the idea to send Lusk a bit of ‘cold meat’ to show, during the October lull, without having read the October 5th reference to trying for a ‘treble event’ so ‘you can show the cold meat’?

I do find it intriguing to think of the author of Dear Boss, the postcard and possibly Moab & Midian starting out not having a clue when - or even if - the Whitechapel Murderer would oblige by striking again, after September 8th in Hanbury.

Equally intriguing is the thought of the killer setting out on the last Saturday night of the month, with no idea about the promises put in writing on his behalf just a few days earlier, and flopping into bed afterwards with two more murders attributed to him, the second thought to be the result of a mission failure in Dutfield’s Yard.

If I let my imagination wander just a little too far, I can hear the killer saying to himself: “Phew! That was a close one. I would have looked a right Charlie if I hadn’t managed to rip one up at all”, and the hoaxer saying to himself: “That’s my boy, I knew you’d show up and do the business”.

But I have to assume that Kate’s killer didn’t know anything about any letter, and the Dear Boss author didn’t know that the killer of Polly and Annie wasn’t sitting in a police cell or on a slow boat to China when ‘Jack’ was being created.

Funny how ‘Jack the Ripper’ was all in the timing.

Love,

Caz
X

[Tom_Wescott]

I think my choice of words speaks for itself, Chris, and does not suggest I've contradicted myself.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[ChrisGeorge]

Chris,

I'm not sure of your point. I didn't mention the M&M letter in my essay, and I don't believe I've mentioned Hopkins on this thread (although I alluded to him). Have you found 'proof' for sure that Hopkins was talking about Bulling? He probably was, given that Bulling was apparently the favored suspect at Scotland Yard, and Hopkins mentions Macnaghten.

I'm not sure what you're going after here, but thanks for remembering that ancient essay of mine.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

Hi Tom

In your post above you said, "Flash forward years later when Bulling goes nuts on alcohol and (allegedly) starts telling reporters on Fleet Street that HE was responsible for the Ripper letters."

This seems to be the man described in the Thurston Hopkins book that you thought previously, according to your article, could not be positively identified as Bulling but now you seem to be saying it was Bulling. Aren't you contradicting yourself there, Tom? That was the point of my post. I don't have any new information on the matter one way or the other.

All the best

Chris

[Tom_Wescott]

AP,

This Rev. Parker is new to me. Is there already an active thread about him? If not, you should start one.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Tom_Wescott]

Chris,

I'm not sure of your point. I didn't mention the M&M letter in my essay, and I don't believe I've mentioned Hopkins on this thread (although I alluded to him). Have you found 'proof' for sure that Hopkins was talking about Bulling? He probably was, given that Bulling was apparently the favored suspect at Scotland Yard, and Hopkins mentions Macnaghten.

I'm not sure what you're going after here, but thanks for remembering that ancient essay of mine.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Cap'n Jack]

Call it a reconsideration, if you like, Tom.
Regarding the Rev Parker... I feel he was a little bit more than someone jumping on the bandwagon, for he was a force to be reckoned with in London social circles, and amongst his followers were some of the highest in the land as well as some of the lowest.
But it is his close and personal relationship to Thomas Cutbush that intrigues me enormously, an almost cultish relationship by all accounts, with the Rev Parker willing to provide an alibi for the crimes against women that THC was charged with. Serious charges, if THC was guilty of them - as most believe he was - and then perhaps a serious perjury on the Rev's part as well.
One treads with care in such a swamp.
Had Dr Parker provided his pupil with an alibi on a previous occasion?
Was the fact that Dr Parker was out of London in the Autumn of 1888 the fuel that lit the fire.
For Thomas was all alone, with his books and his letters, and the fire in his belly could not be quenched by early morning visits to the Temple where he worshipped at the altar of Dr Parker.
The soldier without his commander would put his words into action and print, and then bathe in the glory when his master returned.
'Do as I do and the light of glory shall shine upon you.'

[ChrisGeorge]

Chris,

It seems we both agree Bulling hoaxing the M&M letter rather points AWAY from him as a suspect in the 'Dear Boss/Saucy jacky' missives. But his behavior in this manner WAS suspicious and it must have raised eyebrows. Flash forward years later when Bulling goes nuts on alcohol and (allegedly) starts telling reporters on Fleet Street that HE was responsible for the Ripper letters. I could see this happening, since he's likely responsible for at least one. But a has-been boasting his involvement in a sensational case to upstart reporters and choosing to embellish a little is not so surprising. But it might convince someone like Anderson that he was their guy for the invention of Jack the Ripper.

Hi Tom

Either your thinking has advanced from what you wrote in your article, "Thomas Bulling and the Myth of the London Journalist" published in Ripperologist No. 34, and available here at Casebook or you misremember what you quoted from R. Thurston Hopkins's 1935 book titled Life and Death at The Old Bailey where you don't go as far as saying that the drunken loquacious hack described by the author was Bulling. In fact, it could have been another journalist conceivably, couldn't it, as you appear to imply by hedging your bets in your article and not saying Bulling was being described by Hopkins.

Tom, in that article, you wrote:

"In the chapter Shadowing the Shadow of a Murderer Hopkins has this to say about the origin of the Whitechapel murderer's nom de plume:

"'But, first of all, who christened the phantom killer with the terrible soubriquet of Jack the Ripper? That is a small mystery in itself. Possibly Scotland Yard gave the name to the press and public. At that time the police post-bag bulged with hundreds of anonymous letters from all kinds of cranks and half-witted persons, who sought to criticise or hoax the officers engaged in following up the murders... it was in a letter, received by a well-known News Agency and forwarded to the Yard, that the name first appeared. The Criminal Investigation Department looked upon this letter as a 'clue' and possibly a message from the actual murderer... It was perhaps a fortunate thing that the handwriting of this famous letter was perhaps not identified, for it would have led to the arrest of a harmless Fleet Street journalist.

"'This poor fellow had a breakdown and became a whimsical figure in Fleet Street, only befriended by the staff of newspapers and printing works. He would creep about the dark courts waving his hands furiously in the air, would utter stentorian 'Ha, ha, ha's,' and then, meeting some pal, would button-hole him and pour into his ear all the 'inner-story' of the East End murders. Many old Fleet Streeters had very shrewd suspicions that this irresponsible fellow wrote the famous Jack the Ripper letter, and even Sir Melville L. Macnaghten, Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department, had his eye on him.'

"Was this man Bulling? While Littlechild's description of Bulling is that of a hard working and hard drinking man of integrity with many friends, Hopkins describes a 'post-breakdown' figure, whimsical, lonely, and talkative. Without knowing anything of Thomas Bulling's fate, it is difficult to know whether he fits Hopkins' description of the unnamed journalist or not." [Emphasis Mine.]

All the best

Chris

[Tom_Wescott]

JMenges, thanks for providing the text. You are a gentleman and a scholar.

Chris,

It seems we both agree Bulling hoaxing the M&M letter rather points AWAY from him as a suspect in the 'Dear Boss/Saucy jacky' missives. But his behavior in this manner WAS suspicious and it must have raised eyebrows. Flash forward years later when Bulling goes nuts on alcohol and (allegedly) starts telling reporters on Fleet Street that HE was responsible for the Ripper letters. I could see this happening, since he's likely responsible for at least one. But a has-been boasting his involvement in a sensational case to upstart reporters and choosing to embellish a little is not so surprising. But it might convince someone like Anderson that he was their guy for the invention of Jack the Ripper.

AP,

It seems that Parker - like so many preachers and politicos of the time - simply used the Ripper to further his personal agenda. I don't see how this points to Cutbush as the author of this or any other Ripper letter. However, I'm intrigued to learn your further arguments in favor of Cutbush as a Ripper letter writer. I thought you dismissed the Ripper letters as unrelated hoaxes in your book, although I admit it's been a long time since I've read it.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Mascara & Paranoia]

You think Dr. Parker wroter this (and perhaps the Dear Boss and Saucy Jacky letters) with reference to and/or on behalf of Cutbush? Good theory, especially the religious aspect, for a story. No offence.

Realistically, I'd say the 'Jack the Ripper' letter trilogy was probably written by the same person, but by a definite hoaxer. You can tell they're fake by the broken promises made in them; fair enough quite a large part of Eddowes' ear was sliced off (at least that's what it looks like in her mortuary photos), but I think it's a safe bet to assume that that was coincidental. Plus the ear wasn't mailed to the police (though I guess you could explain that away by the killer getting sidetracked by his 'work' on the body).

I don't know enough about Bulling to form an opinion as to whether or not I think he could've been the hoaxer, but one thing's almost for sure, or at least from my perspective, a somewhat educated man (or woman, who knows) wrote the Moab & Midian (and Dear Boss) letter(s). It's very literate apart from a few minor grammatical 'errors', but if whoever was writting these got interrupted when jotting the stuff down, it could explain why they tend to lack proper grammar about halfway through to the end of the letters.

Though I am intrigued as to why the author went down the religious route with Jack the Ripper (the author's character, not the actual killer/Whitechapel Murderer). Until M&M, he was, like what's been said already, a street-smart bloke with a macabre sense of humour. Was there speculation after the Double Event that these murders may have been the work of a religious man that could've influenced the author to include the God stuff? I ain't got a slightest clue as to what a Moab or Midian is, but are those connected to anything Jewish? Perhaps the writer got 'inspired' by the GSG.

[Cap'n Jack]

'At the close of his service in the City temple yesterday morning, Dr. Parker referred at length to the East end murders... This quick murder of women, however, was nothing compared to the slow murder that was going on every day. Compared with many who were cruel deliberately, the perpetration of these East end crimes was gentleness - mercy itself...The Devil laughed at the sacrifice. As to denouncing the criminal, better ask how far they were responsible for his creation ...'

Does one not see the spirit of Dr Parker's thoughts on the East End Murders in this 'Mob & Mindy' letter?
Dr. Parker was of course Thomas Cutbush's preacher and friend, booked in by the defence at THC's non-trial to give an alibi and character reference.
How the devil laughed at the sacrifice, eh?
And Simon, I think you to be right, he did have inside information.

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

The most interesting thing about this 5th October letter is that the author, signing himself JtR, writes, "The police now reckon my work a practical joke, well Jacky's a very practical [practical underlined three times] joker ha ha ha . . ."

I don't think anyone at the time considered the murders of four women a practical joke, so it is possible that the author was talking about his letters to Central News.

If so, why on October 5th would he think the police considered them a hoax when only the previous day his "Dear Boss" letter and "Saucy Jacky" postcard had been plastered all over London on Metropolitan Police posters in the vain hope of someone recognising the handwriting?

My memory's a bit rusty here, but I think the first official murmur of the JtR correspondence being a hoax came from Charles Warren on about 10th October.

So maybe the Moab and Midian author had inside knowledge.

Regards,

Simon

[ChrisGeorge]

Thanks, Jonathan, and Tom for your posts on this matter.

As we know, the Moab and Midian letter is the one in which Tom Bulling copied the letter out in his own hand, for some reason making a transcription of it to send to Mr. Williamson at Scotland Yard (see Evans and Skinner, Jack the Ripper: Letters from Hell). Some people see in Bulling's handwriting a similarity between the writing in the Dear Boss letter of 25 September 1888 and the transcribed Moab and Midian letter. I don't. Oh okay, there is some vague similarity between the copperplatish script of the first Dear Boss missive and Bulling's rather more fluent writing but that's only superficial.

To my mind, the 25 September Dear Boss letter seems to be written more in the cramped style of a clerk--and the petty crook flipness of the writing is cramped as well when you think about it.

Besides which if you had written Dear Boss wouldn't you be pointing directly to yourself as the person responsible for writing a crank letter and leave yourself open to prosecution??? It's another thing that doesn't quite make sense about the Moab and Midian letter and points away from Bulling and the CNA rather than at them.

All the best

Chris