Analysis of the September 24th Letter

[Lawrence]

Lawrence is sure that [s]he -- during a mad hallucination -- saw in the Letters From Hell book, hidden beneath the first coffin (which is surrounded by the words "so-and-so") the name "Jack".

How [s]he could possibly descry with [her]his little eyes something that even infamous Patricia Cornwell could overlook makes this claim of [hers]his into a foolish rambling. Well, we hope that if any of you do own this Letters From Hell book, please peer closely at the coffin silhouette.

If "Jack" is in fact, written there, it would seem that this "Jack" business is a collusion.

[bolo]

Hello JTRSickert, all,

personally I never put much thought into the name "Jack the Ripper" or any of its variations to be honest, it's too common stuff. That is why I wouldn't be surprised if some of those variations had been used for letters that predate the Dear Boss one.

In other words, I think it's very well possible that two or more people came up with something as generic as "Ripper" as a pseudonym, that's why I wouldn't base any theory on it or use it as a starting point for further research.

Regards,

Boris

[Abby Normal]

Abby,

Not only is the handwriting dissimilar to the Dear Boss letter, but it's also different in terms in tone as well. This letter is meant to convey a statement and to make known certain characteristics about the writer. By contrast, the Dear Boss letter is meant to be mocking, sly, and regarded as a warning to future victims. So, if both of these letters contain "Ripper" in them and they were written by 2 different people [not to mention sent to 2 different recipients....the police (09/24) and the Central News Agency (Dear Boss)], then does this mean that 2 writers collaborated to write these hoaxes? Or is there some other explanation?

Hi JTR
Thanks for the response and explanation. Wow. Not sure what to make of all this at the moment. The tendrils of enigma keep sprouting.

[JTRSickert]

Abby,

Not only is the handwriting dissimilar to the Dear Boss letter, but it's also different in terms in tone as well. This letter is meant to convey a statement and to make known certain characteristics about the writer. By contrast, the Dear Boss letter is meant to be mocking, sly, and regarded as a warning to future victims. So, if both of these letters contain "Ripper" in them and they were written by 2 different people [not to mention sent to 2 different recipients....the police (09/24) and the Central News Agency (Dear Boss)], then does this mean that 2 writers collaborated to write these hoaxes? Or is there some other explanation?

[Abby Normal]

Wow, who would have thought that patty's research would actually turn up soem interesting results for a change. I guess I have to give credit where credit is due.

Wait a minute though, if it's true that this letter says "Ripper" and "ha" and it predates the Dear Boss letter, then does that mean that this could have been authored by he same writer as the DB? I mean, it just seems to be too big of a coincidence for this letter to have Ripper in it when the very first use of the term "Jack the Ripper" was in the Dear Boss letter.

Thats the first thing that jumped out at me too when I saw Caz's response.
Is the handwriting similar to DB letter?

[JTRSickert]

Wow, who would have thought that patty's research would actually turn up soem interesting results for a change. I guess I have to give credit where credit is due.

Wait a minute though, if it's true that this letter says "Ripper" and "ha" and it predates the Dear Boss letter, then does that mean that this could have been authored by he same writer as the DB? I mean, it just seems to be too big of a coincidence for this letter to have Ripper in it when the very first use of the term "Jack the Ripper" was in the Dear Boss letter.

[caz]

Hi JTRS,

I have received the following message for you from Keith Skinner:

The letter in question, (MEPO 3/142 ff.4-5), was forensically examined by Patricia Cornwell using an Omnichrome alternate light source and a variety of different filters with which to try and discern whether there was any writing under the blacked out sections. The results were given in the first edition of her book, (Portrait of a Killer), but the potential significance, allowing one accepts the analysis, was not discussed. Patricia wrote:-

Under the black ink the Omnichrome revealed ha and the barely legible and partial signature Ripper.


Love,

Caz
X

[JTRSickert]

Hello

For those who may be unaware, the very first communication that was received by the police (that even predates the "Dear Boss letter") that allegedly came from the killer is the letter dated September the 24th. In this letter, the writer says he specifically was after Chapman, says he is suffering from nightmares, works as a horse slaughterer, wants to surrender but won't turn himself in, and most interestingly, he writes his name and address but these spaces have been blocked out with black ink, making anything that is written there (if anything) illegible. He also draws a picture of a knife.

I was just wondering if it has ever occured to anyone that maybe this letter should be analyzed forensically, specifically on the spaces where the words are blocked out with black ink in an effort to determine if there is anything written down underneath them. I'm not saying that I believe this letter is from the killer but I do think it would be interesting to see what this person wrote down, if anything. Maybe we should ask if Stewart Evans, Paul Begg, Keith Skinner, or Martin Fido or someone could get ahold of that letter and have Scotland Yard run some tests to see if there is any writing underneath the black ink.

Anyone with me?