1896 Winters coming letter

[Abby Normal]

This letter has always intrigued me. Its the last piece of documentation in the police WC Murder files. And other than the Dear Boss and from hell letters IMHO has a good chance of being authentic.has the same tone, many of the same phrases and the police even thought the handwriting was similar-enough to compare with the original Dear boss letter.

But whats really interesting is that it refers to (and quotes) the GSG. I mean eight years later-whos going to remember that part of the murder case and to even get that phrase (partially) correct?

whats also interesting it just shows that as of 1896 the police in general still had no idea who the killer was, despite what Anderson, McNaughton, Abberline and littlechild wrote.

[Harry D]

But whats really interesting is that it refers to (and quotes) the GSG. I mean eight years later-whos going to remember that part of the murder case and to even get that phrase (partially) correct?

I don't know about that, Abby. Any hoaxer looking to make a callback after all this time would pick one of the famous clues of the case.

I think someone like the Zodiac Killer continued communicating long after the murders ended, but I'm not sure if the Ripper ever began in the first place.

[Abby Normal]

I don't know about that, Abby. Any hoaxer looking to make a callback after all this time would pick one of the famous clues of the case.

I think someone like the Zodiac Killer continued communicating long after the murders ended, but I'm not sure if the Ripper ever began in the first place.

hey harry
you very may well be right. however, I do have a follow up regarding the GSG. How "famous" was it? it was wiped clear and an effort made by police to keep it under wraps. I know its famous now but how well known was it then? not anything close to the dear boss letters that's for sure.

It would be interesting to hear from some of our intrepid researchers on this. how wel known at the time was the GSG and more specifically-its actual wording?

[Sam Flynn]

But whats really interesting is that it refers to (and quotes) the GSG. I mean eight years later-whos going to remember that part of the murder case and to even get that phrase (partially) correct?

The GSG was covered by practically every newspaper in 1888 and, although none of the reports uses the (mis)spelling "jewes" found in the 1896 letter, it would have been enough to know that there was some controversy about the spelling. The real Jack, surely, would have known it was "Juwes" - he'd also have known the GSG referred to "men", and not "people", for that matter, which is another discrepancy between the GSG and the 1896 letter.

[Abby Normal]

The GSG was covered by practically every newspaper in 1888 and, although none of the reports uses the (mis)spelling "jewes" found in the 1896 letter, it would have been enough to know that there was some controversy about the spelling. The real Jack, surely, would have known it was "Juwes" - he'd also have known the GSG referred to "men", and not "people", for that matter, which is another discrepancy between the GSG and the 1896 letter.

thanks sam
did the papers print the phrase? if so how did they find out?

[Sam Flynn]

thanks sam
did the papers print the phrase? if so how did they find out?

Hello Abs

The entire text of the GSG (including the cranky spelling of "Jews") was discussed at length by the Coroner, jury and various police witnesses at the Eddowes inquest, and most of the newspapers reported it.

[Abby Normal]

Hello Abs

The entire text of the GSG (including the cranky spelling of "Jews") was discussed at length by the Coroner, jury and various police witnesses at the Eddowes inquest, and most of the newspapers reported it.

got it-thanks sam didn't know that!

[Harry D]

Btw, Abby Normal do you hold that the "Dear Boss" letter could be legit and not, as suspected, the work of a journo? How come?

[Abby Normal]

Btw, Abby Normal do you hold that the "Dear Boss" letter could be legit and not, as suspected, the work of a journo? How come?

hi Harry
yes I lean toward Dear boss and saucy jack being written by the killer and not a journalist.
First of all, its never been proven to be a hoax nor a hoax from a journalist. more Anderson and higher level police wishful thinking and speculation and boastful ness more like it IMHO. and winters coming shows that still in 1896, Dear boss was still not considered a definite hoax by police-why compare it if you know dear boss is a hoax and you know who wrote it??

secondly Dear boss/saucy jack nails THREE things only the killer would know-wanting to start again soon, cutting off of an ear and first one squealed a bit. I could see getting one or two correct, but three? just seems like too much of a coincidence to me. also, theres a bit of self depreciating going on-wasn't good enough, couldn't write with the blood etc.-that just has a ring of truth to it.

Also, it just seems to nail the tone of the type of letter a serial killer would write-somewhat taunting, but jokey, reliving the moment, expressing the desire. very similar to letters that we have seen from serial killers since-BTK, zodiac son of sam. also, the desire to give himself a name-very common what we know now.

back to the journalist idea-the CNA said they received it but held it back a few days before sending to the police. Now if someone from the CNA hoaxed it, they would send it immediately. why wait to get scooped by someone else or maybe even the killer? no, it makes no sense to me that they would go through the trouble of faking it and then holding on to it a few days before sending.

and back to the winters coming letter. it could have been written by the killer although I don't lean toward it-im at 50/50. its just so similar to dear boss and out of all the hoax letters (I own letters from hell) its the only one that is anywhere similar to the original and yet written 8 years later?!? seems unlikely to me. And again, the police took it seriously,even thinking the handwriting was similar (it is) and comparing to original dear boss.

out of all the possible authentic letters- dear boss/saucy jack, from hell, possibly the Openshaw letter-winters coming has a chance of also being from the killer IMHO.