The "REAL" Article

[Christine]

The thing that bugs me about this is that, if it was meant to refer to "Jubela, Jubelo and Jubelum/Jubelem", then surely it would have been abbreviated to "Jubes" (or perhaps "Jues", at best). To put it another way - where did the "W" in "JuWes" come from, and why wasn't it a "B" in any case? No matter how mysterious and/or inhomogeneous the Masons may have been, they were not illiterate. The whole "Juwe" thing just doesn't make sense.

I have no idea where the Masons came up with these names in the first place, but the only way I see "Juwe" working for Jubelum, Jubela, and Jubelo is if in fact the term "Juwe" is itself some sort of variant of "Jew." I guess it would have to mean "bad Jew" or something along those lines, as these are supposed to be Old Testament era characters. If it's true (and it probably isn't) it would be vaguely antisemitic in itself.

Alan Moore is the only source I know of that actually cites a Masonic source for "Juwes," although a lot of people repeat the claim as if it were proven.

[Sam Flynn]

I agree, however a few authorities claim that the Masons actually used the word "Juwes." Even if it is a Masonic word...

The thing that bugs me about this is that, if it was meant to refer to "Jubela, Jubelo and Jubelum/Jubelem", then surely it would have been abbreviated to "Jubes" (or perhaps "Jues", at best). To put it another way - where did the "W" in "JuWes" come from, and why wasn't it a "B" in any case? No matter how mysterious and/or inhomogeneous the Masons may have been, they were not illiterate. The whole "Juwe" thing just doesn't make sense.

[JSchmidt]

Well, there are instances of muti killings or to use a better term medicine murders where parts of the victim are used in magical practice to improve the health of either the magician or a beneficiary, but they are a 20th century/21st century thing on the British isles.
Refer to this article on Wikipedia. The most prominent case is the "torso in the thames" case of 2001.

[Christine]

Hi Christine, personally I don`t see the Masonic link. I think it was mis-spelt by the author, the killer or not.

I agree, however a few authorities claim that the Masons actually used the word "Juwes." Even if it is a Masonic word, the Masons are not homogeneous and most Masons would never have heard it, either because most Masonic groups didn't use it or because Masons don't share everything with everyone.

Overall, the Masonic claim is silly. There is no Masonic rite that involved mutilating prostitutes. What would it be supposed to accomplish? What would tracing out a big pentagram (or whatever shape is proposed) with corpses do?

Even if you believe in black magic, it makes no sense. How irregular can the pentagram be? How many months are allowed before the whole thing expires? Why are the victims mutilated? Why prostitutes?

[Jon Guy]

Was there any way to establish that the writing on the wall (Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin?) was that recent?

Detective Halse,I think, saw the writing and stated at the inquest that the writing looked fresh.

[Jon Guy]

Some of the Masonic conspiracy types claim that the word "Juwes" (spelled like that) has meaning in a Masonic context. These people also usually claim that the Ripper must have been an educated man, like a doctor, or at least a butcher. But I contend that people who have excellent spelling also usually can make coherent sentences, and that many people who are fine at making sentences are also poor spellers.

Hi Christine, personally I don`t see the Masonic link. I think it was mis-spelt by the author, the killer or not.

[JSchmidt]

Was there any way to establish that the writing on the wall (Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin?) was that recent?
And to refute Knight again, Juwes is quite a step to Jubela, Jubelo, Jubelum or Jahbulon. And even further towards Jaldabaoth.

[Christine]

Even as everyday social grafitto it doesn`t make sense,Sam.

The writing was described as fresh or recent.No residents claim to have seen it previously.It would not be far fetched,but thiswriting was low down and below it was Eddowes apron.

Some of the Masonic conspiracy types claim that the word "Juwes" (spelled like that) has meaning in a Masonic context. These people also usually claim that the Ripper must have been an educated man, like a doctor, or at least a butcher. But I contend that people who have excellent spelling also usually can make coherent sentences, and that many people who are fine at making sentences are also poor spellers.

[Jon Guy]

Perhaps not, Jon, although - as many have pointed out - he would surely have made his message more transparent, if he'd bothered to pause to write it in the first place.

Turning your question on its head - is it so far-fetched to propose that this evidently anti-semitic graffiti was there before the Ripper even arrived, given that WMD was a predominantly Jewish dwelling?

Even as everyday social grafitto it doesn`t make sense,Sam.

The writing was described as fresh or recent.No residents claim to have seen it previously.It would not be far fetched,but thiswriting was low down and below it was Eddowes apron.

[Sam Flynn]

Is it so far fetched for the person who arranged Chapman`s belongings at her feet, placed Eddowes colon neatly between her arm and body,or put one of Kelly`s breasts under head with some other organs, to write a short message on a wall ?

Perhaps not, Jon, although - as many have pointed out - he would surely have made his message more transparent, if he'd bothered to pause to write it in the first place.

Turning your question on its head - is it so far-fetched to propose that this evidently anti-semitic graffiti was there before the Ripper even arrived, given that WMD was a predominantly Jewish dwelling?

[Jon Guy]

Hello

Is it so far fetched for the person who arranged Chapman`s belongings at her feet, placed Eddowes colon neatly between her arm and body,or put one of Kelly`s breasts under head with some other organs, to write a short message on a wall ?

[Jon Guy]

I doubt that the person was idly going through his pockets, realized he had chalk, and then just up and decided to write something on a wall on a whim.
.

Perhaps,Dan,the person was idly going through Kate Eddowes pocket, realised she had chalk, and then just up and decided to write something on a wall on a whim ?

[Natalie Severn]

The message written in chalk really means nothing to the case. The message does not refer to victims or perpetrators, therefore its connection to the Ripper is only based on the blood stained piece of apron found nearby. The Ripper discarded this piece of apron as he fled the scene of the crime...if he had discarded it outside a church or synagogue it would have opened another blind avenue...the fact is that the apron piece was discarded and had to fall somewhere....this is why the message on the wall is useless in solving the case. I believe the message was just a racist scrawl and no doubt many similar scrawls could be found throughout the East end.

Hi Stephen,
It wasnt actually a "scrawl".The graffiti was written in chalk-which is difficult to write with on a vertical surface such as the tiles were on ,- and in "a neat schoolboy hand".The lettering was just "half an inch" high.In no way was it scrawl ,but I agree that "scrawl" is what you might expect from someone angry or indignant about something or other.Also you generally get capital letters in printed form, rather than the cursive style we understand this was written in.
Best Wishes
Natalie

[Stephen]

The writing on the wall.

The message written in chalk really means nothing to the case. The message does not refer to victims or perpetrators, therefore its connection to the Ripper is only based on the blood stained piece of apron found nearby. The Ripper discarded this piece of apron as he fled the scene of the crime...if he had discarded it outside a church or synagogue it would have opened another blind avenue...the fact is that the apron piece was discarded and had to fall somewhere....this is why the message on the wall is useless in solving the case. I believe the message was just a racist scrawl and no doubt many similar scrawls could be found throughout the East end.

Evening all,

The point on the chalk and the rain that Simon made, if the message was scrawled when the apron was left, that could be as much as an hour after the murder, if both were not there during the PC's earlier pass. I think that should have indicated to someone just how fresh it likely was though, if only scrawled a few minutes before it was found,... but there was no consensus on that issue.

That leads me to think that at least the writing was probably there when the PC passed by the entranceway shortly after the murder in Mitre Square, and he just didnt notice it. Which could make the apron piece then a "piggy-back" message, or...just randomly tossed near some pre-existing writing on a dado.

If the writing was put there with the apron as the killer was heading back home, we should have had some police consensus on how old the writing appeared to be. But we dont..it ranges from fresh to old.

Frustrating. Bad call erasing it before a photo was taken Chuck.

My best regards.