The meaning of the GSG wording

[caz]

Hello Caz,

Wasn't this one erased because people were starting to gather and putting two and two together? Certainly that would differentiate it from other messages.

c.d.

Could be, c.d. But we'd still have to ask why the police differentiated this message from others, to the point of drawing attention to it rather than away? If the idea was to play it down and prevent trouble they went a funny way about it. With the apron gone they could simply have rubbed out the J word and left it at that. "Move along, there's nothing to see here" type of thing.

Love,

Caz
X

[caz]

Sorry, I screwed my previous post up. I meant to add more text.

How many people in Whitechapel owned cameras? In 1888, photography was much more expensive and required more training than it does today. As Sam pointed out, if you had photographic equipment, why would you use it to take a picture of graffiti?

c.d.

I'm not sure that's the point, is it? Even our GSG was not photographed, so it's hardly surprising if other examples were not either.

But I'd have expected far more examples to get a mention in the press - just to make something out of nothing - if similar messages were routinely found plastered over the local walls. Where were all the enterprising journalists if that really was the case?

It still appears that the GSG was viewed at the time as unusual to say the least - and they'd be the judge of that, not us.

Love,

Caz
X

[caz]

Hi Caz,

Why would we hear of it? The only reason we hear of the treatment meted out to the GSG was that it was positioned in close proximity to the apron piece.

Which in itself shows the police were quick to acknowledge the potential connection between the two.

But with the apron gone we are asked to believe that the message was essentially no different from dozens of similar examples nearby which were presumably allowed to remain and received no special treatment at all. I'm still trying to get my head round how that makes much sense.

Love,

Caz
X

[Lechmere]

The police obviously thought the graffiti was connected to the case.

[caz]

Hello Bridewell,

I think that you also have to include a pro-Jewish sentiment, i.e., the Jews are not going to accept blame for something they didn't do.

c.d.

All undone by the killer flinging the highly incriminating apron in that particular entrance, making it look like something they absolutely did do. Oops!

It almost seems like the killer was having a laugh - relishing the thought of how Jew and Gentile would choose to interpret the words.

Love,

Caz
X

[Sam Flynn]

The police obviously thought the graffiti was connected to the case.

The police, variously, also thought that Tumblety, Kosminski and Druitt (inter alia) were feasible subjects.

To be fair, the graffito was at least found near an indisputable piece of tangible evidence, so it would be natural to make such a connection. However, I'd suggest that it was only the graffito's proximity to the apron that made such a conclusion tenable. There's absolutely nothing explicitly connected to the murders in the graffito itself.

[c.d.]

All undone by the killer flinging the highly incriminating apron in that particular entrance, making it look like something they absolutely did do. Oops!

It almost seems like the killer was having a laugh - relishing the thought of how Jew and Gentile would choose to interpret the words.

Love,

Caz
X

Hello Caz,

You are connecting the killer with the message and we don't know for sure if that is the case. Taken by itself, the message could certainly be interpreted as being pro-Jewish.

c.d.

[c.d.]

I'm not sure that's the point, is it? Even our GSG was not photographed, so it's hardly surprising if other examples were not either.

But I'd have expected far more examples to get a mention in the press - just to make something out of nothing - if similar messages were routinely found plastered over the local walls. Where were all the enterprising journalists if that really was the case?

It still appears that the GSG was viewed at the time as unusual to say the least - and they'd be the judge of that, not us.

Love,

Caz
X

Hello Caz,

Is it really hard to imagine that graffiti existed as a regular occurrence in the LVP? Humans tend to communicate and walls and chalk were readily available. All it would take would be a few instances and then monkey see monkey do.

If I am not mistaken didn't they find some graffiti in the city of Pompei?

c.d.

[Sam Flynn]

If I am not mistaken didn't they find some graffiti in the city of Pompei?

Indeed, not to mention the ancient stone quarries of Egypt. Or, even older, on cave walls.

[Cogidubnus]

They found lots cd, but it was nearly all carved and not chalked, and apparently that makes the critical difference...

All the best

Dave

[lynn cates]

Liz

Hello Gareth.

"However, I'd suggest that it was only the graffito's proximity to the apron that made such a conclusion tenable. There's absolutely nothing explicitly connected to the murders in the graffito itself."

Sounds like Liz--only reason for including her in the canon is the time close to Kate.

Oops. Sorry.

Cheers.
LC

[c.d.]

Could be, c.d. But we'd still have to ask why the police differentiated this message from others, to the point of drawing attention to it rather than away? If the idea was to play it down and prevent trouble they went a funny way about it. With the apron gone they could simply have rubbed out the J word and left it at that. "Move along, there's nothing to see here" type of thing.

Love,

Caz
X

Hello Caz,

I would say that the obvious explanation is that the apron differentiated this message from all others. Pretty much anything in proximity to the apron if it could be construed as being related to the killings would draw the interest of the police. Even if the police removed the apron people would still wonder what they had been doing and would take a look. Even if they erased the J word they might have worried that somebody could fill in the blank.

c.d.

[c.d.]

Hello Gareth.

"However, I'd suggest that it was only the graffito's proximity to the apron that made such a conclusion tenable. There's absolutely nothing explicitly connected to the murders in the graffito itself."

Sounds like Liz--only reason for including her in the canon is the time close to Kate.

Oops. Sorry.

Cheers.
LC

You never pass up a chance do you, Lynn?

c.d.

[Wickerman]

The police obviously thought the graffiti was connected to the case.

At the very least it is difficult to believe that the question was not asked.

I don't believe we have any real proof in the files that they did believe it was. But even if the question was asked at all, Warren may have simply said, "I'm not taking any chances, make a copy, and get rid of it".

So apparently, neither Warren nor Arnold saw any potential clue in the writing style, just the words.

[Digalittledeeperwatson]

Hullo Lynn.

Hello Gareth.

"However, I'd suggest that it was only the graffito's proximity to the apron that made such a conclusion tenable. There's absolutely nothing explicitly connected to the murders in the graffito itself."

Sounds like Liz--only reason for including her in the canon is the time close to Kate.

Oops. Sorry.

Cheers.
LC

I don't agree. Any woman of potential unfortunate status found murdered in the streets with her throat slit would likely have been seen as a potential victim of 'JTR'. Is it that far of a jump as a possibility? Me thinks not. I will agree that circumstances around Stride's death are suspect though. Lipski is seeming terribly contrived to me nowadays. But all that stuff might have nothing to do with the murder/murderer. Maybe just how those around it decided to deal with the situation they found themselves in.