Front or Rear attack?

[Rosella]

At least three of the victims had handkerchiefs tied around their necks. The killer could have used the ends of those to pull extremely tightly.

[Wickerman]

At least three of the victims had handkerchiefs tied around their necks. The killer could have used the ends of those to pull extremely tightly.

A handkerchief is rather small, isn't it?
I mean the knot doesn't have much left to grab hold of, not like a scarf.
Aggravatingly, Stride's scarf is also described as a handkerchief, yet I thought they were entirely different in both size & length.

[Sherlock Holmes]

A handkerchief is rather small, isn't it?
I mean the knot doesn't have much left to grab hold of, not like a scarf.
Aggravatingly, Stride's scarf is also described as a handkerchief, yet I thought they were entirely different in both size & length.

A woman's kerchief is highly unlikely to be wide or long enough to strangle a victim, a lot of women's kerchiefs were silk, a silk kerchief is a very delicate material, despite the inherent strength of silk thread when it is spun by the silk worm.

A men's kerchief however is larger and wider and would be easier to incapacitate a victim.

Regards
Mr Holmes

[Rosella]

A lot of poor women wore men's attire, boots for instance. I'm not talking about some delicate lacy affair in handkerchiefs. These were large, colourful, wide and scarf-like, costers' wear.

[Sherlock Holmes]

A lot of poor women wore men's attire, boots for instance. I'm not talking about some delicate lacy affair in handkerchiefs. These were large, colourful, wide and scarf-like, costers' wear.

Thank you for increasing my knowledge of the clothes worn by women in those days. wearing men's attire is still done by women these days, but it isn't quite as common, that I can see at see at least.

Regards
Mr Holmes

[Robert St Devil]

How about her bonnet?

Thanks for the drawings WICKERMaN. A new possibility!

[lynn cates]

question

Hello Colin. Thanks.

Oh, dear. I seem to have missed your question. So sorry.

The answer lies in a combination of unspilled cachous and eventual body position.

Cheers.
LC

[Wickerman]

A woman's kerchief is highly unlikely to be wide or long enough to strangle a victim, a lot of women's kerchiefs were silk, a silk kerchief is a very delicate material, despite the inherent strength of silk thread when it is spun by the silk worm.

Silk is very strong when you pull it tight and twist it, it would be a very efficient garrott, not that I think this was the tool used, just agreeing it would be adequate, rather like nylon.
A bootlace would be just as lethal and innocent when carried in your pocket.

[Rosella]

These women wore fairly high and stiffened collars on their dresses/jackets, (in the fashion of the day) as well as, in some cases, a large kerchief over the top with a knot (and ends at the back) tied, coster-style with a triangle at the front. Rather a lot for a bootlace to cover, though I agree, in a man with strong hands and wrists it would be lethal. Nevertheless, wouldn't it be just easier for Jack to grasp the ends of the kerchief and quickly pull, especially if he was standing or walking behind the woman.

[DJA]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muVjiP8r8Lg

[Rosella]

Love 'Dad's Army'! Showing my age, of course.

[Wickerman]

Love 'Dad's Army'! Showing my age, of course.

Aye, those were the days when you didn't have to swear to be funny.

[Holmes' Idiot Brother]

I think we would be best served and apply a bit of Occam's Razor to this question.

As I understand it, the usual custom of the prostitute at that time was to perform the act standing up, preferably against a wall or fence. Whilst they raised their skirts, the client would do his thing. Keep in mind that it only takes a small amount of pressure from the thumb and middle finger just above/on the Adam's Apple to "choke one out." Add to the fact that these victims were well in their cups, and it's not difficult to imagine the ease with which they can be rendered unconscious/dead. They're not expecting a Blitzkrieg attack, and against a more powerful man, these small-ish women would be easy pickings. I doubt Jack used a ligature, as his hands were clearly powerful enough to achieve the desired effect.

[Wickerman]

I think we would be best served and apply a bit of Occam's Razor to this question.

As I understand it, the usual custom of the prostitute at that time was to perform the act standing up, preferably against a wall or fence. Whilst they raised their skirts, the client would do his thing. Keep in mind that it only takes a small amount of pressure from the thumb and middle finger just above/on the Adam's Apple to "choke one out." Add to the fact that these victims were well in their cups, and it's not difficult to imagine the ease with which they can be rendered unconscious/dead. They're not expecting a Blitzkrieg attack, and against a more powerful man, these small-ish women would be easy pickings. I doubt Jack used a ligature, as his hands were clearly powerful enough to achieve the desired effect.

One small detail missing from your quote above was - the woman usually faced the wall. The customer acted out his desires from the rear. Anal sex was their version of safe sex.

[Holmes' Idiot Brother]

One small detail missing from your quote above was - the woman usually faced the wall. The customer acted out his desires from the rear. Anal sex was their version of safe sex.

Excellent point. I hadn't considered their take on "safe sex," and how they viewed it. The same conditions still apply: their drunkenness and vulnerable position facilitated the killer greatly. Thanks!