'Brum' and 'Wouster'

[Aethelwulf]

There are two ripper letters in the National Archives that were sent from Birmingham and Worcester in the West Midlands in October 1888 (pages 23/24 and 25/26 here: https://cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...ktheripper.pdf). As this area was Bury’s home patch I was curious to have a closer look.

At first glance it seems impossible these two letters, sent on the 8^th and 19^th of October 1888, could be by the same person as the handwriting is totally different. However, both contain some similar phrases that make me think if they weren’t by the same person then the 8^th October letter must have been in the public domain.

The 8^th October letter from ‘Brum’ (Birmingham) has these phrases:

• I have already spotted from its number 3 girls
• ..do not be surprised 15 murders must be completed..
• town of Brum

The 19^th October letter from ‘Wouster’ (Worcester) has these phrases:

• been in Wouster a week have spotted 3 out will visit them again shortly
• I shall kill 15 at Brum
• off too Brum to-day

The references to ‘spotting’ 3 girls/spotting 3 out and 15 murders are slightly too unusual to be chance IMO.

Why would the ripper go to the West Midlands though? The 19^th October tells us:

• The Atmosphere was to hot at Whitechapel had to clear off smelt a rat saw last victim buried [sic] I felt rather down hearted over my knife which I lost coming [sic] here must get one to night.

Eddowes was buried on 8^th October so he could have seen her buried, as stated.

Police numbers increased dramatically after the double event so the ripper could have left for a bit – could he have gone somewhere that was familiar? Bury had no commitments and plenty of money, so he could have just left. Bury was born in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, and went to the blue coat school in the same town. He worked for a time as a peddlar in Brum and undoubtedly knew Birmingham well given how close it is to Stourbridge. His mother died in an asylum in Powick on the edge of ‘Wouster’ when Bury was four. Bury was clearly aware of the latter fact as he used it as part of his last ditch petition for mercy by saying that he was suffering the same condition (it is believed Bury’s mother actually had post natal depression and was admitted with melancholia, dying a year alter). Whether there was a marked grave there he could have visited in Worcester is another question.

Perhaps the reason there were no attacks in October was because the ripper wasn't in Whitechapel for some of it.

The most interesting aspect of the 'Wouster' letter is the fact that it ends with a smear of blood and the words ‘a drop of Stride’s blood’. We know the ripper took body parts, could he have collected some blood? All he would have needed was a small bottle/phial - perhaps resting a small blood stained bottle on Stride's hand briefly could account for this:

[Coroner] Have you formed any opinion as to the manner in which the deceased's right hand became stained with blood? - [Dr Phillips]: It is a mystery. There were small oblong clots on the back of the hand. I may say that I am taking it as a fact that after death the hand always remained in the position in which I found it - across the body.

The initials amongst the sketches on the 8^th October letter spell ‘BLOOD’.



If anyone had the inclination and money it would be possible to see if there is a DNA match with the blood on the letter. The blood looks to have been smeared with a finger so the writer’s DNA could also be there.

The problem remains as to whether one person could have pulled off such different handwriting. The 19^th October letter is slightly odd in that the writing looks sort of old fashioned even for 1888. The 8^th October is a barely legible scrawl that looks a bit like Openshaw and the writing on the envelope certainly has something of ‘from hell’ about it.


One of the books amongst Bury's Dundee possessions was a textbook of handwriting exercises and it was said he could write in several different hands. Below is part of the forged job offer letter, which is different from his regular writing - I assume this is something like the writing he used as a factor’s clerk.



Perhaps we are missing a trick with the ripper letters – perhaps the ripper’s greatest ‘skill’ so to speak was with a pen, not a knife.

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

Hi Wulf,

Thanks for the link, interesting to hear your ideas on Bury as a letter writer. He was the proven forger of the job offer letter, so not an unreasonable line of enquiry.

The 'Wouster' letter has a few points against it though. The writer claims not to be familiar with the part of Brum he was in, but also that he's heading to Hull then Poland and claims to be a Polish Jew. Dare I say, linking this letter to Bury relies on accepting what can fit as Bury being honest, and what doesn't fit as mis-direction? It's a bit of a stretch and while I think that examining forgotten letters for clues isn't a bad thing, one might start to see the hand of Bury on all of them if one looks at them for long enough.

I imagine you've researched wether the letter of the 8th was published at the time? I agree, there's an odd similarity between the two, perhaps there's a different source that inspired both? Something in a midlands paper maybe?

The motive for many of these letters can be hard to establish, most were filed away without having any impact. What might Bury's motive have been?

[Aethelwulf]

Hi Al,

It was Worcester he wasn't too familiar with, not Brum (that's why he says off to Brum today), which may make sense given his main connection is to the Birmingham area:

Been in Wouster a week have spotted 3 out will visit them again shortly [sic] don’t know much about this part off too Brum to-day

The writer of that letter clearly kept up with the papers as there was a trial of bloodhounds reported in mid October, as he references. Obviously the Polish Jew theory was well established by then. Not sure why Hull. I think he is just poking fun at all of the different theories. All I'm saying is that these letters come from where somewhere Bury knew well and could have cleared off to for a time if indeed it was 'too hot for him'. Just an idea. I like looking at the letters for clues.

[Pcdunn]

Interesting observations. The different handwritings remind me of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

[Aethelwulf]

Interesting observations. The different handwritings remind me of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Hi Pc,

They are certainly an interesting pair of letters IMO. I wonder whether the blood on smear would yield anything - it'd be a bit of a shocker if that was infact Stride's blood!

Another observation on the Wouster letter is this sentence:

Silly looking in low lodging houses for me do not visit

Look what the infamous hoaxer Wearside Jack wrote in his letters:

You probably look for me in Sunderland, don't bother, I am not daft, just posted letter there on one of my trips

Obviously John Humble was trying to divert the police away from where he actually lived. Was the Wouster writer doing the same - don't look in low lodging houses (because that is exactly where I'm hanging spending a lot of my time). I'm not sure the Wouster letter is a hoax though.

[Aethelwulf]

Here is another curiosity. Although the size of paper used for the Wouster letter can't be judged with the photos we have, it certainly appears to have been written on a similar sort of creamy lined paper to Openshaw. Although the handwriting is different, the writing in the 'Brum' letter that makes the same 'spotted 3' and '15 murders' references does look somewhat similar to Openshaw.

[Aethelwulf]

Interestingly a telegram postmarked 21st Nov 88 was sent (posted presumably given the contents) to Abberline stating that the ripper wished to give himself up and that Aberline should meet him at an address in Houndsditch (can't make out the road name, number 39). The writer claims the letter is written with the 'Blood of Kelly' because 'all of Long Liz's has been used up'. So that is two communications claiming to have basically collected stride's blood. Given that most people knew that nothing had been removed from Stride and she had only had her throat cut compared to the others, it seems an odd thing to claim.

Date is interesting - the papers were full of the 'can be identified description' of Farmer's attacker from the 20th Nov.

[Sam Flynn]

The letter of 19th Oct and Openshaw strike me as classic examples of someone deliberately affecting "quavery" writing, but they both bear some similarities to Dear Boss and Saucy Jack. I wouldn't be surprised if they were all penned by the same author, and a rather inventive writer he/she must have been, too.

[Aethelwulf]

Here is another point of interest. The 'signature' of jack the ripper in the Brum letter looks like this.



It has a slightly non standard cursive upper case R. An almost identical from appears in the 10^th October ‘Up goes the sponge letter’ - that letter also uses a totally different signature as well, which is more typical. Clearly the writer could use two different styles of writing. The simialrity between the Brum letter signature and second style of signature in the sponge letter is noticeable. As noted above, I think the Brum letter, like openshaw, has had an artifical 'tremble' added to it.



Why might this be important? Well, the 19^th October Wouster letter, which appears to be linked to the 8th October brum letter by the odd 'spotted 3' and '15 murders' refs seems to suggest the ripper was scared off by something (the atmosphere was too hot/smelt a rat).

The 10^th of October letter may explain this: ‘you will be surprised to hear that you had little Jacky in your pub the other night. What fun to think the police were waiting for me’.

Is this the 'rat' being referred to perhaps which prompted the deprature to Brum?

I would also point out that the 10^th October writer was no average doodler – same applies to the Brum letter.

[jerryd]

I would also point out that the 10^th October writer was no average doodler – same applies to the Brum letter.

I agree he was no average doodler. I believe the writer of this letter to be none other than Albert Bachert, an art engraver by trade. He plunged himself into everything Ripper at the time. He was accused of writing other ripper letters and he was the head of the Skeleton Army. The Skeleton Army marched under a banner with a Skull with Crossbones. Their motto was Blood and Guts/Thunder. "'Skeletons' used banners with skulls and crossbones; sometimes there were two coffins and a statement like, “Blood and Thunder” (mocking the Salvation Army's war cry "Blood and Fire") or the three Bs: “Beef”, “Beer” and “Bacca” - again mocking the Salvation Army's three S's - "Soup", "Soap" and "Salvation".[Charles Jeffries Wikipedia]

Regarding the Eastern Hotel POP letter for example: As a preliminary, however, he tried to obtain from Baeckert a specimen of the handwriting in which the letter signed Jack the Ripper was written. Though he failed in this owing to the letter having been destroyed, Baeckert who was an engraver by trade and so was accustomed to imitate what he had seen reproduced for what it might be worth a specimen of the writing as he remembered it.- The Spectator July 27, 1889

[Aethelwulf]

I agree he was no average doodler. I believe the writer of this letter to be none other than Albert Bachert, an art engraver by trade. He plunged himself into everything Ripper at the time. He was accused of writing other ripper letters and he was the head of the Skeleton Army. The Skeleton Army marched under a banner with a Skull with Crossbones. Their motto was Blood and Guts/Thunder. "'Skeletons' used banners with skulls and crossbones; sometimes there were two coffins and a statement like, “Blood and Thunder” (mocking the Salvation Army's war cry "Blood and Fire") or the three Bs: “Beef”, “Beer” and “Bacca” - again mocking the Salvation Army's three S's - "Soup", "Soap" and "Salvation".[Charles Jeffries Wikipedia]

Regarding the Eastern Hotel POP letter for example: As a preliminary, however, he tried to obtain from Baeckert a specimen of the handwriting in which the letter signed Jack the Ripper was written. Though he failed in this owing to the letter having been destroyed, Baeckert who was an engraver by trade and so was accustomed to imitate what he had seen reproduced for what it might be worth a specimen of the writing as he remembered it.- The Spectator July 27, 1889

Hi Jerry,

So do you think Bachert made up black bag man and sent himself a postcard threatening to punch his nose in, and wrote a chalk message on his own wall on the day of Kelly's funeral?

It may be a case of the pot and the kettle here, but I think your theory above is rather tenuous - the engraver, skeleton etc. Just because he was involved in the ripper case doesn't mean he wrote fake letters. Also, the poilce seem to have some success rooting out obvious hoaxes. I think it's telling that Bachert wasn't prosecuted for forging letters.

Personally I think Brum and Wouster are by the same person due to the simialr unusla references, and I think there is much more mileage in the Bury in this respect, in terms of his links to that area, and the fact that he was a known forger and could write in several hands, and of course did a murder multialtion, and I suspect wrote those chalk message. I also believe that potential 'trap' is what is being referred to in Wouster.

Personally I think up goes the sponge writer alos wrote the letter to charles warren dated 24th Sept - both strangley contain an ink skectch referred to as a 'photo', and the hand writing is very similar.

IMO

[jerryd]

Hi Jerry,

So do you think Bachert made up black bag man and sent himself a postcard threatening to punch his nose in, and wrote a chalk message on his own wall on the day of Kelly's funeral?

It may be a case of the pot and the kettle here, but I think your theory above is rather tenuous - the engraver, skeleton etc. Just because he was involved in the ripper case doesn't mean he wrote fake letters. Also, the poilce seem to have some success rooting out obvious hoaxes. I think it's telling that Bachert wasn't prosecuted for forging letters.

Personally I think Brum and Wouster are by the same person due to the simialr unusla references, and I think there is much more mileage in the Bury in this respect, in terms of his links to that area, and the fact that he was a known forger and could write in several hands, and of course did a murder multialtion, and I suspect wrote those chalk message. I also believe that potential 'trap' is what is being referred to in Wouster.

Personally I think up goes the sponge writer alos wrote the letter to charles warren dated 24th Sept - both strangley contain an ink skectch referred to as a 'photo', and the hand writing is very similar.

IMO

Hi Aethelwulf.

First off, I am not calling pot and kettle. My first interest in this case was William Henry Bury. I have always thought him to be one of the better suspects. I have researched this case with broad interests since then and have discovered a lot of things that sort of paint a "big picture" of my take on things. We are ALL guessing at this point. I just try to guess with as many facts as I can from researching. I TRY not to speculate, but when I do, I try to back it up with as many contemporary articles, inquests, etc. that I can.

With that said, Albert Bachert was a strange man. Yes, I believe he would write letters or chalk messages to himself. Do I know for a fact he wrote this particular letter, no. But according to the motto of the Skeleton Army, which he was involved with, Blood was spelled out in the letter, which is consistent with the motto of the Skeleton Army- Blood and Guts/Thunder, The Skelton Army banner items (coffin, skull and crossbones and a funny looking skeleton) were found at the top of that letter. Could be a coincidence. I admit that. Last, here is another account of a journalist stating Bachert wrote Ripper letters. There are more but I would have to search to find them if you want.


West Coast Times, Issue 9106, 25 August 1891

Mr Albert Backert, Chairman of the so called Whitechapel Vigilance Association, has been writing himself fearsome letters again signed 'Jack the Ripper.' At the time of the original scare, Mr Backert, who is a consequential small tradesman in the murder neighborhood, recognised a glorious opportunity for self-advertise-ment. He instituted the Vigilance patrol, discovered all sorts of strange facts and circumstances which the police had somehow overlooked, and crammed those scores of hungry reporters and amateur detectives who then infested the neighborhood with his unique experiences. As a result the name of Albert Backert became familiar to our ears as household words. He positively permeated the Whitechapel tragedies, and claimed increased importance and notoriety with each new assassination. Unfortunately even murder scares don't last for ever.

After a time the memory of Jack the Ripper began to fade, and Mr Backert, horrified, saw himself sinking back gradually into black obscurity. Obviously something must be done. Better a sham Jack the Ripper than no Jack the Ripper at all. Mr Backert's first little comedy consisted of a mysterious interview with an unknown and untraceable female who knew Jack well ; and was a great success till the Star made fun of it. Since then Mr Backert has not been, to use Whitechapelese, 'so much thought on.' He still, however, remains the local authority on the murders ; and all the curious Americans and Australians who venture to the scene of the fabled Ripper's exploits are referred to him. When sober, or merely 'a little on,' the great man's narratives are highly entertaining, but on Mondays and Tuesdays, according to the police, he is ' mostly boozed.' This fact transpired at the Thames Police Court on Wednesday, whither Mr Backert was haled for being (drunk and disorderly. The police are long suffering with rowdiness in Whitechapel, but on Monday the Chairman of the Vigilance Committee tried them too far. After being forcibly ejected four times from the shop of an unbelieving butcher, who threw doubts on his 'Ripper rot,' Mr Backert got up a fight in the street. This was too much, and that night the great man made acquaintance with the cells, to which he has so often in imagination consigned ensanguined murderers.

source: National Library of New Zealand

[Abby Normal]

Hi Aethelwulf.

First off, I am not calling pot and kettle. My first interest in this case was William Henry Bury. I have always thought him to be one of the better suspects. I have researched this case with broad interests since then and have discovered a lot of things that sort of paint a "big picture" of my take on things. We are ALL guessing at this point. I just try to guess with as many facts as I can from researching. I TRY not to speculate, but when I do, I try to back it up with as many contemporary articles, inquests, etc. that I can.

With that said, Albert Bachert was a strange man. Yes, I believe he would write letters or chalk messages to himself. Do I know for a fact he wrote this particular letter, no. But according to the motto of the Skeleton Army, which he was involved with, Blood was spelled out in the letter, which is consistent with the motto of the Skeleton Army- Blood and Guts/Thunder, The Skelton Army banner items (coffin, skull and crossbones and a funny looking skeleton) were found at the top of that letter. Could be a coincidence. I admit that. Last, here is another account of a journalist stating Bachert wrote Ripper letters. There are more but I would have to search to find them if you want.


West Coast Times, Issue 9106, 25 August 1891

Mr Albert Backert, Chairman of the so called Whitechapel Vigilance Association, has been writing himself fearsome letters again signed 'Jack the Ripper.' At the time of the original scare, Mr Backert, who is a consequential small tradesman in the murder neighborhood, recognised a glorious opportunity for self-advertise-ment. He instituted the Vigilance patrol, discovered all sorts of strange facts and circumstances which the police had somehow overlooked, and crammed those scores of hungry reporters and amateur detectives who then infested the neighborhood with his unique experiences. As a result the name of Albert Backert became familiar to our ears as household words. He positively permeated the Whitechapel tragedies, and claimed increased importance and notoriety with each new assassination. Unfortunately even murder scares don't last for ever.

After a time the memory of Jack the Ripper began to fade, and Mr Backert, horrified, saw himself sinking back gradually into black obscurity. Obviously something must be done. Better a sham Jack the Ripper than no Jack the Ripper at all. Mr Backert's first little comedy consisted of a mysterious interview with an unknown and untraceable female who knew Jack well ; and was a great success till the Star made fun of it. Since then Mr Backert has not been, to use Whitechapelese, 'so much thought on.' He still, however, remains the local authority on the murders ; and all the curious Americans and Australians who venture to the scene of the fabled Ripper's exploits are referred to him. When sober, or merely 'a little on,' the great man's narratives are highly entertaining, but on Mondays and Tuesdays, according to the police, he is ' mostly boozed.' This fact transpired at the Thames Police Court on Wednesday, whither Mr Backert was haled for being (drunk and disorderly. The police are long suffering with rowdiness in Whitechapel, but on Monday the Chairman of the Vigilance Committee tried them too far. After being forcibly ejected four times from the shop of an unbelieving butcher, who threw doubts on his 'Ripper rot,' Mr Backert got up a fight in the street. This was too much, and that night the great man made acquaintance with the cells, to which he has so often in imagination consigned ensanguined murderers.

source: National Library of New Zealand

makes you wonder who sent the kidney to Lusk. maybe these two (or someone on Lusks team)were battling for attention for their respective vigilance committees.

[Aethelwulf]

Hi Aethelwulf.

First off, I am not calling pot and kettle. My first interest in this case was William Henry Bury. I have always thought him to be one of the better suspects. I have researched this case with broad interests since then and have discovered a lot of things that sort of paint a "big picture" of my take on things. We are ALL guessing at this point. I just try to guess with as many facts as I can from researching. I TRY not to speculate, but when I do, I try to back it up with as many contemporary articles, inquests, etc. that I can.

With that said, Albert Bachert was a strange man. Yes, I believe he would write letters or chalk messages to himself. Do I know for a fact he wrote this particular letter, no. But according to the motto of the Skeleton Army, which he was involved with, Blood was spelled out in the letter, which is consistent with the motto of the Skeleton Army- Blood and Guts/Thunder, The Skelton Army banner items (coffin, skull and crossbones and a funny looking skeleton) were found at the top of that letter. Could be a coincidence. I admit that. Last, here is another account of a journalist stating Bachert wrote Ripper letters. There are more but I would have to search to find them if you want.


West Coast Times, Issue 9106, 25 August 1891

Mr Albert Backert, Chairman of the so called Whitechapel Vigilance Association, has been writing himself fearsome letters again signed 'Jack the Ripper.' At the time of the original scare, Mr Backert, who is a consequential small tradesman in the murder neighborhood, recognised a glorious opportunity for self-advertise-ment. He instituted the Vigilance patrol, discovered all sorts of strange facts and circumstances which the police had somehow overlooked, and crammed those scores of hungry reporters and amateur detectives who then infested the neighborhood with his unique experiences. As a result the name of Albert Backert became familiar to our ears as household words. He positively permeated the Whitechapel tragedies, and claimed increased importance and notoriety with each new assassination. Unfortunately even murder scares don't last for ever.

After a time the memory of Jack the Ripper began to fade, and Mr Backert, horrified, saw himself sinking back gradually into black obscurity. Obviously something must be done. Better a sham Jack the Ripper than no Jack the Ripper at all. Mr Backert's first little comedy consisted of a mysterious interview with an unknown and untraceable female who knew Jack well ; and was a great success till the Star made fun of it. Since then Mr Backert has not been, to use Whitechapelese, 'so much thought on.' He still, however, remains the local authority on the murders ; and all the curious Americans and Australians who venture to the scene of the fabled Ripper's exploits are referred to him. When sober, or merely 'a little on,' the great man's narratives are highly entertaining, but on Mondays and Tuesdays, according to the police, he is ' mostly boozed.' This fact transpired at the Thames Police Court on Wednesday, whither Mr Backert was haled for being (drunk and disorderly. The police are long suffering with rowdiness in Whitechapel, but on Monday the Chairman of the Vigilance Committee tried them too far. After being forcibly ejected four times from the shop of an unbelieving butcher, who threw doubts on his 'Ripper rot,' Mr Backert got up a fight in the street. This was too much, and that night the great man made acquaintance with the cells, to which he has so often in imagination consigned ensanguined murderers.

source: National Library of New Zealand

Hi Jerry,

You got the wrong end of the stick there, I meant me calling the pot/kettle/black etc as I was criticizing your theory when I'm speculating pretty wildly as well.

I think those items at the top of the page are more connected to the writer's obsession with death and blood.

Why would Bachert be in Birmingham and then Wouster for a week and seem to suggest he knows Brum well? As far as I can see he lived in london most of his life (although seems he was an immigrant?). Given the odd cross references I do think they are by the same person. What do you think of the envelope writing on the Brum letter - it predates from hell but seems rather similar to the opening sort of grotesque lines of 'mr lusk sir'.

[Aethelwulf]

A similar sort creepy grotesqueness? I'm not convinced either is the author's normal handwriting.