Eddowes V-shape wounds are scissors I think

[Sam Flynn]

That joke about Leather Apron gave me real fits.

Who brought Pizer in?

Like I said, it's well known that blood goes thick, so there's every reason to suppose that the writer meant exactly that. No need to read any spooky inferences into the postcard.

[Sam Flynn]

the writer of dearboss/saucy jack got three things right-squeeled a bit, getting to work soon, clip the ears.

The failure to clip the ears was mentioned in connection with Stride: "first one squealed a bit couldn't finish straight off had not time to get ears for police". This is probably because, by the time the postcard was written/posted - 1st Oct - insufficient details had appeared in the press about either murder, so the hoaxer resorted to generalisations, intending to play it safe... or so he thought, because it had yet to be revealed that the second victim had had part of her ear cut off.

As to the other Stride-related details, many papers of 1st October (including the Morning Advertiser and The Times, among others) had said that Stride's murderer may have been interrupted, so "had not time to finish...". The same papers also said that, because of the bruises present on her body, she'd probably been thrown to the ground whilst still alive, before her throat was cut. Under those circumstances, it would be a safe guess that she would indeed have "squealed a bit" before the fatal wound was inflicted.

[Batman]

Well, it was a toss-up between Sgt Thick and Inspector Glue

That joke about Leather Apron gave me real fits.

Who brought Pizer in?

[Sam Flynn]

It is good you made the connection I was alluding towards though.

Well, it was a toss-up between Sgt Thick and Inspector Glue

[Batman]

Blood does go thick with time, so there's every reason to suppose that he meant precisely that. The chances of its being a veiled reference to Sergeant Thick are extremely remote.

It is good you made the connection I was alluding towards though.

[Batman]

you mean Dear Boss?


the writer of dearboss/saucy jack got three things right-squeeled a bit, getting to work soon, clip the ears.

I could see one maybe two-but three tips the scales for me-I lean (just slightly) it was written by the ripper.

Out of all the Ripper letters, this is in the top 3 candidates for those reasons.

If an officer was JtR that could also explain inside knowledge in knowing about the letter.

[Abby Normal]

So From Hell was sent before Eddowes was murdered and the writer asked the news agency to hold it back until after. So looks like the idea JtR read it, can be excluded. However, that means if there is a connection, then an aspiring journalist didn't write it and JtR did.

I never thought of this before but maybe he gave his name for fun... I saved some of the proper red stuff in a ginger beer bottle over the last job to write with but it went thick like glue and I cant use it.

you mean Dear Boss?


the writer of dearboss/saucy jack got three things right-squeeled a bit, getting to work soon, clip the ears.

I could see one maybe two-but three tips the scales for me-I lean (just slightly) it was written by the ripper.

[Sam Flynn]

I never thought of this before but maybe he gave his name for fun... I saved some of the proper red stuff in a ginger beer bottle over the last job to write with but it went thick like glue and I cant use it.

Blood does go thick with time, so there's every reason to suppose that he meant precisely that. The chances of its being a veiled reference to Sergeant Thick are extremely remote.

[Batman]

From Hell, From Thick.

So From Hell was sent before Eddowes was murdered and the writer asked the news agency to hold it back until after. So looks like the idea JtR read it, can be excluded. However, that means if there is a connection, then an aspiring journalist didn't write it and JtR did.

I never thought of this before but maybe he gave his name for fun... I saved some of the proper red stuff in a ginger beer bottle over the last job to write with but it went thick like glue and I cant use it.

[Abby Normal]

Charles Ludwig was arrested with scissors on him in the Minories (but he was in a police cell at the time of the DE)

yeah nasty dude there-I remember getting all excited about him when reading Sugden...but of course couldn't have been him.

[Abby Normal]

I tend to agree, although I found Jon's suggestion ingenious and still do. For my part, I just wanted to show that the "V" shapes were the accidental byproduct of a horizontal slice of a knife through the flesh of the cheek as opposed to deliberately written "letters".

Thanks Sam

I don't think they were letters. but I do think they were deliberate.

just a thought-from the photo of eddowes it appears she had high cheekbones-which in western culture is a sign of feminine beauty. maybe that had something to do with the ripper cutting there? I don't know, just thinking out loud here.

[Sam Flynn]

Hi Sam
as he said, or tried to explain in the postcard, he didn't have time. I think he didn't want to admit the whole truth, he forgot about saying he would cut the ears off, and then remembered at the end-and tried to do it hastily.

Problem there is that the Saucy Jack postcard was postmarked and received on October 1st, before many details of the Eddowes murder had been published. Had the author known about the severed earlobe, I'm sure he'd have claimed responsibility, e.g. "had not time to get both ears", in order to add greater authenticity to his story. As it turned out, it wasn't until October 4th that news of the cut earlobe was printed in the papers. If only the hoaxer had waited a few more days...

[Batman]

Kozminski tried to be a barber in Whitechapel but apparently wasn't successful... unless his interpretation of barber involving mutilating unfortunates. Which given Kozminski's mental issues, just 'might' be the case.

[Sam Flynn]

Hi Sam
I agree on the face of it, it looks like the could have been accidental cuts at a failed first attempt to cut off the nose. However, and wicks picture shows it- for that scenario the killer would have to be slicing the nose down completely parallel to the face. dosnt work. the way a knife is held there will be an angle to the face-theres no way you can do it completely flat.

I tend to agree, although I found Jon's suggestion ingenious and still do. For my part, I just wanted to show that the "V" shapes were the accidental byproduct of a horizontal slice of a knife through the flesh of the cheek as opposed to deliberately written "letters".

[Jon Guy]

well a scissors being used would point to the hairdresser chapman, not a cop. ; )

Charles Ludwig was arrested with scissors on him in the Minories (but he was in a police cell at the time of the DE)