Why two cuts across the throat?

[sdreid]

Perhaps he originally intended to remove the head and found that it was more difficult than he'd supposed and decided to forgo it in later attacks.

[Wickerman]

Why do Nichols and Chapman have two cuts across their throats, but Stride and Eddowes only one? Does anybody have a theory on that, and what it could reveal about the MO?

Contra to the above mentioned single cut to the throat of Eddowes, the mortuary drawning by Frederick Foster appears to indicate two cuts.



This makes the medical report all the more interesting because it also does not mention the number of cuts, yet appears to describe two different cuts.

Frederick Gordon Brown, while observing her body in situ at Mitre Square, described the cut to her neck as, "....the throat cut across, below the cut was a neckerchief....".
So possibly the second lower cut was covered by the neckerchief.

Next the doctor describes the cuts to the throat while at the post-mortem.

"....the throat was cut across to the extent of about 6 or 7 inches, a superficial cut commenced about an inch and 1/2 below the lobe and about 2 1/2 inches below behind the left ear and extended across the throat to about 3 inches below the lobe of the right ear..."

If the above superficial cut is compared with the mortuary drawing above, it appears to describe the diagonal upper darker cut beginning up behind her left ear and extending diagonally across below her right ear.

Strangely, the medical report continues the above description as if still describing one cut, yet now the cut is very deep, ie; not superficial.

"...The big muscle across the throat was divided through on the left side - the large vessels on the left side of the neck were severed - the larynx was severed below the vocal cord - all the deep structures were severed to the bone, the knife marking the intervertebral cartilages - the sheath of the vessels on the right side was just opened - The carotid artery had a fine hole opening - The internal jugular vein was opened an inch and a half, not divided"

This last part of the description of the wound(s) to the neck does not read as superficial, so I suspect this last half is another cut, but deeper than the first. Consistent with Foster's drawing.

Regards, Jon S.

Why do Nichols and Chapman have two cuts across their throats, but Stride and Eddowes only one? Does anybody have a theory on that, and what it could reveal about the MO?

Hi Ichabod,

I think in the first 2 murders we see overkill with the throat cut. Since nothing that was done to Martha would aid him in Pollys murder, and Marthas throat wound looked nothing like this one and Annies, I believe this is his first murder,.. and when he uses the knife, he does so with more force than required due to adrenaline or his intention to absolutely kill. I think he chokes holds them to cause them to black out because he is not confident about using his knife to fight with. Only to cut with. Which to me suggests someone other than street criminal who uses a knife at any time, all the time. Even just to threaten with.

He doesnt seem to want to fight, he just wants to overpower without fighting,... he doesnt want to stab, he wants to cut.

I think thats the profile of the man that killed C1 and C2. Why Kate has a single wound and her nose almost severed completely...in addition to what we would expect to see, becomes a springboard for Marys inclusion....as yet another iteration, but I think there are circumstantial quirks that make her a less sure Canonical than the first 2 women.

And Liz Stride was murdered.

I think the only sure quality that the killer nicknamed Jack the Ripper had was ripping women open......Unfortunate street women, and Ripping, being the two vital elements in any of his kills.

All the best.

[gary]

I believe we discussed this some years ago. Someone posted a pic of a double bladed knife. I tried google images but couldn't find any such thing. My recollection may be wrong.

Anybody know anything about this?

Diana,

I read somewhere that a double-edged knife is a favourite with some
gangland members to 'teach their victims a lesson'. The point of it being
that it made the wound more difficult to stitch and heal. But they weren't
over the counter numbers, but custom built by the attackers. Nice...

[Mitch Rowe]

It seems unclear to me that it was indeed two cuts. At least for Annie and mjk. It could have benn one cut all the way around with beginning and end slightly offset.

[Cap'n Jack]

Yes, it might be... this is evidence in a later case in 1903, a domestic I would point out, and you'll see what I mean.

'I made a post mortem examination on the 4th—on the forehead I found a wound 1 in. above the right eyebrow, 2 in. long, and the flesh divided to the bone; under the left ear there were two superficial cuts; on the face there was a wound 7 in. in length, commencing on the bridge of the nose, 3/4 in. from the right eye, and passing obliquely down the face, over the cheek to the jaw, dividing the muscles and the blood vessels; that was a serious wound, it crossed over the lower jaw to the neck, and cut through the muscles and blood vessels of the neck; there was an incised wound on the throat, commencing 3/4 in. above the right margin of the breast bone, meeting the other cut and forming a continuous cut, the windpipe was completely severed;'

[Jon Guy]

The first cut may be an attempt to cut the windpipe quickly.

[Suzi]

My thinking is that a right handed throat cutter- With a woman in front of him- would have taken the first swipe from left to right with the thumb on top of the knife giving it a heavier cut and then came back with the hand upside down, fingers up in a back and forward swipe ,which would explain Polly...

Try it - it makes sense...Hubby's just saying ....What the **** are you doing when I practised that visually in a waving sort of way - before I typed it!!

Now a left handed killer would do that in reverse... unless the victim had their back to the killer- which may make some sense and put the whole post tits up! (Well in reverse !)

[The Good Michael]

It is quite possible he was drinking heavily before he went out. Too much alcohol could be the simple answer.

Mike

[Shelley]

No really though, some people think it is because he just started cutting throats, that can be assumed, however it is also possible that he was leaving a calling card with as with Canocial Eddowes even with the one cut accross it was deep throat-cutting as with Nicholls & Chapman. So the two cuts accross on two of the victims he was getting a handle on it, but the deepness was intentional as he nearly took the head off one i recall.

Possibly just starting to cut a throat on Nicholls, wanted to be sure he severed properly to cause death in his victim.

[protohistorian]

I knowit has been suggested before but maybe it was to hide the garrott of a cord which he used to strangle the victims. I can't see why he would want to hide the fact that he had strangled them but thats my only suggestion at the moment. Lol

Maybe the first cut did not severe a neck structure the killer wanted severed?

[Uncle Jack]

I knowit has been suggested before but maybe it was to hide the garrott of a cord which he used to strangle the victims. I can't see why he would want to hide the fact that he had strangled them but thats my only suggestion at the moment. Lol

[Mort Belfry]

It just sounds like an increase in experience to me.

[diana]

I believe we discussed this some years ago. Someone posted a pic of a double bladed knife. I tried google images but couldn't find any such thing. My recollection may be wrong.

Anybody know anything about this?