A New Ripper Book

[Stephen Thomas]

Apparently: ''Graphology offers guidance in understanding interpersonal relationships...''

''And on a lighter note, Graphology can be used as an Entertainment feature at a large event or for an intimate group.''

Well, I'm convinced. That should cover all the bases when it comes to analyzing a Serial Murderer, don't you agree? We'll nab him soon.

Hi Archaic

I worked for many years in a large organisation and knew a very gifted amateur graphologist. I didn't like the man at all as he was arrogant and overbearing (with me being such a laid back chap and all that) but I was very impressed by his analysis of my personality and inner life simply from his looking at my handwriting. I later showed him handwriting examples from several of my friends (who he didn't know) and he was always spot on about their personalities. So I for one am not 'down on graphologists'. I'd say that like the Luscher Colour Test, graphology is serious business and certainly shouldn't be used for entertainment or party games as that link suggests.

[Tom_Wescott]

I think it boils down to two things: The suspect presented, and how the author chooses to present the suspect. I don't believe that all suspect books are 'the same' or that they are somehow bad. A lot of them are, but then a lot are valuable. In the case of Cook, I don't blame him for seeking the opinion of a graphologist and then publishing his findings. But pretending that some woman's opinion of handwriting "proves" Best wrote the Dear Boss letter is not only misrepresentative of the evidence, it's irresponsible of him as an author. But none of this invalidates the fact that he discovered a letter of value to the investigation which - once published- can be scrutinized by people with more objectivity.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Jeff Leahy]

Hi Guys

I have no problems with someone setting out to make their theory in the best light. Its what most ripper authors do, they have publishers and TV execs to please.

However I find it a little rich for Mr Cook to attack the peddlers of myth in his podcast when he is doing exactly the same thing as every other JtR author, making the case for his theory by presenting the most favorable evidence.

Whether you choose to count all the Whitchapel victims as victims or none, it all boils down to the same thing. So why does Mr Cook think he is any different?

Pirate

[Tom_Wescott]

I agree with Pirate. Graphology falls far, far short of a science. It is personal opinion and interpretation. Little more. Small matter that the 'Dear Boss' text was NOT in the author's handwriting. The post script was, as was the 'Saucy Jacky' postcard. These are all that should be compared to the handwriting of a 'person of interest'.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Wolf Vanderlinden]

This is how Cook introduces Quigley in the book:

"Both Bulling and Moore's handwriting has been re-tested in 2009 by one of Briatin's leading handwriting experts, Elaine Quigley."
(Jack the Ripper, Andrew Cook, Amberly Press, 2009, page 101.)

There is a short example of Best's handwriting (in French) and a short bit of the Dear Boss letter. There is then a comparison of some letters between Best and the DB which purportedly show the similarities between the two. Letters such as T, or I, which show no similarity, are not shown or discussed.

Wolf.

[Archaic]

How Graphology Applies To Jack the Ripper

Hi, Pirate. I just checked out that graphology link. Very enlightening.

Apparently: ''Graphology offers guidance in understanding interpersonal relationships...''

''And on a lighter note, Graphology can be used as an Entertainment feature at a large event or for an intimate group.''

Well, I'm convinced. That should cover all the bases when it comes to analyzing a Serial Murderer, don't you agree? We'll nab him soon.

Best regards, Archaic

[Jeff Leahy]

I thought I would stay out of this until I at least saw a copy of the book, which I received today.

I'm not a document or handwriting expert, and Cook states that more than one was used in the upcoming documentary, but at first blush it doesn't appear to me that Frederick Best's handwriting matches that of the Dear Boss letter. There are some similarities but those might be attributed to the Victorian way of learning how to write in a "style." To be honest, I thought the poet Francis Joseph Thompson's handwriting to be the closest match I have ever seen (not that I'm backing Thompson as the Ripper).

I also note that Cook does not claim to have discovered the interview with Dr. Percy Clark found in the East London Observer, 14 May, 1910. Although there are no footnotes to tell us where he found the article it seems likely that he got it from Stewart Evans and Nick Connell's The Man Who Hunted the Ripper (which is listed in the 5 page bibliography).

Wolf.

“However, a handwriting expert, Elaine Quigley, has compared the handwriting of ‘Dear Boss’ with the handwriting of various journalists and decisively concluded that ‘Dear Boss’ was written by Best. If Quigley is correct then her conclusion is not only very strong support for Best being the author of ‘Dear Boss’, it makes it highly likely that Brunner was referring to ‘Dear Boss’ when he wrote about Best’s attempt to mislead Central News.

Unfortunately, it appears that Elaine Quigley is a graphologist and this will cause some to question the worth of her conclusions.” Begg

Hi Wolf

http://www.britishgraphology.org/elaine.htm

This is Elaine Quigley’s website. As you may note she is a graphologist who mainly does love and romance. To some extent they may as well have asked Derek Acorah’s opinion, its not really a science.

Pirate

[George Hutchinson]

Your comments are cryptic, but you're clearly not happy with Cook. Does this have something to do with your Dutfield's Yard photo?

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

Hi Tom. Thankfully, no. It DOES however refer to a copyrighted image used without credit, permission or payment and with his full knowledge of what he was doing. The issue is ongoing and Mr Cook is aware he has got himself into a 'situation'. Things have not been helped by his excuses to me thus far which are bizarre at best and provably untrue for the larger part. His editor is someone I know and she is currently on leave. I'm waiting for her response on her return before I take things further.

PHILIP

[Cap'n Jack]

Yes, indeed, the only issue that a dead and slaughtered woman could give would be a copyright issue.
I live in hope that the dead might swallow the living, and then spit their fat wallets out... empty.

[Robert]

Nice one, Major Tom

Regards

Ground Control

[Tom_Wescott]

A fellow named Cook wrote a book
but he didn't know what he was in fer
Lines of prose like hot air blows
from the likes of Robert Charles Linford



Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Robert]

REDEMPTION

Jack took the book in his hand
And recognised his work that night,
Then began to understand....
He could claim for copyright.

A Kook

[caz]

Hi AP,

And I thought an Andy Cook was someone you live with as long as he only burns his own toast.

Love,

Caz
X

[Cap'n Jack]

By hook or by Cook
I'll nay read 'is damn book
nor toast 'is success
in abuse of sex
so 'ere's a lesson to be learnt
when you toast 'im...
make sure both sides are burnt.

[Tom_Wescott]

Wolf,

Thanks for that. The letter regarding Best, discovered by Cook, is very interesting and worthy of further discussion. However, I don't see that it pertains at all to the Dear Boss letter, for which the Star could not have been sued for (they disavowed it as a fake from the beginning). The Star was sued by John Pizer, so perhaps Best was behind that, and probably did later concoct some of the less significant Ripper letters.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott