The From Hell, Jack the Ripper letter was postmarked on the 15th of October, 1888. The From Hell Jack the Ripper letter is thought to be authentic. However, the authenticity of the From Hell letter is debated to this day . Leaving some people to believe that the From Hell letter was a hoax, like many of the other Jack the Ripper letters sent to the police at the time. While others think that it is an authentic letter from the killer. Perhaps the only 'real' letter written and sent to the police, by Jack the Ripper.
There are a few reasons why we should consider the From Hell letter, 1888 to be authentic. One strong reason comes from the physician who examined the half a kidney which was delivered with the From Hell letter. Dr Thomas Openshaw was the physician who examined the kidney when he received it from George Lusk, on the 18th of October, 1888. The From Hell letter was originally send to George Lusk. Openshaw stated that the kidney was of human origin. That it was from a woman of 45 years old. And, that it had alcoholic spirits present within the kidney.
Mr Openshaw's description of the kidney matched Catherine Eddowes missing kidney. Catherine Eddowes was Jack the Ripper's fourth victim. She was one of the two women who were murdered by Jack the Ripper, on the 30th of September, 1888. In what is now known as 'The Double Event'. The other woman murdered by Jack the Ripper on the night of the Double Event was Elizabeth Stride. When Catherine Eddowes was murdered by Jack the Ripper atMitre Square , the ripper removed half of her kidney. She was also 46 and had an alcohol problem. This matches the information sent to George Lusk. However, there is no DNA evidence to suggest that the kidney was that of Eddowes, due to there being no DNA testing at the time. Therefore, the kidney could have been another woman's - but that is just speculation.
If the From Hell letter is authentic, then what can it tell us about Jack the Ripper? The first thing that stands out from the From Hell letter is, that it suggests that it could have been written by an uneducated person. The structure, language and grammar suggests that the writer was not educated. If the letter was a fabrication, in other words, written by a journalist, then that was probably deliberate. Another thing which stands out about the writing is that it is similar to the Saucy Jack postcard, but not identical. However, completely different from the Dear Boss letter - suggesting that all three were not written by the same hand.
Another way that we could look at the From Hell letter is that it was written by an educated hand. Why? Perhaps the letter was written by a man who's second language was English. It would explain the spelling mistakes and lack of grammar. However, it doesn't really explain the big messy writing of the letter. There is another reason why it could have been a letter from an educated hand; poor literacy rates at the time. The literacy rates between men and women during Victorian Britain were different, men were more literate, and woman less literate. By 1851, literacy rates for women were at 54%, while men's literacy rates were at 69%. This means that almost have of women were illiterate, and over a third of men were illiterate. Those were the poorest, seuch as most of the residents of Whitechapel, were the illiterate ones. It would have been the upper-class and middle-class, which were the educated class. But, with the rise in formal education during the latter half of the 19th century, the poor would have been increasingly educated. Increased education among the Victorian poor means an increase in literacy rates, however, the poor at the time largely depended on charity schools. And therefore, were not really educated. In that respect, the From Hell letter was most likely written by someone with an education behind them. That tells us that it was either someone with a good profession. If it was Jack the Ripper who wrote the From Hell letter, then it suggests that he could have had a good profession. Such as a doctor. Which would fit into the theory that he had medical knowledge. In conclusion, there is a strong possibility that the From Hell letter was from Jack the Ripper. It was probably the only letter written by Jack the Ripper. The From Hell letter seems less likely to have been a hoax. Along with the letter we not only have a human kidney, but a human kidney which matches the description of Catherine Eddowes. A hoax is one thing, but the From Hell letter takes it further than the suggestion that it is just a hoax. A human kidney sent with the letter. Which strongly indicates it wasn't a hoax.
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