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Steve Laughery
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 5:32 pm: |       |
Re-reading Evans'& Skinner's "Letters from Hell", I noted several messages with an American connection - claiming (or, seemingly, denying) the Ripper was an American, or had spent time in America, or had fled to America.
1. Letter dated 4 Oct. 88 - "I am an american ... "
2. Letter dated 23 Oct. 88 - "When I was at San Francisco in July ... "
3. Letter dated October, 88 - "I am now safe in New York and will travel over to Philadelphia ... "
4. Letter dated 12 Nov. 88 - " ... will sail for 'New York' from Liverpool ... "
5. Letter dated 15 Nov. 88 - "I always address my letters to Boss my dear old cousin ... " (a reference to Packer's story about the man whose cousin spent time in America?)
6. Letter dated 19 Nov. 88 - " ... I could not touch her. she is the only good woman I have met in England ... "
7. Letter dated 4 Feb. 89 - " ... returned from America"
8. Letter dated 18 July 89 - " ... they call me an American butcher now."
9. Letter dated 30 Oct. 89 - "As I was obliged to go to America ... "
Some questions for contributors to these boards:
a. How common was it meet an American laborer/cowboy/sailor in Whitecahpel in 1888?
b. How widespread (back then) was the theory that Jack was an American, or that he had escaped to America?
c. Did most of this come from Packer's "The-man-with-the-Americanized-cousin" story, or did Packer's story come from a widely-held belief that Jack had an American connection?
Anyone's insights, theories or observations would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Steve |
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