From Hell letter

The "From Hell" letter (also known as the "Lusk letter")^[1]^[2] was a letter sent with half of a preserved human kidney to George Lusk, the chairman of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, in October 1888.^[3] The author of this letter claimed to be the unidentified serial killer known as Jack the Ripper, who had murdered and mutilated at least four women in the Whitechapel and Spitalfields districts of London in the two months prior to Lusk receiving this letter, and whose vigilance committee Lusk led in civilian efforts to assist the police in identifying and apprehending the perpetrator.^[2]

The letter was postmarked 15 October 1888 and was received by Lusk the following day.^[4] An examination of the kidney revealed the individual from whom the organ originated had suffered from Bright's disease.^[5] The author of this letter claimed to have fried and eaten the other half.^[6]

Police, press, and public alike received many letters claiming to be from the Whitechapel Murderer, with investigators at one stage having to deal with an estimated 1,000 letters related to the case. However, the "From Hell" letter is one of the few articles of correspondence that has received serious consideration as to actually being genuine.^[7] Nonetheless, opinions remain divided with regards to the letter's authenticity.^[2]

The murders committed by Jack the Ripper have attracted much attention in popular culture for decades, with several factual and fictional works directly making reference to the "From Hell" letter.^[8]

^ Grove, Sophie (9 June 2008). "You Don't Know Jack: A New Museum Exhibition Opens the Case File on Jack the Ripper—and Affords a Grim Look at the London of the Time: A City Made for Murder". Newsweek. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c Jones, Christopher (2008). The Maybrick A to Z. Countyvise Ltd. Publishers. pp. 162–165. ISBN 978-1-906-82300-9.
^ Jack the Ripper: An Encyclopedia ISBN 978-1-844-54982-5 p. 160
^ Science Images and Popular Images of the Sciences ISBN 978-1-134-17580-2 p. 127
^ Jack the Ripper: An Encyclopedia ISBN 978-1-844-54982-5 p. 52
^ Evans and Rumbelow, p. 170; Fido, pp. 78–80
^ Jack the Ripper: An Encyclopedia ISBN 978-1-844-54982-5 p. 161
^ "Jack the Ripper". MysteryQuest. Season 1. Episode 8. 11 November 2009. History Channel.

[Grove-1] Grove, Sophie (9 June 2008). "You Don't Know Jack: A New Museum Exhibition Opens the Case File on Jack the Ripper—and Affords a Grim Look at the London of the Time: A City Made for Murder". Newsweek. Retrieved 8 September 2015.

[Maybrick-2] Jones, Christopher (2008). The Maybrick A to Z. Countyvise Ltd. Publishers. pp. 162–165. ISBN 978-1-906-82300-9.

[3] Jack the Ripper: An Encyclopedia ISBN 978-1-844-54982-5 p. 160

[4] Science Images and Popular Images of the Sciences ISBN 978-1-134-17580-2 p. 127

[5] Jack the Ripper: An Encyclopedia ISBN 978-1-844-54982-5 p. 52

[6] Evans and Rumbelow, p. 170; Fido, pp. 78–80

[7] Jack the Ripper: An Encyclopedia ISBN 978-1-844-54982-5 p. 161

[Quest-8] "Jack the Ripper". MysteryQuest. Season 1. Episode 8. 11 November 2009. History Channel.

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