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.
^ abcJones, 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.
The "FromHell" letter (also known as the "Lusk letter") was a letter sent with half of a preserved human kidney to George Lusk, the chairman of the Whitechapel...
The title is taken from the first words of the "FromHell" letter, which some authorities believe was an authentic message sent from the killer in 1888...
when you Can Mishter Lusk." This letter is referred to as the "FromHellletter" by Ripperologists. Convinced the letter was a practical joke, Lusk placed...
"Jack the Ripper Letters | Dear Boss Letter | FromHellLetter | Saucy Jack Postcard". whitechapeljack.com. Archived from the original on 2010-10-03.whitechapeljack...
"FromHellletter" received by George Lusk of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee came with half of a preserved human kidney, purportedly taken from one...
addressed FromHell and postmarked 15 October, was later sent to the chairman of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, George Lusk. The author of this letter claimed...
2015. Evans, Stewart; Keith Skinner (2001). Jack the Ripper: Letters FromHell. Stroud: Sutton Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7509-2549-5. Sugden, Philip (2002)...
Chairman of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, together with the FromHellletter, Lusk was persuaded by his fellow Committee members to take them to...
In religion and folklore, hell is a location or state in the afterlife in which souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture,...
"Well to Hell" is an urban legend regarding a putative borehole in Russia which was purportedly drilled so deep that it broke through into Hell. It is first...
both the "Lusk letter" and the "Fromhell" letter, because of the return address used by the writer: "Fromhell". The author of this letter claimed to have...
Hell Girl (Japanese: 地獄少女, Hepburn: Jigoku Shōjo), also known as Jigoku Shōjo: Girl fromHell, is a Japanese anime series conceptualized by Hiroshi Watanabe...
displays from famous cases which include Charlie Peace's belongings and letters allegedly written by Jack the Ripper, though the infamous FromHellletter is...
25, 2009. "Tyler Perry Tells Spike Lee to "Go To Hell!"". Hip Hollywood. April 20, 2011. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved March...
another letter, known as the "FromHell" letter, claiming to be from the killer. The handwriting and style were unlike that of the "Dear Boss" letter and...
founders who had served in the "Hell's Angels" squadron of the Flying Tigers in China during World War II. In a letter written to The Guinness Book of...
prominently in the later chapters of Alan Moore's seminal graphic novel FromHell. "Secret of Scotland Yard. The end of "Jack the Ripper". Interesting disclosure"...
Live FromHell is the fourth and final comedy album by Sam Kinison. It was released in 1993, a year after his death in an automobile accident. The album...
the graphic novel FromHell (1999), about Jack the Ripper, by writer Alan Moore and artist Eddie Campbell. The film adaptation FromHell (2001), also features...
investigate the murders without the involvement of the police. The "FromHell" letter, which was sent with half of a preserved human kidney, was personally...
and Evans and Skinner, Jack the Ripper: Letters fromHell, p. 149; letter dated 4 October 1888 from Mrs S Luckett of 10 Somerford Grove to City of London...
Entertainment in 2006. In the work, Heller addressed many events that he had previously remained silent on. With regard to the FBI letter sent after the N.W.A song...
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