Truly Yours, Jack the Ripper Chicago Lipstick Murders Part II Update
April 29, 2021
Los Angeles, California
For those unfamiliar with the newly discovered “Truly Yours, Jack the Ripper” Chicago Lipstick Murders Thoughprint see Part I HERE.
Here is a follow-up “Part II” to that earlier blog.
George Hodel’s use of “Yours Truly” Signature in Serial Crimes to mimic Jack the Ripper’s signage in the 1888 “Boss Letter”.
GHH telegram sent to Elizabeth “Black Dahlia” Short from Wash D.C. in 1944. Investigation showed they had been acquainted and dating since 1943. It is believed the message refers to her “breaking up” with George which would likely void “a promise” she had made to him. The message signed “Yours”.
Below are three “Zodiac” letters sent to the press after the Bay Area serial killings all signed “Yours Truly.” Note in the below “Exorcist Letter” Zodiac draws attention to his “Jack the Ripper” plagiarizing by emphasizing that the letter in his words is “Signed Yours Truly.”
Some recall the Black Dahlia case when they hear the Where the Wild Roses Grow song by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The fictive killer may have other issues (death wishes for beauty & morbid flower association) but appears to be INFATUATED by victim Eliza Day´s looks. Or perhaps her resemblance to someone.
Steve:
I note a resemblance between the flowery, highly stylized handwriting on the package holding a severed ear sent to Mrs. Degnan (a clear JtR allusion) and the writing on the “St. Donna & Guardian of the Pines” card sent to Donna Lass’s sister in 1974. The calculated juxtaposition of horror and “feminine” sentimentality recalls GHH’s writeups on the Peggy Donovan and Teresa Mors crime scenes in the twenties.
Incidentally, we know that the Zodiac at times adapted his writing style to his targets. For example, the Count Marco letter features an aristocratic-looking version of his usual printing and apes a quirk of Spinelli’s personal handwriting. Also, the hand-written address on a letter to Mel Belli clearly mimics the Art Deco font used on the street number sign of his San Francisco residence. This was in his bag of tricks.
Regards,
LW
LW:
Damn Luigi, you sure don’t miss much if anything. I totally agree. The HW on the package sent to Mrs. Degnan is very unique. He clearly had fun playing with in his words, “my disguised handwriting.”
Let’s not forget that he became a psychiatrist only after he left the continent, five years after this was broadcast. Perhaps where the idea came from?
Miles:
Actually, I’m unclear on exactly WHEN GHH obtained his degree in psychiatry. I think he could have obtained it as early as 1950/1 due to document references in Hawaii some of which seem to indicated he was or was already or just about to become a psychiatrist. Not sure what was required seventy-five years ago? I am reminded of LAPDs Dr. J. Paul De River who simply “appointed himself as the Department’s “psychiatrist” with no formal training.
Also it may be significant that the three Lipstick murders, when located on a map, make an “L” shape. Why? Perhaps as an esoteric clue to his inspiration: Bloch’s mother’s maiden name was Loeb. Another tie-in of Chicago murder history? An example of “land art” way before his Zodiac sequence?
So do you think that’s too much of a stretch? I tried to figure out if Bloch’s mother was related to the other famous Chicago Loeb, to no avail. Then again, could readers of Weird Tales have known what Bloch’s mother’s name was? Not likely.
Yes, but I have to believe the Degnan kidnap/murder was inspired by the Leopold and Loeb murder two decades earlier. There are no “coincidences” when it comes to GHH’s crime signatures. But, the “L” shape is a bit of a stretch, like a train ride.
Yeah, plus I now realize that if you pick any three random locations in Chicago, you’re likely to get an “L”. Because of how Lake Michigan’s coast goes down in a southeast direction. Still… Leopold & Loeb, Robert Bloch the son of a Loeb, plus the Lindbergh kidnapping, using a LADDER… even if it wasn’t intentional, GHH probably still had a laugh when he noticed it himself.