The Juwes

Several books try to lead the reader to believe that this was a deliberate message to turn the attention on the Jewish residents on Whitechapel.

I read in a book about lesser known serial killers that there was a Jewish Butcher I believe who lived in Whitechapel around the time of the murders who had been poisoning various women (NOT James Maybrick, I might add, who was not a doctor, but rather a cotton merchant). He had been killing women around the same time roughly I believe although I don't think it was discovered until years later. There was some question whether he could have committed the ripper murders or not but was never convicted of that. There was a suggestion that someone knew what he'd been doing and had tried to tip the police off with the message.

Another book I read (focusing on Jack) suggested that the message wasn't actually a clue at all in the murder and was written by an angry racist in the Whitechapel district who had a particular hatred of the Jewish. At the time several wealthy Jewish families (the men usually practicing professionals, doctors, butchers, tailors, accountants), had moved into Whitechapel which at the time had been considered a particularly depraved 'low rent' district and had taken up most of the affordable housing and available job opportunities. Although there had been murders and violent crime occurring in the district long before the Jewish people had arrived, the tenants wanted scapegoats to blame and felt it apt to blame them for the murders, hoping this would scare them out of Whitechapel. There was never any proof either way of who had written the message, and the only reason it was even picked up as a "clue" is because the word "Juwes" was spelled correctly suggesting an educated person being involved in leaving it for the Police.


I guess no one will ever be certain of anything, which makes it so fascinating.

There is actually another Ripper theory concerning the Juwes. It is a neat tie-in to the Masonic angle.
There is (supposedly) a trio of assassins used by the Masons to met out death to those who betray the brotherhood. The 3 are called Jubala, Jubilo, and Jubalum. They can be found mentioned in other Masonic lore. Together, the 3 are called the Jues (or Juwes). Supposedly they would eviserate their victims in a ritualistic manner, not unlike the Ripper victims. The story goes that the head of Scotland Yard was a Mason, and so had the writing erased to protect their secrets.

This was told to me by a Mason, though he was quick to dismiss the theory. He credits the existance of the 3 and their 'avenging angel' status to the Masons, but said the rest is purely conjecture. Which, as we all agree, is accurate. No one will ever know who Jack the Ripper was, how many he himself killed, and why he did it in the first place (Patricia Cornwall be damned!)

I tell the tale that I was told.

(signed)
Mr. Nemo




1. Being moody.
2. Being bad at maths.
3. Being sad.

Abberline did not think it was a reference to the Jews because it was written in an "educated hand". In other words, what appears to be an intelligent person would not misspell Jews, so the word was meant to mean something else.

The book claims that "Juwes" does not refer to Jews but rather to "The Three Juwes", three guys named Jubelo, Jubela, and Jubelum, who Stephen Knight identifies as the "Three Ruffians" of Masonic legacy. The Rufffians, or Three Ruffians, are a real part of Masonic lore and were supposed to be the journeyman craftsmen who betrayed Masonic founder Hiram Abiff and killed him in order to obtain his secret code word. However, it seems that the Jubela, Jubelo, and Jubelum names as well as the title "The Three Juwes" is invented by Stephen Knight.

"Unless Alpert's covered in bacon grease, I don't think Hugo can track anything."

It does show Abberline in the library reading a book about the Freemasons and he finds those 3 names and connects it with 'juwes'. The guy that ordered the wall to be washed much to the behest of Abberline was a freemason himself, as the movie showed. Also Abberline rips the guys mason ring off and tosses it on the ground, spitting on it after mention of his promotion. Being told he will be watched closely from now on, because he knows.

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