Question About The Dear Boss Letter

[c.d.]

How likely is it that an anonymous letter with nothing on it which would identify the author and simply addressed to "The Boss" could make its way through multiple layers and employees at the newspaper into the correct hand who then determined that it might be authentic and turned it over to the proper authorities?

No dog in the fight simply asking a question.

c.d.

[Kattrup]

Very likely, I’d say, considering that it happens even today, when people send emails.

I work in an organization with a central administration of 300-350 people; there’s a dedicated mail sorting team that go through incoming correspondence and send them on to the relevant offices.

An anonymous email confessing to a recent local crime spree would of course be sent on to the relevant superiors.

In Victorian times, when written correspondence was even more the norm, this bureaucratic function worked as well, and more systematic too, which is why in the archives we have ledgers from various ministries and public bodies detailing and enumerating all incoming letters.
While the Central News was not a public office, they would, by virtue of being a Victorian office with a high level of correspondence, be accustomed to managing letters of all sorts.

[erobitha]

Just to be clear the letter was not sent to a specific newspaper. It was sent to the central press agency, the equivalent of what would be Reuters today.

This has never sat well with me. Why would a killer send this letter to a central news agency and not a specific paper. It demonstrates inside knowledge of how the press works and how syndicating content works.

Thats why I am on the side of the police who believed this and saucy Jack postcard were done by someone within the press industry.

[Geddy2112]

This has never sat well with me. Why would a killer send this letter to a central news agency and not a specific paper. It demonstrates inside knowledge of how the press works and how syndicating content works.

I 100% agree with this statement. Insider knowledge to get the point made.

[c.d.]

Just to be clear the letter was not sent to a specific newspaper. It was sent to the central press agency, the equivalent of what would be Reuters today.

Did not know that. Always assumed it was a specific newspaper. Sometimes, if you pay attention, you can learn things on here. Thanks.

c.d.

[Jon Guy]

Just to be clear the letter was not sent to a specific newspaper. It was sent to the central press agency, the equivalent of what would be Reuters today.

This has never sat well with me. Why would a killer send this letter to a central news agency and not a specific paper. It demonstrates inside knowledge of how the press works and how syndicating content works.

Thats why I am on the side of the police who believed this and saucy Jack postcard were done by someone within the press industry.

The area was crawling with journalists looking for stories
Why not that the writer was drawn to this specific news agency ?

[Geddy2112]

The area was crawling with journalists looking for stories
Why not that the writer was drawn to this specific news agency ?

Maybe he worked for the news agency.

[Jon Guy]

Maybe he worked for the news agency.

Possibly Geddy.
Certainly, Bullen and Best may have written a hoax letter or two, but not Dear Boss or Saucy Jack

[Mike J. G.]

Does anyone have any information on the letter that supposedly precedes the Dear Boss one? From the 24th September, I believe. I can't find any threads on here about it.