Dear Boss

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Doctor! Doctor! What's wrong with me? I'm in agreement with Tom Wescott.

Happily, my doctor told me it was merely a panic attack and would soon pass.

But all joking aside, Tom makes a good point. The position and orientation of the Dear Boss postscript suggests it was added once the letter had been folded and after the summing up of the Chapman inquest on 26th September at which Wynne Baxter said that, "His anatomical skill carries him out of the category of a common criminal, for his knowledge could only have been obtained by assisting at post-mortems, or by frequenting the post-mortem room."

"They say I'm a doctor now. ha ha."

While hardly smoking gun [or dripping knife] evidence, it's nevertheless an interesting insight.

Regards,

Simon

[Tom_Wescott]

Conspiracy theories to explain problems that are not problems at all can wait - there's a real and pressing problem right here, with the timing of this letter, if the author and the Mitre Square killer were unknown to each other and completely unaware of each other's actions.

Regarding timing, I noticed and remarked some time back that the Dear Boss author was obviously waiting until the Chapman inquest concluded to see what had been learned, which explains the post script. Likewise, the Ripper was waiting until the inquest ended to see what the police knew. For different reasons, both men where waiting for the inquest to end to make their move. That's not to say it wasn't the same man, but there's nothing in the letter that tells us the letter had to have been written by the killer.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[caz]

Once again, if the letter was a hoax- would not the whole purpose be to gain max exposure for the CNA and hence-Get the letter to the police ASAP?!?

If the letter is a hoax why hold it back? Anything could happen in the time they hold back the letter that could ruin the whole plan-including getting scooped by a rival or other reporter or even the killer himself?

Hi Abby,

I don't know.

Will that do you?

As I thought my posts indicated, I too don't think the various hoax theories make a lot of sense when you examine in detail the timing and circumstances of Dear Boss.

But there's no going back for those who have become convinced that an enterprising journalist was indeed responsible.

I'll say he was enterprising. A century before serial murder was ingrained in the public's consciousness, and after a couple of what some people insist were typical, run-of-the-mill knife attacks (Tabram and Nichols) followed by just one ripping involving organ removal (Chapman), he predicts that a killer, who is 'down on whores', will not quit ripping, loves his work and wants to 'get to work right away' if he gets the chance, and is even thinking of clipping the next one's ears off - an unprecedented venture into above the neck mutilation.

And these words are meant to have winged their way to the police just hours before a second woman is found ripped, with two organs removed this time plus extensive above the neck mutilation, including a sliced through ear - without either the enterprising author knowing anything of the kind was about to happen, or was even remotely likely to happen, and without the killer knowing that anyone had written a letter on his behalf, let alone that it contained a decent stab at guessing the game plan.

Conspiracy theories to explain problems that are not problems at all can wait - there's a real and pressing problem right here, with the timing of this letter, if the author and the Mitre Square killer were unknown to each other and completely unaware of each other's actions.

But few want to tackle it.

Love,

Caz
X

[Abby Normal]

Hi Abby,

There's a lot about "Dear Boss" and its companion postcard that makes absolutely no sense.

For instance, in 1913 Littlechild wrote to George R. Sims, "With regard to the term 'Jack the Ripper' it was generally believed at the Yard that Tom Bullen of the Central News was the originator, but it is probable Moore, who was his chief, was the inventor. It was a smart piece of journalistic work."

He next wrote, "Mr James Monro when Assistant Commissioner, and afterwards Commissioner, relied on his integrity."

Where's the journalistic integrity in perpetrating a hoax?

Regards,

Simon

Hi Simon

Where's the journalistic integrity in perpetrating a hoax?

Exactly-great point!!


BTW-I have aquestion for you on the "modern day BS man..." thread.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Abby,

There's a lot about "Dear Boss" and its companion postcard that makes absolutely no sense.

For instance, in 1913 Littlechild wrote to George R. Sims, "With regard to the term 'Jack the Ripper' it was generally believed at the Yard that Tom Bullen of the Central News was the originator, but it is probable Moore, who was his chief, was the inventor. It was a smart piece of journalistic work."

He next wrote, "Mr James Monro when Assistant Commissioner, and afterwards Commissioner, relied on his integrity."

Where's the journalistic integrity in perpetrating a hoax?

Regards,

Simon

[Abby Normal]

Thanks Caz
Thats what I thought.


Whats your opinion on my previous questions:

Once again, if the letter was a hoax- would not the whole purpose be to gain max exposure for the CNA and hence-Get the letter to the police ASAP?!?

If the letter is a hoax why hold it back? Anything could happen in the time they hold back the letter that could ruin the whole plan-including getting scooped by a rival or other reporter or even the killer himself?

Once again, if the letter was a hoax- would not the whole purpose be to gain max exposure for the CNA and hence-Get the letter to the police ASAP?!?

If the letter is a hoax why hold it back? Anything could happen in the time they hold back the letter that could ruin the whole plan-including getting scooped by a rival or other reporter or even the killer himself?[/QUOTE]

Anyone want to take a shot at this? i have yet to see any reasonable explanation.

[The Good Michael]

Simon,

The joke is that the police conspiracy has taken over many threads and is becoming THE answer to a few vociferous folks who have seemed to conspire in covering up real possibilities by burying everything under a cloud of conspiracy. It seems to me to be the same kind of answer that some (only some) people of faith have when asked a question about the Bible. It just is true in their minds, and relevant counter arguments are irrelevant because faith is the opposite of reason.

Cheers,

Mike

PS. It doesn't mean there wasn't a conspiracy,

[Simon Wood]

Hi CD,

Thanks for the stock response.

If I knew the answer I wouldn't have asked the question.

But why not a police conspiracy/cover-up? It would certainly explain a great number of things.

Regards,

Simon

[c.d.]

Hi Simon,

Why exactly would the police be involved in a conspiracy and/or a cover-up?

c.d.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Caz,

I realise I'm poking an unwelcome stick into a hornet's nest, but what exactly is it about the possibility of a police conspiracy/cover-up which is fast becoming a joke?

Regards,

Simon

[Abby Normal]

Hi Abby,

According to the superb Letters from Hell, by our very own Stewart Evans and Keith Skinner, the envelope bore a penny lilac stamp postmarked September 27th. The letter inside was dated the 25th (but of course it could have been written earlier or on the 27th at the very latest). The CNA claimed that it was initially 'treated as a joke'. It arrived with the police on the 29th, before the double event.

Rubyretro,

See above. Please - let's not have another police conspiracy theory here. This sort of thing is what is fast becoming a joke.

Love,

Caz
X

Thanks Caz
Thats what I thought.


Whats your opinion on my previous questions:

Once again, if the letter was a hoax- would not the whole purpose be to gain max exposure for the CNA and hence-Get the letter to the police ASAP?!?

If the letter is a hoax why hold it back? Anything could happen in the time they hold back the letter that could ruin the whole plan-including getting scooped by a rival or other reporter or even the killer himself?

[caz]

Hi Abby,

According to the superb Letters from Hell, by our very own Stewart Evans and Keith Skinner, the envelope bore a penny lilac stamp postmarked September 27th. The letter inside was dated the 25th (but of course it could have been written earlier or on the 27th at the very latest). The CNA claimed that it was initially 'treated as a joke'. It arrived with the police on the 29th, before the double event.

Rubyretro,

See above. Please - let's not have another police conspiracy theory here. This sort of thing is what is fast becoming a joke.

Love,

Caz
X

[Rubyretro]

But maybe they DIDN'T hold the letter back, but dated it to before the murder, once the murder had happened. It must be possible to disguise a good postmark , or fake one if you have access to ink and 'stamps'.

It's easy to say that the Police received the letter BEFORE the following mrder, and it sat on a desk -but it probably didn't.

[Abby Normal]

Hi Trevor,

But the letter was written, posted and received, before its author could have known that two more murders would shortly be committed. It was stated to have been received by the CNA on Thursday 27th Sept, but was definitely forwarded to the police on Saturday 29th, ie before the Stride and Eddowes murders.

It must have been sitting on a police desk waiting like everyone else on the planet for news of the latest murders to hit the streets. Whoever wrote it was banking on Annie Chapman not being the last woman in 1888 to be foully ripped in an almost unprecedented way and found with certain organs removed. And if this was a hoaxer, then whoever foully ripped Eddowes and removed organs from her presumably didn't know he was working to order. I can't think of any other case in history where a hoaxer and killer have worked so perfectly in tandem without knowing of each other's intentions.

It is also my belief that the author (hoaxer or killer) may have tried writing to the police already and got no reaction, hence the decision to try the CNA this time. It certainly had the desired effect, if that was to force everyone to sit up and take notice of the catchy 'trade name' and never forget it.

The crucial word 'last' in the subsequent postcard - 'Thanks for keeping back last letter' - is a slightly unnatural one to use if it was the first and only letter he had sent so far. 'Thanks for keeping back the letter', 'my letter' or even 'my first letter' would have been more natural.

Love,

Caz
X

Hi Caz


It was stated to have been received by the CNA on Thursday 27th Sept, but was definitely forwarded to the police on Saturday 29th, ie before the Stride and Eddowes murders.

What was the CNA's reason for holding it back a few days before sending it to the police?
When was the letter postmarked?


Also, In trying to figure out why the CNA would hold it back before sending to the police I thought-- OK maybe it was hoaxed by someone like Bulling but his supervisor (or someone higher up) who was not in on it (who would have been the final decision maker on sending it to the police) decided not to send it right away. But it looks like it was actually Bulling who wrote and sent the police the letter that acompanied the DB letter. So what to make of that?

Once again, if the letter was a hoax- would not the whole purpose be to gain max exposure for the CNA and hence-Get the letter to the police ASAP?!?

If the letter is a hoax why hold it back? Anything could happen in the time they hold back the letter that could ruin the whole plan-including getting scooped by a rival or other reporter or even the killer himself?

[caz]

Introducing the 'please hold it back' element muddies the waters, by suggesting it could have been received by the CNA any time previous to that, including the intriguing (and saleable ) possibility that it was written before news of the murder hit the streets.

Hi Trevor,

But the letter was written, posted and received, before its author could have known that two more murders would shortly be committed. It was stated to have been received by the CNA on Thursday 27th Sept, but was definitely forwarded to the police on Saturday 29th, ie before the Stride and Eddowes murders.

It must have been sitting on a police desk waiting like everyone else on the planet for news of the latest murders to hit the streets. Whoever wrote it was banking on Annie Chapman not being the last woman in 1888 to be foully ripped in an almost unprecedented way and found with certain organs removed. And if this was a hoaxer, then whoever foully ripped Eddowes and removed organs from her presumably didn't know he was working to order. I can't think of any other case in history where a hoaxer and killer have worked so perfectly in tandem without knowing of each other's intentions.

It is also my belief that the author (hoaxer or killer) may have tried writing to the police already and got no reaction, hence the decision to try the CNA this time. It certainly had the desired effect, if that was to force everyone to sit up and take notice of the catchy 'trade name' and never forget it.

The crucial word 'last' in the subsequent postcard - 'Thanks for keeping back last letter' - is a slightly unnatural one to use if it was the first and only letter he had sent so far. 'Thanks for keeping back the letter', 'my letter' or even 'my first letter' would have been more natural.

Love,

Caz
X