Dear Boss

[Stewart P Evans]

Dear Boss Letter

The original 'Dear Boss' letter has deteriorated rather badly over the years. However, there is an 1888 police colour facsimile of the letter preserved at Kew. This is so good that when they did a display of letters a few years back the facsimile was displayed as the original. The original, however, was displayed at the fairly recent Docklands Museum East End exhibition.

As we all know the original letter was missing for many years and was anonymously returned to New Scotland Yard in 1987. When passed on to the Public Record Office the original letter went to their conservation department for preservation. Unfortunately they used invasive methods of preservation and ended up doing more harm than good, resulting in an accelerated deterioration of the letter. I photographed the original around 2000 when writing Letters From Hell.

In order to see what the letter looked like in 1987, when returned, we have only to look at the black and white photographs of it that were taken at that time. These I reproduce below.

[Tom_Wescott]

Hello Steven. Agreed. We'd better shutter down now.

Just be careful when you're throwing in the towel that it doesn't land under an unrelated chalked message, or I'm liable to jump to the wrong conclusion.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[mariab]

I also think you are correct that the faded copy's folds match the envelope. I am curious, however, that those folds were not reproduced on the other copy. Too bad that I am not a photography expert.
However, I do have some photography students in my online classes. Perhaps I can chat them up for advice?

Maybe the second photo was a picture shot of another photo, with the edges missing, so no folds visible?
Lynn, Rob Clack is a photography expert.

[lynn cates]

last time

Hello Steven. Agreed. We'd better shutter down now.

Cheers.
LC

[Steven Russell]

Nice. Better stop now before we start getting negative comments.

Best wishes,
Steve.

[lynn cates]

flash

Hello Steven. Yes, nice pun. I thought it was a flash of brilliance.

Cheers.
LC

[Steven Russell]

Thanks, Lynn. I look forward to hearing of any new developments. Pun intended.

Best wishes,
Steve.

[lynn cates]

thanks

Hello Steven. You make some excellent points. Colour reproduction would be difficult.

I also think you are correct that the faded copy's folds match the envelope. I am curious, however, that those folds were not reproduced on the other copy. Too bad that I am not a photography expert.

However, I do have some photography students in my online classes. Perhaps I can chat them up for advice?

Thanks.

Cheers.
LC

[Steven Russell]

Hello, Lynn.

It looks very much like the images on here are cropped versions of the Met. facsimile of Dear Boss and the later postcard as shown on pp 138-139 of Scotland Yard Investigates (paperback). The folds and discolouration around them match. These (the folds) were clearly made after the facsimile document was produced and do not correspond to folds on the actual letter.

I'm not sure about exactly how this facsimile was made but it has to be basically photographic in nature since the detail is such a perfect match. The Times of 6th October 1888 says of the facsimilies posted by the police for the public, "The exact colour of the ink and the smears of blood are reproduced..." Not sure how this was achieved since colour photography was not available at that time. The image in SYI is in black and white.

The images in Letters from Hell (and The Ultimate) are of the actual letter which has clearly been rather "in the wars" since the facsimile was made. It has picked up multiple creases and tears and what looks like an attempted repair. It also appears to be mounted on card. Bear in mind the whereabouts of the original were unknown for many years until it was returned anonymously around centenary time. I suppose we should be grateful it has survived at all.
Anyway, this is the original and therefore properly reflects the margins, which is what started us off on this! Hope that helps.

Best wishes,
Steve.

PS The shape of the envelope suggests it was originally folded into quarters.

[lynn cates]

creasing

Hello Steven. Thanks.

I notice you described the creases. You are right. The neat copy looks like it is folded twice--as if for a modern day business envelope. The faded copy has very different, irregular creases. I suppose there is no chance that either was a copy of the other?

Do we know about the original creasing? Was it ever described?

Cheers.
LC

[Steven Russell]

I believe so. Check the picture in Letters from Hell with a magnifying glass and compare with the picture on here. No one could possibly have made such an exact copy of the text.

Best wishes,
Steve.

[lynn cates]

comparison

Hello Steven. Very well. But I think I'll do another comparison to convince myself. The one in LFH is so dim that I can hardly discern it.

Is the margin shift in the Casebook copy due to the position when photographed?

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

Sullivan

Hello Trade. Thanks for posting this.

Yes, the murder of Dr. Cronin was orchestrated, it seems, by Alexander Sullivan, former Clan-na-Gael chief and founder of the break away "Triangle" faction.

Cronin was hacked up with an ice hatchet. Seems that Davitt was a friend to Sullivan and did not recognise him for what he was. According to Campbell, Cronin's fate was sealed when Davitt saw Cronin's name associated with the people on "the other side" at the Parnell Commission.

Davitt sat down with Sir Edward Jenkinson just before the Commission met in October. Apparently, Sir Ed gave Davitt, his old enemy, some information in return for a guarantee to keep his mouth shut about Frank Millen and the Jubilee Dynamite Plot.

Note the timing--MJK died 3 weeks later.

Cheers.
LC

[Steven Russell]

Hello, Lynn.
Perhaps I should have made myself clearer. The writing is exactly the same on the two pictures of the document so one cannot be a transcript of the other.

They are in very different states of repair as you point out. What I am saying we have is either the original (LFH) and a photograph of the original taken when it was in better shape; or two photographs of the same original taken at different times.

Best wishes,
Steve.

[TradeName]

There are some reports that Kirby got mixed up in the investigation of the Cronin murder. Not sure how true these stories are.

The Salt Lake Herald, September 17, 1889, Page 1, Col 1

THE CRONIN PLOT

Some Startling and Sensational Developments

CHICAGO, Sept 10.-- The Globe has a story of
the sensational results said to have been
obtained by the prosecution in the Cronin
case by sending two detectives to Canada to
hunt for J T Kirby who represented the
London Times in Chicago last year.

The Globe says Kirby met with Le
Caron here before the latter left for the old
country and made an attempt to carry on
his work of a spy after he left but made a
sorry failure of his undertaking. He got
acquainted with Dr. Cronin and was frequently
seen in his company at the Sherman
house and at Hannah Hoggs place on
Randolph street. Kirby is a Canadian and
as such knew Dr Cronin long before the
latter came to Chicago It was in this way
that he readily got into communication
with Cronin and was enabled to associate
with him from day to day
without arousing the doctors suspicion.
Since Kirby left Chicago he has not been
seen by any one in Europe or America. He
knew his danger and has not gone abroad
in the open light of day. However it is
known that he succeeded in reaching his
home in Niagara village, Ontario where it
is said he is now in hiding. The Chicago
detectives have reached his ear and persuaded
him to talk. He has told a most
rightful story of the conspiracy to murder
Cronin and says that he was shocked by being
asked to assist in the murderous enterprise.
He says that when he learned
Dr. Cronin was be removed last fall he
Hastened out of Chicago fearing he might
be detected.

From the information given by Kirby,
who has cleared his skirts to the satisfaction
of the Chicago police of complicity in
the murder, several arrests are about to be
made in Chicago. He has fully cleared up
the whole plot which was entered into to
show that Dr. Cronin had gone to Europe
and was murdered there. He was the man
who telegraphed Long from Hamilton, Ont.,
when the latter lost track of his mythical
Dr. Cronin in Toronto. He knew of all the
arrangements in Chicago for the murder of
Cronin and assisted in perfecting those
arrangements by communicating between Le
Caron and the Northside camp which
passed through him. Kirby has given the
Chicago police a long story of the conspiracy
to murder Cronin and so far as can
mow be learned it not only implicates the
persons now on trial for their lives but
fully a dozen others. Some of the latter
are well-known Northside citizens. These
are all under police surveillance and will be
attested within a few days, It is said that
four of them are already in custody.

Kirby is a loud-mouthed Canadian of
some thirty-five years of age. He was
born in Canada near London Ont and
new Cronin long before he left that place
to come to Chicago. He was sent here by
the London Times on the recommendation
of Sir Charles Tapper of the Dominion
government who knew very well that
Kirby by his intimate acquaintance with
Cronin from boyhood was well qualified
for the task desired of him.

It is said that valuable information was
given bv Cronin to Le Caron and Kirby,
each in turn, as to workings of thus
Clan-na-Gael In the United States. This
information was not given to injure the
cause of Ireland but to get even with his
enemies in the Clan-na-Gael camp, but it
was used to convince certain Clan-na-Gael
men that Cronin ought to be removed.

Kirby's story is relied upon by the police
and arrests are about to be made accordingly.
The officers or one of them who
visited Canada to see Kirby arrived home
Saturday night, He was in conversation
with General Superintendent Hubbard
until 1 o'clock yesterday.

The Salt Lake Herald, September 18, 1889, Page 1, Col 3

CRONIN'S MURDER

Revelations About Le Carons Knowledge of It

CHICAGO, Sept 17.-- Dr Cronin was slain
through the machinations of Le Caron and
the latter's successor, Kirby. Such at
least is the bit of the information which the
Glolic of this city claims to possess.

The Globe yesterday says about the time
Le Caron (Beach) reached England, T. J.
Kirby, a native Scotch Canadian, landed in
London England with letters of recommendation
from Sir Charles Tupper, of the
Canadian government, for the London
Times. Kirby was accepted to undertake a
mission to the United States and he received
his instructions from Le Caron. He
came to Chicago and got into communication
here with Cronin and most of the latter's
enemies. He was seen with Cronin a
dozen times and is known to have made
the acquaintance of most of the Camp 20
men. It was Kirby who made it appear
that Dr. Cronin was a friend of Le Caron
and when the later testified before the
Parnell commission concerning his United
States confederates, he made it plain that
Cronin was one of them. Kirby's conduct
here was calculated to strengthen that
belief.

In giving his testimony before the Parnell
commission Le Caron (Beach) stated
that other British spies in America could
be produced to sustain his evidence. The
names of these he refused to give but from
the knowledge that certain persons in Chicago
had of Kirby's relations to Dr. Cronin
it was concluded that Cronin had been the
source of Le Caron's information. This
was probably true. But Cronin, it is
claimed, gave up the information as one
Gael would confide with another and not
as a spy or an informer. After Le Caron
(Beach) gave his testimony before the Parnell
commission he went in hiding at Paris
and it is said wrote Dr Cronin the letter
below and which the Globe prints in facsimile
of the original handwriting. According
to the Globe the police are now
through Kirby in possession of the full
story of the conspiracy. The following is
the letter:

"15 Rue de Livque Paris April 22 1889,
--Dear Cronin You know by this time as
well as I do that a court of your clan
has condemned you. I regret this. I
believe you innocent, but you know the
circumstances. Men of desperate resolution
are coming against you. My dear fellow,
you have known mo long enough to know
that I desire no harm to come to you.
Retract and safe yourself. This you can
do and make your enemies friends, and I
think the cause in the end will lose nothing.
I know that you are just as true as myself to
the nationalist cause but my connection
with you has convinced the circle otherwise.
I cannot control my position and
although I know you to be innocent, I
can not prevent injury to you; I am powerless.
Make peace with them and remember what
I told you when I left Chicago I am confident
no one can stay your fate but yourself.
Yours, etc., BEACH."