Dear Boss

[mariab]

Still, it made one hell of a hassle, and the result thereoff is that an excellent Ripperologist practically stopped posting here. (And I was trying to avoid talking about colleagues.)

[Tom_Wescott]

You mean Philip? Nothing practical about it. He DID stop posting here.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[mariab]

That's what I'm saying, and no need to highjack the thread about this. (This is called witnessing a maturing process, when I end up being the one stopping a thread from being highjacked.)

[lynn cates]

Toppy

Hello Maria. That involved two expert's differing opinions on the Toppy signature.

Look forward to your material.

Cheers.
LC

[mariab]

Toppy makes his (ugly) appearance on “Dear Boss“!

Just give me a couple days please, Lynn. Finished with the bureaucracy (for the time being), but TONS to do with both my (dear) bosses.

[lynn cates]

disputes

Hello Maria. Well, at least his controversy did. Essentially any discussion of authorship will involve this same dispute.

Of course, "Dear Boss" is a much older one.

Cheers.
LC

[Stewart P Evans]

Backing Sheet

The below photograph of the written annotation on the Dear Boss letter backing sheet comes courtesy of Keith Skinner who thought that you would like to see it. The circled figure 4 was apparently added at the Public Record Office.

[lynn cates]

thanks

Hello Mr. Evans. Thanks for that. Please also convey my thanks to Mr. Skinner.

Do you have any opinions about the Hurlbert chap? Have you, perchance, seen his hand?

Cheers.
LC

[Tom_Wescott]

Thanks Stewart and Keith, that's cool.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Stewart P Evans]

John Moore

Hello Mr. Evans. Thanks for that. Please also convey my thanks to Mr. Skinner.
Do you have any opinions about the Hurlbert chap? Have you, perchance, seen his hand?
Cheers.
LC

In my humble opinion there is absolutely no doubt that 'The Boss' to whom the 'Dear Boss' letter is addressed is John Moore, Chief Editor, and General Manager of the Agency at the time. Hurlbert is an interesting character but he merely bought a controlling number of shares in the CNA from the founder, William Saunders, M.P., when he retired and sold off his shares. At that time Saunders had little or nothing to do with the actual running of the Agency which was under Moore's charge and control from 1884 to 1907.

[lynn cates]

thanks

Hello Mr. Evans. Thank you for that.

Cheers.
LC

[TradeName]

Quarterly Review, Volumes 150-151, October, 1880, Page 278

The Newspaper Press

The second offshoot of the ' Central Press' is the 'Central News,' in Ludgate Circus, the proprietor of which is Mr. William Saunders. This undertaking is designed simply and solely for the collection and distribution of news, and there can be no question about the energy with which it is worked, though there are, perhaps, some fastidious persons who might desire a little more care in sifting the news before it is sent out. It was, as most newspaper readers will remember, the 'Central News' which gave currency to the report about the loss of the 'Himalaya' troop-ship some nine or ten months ago, and it was on the same authority that the so-called confession of Hartmann was given to the public. Of the part taken by the reporters of this Agency in the miserable affair of Hannah Dobbs and the Euston Square murder, it is not necessary to speak. The matter was tolerably notorious at the time, and did not increase the respect with which intelligence headed 'Central News' was received. One great peculiarity of this office is that it is almost always open. Work begins in it at a little before four in the morning; when the earliest copies of the London papers having been obtained, they are eviscerated by skilled sub-editors, and the results are telegraphed before a quarter-past five to the provincial clients of the concern. An early morning despatch follows, embodying all the news which has been received during the night. Throughout the day at short intervals news is telegraphed to the provinces for publication in the evening papers, and on Sunday mornings a brief summary of Saturday night's news is despatched to subscribers. Parliamentary Reports, Stock Exchange and Commercial News, Court Circular, Markets, the lists of Bankrupts from the Gazette, and sporting intelligence, are all provided by this office, which, furthermore, does not disdain to supply clubs, exchanges, and news-rooms.

---end

There's an account in the following article of testimony by Hannah Dobbs that she was paid by Mr. Moore and Mr. Birley to write a pamphlet.

The Glasgow Herald, November 10, 1879, Page 5

The Euston Square Mystery

The Charge of Perjury

[TradeName]

A summary of the Bastendorff trial, which involved Hannah Dobbs as a witness:

New York Times, December 22, 1879, link

SECRETS OF A SERVANT GIRL

THE SEQUEL OF THE EUSTON-SQUARE MYSTERY

From the London Standard, Dec. 6

[TradeName]

New York Times, March 22, 1880, link

Current Foreign Topics

Paris, March 21.--Prince Orloff has left the city.

La Justice publishes a letter written by Hartmann, denying that he made the statement which was communicated to the Central New Press Association of London, and published by it on the 19th inst., purporting to be his confession of the attempt on the life of the Czar at Moscow.

[lynn cates]

SJ

Hello Trade. Thanks for posting these.

Their early starting time caught my eye. That fact might answer some of the questions I had regarding the "Saucy Jacky" postcard.

Cheers.
LC