Motivation for the Dear Boss

[lynn cates]

Hello All. The time seems right for a serious discussion of the “Dear Boss” letter. In particular, I’d like to talk about its motivation.

It has been alleged that the letter was intended to promote a legend and hence enhance the Central News Agency’s sales of news stories to the various papers.

This sounds appealing on the face of it but seems less convincing upon closer scrutiny. Here’s what I mean.

I have compared the hand of the “Dear Boss” to the hands of 3 people with various connections to the CNA. Those are William Henry Hurlbert, John Moore and Thomas Bulling. Only Moore’s hand looks even close. So let’s suppose that Moore indeed wrote it and for the reason given above.

The letter was dated September 25, just about the same time that the Chapman inquest was finishing. It supposedly arrived at the CNA on September 27. It arrived at the City of London Police two days later. It was sent with a cover letter from Bulling (although unsigned) which noted that his editor sent his compliments and that the letter itself was regarded as a joke.

At this point, and given the delays, it hardly inspires confidence that publicity was the main motive. But stay.

Suppose for just a moment that the “Double Event” had never occurred. A perfectly natural response from the City of London Police might have been: “Please convey to your editor our compliments as well. We note that you regarded the letter as a joke. We tend to agree with that assessment. Your best procedure would be to destroy this and concern yourselves with the news.”

If the story were to have gone forward, not only would Moore and the CNA have looked silly but so would any paper choosing to carry the story. But if someone knew what would happen . . .

Alternative explanations?

Cheers.
LC

[Hunter]

Very good points, Lynn.

Alternatives?

A hoaxer who was not someone Littlechild and a couple of others believed to have written it, that would not have gained any significance if the following murders hadn't taken place (at least so soon) after... or written by the killer (or his cohort) of Elizabeth Stride and Katherine Eddowes since the postcard that came after those two murders appear to be in the same hand as the letter and proposes to have done both.

[mariab]

Suppose for just a moment that the “Double Event” had never occurred. A perfectly natural response from the City of London Police might have been: “Please convey to your editor our compliments as well. We note that you regarded the letter as a joke. We tend to agree with that assessment. Your best procedure would be to destroy this and concern yourselves with the news.”
If the story were to have gone forward, not only would Moore and the CNA have looked silly but so would any paper choosing to carry the story. But if someone knew what would happen . . .
Alternative explanations?

I know what you're insinuating here, Lynn: a conspiracy with even the CNA collaborating.
I'm sorry, but I can't join you on this. Were I a journalist in the fall of 1888, I would have fully expected the killer of Tabram, Nichols, and Chapman to have gone on with further murders. And I'm including Tabram because at this point I think she was considered a Ripper victim by most.

By the by, pertaining to Schwartz, I'm trying to get the paragraphs in question translated by my friend's Morris aunt! Wish me luck? ;-)

[lynn cates]

fraud

Hello Maria. Let's not worry about conspiracies. Let's just look for motivation. I cannot, for the life of me, see the commercial motivation here which many have alleged.

Now, you seem to suggest a lucky guess. Very well, suppose another murder takes place and the assailant is caught and even confesses to all of them. But he denies the letter. Result? Moore and the CNA still look silly--and now perhaps even guilty of fraud.

Cheers.
LC

[mariab]

I cannot, for the life of me, see the commercial motivation here which many have alleged.

Even with Moore’s hand fitting and everything?

Now, you seem to suggest a lucky guess.

Not a lucky guess, just a reasonable assumption under the circumstances.

Very well, suppose another murder takes place and the assailant is caught and even confesses to all of them. But he denies the letter. Result? Moore and the CNA still look silly--and now perhaps even guilty of fraud.

Oh come on Lynn, and the arrested murder would have how much credibility?

Gotta go back to work, but I might check here again later on.

[Errata]

Ever heard a Gypsy Curse?

My mother is a huge believer in Gypsy Curses. When she was working as a nurse she ran into a lot of them. And because she was always turning them away and sending to the free Hospital down the street, she got cursed A LOT (and spat on a lot). And she believes in them because they came true!

Well, two did. Sort of. She was probably cursed a couple hundred times. Big flamboyant monstrous curses. The first was "May you be sucked into the bowels of Hell!" Three days later she was walking home, when the grating covering the steam pipes gave way and she fell through. She was stuck down amongst the very hot steam pipes for about an hour (she was fine). The other one was "May all of your children be born in the street!" Four years later, she had my sister in two hours, the doctor didn't even get there in time. She had me in 45 minutes.

So I became friends with a Romani in my early 20s and I told her about it. She said that the outrageousness of the curse was the secret. That a gypsy could threaten you with unspeakable horrors every day of your life, but the one time it comes true, that's it. You're a believer. It doesn't matter how many didn't come true.

The Dear Boss letter is a Gypsy Curse. It was outrageous, and monstrous, and completely implausible. But it came true. The guy could have gotten it right on the first try, or the fifty first. As long as he got it right once, they were believers. Was it for press? Maybe, but the writer had to have planned on a long campaign of letters. Likely he was the Victorian equivalent of those guys who keep writing inflammatory letters to the editor so they can see their name in print.

Or it could be genuine. That's the beauty of a Gypsy Curse. I don't think my rapid entrance into the world was a result of supernatural powers. But you'll never convince my mom of that.

[lynn cates]

points

Hello Maria.

"Even with Moore’s hand fitting and everything?"

I am content that Moore likely penned the letter. But it is not enough to wave the hand and say, "He did it and it was to sell copy." I need a mechanism.

"Not a lucky guess, just a reasonable assumption under the circumstances."

But as I say, what if he is caught? Eventually, the CNA might have egg on their faces.

"Oh come on Lynn, and the arrested murder[er] would have how much credibility?"

If you are accused of a crime like murder, it is small beer to deny or affirm such a letter.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

fame

Hello Errata. Thanks for that information. I particularly appreciate the motivation.

It seems, on this account, that the writer wanted fame? Of course that would have been easier had he signed his real name.

I wonder whether it could have been penned by a journalist but at another journalist's behest?

Cheers.
LC

[Hunter]

I reckon I am on Lynn Cates' ignore list for some reason.

And I didn't even know I was important enough to rate such an honored status.

[Rubyretro]

I would certainly like to know the proof for the exact day and hour that the letter arrived at the Police Station.

As far as I'm concerned, the date on the letter and the day that the CNA
said that they received it, mean nothing if a journalist from the CNA wrote it
....it could just be backdated.

I think that is is the most likely explanation -not even a 'lucky guess'..it was written immediately following the events and passed to the Police as quickly as possible.

The obvious motivation was 'a joke' by the writer, and some spicier newspaper reports (thus increased circulation).

[Malcolm X]

Ever heard a Gypsy Curse?

My mother is a huge believer in Gypsy Curses. When she was working as a nurse she ran into a lot of them. And because she was always turning them away and sending to the free Hospital down the street, she got cursed A LOT (and spat on a lot). And she believes in them because they came true!

Well, two did. Sort of. She was probably cursed a couple hundred times. Big flamboyant monstrous curses. The first was "May you be sucked into the bowels of Hell!" Three days later she was walking home, when the grating covering the steam pipes gave way and she fell through. She was stuck down amongst the very hot steam pipes for about an hour (she was fine). The other one was "May all of your children be born in the street!" Four years later, she had my sister in two hours, the doctor didn't even get there in time. She had me in 45 minutes.

So I became friends with a Romani in my early 20s and I told her about it. She said that the outrageousness of the curse was the secret. That a gypsy could threaten you with unspeakable horrors every day of your life, but the one time it comes true, that's it. You're a believer. It doesn't matter how many didn't come true.

The Dear Boss letter is a Gypsy Curse. It was outrageous, and monstrous, and completely implausible. But it came true. The guy could have gotten it right on the first try, or the fifty first. As long as he got it right once, they were believers. Was it for press? Maybe, but the writer had to have planned on a long campaign of letters. Likely he was the Victorian equivalent of those guys who keep writing inflammatory letters to the editor so they can see their name in print.

Or it could be genuine. That's the beauty of a Gypsy Curse. I don't think my rapid entrance into the world was a result of supernatural powers. But you'll never convince my mom of that.

i dont know about Gypsy curses, but there are supernatural powers for sure, i've been fooling around with the occult all my life, but i've never noticed it in a morgue/ church yard..... only the occasional ghost.

it's very easy to seriously spook yourself and this is where i think a lot of this comes from..... within you !

i'm not sure about any of the letters to be honest, because a Hoaxer will have a very similar mind set to JTR, but be normal 5 mins later, just like Trolls on the Web, it's easy to act tough if you're out of reach and hiding behind a computer screen.

but if you really study the letters they seem quite accurate as well, or is this me interpreting his words incorrectly, not sure and the same definitely applies to what GH said as well.

one sees conspiracies/ tricks and mirages in everything in life, just like a magician, you know she must not be in the box or the saw will cut her in half, but it's impossible to see how she got out... no idea, however often you replay the DVD.

this is probably similar to MJK.... no idea what really happened !

[lynn cates]

timing, timing, timing

Hello Ruby. I completely agree about the possibility of a change of date. Not sure why that would be needed though.

Regarding motivation, your joke hypothesis is interesting. I think that was the motivation behind the vast outpouring of later letters, many of which emulated one or more of its words/phrases.

I'm delighted that you discuss the possible commercial aspects of the letter. I can accept that, given its origination within the CNA, it would be sent to that same organisation. But what gives me pause is that it had lain around for two days and then sent to the City of London Police. Why not send it out to those who subscribe to your service for immediate publication?

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

plausible

Hello Malcolm. You are absolutely correct about interpretations. We cannot but put our own "spin" on things--none of us are exempt.

I think we both agree that, whatever interpretation is put on something, it must be plausible. My problem is, it no longer seems plausible, given the exact set of circumstances, that the "Dear Boss" was merely a commercial venture.

Cheers.
LC

[curious]

Hello Malcolm. You are absolutely correct about interpretations. We cannot but put our own "spin" on things--none of us are exempt.

I think we both agree that, whatever interpretation is put on something, it must be plausible. My problem is, it no longer seems plausible, given the exact set of circumstances, that the "Dear Boss" was merely a commercial venture.

Cheers.
LC

Hi, Lynn,
If not commercial, what do you see?

[lynn cates]

Leather Apron

Hello Velma. Well, those who used to think that the wielder of the pen was the wielder of the knife, deemed it a vehicle to taunt the police. I do not think the wielder of the pen was the "author" of the letter, nor yet Kate's assailant.

But looked at objectively (if that's even possible), it seems an explanation for a 3 week cessation of killing. It also seems to wish to cast doubt on "Leather Apron."

Now for commercial reasons, why not say, "Yes, I am Leather Apron, and now I'm ready to do more. Beware!" Then, put it on the wire and HOPE the story sells.

Cheers.
LC