Dear Boss P.S.

[perrymason]

Stewart,

The images we have here on Saucy Jack are referred to as reproductions, but Ive always assumed that those images, which do show stains and smears, were taken from that card. Is that not the case?

My best regards.

[perrymason]

The red ink remark could have been Bullings way to give a clue as to its authorship (newspaper journalist) without letting the cat out of the bag completely.

Mike

You must have missed me already suggesting that Mikey. Although I can compliment you on your creative and "outside the box" thinking.

Cheers Mike.

[steje73]

Stewart,

The images we have here on Saucy Jack are referred to as reproductions, but Ive always assumed that those images, which do show stains and smears, were taken from that card. Is that not the case?

My best regards.

I've always thought that that was what that was.

(That sentence makes my head hurt.)

[Stewart P Evans]

Reproductions

Stewart,
The images we have here on Saucy Jack are referred to as reproductions, but Ive always assumed that those images, which do show stains and smears, were taken from that card. Is that not the case?
My best regards.

I may be accused of nitpicking here, but here goes anyway. In 1888 the police had colour facsimiles made of both pages and envelope of the 'Dear Boss' letter and both sides of the 'saucy Jacky' postcard. These were printed as individual handbills as well as on the Metropolitan Police poster asking any person who recognised the handwriting to communicate with the nearest Police Station. This was an early photo-mechanical process of printing but was not a photograph. I am not a printing expert so I am not sure exactly what process was used, but I believe it was single colour and therefore the lilac stamps were not reproduced.

The images you include in the first post above are, I believe, taken from ones that I reproduced myself. The 'Dear Boss' letter shown is not an original photograph but is a photograph of the printed facsimile. However, the 'Boss' envelope is a photograph of the original envelope as I photographed this at Scotland Yard (where it was returned anonymously in 1987). The 'saucy Jacky' postcard was not returned with the 'Dear Boss' letter, so presumably the original had not been with the letter and envelope when purloined from Scotland Yard. The only 1888 images of the 'saucy Jacky' postcard that we have are the facsimile handbill (which I have an 1888 original of) and the poster. Therefore the images you have reproduced are the card message being a photograph of my facsimile and the address side from the poster). I hope that this clarifies the issue.

[steje73]

Had to read that a couple of times, but yes, I get it now.

[Stewart P Evans]

The 'saucy Jacky' Postcard Facsimile

Here is my 1888 Police facsimile of the 'saucy Jacky' postcard. It came from the George R Sims collection, together with the Littlechild letter, and there can be little doubt that this was given to Sims by his friend Macnaghten.

[perrymason]

Stewart,

Thank you for that explanation, and I dont think you're "nitpicking" at all.To say that it is a rare treat to be able to discuss this letter and card with someone like yourself is an understatement.

Do you consider the PS in Dear Boss to be an explanation of a two delay delay in mailing?

My best regards.

[Stewart P Evans]

Disagree

Stewart,
Thank you for that explanation, and I dont think you're "nitpicking" at all.To say that it is a rare treat to be able to discuss this letter and card with someone like yourself is an understatement.
Do you consider the PS in Dear Boss to be an explanation of a two delay delay in mailing?
My best regards.

Whenever I consider anything someone or other always pops up to disagree and argue. So it's best not to consider...

[perrymason]

Whenever I consider anything someone or other always pops up to disagree and argue. So it's best not to consider...

I understand completely. And I wish it was different.

Off to do some commerce...


Best regards Stewart.

[Fisherman]

Stewart P Evans writes:

"Whenever I consider anything someone or other always pops up to disagree and argue"

No we dont!!!

The best ...
Fisherman

[Stewart P Evans]

Argument

Stewart P Evans writes:

"Whenever I consider anything someone or other always pops up to disagree and argue"

No we dont!!!

The best ...
Fisherman

Do you want a five minute argument or a one hour argument?

[Paddy Goose]

Mr. Evans, has there been any collaborative effort between yourself and Mrs. Cornwell and her team in studying the correspondence?

Looking on the bright side,

Paddy

[Fisherman]

Stewart Evans asks:

"Do you want a five minute argument or a one hour argument?"

Not sure; IŽll go over my finances and get back to you...!

The best!
Fisherman

[BillyE]

I was always struck by the near poetic aspect of the postscript. It has a definate rhythm to it, and the near rhyme poets so often like to use with the words "post this" and "curse it". I always thought he got ink on his hands, spent an hour or so washing it off, and included it poeticly into the letter. But then again, what do I know?! :-)


Stewart, if the "Saucy Jacky" postcard is missing, is this why you and Keith Skinner didn't include it in part two of your "Letters From Hell" book? It is mentioned in part one of the book, but when you reach the section of the transcripts of all the letters the "Saucy Jacky" postcard isn't re-texted. It struck me as odd it wasn't included, but if it's missing, and you and Keith were only transcripting the letters in the file at the time, it would make sense it wasn't included.

[paul emmett]

Stewart, Thank you for "saucy Jacky" and the explanation.

Monty, I too thought that it was odd that the writer should be concerned with ink on his hands in "DB" and then "SJ" is indeed smudged. This seems similar to Dan's idea that JTR reads an erroneous report about, say, a double event, and then creates one.

BillyE, I did think the P.S. was poetic and rhythmic. The first three lines all have five syllables, and each has the same pattern of stresses. It made me think of the creative writing styles of psychopaths.