1896 letter

[Abby Normal]

I have always found the 1896 letter intriguing. The police took it very seriously at first but concluded it was a hoax. I'm not so sure-there were alot of similarities to the Dear boss letters and it had the GSG wording included almost verbatem.
What are the chances a hoaxer would remember such a strangely worded and obscure phrase from 8 years previous?

[Scott Nelson]

Because he was the same newsman who sent the earlier letters. He was trying to stir the pot again after a few years.

[Bridewell]

Maybe

Because he was the same newsman who sent the earlier letters. He was trying to stir the pot again after a few years.

Hi Scott,

Only works if the letters were written by such an individual. That was allegedly the contemporary police view - which may well be right - but probability isn't certainty.

If the police were as certain as was claimed that all the letters were hoaxes, why were they retained on file long after a lot of other, more relevant, material seems to have been weeded out?

Regards, Bridewell.

[Rubyretro]

What are the chances that Jack would remember 'such a strangely worded and obscure phrase from 8 years previous ?'[/QUOTE]

[lynn cates]

imitation

Hello Scott, Bridewell. The police memorandum indicated that the handwriting was different but was a good imitation.

So likely not the same writer as the "Dear Boss."

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

pertinent question

Hello Bridewell.

"If the police were as certain as was claimed that all the letters were hoaxes, why were they retained on file long after a lot of other, more relevant, material seems to have been weeded out?"

Why indeed?

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

diverse

Hello Abby, Ruby.

"What are the chances that Jack would remember such a strangely worded and obscure phrase from 8 years previous?"

Actually, the wording in the 1896 letter diverged a good bit from the standard version.

Cheers.
LC

[jason_c]

Hello Bridewell.

"If the police were as certain as was claimed that all the letters were hoaxes, why were they retained on file long after a lot of other, more relevant, material seems to have been weeded out?"

Why indeed?

Cheers.
LC

By chance maybe? Not all these things are explainable. The suspects file disappeared while many less interesting files were kept.

[lynn cates]

query

Hello Jason. Do you believe that? (Just a question.)

Cheers.
LC

[Hunter]

The letters were kept on file for comparison and evaluation as each new one showed up; which did happen from time to time, long after the murders of 1888 had ceased; thus, unlike some other files that had been closed (and that we may, now consider important to us) necessarily remained open for such purpose.

The 1896 letter, referred to here was just the last that garnered any significance because it was distributed to other departments beyond the immediate control of the Central Office and the CID. Swanson was furious that this had been done and chastised H Division CID for doing so; even going so far as to report this to Commissioner Bradford.

In other words, the letter was circulated through the various divisions directly by then Acting Supt. Cross before it reached the CO (Swanson himself) for evaluation to determine if any significance should be placed on the letter or what actions (if any) should result. A strict protocol had been breached that had been set in place to keep from channeling limited resources in an unnecessary direction or to cause undue alarm.