11/29/66 The "Confession" letter

[Seagull]

Thanks Seagull.

So there is a chance Zodiac (if not the Confession letter writer) read this.

I've been thinking about this and what strikes me is that while the contents of the Confession Letter were published before Zodiac began his letter writing campaign the envelope that it was mailed in was not disclosed to the best of my knowledge. Zodiac was known for not putting the complete street address when mailing a letter. He usually just wrote the name of the newspaper and the city and state. Sometimes he wrote 'Rush To Editor' but not always.

The Confession Letter envelope was addressed similarly, the name of the newspaper and city and state along with a directive as to who the letter should be delivered to, "Attn: Crime." I don't know how Zodiac would have known those details.

[morf13]

Absolutely correct Deb!

[Norse]

I don't know how Zodiac would have known those details.

Fair point and well worth noting.

But these details, non-specific addresses (when writing to newspapers, i.e. where the address couldn't really be misunderstood) and the “attn: editor” detail, really isn't exclusive to Z by any stretch. They're common traits.

Again, it's well worth noting and it adds to the “pro Z” argument, but it's not compelling, IMO.

[Seagull]

I totally agree that it's not compelling, Norse. I am actually in the camp that believes that CJB was not a Zodiac murder. I've done a lot of wobbling about the letters over the years though. I can not deny the similarity between the way the envelopes were addressed.

The late '60's were a time when the US Postal Service was pushing for accurate addresses being used including adding the zip code. The advent of computers and automated sorting machines made this requirement necessary.

I have seen many postcards and letters for sale on Ebay that have just a person or business name along with a city and state but more often than not they are very old, pre 1930. The practice was falling out of favor by the time Zodiac was writing letters, particularly in large cities where mail went to a main sorting facility. A directive on the envelope as to where a letter should be delivered within a business is still used today occasionally though more often it is in the address proper under a business or agency name.

It seems like an old fashioned way of mailing a letter, in both aspects, even for those days.

[Tahoe27]

Well, for me, I couldn't seem to get it straight, particularly with smaller envelopes. And as Trav pointed out, the thickness of the envelope tended to make it jam and/or crinkle. Then again, my typewriter kinda sucked.

For me it was the rolling aspect, and trying to get the keys to land in the center of the envelope. Always hard to roll the envelope to the right spot.

I can see it now, mean, evil, super villain typing a dark & sinister confession letter, and then failing miserably to type the envelope finally giving up after going thru 5 or 6 envelopes, and hand writing it

I'm thinking he had a reason for using carbon copies/paper (whatever it was) and he could not achieve that same effect with an envelope.

[capricorn]

Yes, ITA! IMO, he used the carbon papers as he was afraid the typewriter might be identified if he sent the original. After several carbons or used carbons, the print becomes "fuzzy" and sometimes difficult to read.

[up2something]

Curiously, he didn't send the same carbon copy to RPD and Enterprise. They are obviously two different takes of the same letter. There are at least 10 differences btw the versions, though difficult to make out on the Press version (e.g., underlining "The Confession" vs. no underline, 19 vs. 13 characters for the name, "brunett" vs. "brownett", etc.). Why do you suppose he would do that?

[bmichelle]

Thanks
Sometimes I could just kick myself....I missed the reference earlier in this topic about there being two letters sent out.
Very happy to have learned this. Ahhhh better late than never.

[bmichelle]

Can someone post the Two letters so I can compare them? Or are they already posted together somewhere?

Please.

[murray]

Well, for me, I couldn't seem to get it straight, particularly with smaller envelopes. And as Trav pointed out, the thickness of the envelope tended to make it jam and/or crinkle. Then again, my typewriter kinda sucked.

For me it was the rolling aspect, and trying to get the keys to land in the center of the envelope. Always hard to roll the envelope to the right spot.

I can see it now, mean, evil, super villain typing a dark & sinister confession letter, and then failing miserably to type the envelope finally giving up after going thru 5 or 6 envelopes, and hand writing it

Exactly. I wish he had -- fumbled with it on the roller, hit himself with the keys a few times trying to straighten it, and inadvertently covered the envelope with fingerprints and maybe a drop of blood or two