STRANGE LETTER TO GIRL

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1929, Page 14

STRANGE LETTER TO GIRL

■YOUNG MAN REMANDED. When John James Black. 29, electrician, "was charged at Redfern: Court, Sydney, with having sent a threatening letter to Emily Smith, of Rose Street, Darlington, on June 20, .Sergeant Caban, police prosecutor, asked for a week’s remand in order that defendant could be placed under medical observation. “The girl to whom ..defendant wrote the letter is a perfect stranger. Apparently, he is suffering from some aberration,” stated the sergeant. The latter, alleged to have been written and signed by defendant, contained four sheets of writing, and was the last of a series. It was addressed to the girl’s father, and bore an address at the top of the page in the same street and near complaintant’s home. The letter read: — “I am presuming that you have read all my previous letters. Either your reasoning powers are very' bad or else you thonk lam a big bluff. Don’t think for a moment that I’m a narrow-mind-ed fool. If I ever asked a girl to keep company with me, no matter how much I thought of her, and she told me that she was sorry I was not suitable for any reason whatsoever, I would be quite satisfied. Of course, as I said before, I never asked Miss Smith to do so (for reasons). I am writing to you instead of Miss Smith. This is absolutely the last letter you or Miss Smith will receive from me. I want everyone of my letters wrapped securely and sent to iny sister-in -law for me. I want Miss Smith to write a full explanation. My people or any neighbour must not know anything about this matter. “SAY GOOD-BYE TO HER.” “If Miss Smith does exactly as I have said, the matter will be dropped. If she does not, you can say good : bye to her as all the police in tlie world will not save her; there is no bluff about this, as you can show it to the police; I wish you would, as I would soonei' end the matter at once, as I have waited months too long. If there is any funny business, more than one will go to sleep. When a person Is sick of life for years and then treated as if he were mangy dog on the streets, only one thing can happen. I’ll be sorry for a lot of people if this letter is ignored. The above conditions must be fulfilled within 24 hours of the receipt of this letter; five minutes after will be five minutes to late.—Yours truly, J. J. Black.” “Yes, I think he should be placed upder medical observation if he writes a letter like this,” remarked Mr. MacDougal, S.M., after perusing the document.