To conceal the wording ‘by knife’. Had they then subsequently received any communication from the killer, they could or he could authenticate his involvement and exclude copycats. Even the newspapers in the immediate aftermath excluded the final line.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 … 20,3801832

Yes, standard procedure: Keep some details out of the papers for authentication purposes.

What I would like to know is when "by knife" DID appear in the papers for the first time.

I’ve always been puzzled by that phrase. It adds nothing in terms of information (they were obviously stabbed). The dates are there to make it clear who was behind the attack, but that phrase seemingly serves no purpose.

The only thing I can think of which, sort of, makes sense is that he meant to say: "I gunned down the other ones, but it’s still me – just happened to go for the knife this time."

Perhaps he just thought it sounded…neat. A creepy kind of neatness. He was done writing the dates, then it just sprang to mind, and he added it as a sort of, well, adornment. It stands out, at any rate – whatever the meaning of it is.

Or maybe its to do with the wheel of death spinning like tumbleweed in his head. Tim Holts`s by gun by knife by fire by rope
my poi did live in the town closest to the Red Ryder Ranch with the branding.

Edit
confusion reigns.. Tim Holts cartoon wheel of death not Fred Harmans.

Yes – the phrase does connect LB and the Halloween card (and from there on to the world of Western comics…)

That’s precisely why I would like to establish when the "by knife" bit was made public. As I’ve mentioned before, if the cops kept this back for a good while (while the Z investigation was still relatively hot), it would seem that a member of the public could not have known about it prior to the Halloween Card.

Which means, again, that whoever was responsible for the HC was:

a) Zodiac
b) Someone with inside information who knew that "by knife" was a Z phrase

or

c) Someone who just happened to use the phrase (it’s not a unique phrase, after all, and it fits nicely within a general scheme which in and of itself has nothing to do with Z – the "rope" and "fire" parts can only be linked to him tenuously, IMO).

Well, there we go again. Nothing certain in the world of Z, it seems.

Sorry about that – my mistake.

Edited by Seagull to remove the name, location and image of a person still living.

Norse.. For me By knife is unique enough how it is used in the context (the door as a murder communication boast) and to the Halloween card to tie them together. But as you say it could have been someone who new of the "by knife" but I think that as remote.

Footnote: The boast is ….I have got time to murder and leave a note on how and when I did it. Even if it’s obvious.

Talon: I’d like to comment on the guy, his picture(s) not least – but to be honest I don’t feel comfortable doing it here. Granted, he doesn’t seem like a law-abiding, stand-up citizen, but still – if he’s alive, it’s perhaps best to start a thread on him in the TS section.

FWIW the surname sure makes you sit up and pay attention. It’s an old Scots name, apparently – and has numerous different spellings, including Niven (as in David, the famous actor).

Norse at some point you have to use an old phrase "on the balance of probabilities". Otherwise you never get to join the dots. I understand your frustration in that nothing ever seems definite about Z, that affects the mind set in different ways on how to put these pieces together. For me on the balance of probabilities "by knife" the phrase he used ties in the halloween card the car door and Freddie Harman s Red Ryder western cartoon. Add in the branding mark on the card and It even ties in the red Ryder ranch. Include in the western ammo theme just put up on a post. Z a wanna be cowboy?
Cheers

There is another lengthy discussion about the car door here: viewtopic.php?f=29&t=806

Otherwise you never get to join the dots.

True enough. But an over-eagerness to join dots is just as detrimental, in my opinion. That’s the good thing about a forum like this, though – dot-joiners and skeptics working together, correcting each other’s views and biases.

Now, the problem with "by knife" is twofold:

1. It’s nowhere near being a unique phrase.

2. If the information was made public prior to the HC, well…there you are.

I’m not married to any idea in the Z case – and certainly not to this one – but if I had to put money on one out of two possibilities

1) HC is Zodiac getting personal with Avery

2) HC is someone else playing a prank on Avery

…I’d bet on number two. The only known instance of him getting "personal" is the Belli letter, which is completely different in nature from the HC.

The known/confirmed Z was pretty garrulous. He liked to shoot his mouth off. None of the cards/short missives are undisputed. There’s a reason for that, in my humble opinion.

Yup over eagerness is not good.. But balance of probabilities has to come into play and at a whim you can erase some of the dots if other information bears new light on the subject that has taken you on a wrong journey. I will just keep it in my minds filing cabinet for the moment.
Whilst the "by knife" is not unique in itself it was unique enough to make you sift for a reason why he wrote it.
Its good that you don’t have a poi like i do Norse. You have clarity of mind, like snow that has not yet been turned yellow.

Footnote: The boast is ….I have got time to murder and leave a note on how and when I did it. Even if it’s obvious.

A plaque dedicated to his accomplishments.

Soze

Bolle drew the cartoon. It wasn’t Brian Hartnell’s car. (Unless I’m wrong.)

Bolle drew the cartoon. It wasn’t Brian Hartnell’s car. (Unless I’m wrong.)