THE 'CONCERNED CITIZEN' CARD [PT3]

3/5/2019

Donald Harden

Without beating around the bush, we can now say with certainty that the 'Concerned Citizen' card, postmarked August 10th 1969, was not mailed by Donald Harden. The typist responsible for the 3" x 5" card had clearly read several of the recent newspaper articles before he fashioned this correspondence, including the August 4th 1969 edition of the Vallejo Times-Herald, the San Francisco Chronicle article on August 9th 1969 entitled 'A Murder Code is Broken' and the Vallejo Times-Herald on August 9th 1969, stating "Lynch talked to Harden and said, "I'm convinced he has it solved". He said he would talk to him again today. Meanwhile Lynch has Harden's worksheets and is studying and comparing them with the three-part cryptogram and the translation."

The August 9th 1969 San Francisco Chronicle article stated "Vallejo Police Sergeant John Lynch, in charge of the investigation of the murders and of the cipher letter writer, asked The Chronicle to send Harden's code breaking worksheets to him for further checking; which was done." The author of the 'Concerned Citizen' card had used the same clumsy wording present in this article, when he addressed Sergeant John Lynch at the Vallejo Police Department. The 'Concerned Citizen' card stated "Dear Sergeant Lynch. I hope the enclosed "key" will prove to be beneficial to you in connection with the cipher letter writer. Working puzzles criptograms and word puzzles is one of my pleasures. Please forgive the absence of my signature or name as I do not wish to have my name in the papers and it could be mentiond by a slip of the tongue. With best wishes. concerned citizen".

The idea that the 'Concerned Citizen' would just happen to accidentally use this uncomfortable array of wording, such as "cipher letter writer", and didn't read the San Francisco Chronicle article one day before his August 10th 1969 card, would beggar belief. Additionally, why would Donald Harden mail the cipher key to Sergeant John Lynch, when the article clearly stated that Sergeant Lynch already had Harden's worksheets "and is studying and comparing them with the three-part cryptogram and the translation?" We also have the 'Concerned Citizen' asking that his "signature or name" not appear in the newspapers. Why would Donald Harden request that his name not appear in the newspapers, when it had already been plastered all over them - and the "Concerned Citizen" card author had most certainly read them, on account of his word salad "cipher letter writer"?

The other reason we certainly know that the author of the 'Concerned Citizen' card was not Donald Harden, is because "he went to the University of Florida, Gainesville in 1956 for his master degree in education. During his time in University of Florida, Don gained experience by deciphering codes. Harden eventually graduated from the university. Harden began to teach at Howard High School in Orlando, Florida. Don eventually left Howard High School and went to teach at Aurora Central High School in Denver, Colorado in 1960. In 1960, Harden left Aurora Central High School and moved to Salinas, California. He began teaching history and economics at North Salinas High School in 1960". Fandom.com.

So, would an educated school teacher, good at deciphering codes, be unable to spell the word "cryptogram"? The 'Concerned Citizen' was clever enough to mail in a cipher key to the Zodiac Killer's 408 cipher, but was incapable of spelling the word "cryptogram", failed to put an "e" in mentioned and failed to put a comma after the first "puzzles". And achieved all this in just 69 words. The author of the card was great with "word puzzles" but couldn't spell. This person was clearly pulling our leg - that much is apparent. One person that liked to play 'cat and mouse' games with the newspapers and police was the Zodiac Killer, who I have little doubt was the author of the 'Concerned Citizen' card on August 10th 1969. The cipher key worksheet he mailed to Sergeant Lynch contained mistakes, and was likely one of his draft copies. The Zodiac Killer certainly followed his stories in the newspapers, which is where he likely found his temporary pseudonym of the "concerned citizen" for one day only.

Here is a newspaper cutting from the August 4th 1969 Vallejo Times-Herald, stating "Police received a few anxious telephone calls from concerned citizens Sunday, but no leads to the identity of the cipher writer who claims he killed two teenagers on Lake Herman Road and a young woman at Blue Rock Springs. The callers wanted to know if police had caught the man who confessed the slayings in letters to Gibson Publications and two San Francisco newspapers. His three cryptograms, sent with the letters and supposedly giving clues to his identity, still were in the hands of a Navy Cryptographer who at last report had not solved them".

Was this newspaper article the origin of the "concerned citizen" offering his help to Sergeant John Lynch on August 10th 1969? If the Zodiac Killer created the 'Concerned Citizen' card, was he also concerned enough to have phoned the Vallejo Police Department on August 3rd 1969, asking the police if they had unearthed the identity of the triple murderer? I certainly wouldn't put it past him.

It is clear, that whoever mailed the 'Concerned Citizen' card had read the August 9th 1969 San Francisco Chronicle article 'A Murder Code is Broken', by using the phrase cipher letter writer. They therefore knew the 'Murder Code was Broken', and the cipher key therefore unnecessary. But the Zodiac Killer didn't play by the rules.

Shawn

3/5/2019 08:12:14 pm

One potential reason for the "typos" is that he was using a typewriter and did not feel like retyping or using correction fluid to correct the errors.

Many letters back then had "typos" as it was a pain to go back and correct the error made with a typewriter.

Looks like he might have wrote an "a" when he accidentally put a space in-between "sign" and "ture"

Richard

3/6/2019 01:17:55 am

While typos are not unusual on typewriters Shawn, I would hope the person who sent this card to Sgt Lynch would want to be taken seriously. The chances of typing "criptogram" accidentally I don't find very persuasive, as linguistically the spoken word of this typo would still sound audibly correct. A slip of the finger on a typewriter would more likely have typed "CRUPTOGRAM, CRTPTOGRAM, CRHPTOGRAM or CRGPTOGRAM. Accidentally hitting a key (i) that is the only other letter than "y" to produce the same audible sound is extremely unlikely in my opinion. It therefore suggests to me the "i" was chosen purposely and not through error. And if the author cannot spell cryptogram, then his forte isn't word puzzles or cryptograms, and certainly couldn't be an educated school teacher.

Richard

3/6/2019 01:22:55 am

Oh, and missing a comma is an omission, rather than a typographical error or misprint.

Richard

3/6/2019 01:46:24 am

Who do you think the likely author is Shawn?

Shawn

3/6/2019 05:42:33 am

I think the author was another "concerned citizen" like Harden. The author got several letters/symbols of the key wrong which differed from Harden's more correct or correct key.

I think the author did not want his real name associated with the case and potentially become a Zodiac target.

Rubislaw 32 link

3/5/2019 09:38:46 pm

On the matter,of the significance of the term,''Citizen'',Richard....it does appear to be a term,largely no longer used.

With the coming of the SLA,as the embodiment of a potentially successful counter revolution,to the right wing dominance of the establishment,in the early to mid 1970's....the term was being used,right left and centre....with genuine folk and charlatans alike.

In essence,a sense or message of belonging,in a patriotic way,to one sovereign state,regardless of differences of race,religion or political persuasion.

And,this term ''citizen'',can be seen to go back,in use,a hundred or more years prior.

Perhaps the ''counter revolution'' and the term's ''overuse'' put an end to its perception of respectability.

Interesting,nonetheless,in its ''probable'' use,at least three times,by the Zodiac....with ''concerned citizen'',''A good citizen'' and ''A citizen''.

Strangely coincidental,or otherwise then,that two of the above,were sent to Sergeant John Lynch,specifically.

It is Sergeant Lynch whom,I believe has a lot to answer for,with respect to the ''origins'' of the ''slow boat to China'' letter,received by Paul Avery,and contended,by the Riverside Police,to have been the work of amateur sleuth,Phil Sins.

This ''concerned citizen'' letter,with accompanying cipher keys sheet....''is'' by the hand of ''Real Zodiac'',I believe....and is a ''lazy man's'' retort to the humiliation,of having seen the Harden's [98,5%] successful solution to the 408 cipher,being published in the SF Chronicle,the day before.

Albeit,a short typed letter to Sergeant Lynch,by ''concerned citizen'' [Zodiac],I believe that what is of greater significance,to the history of the case is,that Sergeant Lynch adopted the ''tone'' of that short letter....and adapted it,to ''invent'' a writer of the ''slow boat to China'',to Paul Avery.

Richard

3/6/2019 01:00:49 am

The important feature is switching from the pseudonym Zodiac to "concerned citizen" shortly after concerned citizens rang into police. It is the combination of "concerned citizen", "cipher letter writer" and "I do not wish to have my name in the papers" that speaks volumes. No logical minded person would read the 'A Murder Code is Broken' article effectively stating we have Harden's worksheets and translation (key code), and subsequently send in a key code to the 408 cipher which the Chronicle and Sgt Lynch already have. However, the Zodiac would. The use of the wording "concerned citizen" is nothing new, but the timing of when you use it is relevant, as you have alluded Rubislaw. Even though "cipher letter writer" is poor grammar, it probably isn't unique, but using it in your "Concerned Citizen' card within 24 hours of an article using this odd phraseology, is much more significant. To claim the writer of the "Concerned Citizen' card didn't read the Chronicle article, is akin to believing a morgue technician stole a piece of Stine's shirt.

Rubislaw 32 link

3/6/2019 03:07:42 am

Yes,I think we are on the same hymn sheet,Richard.

The ''408'' is difficult enough,for ''ordinary'' members of the public,''not'' to be able to produce ''over night''.....but as was to transpire,the Hardens weren't as ordinary,as some might have perceived,at the time.

And yet,the ''408'' could have been ''knocked off'' in an afternoon,by the FBI's Cryptanalysis Unit,had they been able to attend to it,at the time...and was of little greater standard of difficulty,as in the early days of modern cryptography,at the time of Elizabeth I and Mary,Queen of Scots.

As cryptography journalist,Nick Pelling,rightly points out...the Zodiac was a ''homebrew'' cipher maker....and was still green enough,''not'' to be able to judge ''degree of difficulty''.

So,the publication of the Harden's solution shocked him,and produced his ''knee jerk'' reaction,to immediately send his solution,as ''concerned citizen''.....as if to message that : '' You see...it's no big deal...here's my solution,and you will find it,even more accurate than the Harden's.''.

Indeed,I stick with the collusion between Sergeant Lynch of the Vallejo Police,and Captain Cross,of the Riverside Police,over the ''concoction'' of the ''slow boat to China'' letter,to Paul Avery.

Example :

''concerned citizen'' : ''Please forgive the absence of my signature or name as I do not wish to have my name in the papers.''.

[Sergeant Lynch [?] ] : ''As for myself,I wish to remain anonymous and know that you will understand why ! ''.

After the euphoria of Paul Avery's receipt of that ''slow boat to China'',and his secret ''longing'' to become actively involved in the case....I believe the ''penny'' did eventually ''drop'',for Avery.

And,Avery was never the same man,again.

You mess with the ''Pro's'',and you'll get ''your's'',in the end [?].

Anon

3/23/2019 03:14:25 pm

Why would the Concerned Citizen take all the time to make a cipher "key" and not offer a possible solution with his mailing, even if only a partial solution? Makes no sense.

Richard

3/23/2019 03:32:18 pm

I agree.

Anon

3/23/2019 04:26:22 pm

Thank you for your reply Richard. I was also wondering. Zodiac was said to have used 18 different symbols for the letter "e." When I count the different symbols in the solution, I am only coming up with 7 that are different for letter e ? ( z, backwards p, w, +, o with center dot, n and e)

Richard

3/23/2019 04:55:48 pm

No, only 7 as you have stated. But also the 18 unsolved characters
stated as EBEORIETEMETHHPITI can in theory be EBSORIETEMETHHPITI, because the killer spelled DANGEROUS, DANGERTUE. I'm certain the killer never preordained an intention to leave 18 characters, only 12. There were code key mistakes in the Harden's, concerned citizen and Zodiac's encryption.

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THE 'CONCERNED CITIZEN' CARD [PT3]

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