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Post by Michael on Mar 19, 2007 6:50:54 GMT -5
Val O'Farrell had built himself an excellent reputation as one of the "Top-Cops" having been a very successful NYC Detective then striking out to start his own Private Investigator Agency. Here was his original theory: Now, as a "side-note," the FBI would begin investigating O'Farrell because they had believed he was, in addition to crime solving, working for the Mob. So while I haven't seen those files it might be important to consider that in light of his opinion. O'Farrell was also very much a key figure in the Morgan/Roosevelt Gold-Standard/Banking Matter. http://american_almanac.tripod.com/morgan2.htmIt's interesting to note that Mrs. Morrow would eventually hire O'Farrell during the time of Gov. Hoffman's reinvestigation. O'Farrell himself had not sat by idly and did some of his own investigation into this case directly.... One such instance was revealed by Augustus Hartkorn, a famous Handwriting Expert, who claimed that O'Farrell who was accompanied by Captain Peabody NYPD showed up with at his office sometime before May 11, 1932 with (3) copies of the original ransom notes. Once there they asked him to make a comparison to some signatures on checks. The handwriting on the checks belonged to a man named Frank Motter, who according to Hartkorn, both Peabody and O'Farrell believed wrote the ransom notes.
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mairi
Lieutenant
Posts: 548
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Post by mairi on Mar 19, 2007 13:32:24 GMT -5
Hi Michael~ Interesting post on O'Farrell. Had only seen one brief ref to Mrs Morrow hiring detective(s). It's quite interesting that she hired O'Farrell so late in the case. Do you know if it was case related at that time and/or had she had detectives at work at an earlier time? Had wondered just what direction her investigators looked into. Related to her early belief that there had been insider help(?) I have a sense that every last one of them knew the "Lone Wolf" wasn't the real story.
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Post by Michael on Mar 20, 2007 5:02:05 GMT -5
This is a great question.... The Morrow's had hired PI's in the past. One instance which comes to mind involved the "Constance" kidnapping threat.
I have seen others mentioned a couple of times in the material that I have. The one source I was able to find yesterday came from Harry Green in a personal letter to Gov. Hoffman dated March of '36. It references a $300.00 checked paid to an affiliate of Val O'Farrell's Detective Agency. I have no idea the nature of this investigation. I am actively looking for a letter to Green from the Governor dated just previous to Green's letter to him. If I find it I think it will contain a question which should reveal what we want to know.
I'll keep you posted if I happen to find it.
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Post by rick3 on Apr 7, 2007 12:00:52 GMT -5
Michael--the gist of O'farrels criticisms are right in line with those of SKEPTIC Al Dunlap, editor and member national police chiefs association. In an informal poll, the police chiefs voted..."inside job". Dunlap published 3 articles in Startling Detective Adventures:
1. Was the Lindbergh Baby really found? (outlined in Gardner:TCTNDies)
2. Why did CAL block lie detector tests for servants? (reprinted 1971))
3. Who Bungled the Lindbergh Kidnap Case? Feb 1933--(Im missing this one so we should keep looking for it in the NJSP Archive clippings as mentioned in Gardner)
Dunlap was an open critic of CAL, even in 1932 and said that a person with a "mentally sick mind" should never take control of an investigation. Dunlap spoke to Chief Williamson, an early arrival onto the crime scene, who told him that CAL would not even let him see the ransom note?
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dena
Detective
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Post by dena on Jun 14, 2007 1:25:41 GMT -5
There was a very influential priest in Hopewell at that time named Fr O'Farrell. He is even featured in a wikipedia article. I cannot remember the timeline. But he was buried in the chapel at St Michaels orphan asylum. Im assuming his body was moved when the orphanage was torn down. You know, Catholics hardly ever tear down chapels in my experience. Anyway, just wondering if he could be related given the possible connection with St Michaels & the LK.
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Post by Michael on Jul 30, 2008 11:50:20 GMT -5
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