[Author's Note: New York photos. Savannah photos.]

Janet Winston-Rogers

970 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York

September 29th, 1934

Mordred Orkney

10 Bayberry Road

Greenwich Village, New York

Mr. Orkney, 

I hope you will not find the receipt of this letter inappropriate or distressing. I have been following your work for quite some time. I was particularly impressed with your recent series on asylums. For personal reasons, I am quite concerned about the treatment of the insane, and I found your thinking very similar to my own. Further, we have a mutual acquaintance, Miss Dorothy Astor; she assures me of your discretion, intelligence, and courage. 

Miss Astor felt that you might be amenable, and perhaps even anxious, to have your expertise engaged in a professional capacity.  I have a certain series of inquiries to be carried out which require individuals possessed of a particular expertise, inquiries which touch on matters of the occult. I am aware these matters are full of, to be quite frank, bunkum. I do not intend to be a silly spiritualist deceived by old women rapping on tables. A skeptical mind such as yours would be welcome. 

If such an endeavor would be of any interest to you whatsoever, I would most kindly request your attendance at Floyd Bennett Field in New York on the evening of October 31st at the hour of 9 o’clock. If there is anyone else you believe would be of assistance, you may send me a letter of introduction at this address.

A retainer of $500 per month will be paid for the duration of whatever service you may be able to provide, with a similar fee paid immediately in recompense for indulging me. 

Due to the nature of this affair, I must ask that you keep these matters in the strictest of confidences.  I am sure that Miss Astor should be able to recommend my character and good intent to you if any such reassurances should be required.  It is my deepest regret that it would be inappropriate to trust any further information to paper, and so I must ask that any further questions you might desire must wait until the evening of the 31st,

      Janet Winston-Rogers