On 7 October 1888, George R. Sims in the Sunday newspaper Referee implied scathingly that the letter was written by a journalist "to hurl the circulation of a newspaper sky high".
Den 7. oktober 1888, antydede George R. Sims i søndagsavisen Referee, at brevet var skrevet af en journalist "i et forsøg på at få skyhøje salg af aviser".