Anthony Fairhaven, head of the Moegen-Fairhaven Group, purchased land at the corner of Catherine Street and Henry Street in lower Manhattan and tore down the apartment buildings currently there to build a new 65-story residential tower. Smithback obtained a copy of the letter and wrote a story about it in the New York Times. Shortly afterwards, a series of killings began to occur in Manhattan. The police speculated that the murderer was a copycat killer, inspired by Enoch Leng's story. The press dubbed the suspect, a man in a derby hat and black coat, "the Surgeon".