The Last Happy Hour, book by Charles Joseph Hackett

truthspider

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I'm starting this thread for people who have read or are interested in reading the book, "The Last Happy Hour" by Charles Joseph Hackett. The author was a West Point graduate, World War II veteran, Hospital Administrator, and father to our curious doctor of interest.

The book is a semi-autobiographical work predominantly focusing on the conversations between three US Army lieutenants: Henderson, Rhatigan, and our nameless narrator (Charles J. Hackett). The book opens with a short dedication to the author's only child, "To Peter". The narrator refers to his only child as "Paul", and though the book primarily focuses on the war time discussions, he does manage to mention his son on a few occasions.

When I reached page 8, I knew I would have to finish this book. Page eight dives right into the inability to convert "*advertiser censored*" with pious argument. (needle scratches record) Truthspider are you saying that the father of a potential suspect in the case of serial murder of sex workers wrote a book that discusses converting *advertiser censored*? Yes reader, that is correct. Maybe the topic of converting *advertiser censored* is more popular than I think it is, maybe you and your family discuss this topic at the dinner table or at the ball game, but my family never discussed converting *advertiser censored*, nor do I recall anyone I know discussing the specific idea that religion can't convert a *advertiser censored*. I can't say that I was surprised by this extremely unfortunate overlap of topics, after all we are talking about an extremely "unlucky" individual.

As I managed to crawl my way through the book, I was informed of the sad fact that the young boy did not have a mother or mother figure as his mother died two weeks after giving birth to the boy. Sadly, she was only 22 years old when she died. The mother isn't discussed beyond that in the book, only that they weren't married, and her relationship to the narrator was marginal.

The narrator details his post war life as a traveling administrative consultant to hospitals, where he would bring his boy along on his business trips. They would stay in motels and hotels around the northeast while the father cavorted with different insignificant women, sometimes the women were "dancers" in Atlantic City. (unlucky meter in the red again)

Mentions of his son are far outweighed by mentions of the consumption of alcohol and inappropriate sexual relations with various promiscuous women during and after the war. The few mentions of the boy are indeed curious as we learn that due to the amount of time he spent around hospitals and adults, he would try and please his father by showing him how perfectly he could "dissect a lobster" at the early age of 4. And yes, the boy is actually allergic to dogs.

Another paragraph of interest comes early in the book, when the narrator violently details his own rampage through the streets of a German village murdering every living thing in his path, old men, women, children, little girls and their pet bunnies, and even priests.

It's really a very unfortunate description of a boy's early life if people are suspecting him in the LISK case.....
 
truthspider, You amaze me with your sleuthing abilities! Thanks for sharing this info. Where did you find the book? Is it for purchase?

This certainly offers alot of insight into the upbringing of the young boy. We all know that SK's are control freaks and psychopaths and have feelings of inadequency in some area of their lives. Wonder if his mother was a working girl? Wonder how she died?

Yep, the unlucky meter is off the charts, eh?

OT....glad to have you back. I hope you had a nice Christmas.

wm
 
I got my copy for .92 cents from amazon (used)

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Last-Happy-Hour-Charles-Hackett/dp/0385114710/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324922285&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: The Last Happy Hour (9780385114714): Charles J. Hackett: Books[/ame]

As for your question Matilda, it is best for everyone on the internet to do their own verification, posters statements carry no real weight until you can validate the information. I suggest reading the book and drawing your own conclusion. I can even direct you to the relevant pages if you are interested in the cliff notes version.
 
Thanks for your summary Truth. Must be a good read in light of all things we consider here.

The Boy probably grew up being told his mother was one of those unconverted "*advertiser censored*" and maybe that it was fitting that she died after he was born. Angry at her for "leaving, but missing a mother figure and growing up with single dad, who was having numerous flings with such unconverted "*advertiser censored*", would probably make The Boy pretty angry at all those "*advertiser censored*", eh?

The SK referred to Melissa as a "*advertiser censored*". I don't really know anyone who refers to these women as *advertiser censored* ... prostitutes, street workers, escorts, hookers ... but not *advertiser censored*.

JMO
 
The SK referred to Melissa as a "*advertiser censored*". I don't really know anyone who refers to these women as *advertiser censored* ... prostitutes, street workers, escorts, hookers ... but not *advertiser censored*.

JMO

Under the category of word games, I found an interesting, documented, published, use of the term 'Mickey Mouse' by the books author in a letter to the New York Times. I will upload the scan when i return to new york later this week. I'm currently on vacation in the west indies.....and sleuthing....
 
Under the category of word games, I found an interesting, documented, published, use of the term 'Mickey Mouse' by the books author in a letter to the New York Times. I will upload the scan when i return to new york later this week. I'm currently on vacation in the west indies.....and sleuthing....

Glad to see you back Truthspider and hard at it as always, the diehard sleuther. Yea Yea

At work, shouldn't be posting, see ya tonight
 
Do we know if art imitates life in this book? Like for example, do we know Doc H's mom passed early in her life? Or is this thread to speculate on that question?
 
Truth, this was incredible sleuthing. As far as I am concerned you have solved the mystery of one of the serial killers, if there is more than one. They've got to get this animal off the streets. With the information you have uncovered by bothering to read the book, I now am thinking the mutilation was not for practical reasons, but for enjoyment or to develop and show off his skills. I'm looking back over the list I made of murders from 1982 to present and am counting approximately 25 women who could fit his MO. God knows how many more victims are out there. I'm stunned at what the book revealed. Welcome back. The forum isn't the same without you.
 
Do we know if art imitates life in this book? Like for example, do we know Doc H's mom passed early in her life? Or is this thread to speculate on that question?

I found Charles J Hackett's obit on newslibrary.com -- he passed 9/10/97. It said he was the devoted husband of the late MaryEllen (Ryan) Hackett. (she pre-deceased him.) I found on findagrave.com where she passed in 1956 and was laid to rest at the same cemetery in Mahwah NJ as her husband. C. Peter Hackett was born in 1956.
 
I found Charles J Hackett's obit on newslibrary.com -- he passed 9/10/97. It said he was the devoted husband of the late MaryEllen (Ryan) Hackett. (she pre-deceased him.) I found on findagrave.com where she passed in 1956 and was laid to rest at the same cemetery in Mahwah NJ as her husband. C. Peter Hackett was born in 1956.

Nice work! And now I am shivering lol
 
Welcome back. Excellent sleuthing! Even if it turns out that he is not the LISK, you basically uncovered one of the reasons why he is so strange. Add to that tough childhood the trauma of losing his own leg and it's understandable why he is not normal.

I would love for you to uncover what exact event caused him to lose his leg.
 
Welcome back. Excellent sleuthing! Even if it turns out that he is not the LISK, you basically uncovered one of the reasons why he is so strange. Add to that tough childhood the trauma of losing his own leg and it's understandable why he is not normal.

I would love for you to uncover what exact event caused him to lose his leg.

I'm pretty sure it was a car crash, wasn't it? Didn't some girl plow into him at some point?

If it was the doc, his wife would have to be in on it since she was his alibi on the night SG disappeared (assuming that the LISK killed SG). Seems unlikely, but possible. Anyone who knows about Carla Homolka and Paul Bernardo can attest to that.

Intriguing information, Truth.
 
I would love for you to uncover what exact event caused him to lose his leg.

I would like the truth on that incident as well as I am leaning towards the "accident" being related to risky behavior, reckless driving, etc. I don't believe in luck, and since he is so extraordinarily "unlucky", maybe it wasn't a complete accident but a result of poor judgement (phone calls too risky too).

But I think that there is something more sleuth worthy, something that deserves our time and research, and that is the identity of the first known victim: Jane "Fasciotomy" Doe. I don't know if identifying her is beyond our abilities as primarly web sleuths, but I would start with physical therapy patients from Hempstead General Hospital from 1995 and back (who knows how long she was dead before her legs were found in a bag in April 1996).

I would also try to look through the patient records from Long Beach Medical Center, specifically someone who may have taken an ambulance ride from a car accident with a certain ER doctor who for some unkown reason liked working as a mere EMT (I believe this to be uncommon and odd ... Michael Swango).

Also, if LE had some information we don't, like CPH volunteering at a rehabilitation center, assisting in physical therapy somewhere, or involved in support group for people in traumatic accidents, leg injuries.... I'd ask around those former patients if they knew a young woman whose injuries fit the description.

Of course I would like for LE to confirm she is not Sara Anne Wood, as unlikely as it seems, she is the only missing person who's scars seem to fit the description.

Oh, and while I was banned for 15 days, someone said that I was flukeyou.
I am not fluke, I am Brendan Murphy aka truthspider, and that's all. fluke is clearly someone who lives behind the gate, but whose identity is debatable. I'm not even from Babylon and have never been behind the gate.
 
Both legs show healed surgical scars at the ankles. In addition, according to police, the right leg has a 3 1/2 inch scar on the posterior calf muscle and an "L" shaped scar on the shin. The left leg has a similar 3 1/2 inch scar on the inner side of the calf muscle.

"both legs show healed surgical scars at the ankles" isn't mentioned in the more recent references to the victim....
 

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I got my copy for .92 cents from amazon (used)

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Last-Happy-Hour-Charles-Hackett/dp/0385114710/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324922285&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: The Last Happy Hour (9780385114714): Charles J. Hackett: Books[/ame]

As for your question Matilda, it is best for everyone on the internet to do their own verification, posters statements carry no real weight until you can validate the information. I suggest reading the book and drawing your own conclusion. I can even direct you to the relevant pages if you are interested in the cliff notes version.[/QUOTE]

Yes, it would be most appreciated.

wm
 
I found Charles J Hackett's obit on newslibrary.com -- he passed 9/10/97. It said he was the devoted husband of the late MaryEllen (Ryan) Hackett. (she pre-deceased him.) I found on findagrave.com where she passed in 1956 and was laid to rest at the same cemetery in Mahwah NJ as her husband. C. Peter Hackett was born in 1956.

thanks Mrs PC, can you attach a screenshot or paste in the full text? thanks so much.
 
I got my copy for .92 cents from amazon (used)

Amazon.com: The Last Happy Hour (9780385114714): Charles J. Hackett: Books

As for your question Matilda, it is best for everyone on the internet to do their own verification, posters statements carry no real weight until you can validate the information. I suggest reading the book and drawing your own conclusion. I can even direct you to the relevant pages if you are interested in the cliff notes version.[/QUOTE]

Yes, it would be most appreciated.

wm

will do when i return to NY, I didn't bring the book with me. do you have your copy already?
 
Not yet. But no worries, I cannot read it til after the new year.
 
thanks Mrs PC, can you attach a screenshot or paste in the full text? thanks so much.

I sent you the whole article in a pm (I actually found a 2nd obit today and that's what I sent you)
 
For some reason, I recall the leg amputation being the result of CPH stopping to help another motorist and being slammed by another car.

Can't tell you now where the hell I read that (it's been months since I sleuthed it), but maybe it will give another sleuther a jumping off point if they want to try to track down the source.
 

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