This looks like a weird hack, but it works to produce the desired output: 
my $pretty_printed_unencoded = $coder->encode ({People =>  @fields });

[download]
I have no idea how/why - it makes no sense to me. Would love to be enlightened on what the "right" way is, and why this works.

Update:: After seeing kcott's(++) post below, I see the error of my ways.

His solution is more elegant, but I made mine work by coding: 

my $pretty_printed_unencoded = $coder->encode ({People =>  [map {@$_} 
+@fields] });

[download]
The previous version at top of this post worked for me for ONE file.

             My goal ... to kill off the slow brain cells that are holding me back from synergizing my knowledge of vertically integrated mobile platforms in local cloud-based content management system datafication.

In reply to Re: Merging multiple JSON files into one using JSON::XS by NetWallah
in thread Merging multiple JSON files into one using JSON::XS by walkingthecow

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