Dear Boss

[lynn cates]

Are you suggesting margins migrate?

Hello Tom. I see your point. But margins--as well as slope and slant--are little noticed by the writer. Unless I am being self conscious and making a determined effort, my left margin always migrates right.

It has been alleged that Piggott's forged "facsimile" letter of Parnell resembles the "Dear Boss." (That was a contemporary observation.) I have compared those two missives (the formerly graciously provided by Mr. Simon Wood). Some of the carefully crafted individual letters appear the same, but the left margins migrate in opposite directions. That tells me Piggott was not the culprit.

My whole point is that even a forger, whist carefully disguising individual letters, would be wholly oblivious to the direction of migration of the margin. It's like pouring coffee or tea and not being aware of which hand does what--we just pour. However, upon careful consideration, we discover we always use one hand to hold, another to pour.

Whoever wrote the "Dear Boss," carefully, deliberately chose individual letters and perhaps disguised his usual hand. But I think he would have been unaware of slope, slant and margin.

And if this is correct, I think we can rule out straight margins and rightward migrating ones since migration is to the left in the "Dear Boss."

Cheers.
LC

[The Good Michael]

My whole point is that even a forger, whist carefully disguising individual letters, would be wholly oblivious to the direction of migration of the margin. It's like pouring coffee or tea and not being aware of which hand does what--we just pour. However, upon careful consideration, we discover we always use one hand to hold, another to pour.

Lynn, if you can observe these things, why couldn't a forger detect them? Assuming a person corresponded by letter often, wouldn't he/she be able to see such things coming from his correspondents and decide to change them?

Mike

[lynn cates]

experiment

Hello Michael. A crack forger from this century certainly would.

But I am envisioning an amateur. LVP forgers/forgery detectors concentrated on how to form certain letters. (Eg, Piggott went into a good bit of detail concerning how he had forged the Parnell letters. There are also several examples from the Parnell Commission proceedings where forgery detection was attempted. In every case, individual letter formation is all that was regarded.)

Now, if one is aware of margin, slope and slant, of course one could take corrective measures (difficult though they be) to disguise them. But I am claiming that these three items in particular were little set by (if at all) by contemporary forgers AND in contemporary document examinations.

Here's a thought experiment. Look over some old paper documents you have written. Note the slope of each line (less pronounced on ruled paper) as well as the left margin migration, if any.

What do you notice? Were you consciously aware of this at the time it was written.

Cheers.
LC

[TradeName]

Interestingly, there are reports that Hulbert could vouch for the Parnell letter, having allegedly seen a copy of it in the possession of PJ Sheridan.

The Irish Canadian, Feb 21, 1889, Page 8

Parnell Commission

Somes testimony: "Kirby was paid £250 to go to America to procure from Sheridan the original Parnell letter, a fac simile of which was published in the Times. Mr. Hurlburt [sic] saw this letter."

The Speaker, Volume 9, April 7, 1894, Page 384

This Morning's Paper
By A Mere Outsider

"The Times announces the death of 'Le Caron the spy.' The gentleman whose real name was Beach, was one of the heroes of the Parnell Commission. He may be said the to have shared its hounours with Pigott and Hurlbert. Hurlbert, indeed, was only a hero behind the scenes; his evidence--luckily for himself-- was never given in public; but I suppose his "proof" is still in the possession of the Times solicitor, and he might, as a mere matter of curiosity, let the public have a peep at it."

[sleekviper]

Excellent observation Lynn!

[lynn cates]

wow

Hello Trade. Good grief! I had no idea that Hurlbert had anything to do with the Parnell Commission.

You may have saved me a good deal of work.

A hearty thanks!

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

thanks

Hello Joe. Many thanks!

Hope you are well.

Cheers.
LC

[TradeName]

Michael Davitt mentions Hurlbert in his 1904 book:

The Fall of Feudalism in Ireland: or, The story of the Land League Revolution (London: Harper, 1904), Pages 559-560
by Michael Davitt

Another person who was intelligently interested in behalf of The Times in Mr. Sheridan's opinions and possible action was the late William Henry Hurlbert, one-time editor of the New York World. He wrote a book, Ireland under Coercion, during the sitting of the special commission, which was intended to show that Mr. Parnell and the National League, and not Mr. Balfour and Dublin Castle, were the true coercionists in Ireland. What the purpose or motive of the book was has remained a mystery. He addressed the following letter to Mr. Sheridan:

"12 Southwell Gardens, Cromwell Road, S.W.,

"April 6, 1889.

"Dear Sir,—I do not know how fully or accurately the proceedings taking place now before what is called the 'Parnell Commission' may be reported in America, and I should be much surprised to find that they are reported either accurately or fully there. But if your recollection of a very interesting conversation which I had with you in my office in New York, on an occasion of much importance to yourself, in 1883, is as vivid as is mine, you will quite understand, I am sure, the impulse which prompts me now to invite your serious attention to the elaborate efforts which are now making here to convert parliamentary Parnellism from an Irish and revolutionary into a British and Radical organization. Wm. Henry Hurlbert."

Page 617

"SINCLAIR"

The most mysterious and romantic of the many strange people who figured directly or otherwise in The Times commission was the secret agent Sinclair. This is not his real name; it is only one of several assumed names. He was a handsome man, in the prime of life, with light hair, blue eyes, strong, resolute face, lightish mustache, military bearing, and no beard. He bore some resemblance to William Henry Hurlbert, already alluded to; a fact which adds another romantic chapter to Sinclair's history, if Hurlbert's testimony in the case made against him in London by a lady in 1892 be true—namely, that one "Wilfred Murray," and not Hurlbert, was the gallant gay deceiver in the case in question. The description given of Wilfred Murray corresponds with that of Sinclair, who had been at one time in Hurlbert's service.

[lynn cates]

O'Brien

Hello Trade. Thanks for that.

Turns out that Sinclair was actually Matthew O'Brien. O'Brien worked with Red Jim McDermott on some phoney dynamite schemes. Later he turned to blackmailing Sir Edward Jenkinson--he claimed he had 2 letters that would bring him down. Sir Ed was in a panic.

Another alias for O'Brien was Wilson. Odd, when you look at those new ledger names that Trevor dug up.

Cheers.
LC

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Lynn, is there a thread that covers all the various SB ledger finds, that isn't impossible to navigate with reams of nonsense and fighting? I don't believe I yet have a good understanding of these finds, but I'd like to have.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[lynn cates]

names

Hello Tom. Well, there is a thread, but with your other qualifications . . . (heh-heh)

Short version: I believe that Trevor located a Wilson AND an O'brien. Probably just a ripperological coincidence.

Cheers.
LC

[Tom_Wescott]

Thanks Lynn, though that doesn't tell me anything. LOL. Last I knew we had McGrath and the goings on of an unnamed PI agency.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[lynn cates]

ledgers

Hello Tom. Those are still in the mix. But, heck, I'm still not sure whom Catherine Kelly was and on whom she was informing. (heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

Kirby

Hello Trade. I just read your post #214 a bit more carefully. I believe that the Kirby to whom you allude is the same Kirby found on the old ledger page that contains the references to John and Catherine Kelly.

Now there's a mystery to be solved!

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

mea culpa

Hello All. Oops. The "Dear Boss" here on Casebook seems to be the police facsimile. If so, and given it is hand written and not a photograph, the margin wandering may be on behalf of the transcriber.

That would indicate that the transcriber was not Piggott. (Heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC