And This Is Factual!

[Iconoclast]

Incredible.

Not even in the slightest.

[Iconoclast]

More favourite phrases? From the diary:

"One day God will answer to me, so help me"

"May God have mercy on her for I shall not, so help me"

"Damn it damn it damn it so help me God my next will be far the worst… Abberline Abberline, I shall destroy that fool yet, so help me God"

(The last two instances turn up in the same paragraph.)

One, “so help me” and “so help me God” in the context of threats is a bit like saying it’s unusual for an action-thriller to use the term “Let’s get out of here”. There is nothing to get all excited about.

And two, this would not be the first time that Barrett had quoted from the journal. When asked to prove that he forged it, his first response was to quote from it - as if I could cite “And the rockets red glare” and convince the world I wrote the words to the Star-Spangled Banner!

[Iconoclast]

MIKE BARRETT IN HIS OWN WORDS PART 5

Finally, for now at least, here is something curious written by Mike on a payment note from 1991, in respect of some Look-In puzzles, which I think he has just used as the first piece of paper to hand at a much later date.

Aficionados of Diary quirks will, of course, note the expression "and I you".

He writes:

Anne, I need your help. Please stop this hate towards me, and I you. I'll give you everything you want, including the tape and the receipt for the watch. Last night I gave a press interview.

I thought I knew the journal well but I can’t remember the occasion where the author writes “and I you”? Interesting that it is grammatically correct whereas in the journal the use of ‘I’ is frequently incorrect and should be ‘me’. Let’s face it, that one was either chance or else someone else was dictating it to Mike!

[Iconoclast]

MIKE BARRETT IN HIS OWN WORDS PART 4

Next up is Mike's annotations on a typed letter written to him by Anne dated 1 February 1995 which were presumably intended to be his reply to that letter.

It's a three page letter and Mike has written on the first and third pages and then, at length, on the reverse of the third page.

Mike's writing on the first page isn't worth reproducing but I'll include a transcript of the whole thing. His writing on page 3 and the reverse of it can be seen below.

Page 1

Ha, ha, I wrote it once, I written it again. p.s. You got one chance. Speak to me. p.s. It's all photographed [or possibly "photocopied"] fvck the spelling.

Page 2

You still don't understand do you? I never give in, you and me wrote the Diary. That's a fact.
P.T.O.

Page 3

I don't care because you don't love me. That's where you lose. Wake up to the real world, we both wrote it. Don't tell me [illegible]. This year 1994, I don't care for you. You know the truth. And so help me god I will prove it. Back off now!!! Or I fvcking well will come out with the truth. I have your voice on tape. You never win. Will you speak to me?

Having a bit of Can’t Connect to DNS Server challenges at the minute so have had to move onto my iPad. Makes editing a bit harder.

This one is more of Mike reminding Anne that the two of them wrote the journal. I accept that he makes this statement, and I accept that he’s incredibly sad and desperate, so I’m looking forward to seeing Anne’s responses where she confirms Mike’s potentially-drink-fuelled comments. They must be coming-up in a few posts time, I reckon.

[Iconoclast]

MIKE BARRETT IN HIS OWN WORDS PART 3

Let's start with a fairly cryptic one page note for which here is my transcript:

"Anne, please, please, speak to me today. You're destroying yourself and Caroline and myself by not doing so. This hate between us has to stop. I know a great deal more than you think I do. A watch!!!

If you will not speak to me, how can I help? Because I just go on and on until the end. As I have said it's not over until the fat lady sings.

There's more paperwork in this house than even you could not imagine. I've made my choice, it stops today one way or the other. If it's the other so be it. Only you can stop it by talking. Call the police if you so wish, then it really is over. I work with you or against you. It's your choice. But don't be so clever."

Not sure what the relevence of this is. Barrett the lier - presumably whilst pissed up - tells his errant missus that he has all manner of evidence to sink her evil plans. She doesn't appear to have wet herself in fear at Barrett's terrifying threats, assuming she ever saw Barrett's terrifying threats.

[Iconoclast]

MIKE BARRETT IN HIS OWN WORDS PART 2
But the purpose of me exhibiting them is to prove that Mike did not only claim to have forged the Diary on one single drunken occasion.

Accepted, no need to argue this any further. Of course he claimed it on more than one occasion and he would have undoubtedly been in different stages of befuddlement and alcoholic stupour. He doesn't always have to be drunk to have been fundamentally lying through his back teeth.

[Iconoclast]

MIKE BARRETT IN HIS OWN WORDS PART 1
I think this already shows that Mike was lying to Bob Azurdia when he said he had only once ever claimed that the Diary was a forgery in which he had played a part.

We're obviously going to have to humour this because - if we don't - we'll be accused of ignoring evidence of a fraud, but let me first start by saying the key evidence that Mike was lying was that his lips were moving or his hand was writing. If you have read the full Feldman and Harrison books you will know that first it was black, then it was white, then it was a grey, then it was a psychedelic whiter shade of pale.

I hope that I am going to read in this thread some of Anne's admissions of forgery because Mike's categorically cannot be trusted for longer than the five seconds it takes for his latest comment to self-destruct, making room in his befuddled brain for his next statement-that-suits-the-situation-I-find-myself-in.

[Mike J. G.]

Here's a thought, though - what if she can't spill the beans because she's telling the truth and you just don't want to hear it because it doesn't support your view?

I know you and your ilk will already be struggling with this notion so let me rephrase it. What if you're wrong?

Totally. And Bob Gimlin hasn't come clean about the Patterson Bigfoot hoax, either. He's not done so, because it's the real deal.

Logic, and stuff.

[Mike J. G.]

Hi Kaz,

Of course, it is your right to give up whenever you wish to, but your submission should not be confused with insight by others who may be impressionable and easily-led. Nothing has been proven. Only whispers on the breeze, my friend, all-too simply misheard.

Ike

Totally. If you squint at that log in the loch, it just might be possible to think that it really is Nessie.

[Mike J. G.]

Its game over for me.

Clearly Mike and Anne were gifted con-artists/liars, they 'seemed' to have pulled the wool over so many.... the people who met them.

However, their gift at deception/fraud pails into insignificance when you compare it to the FLUKE at tying JM into the leading role...

Lottery winning chance.... Euro millions!


I'll occasionally drop into see if theres any further developments but these last few weeks/months tie things up and my interest has diminished.

Welcome to reality, Kemosabe!

[Mike J. G.]

Then let me try, Kaz.

These are the scribblings of an emotionally-broken man whose senses were scratched and torn by the ravages of the demon drink.

The back story for Maybrick as Jack the Spratt is too rich to discard in the light of Barrett's desperate befuddlement.

You been at that demon drink, yourself, fella?

[Phil Carter]

That's right. Stiff upper lip, mate...

King Arthur: A scratch!? Your arm's off!
Black Knight: No, it isn't!

In truth, the only thing left is for Anne Graham to come clean, but the chance of that happening lies somewhere between 'highly unlikely' and 'a snowball's chance in Hell.' If she was unwilling to spill the beans to Keith Skinner or Shirley Harrison, she's unlikely to be moved to talk by an abstract idea like 'setting the record straight.'

Hello rj,

I was thinking of reasons not for revealing the truth.. but ones for witholding it.

Imagine you had signed a piece of paper x amount of years ago agreeing to never reveal the truth of this debacle to anyone.

Now. It all then depends on whom you signed the paper for. If the person is dead, then the risk of being taken to court will diminish considerably.

However. If the person (s) is (are) still alive, one is left in a quandary.

That snowballs chance in hell will become a fireball should a certain person..or persons..pass on. That's how I see it.

The other chance comes with Anne's daughter..who may know the truth but is waiting for the right moment.
No less unlikely.



I suggest David, for example, write to Anne. I don't somehow think Anne will show much trust to any person connected with this from 26 years or so ago.. ..

Just my humble opinion.



Phil

[Iconoclast]

That's right. Stiff upper lip, mate...

King Arthur: A scratch!? Your arm's off!
Black Knight: No, it isn't!

In truth, the only thing left is for Anne Graham to come clean, but the chance of that happening lies somewhere between 'highly unlikely' and 'a snowball's chance in Hell.' If she was unwilling to spill the beans to Keith Skinner or Shirley Harrison, she's unlikely to be moved to talk by an abstract idea like 'setting the record straight.'

Here's a thought, though - what if she can't spill the beans because she's telling the truth and you just don't want to hear it because it doesn't support your view?

I know you and your ilk will already be struggling with this notion so let me rephrase it. What if you're wrong?

[rjpalmer]

Only whispers on the breeze, my friend, all-too simply misheard.

That's right. Stiff upper lip, mate...

King Arthur: A scratch!? Your arm's off!
Black Knight: No, it isn't!

In truth, the only thing left is for Anne Graham to come clean, but the chance of that happening lies somewhere between 'highly unlikely' and 'a snowball's chance in Hell.' If she was unwilling to spill the beans to Keith Skinner or Shirley Harrison, she's unlikely to be moved to talk by an abstract idea like 'setting the record straight.'

[Abby Normal]

Its game over for me.

Clearly Mike and Anne were gifted con-artists/liars, they 'seemed' to have pulled the wool over so many.... the people who met them.

However, their gift at deception/fraud pails into insignificance when you compare it to the FLUKE at tying JM into the leading role...

Lottery winning chance.... Euro millions!


I'll occasionally drop into see if theres any further developments but these last few weeks/months tie things up and my interest has diminished.

Hi Kaz
Very commendable. I know we’ve had our snits in past, but I would be remiss if I didn’t say I find your change of mind refreshing.

And not just because it now more aligns with my ideas, but in general. Seems to many folks get entrenched in there beliefs here, and instead of being open minded, entrench themselves and never consider other possibilities.