Seems good - the original was a good read.
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Deconstructing Jack by Simon Wood
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Simon,
I haven't got round to buying the revised version of this book yet but, from the Amazon preview, I see that you have retained these two sentences in your book:
“Jarvis should have been accompanied on this trip by the one person able to positively identify Barton. However, Edward Plant appears to have been co-opted by the Pinkertons, who also had no idea what Barton looked like.”
In respect of the second part of latter sentence, I'm intrigued as to why you have kept something in your book which is so blatantly untrue.
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Neither Jarvis nor Pinkertons had "no idea" what Barton looked like. A description of Barton was available to both of them.
I've mentioned this in my Suckered! trilogy and in my online article about your book, both of which I know you've read. So why did you keep this false statement in your book?
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Originally posted by Simon Wood View PostHi David,
So why take Edward Plant along for the ride?
"Plant's presence was required because he was the only person who could identify Barton for the purposes of satisfying a court of law in America that the correct man had been arrested."
That, of course, was in respect of ensuring a successful extradition back to the UK.
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Originally posted by Simon Wood View PostHi David,
When did Edward Plant travel to America for this Barton business?
And this has got absolutely nothing to do with my point that it is simply false to say that Jarvis and Pinkertons had "no idea" what Barton looked like.
Not only did they both have a very good idea what Barton looked like, from his description, but they knew he was going under the name of "Harry Cave" and obviously had an English accent.
So why does the statement that they had "no idea" what he looked like survive in your book?
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Originally posted by Simon Wood View PostI'm interested in how and why Edward Plant travelled to America.
Originally posted by Simon Wood View PostSorry to nitpick, but it was Henry Cave, and I doubt he sported an "English" accent.
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To bring this back to my question despite your attempts to change the subject.
Why have you retained the statement in your book that Jarvis and Pinkertons had "no idea" what Barton looked like when, as you must know, because it was in my articles which you read, that they had a very good idea what he looked like?
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Hi David,
Jarvis did not personally know Barton. Nor did he have a photograph by which to recognize him. For purposes of identification, Inspector Jarvis took with him to America Barton’s lifelong friend, Edward Plant.
But this was not true.
Regards,
SimonNever believe anything until it has been officially denied.
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Originally posted by Simon Wood View PostHi David,
Jarvis did not personally know Barton. Nor did he have a photograph by which to recognize him. For purposes of identification, Inspector Jarvis took with him to America Barton’s lifelong friend, Edward Plant.
But this was not true.
You don't say that they didn't personally know him or that they didn't have a photograph of him, both of which would have been true. You say they had "no idea" what he looked like. So why have you kept this untrue statement in your book?
Do you want to now answer the question.
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Hi David,
It's a simple enough question.
If Jarvis and the Pinkertons knew what Barton looked like, why did someone think it was a smart idea to go to the expense and bother of shipping Edward Plant across the Atlantic?
The last time Barton had been seen in England was 1886.
This was 1889. What description of Barton was everyone working on?
Regards,
SimonNever believe anything until it has been officially denied.
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Originally posted by Simon Wood View PostHi David,
It's a simple enough question.
If Jarvis and the Pinkertons knew what Barton looked like, why did someone think it was a smart idea to go to the expense and bother of shipping Edward Plant across the Atlantic?
Barton could not be extradited back to the UK without his identity being proved to the satisfaction of a US (or Canadian) judge. Neither Jarvis nor the Pinkertons were in a position to prove his identity because they had never seen him before. In a time before fingerprints and DNA, there was no other way of doing it. Someone who knew Barton had to be present in America to formally identify him to ensure that his arrest was legal and could not be challenged during the extradition process.
That aside, it seems sensible, if it's possible, to have someone available who could positively identify Barton if you are trying to catch him.
But Edward Plant's presence in America is irrelevant to the question I am asking you about which is why you keep stating in your book that Jarvis and Pinkertons had 'no idea' what Barton looked like. By any standards that is a wholly false statement isn't it?
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