Questions for Keith Skinner

[Mr. Poster]

Flipping that around, why bother going to such lengths if you definitely knew that you had not forged it?

It's bizarre either way.

Because maybe a dodgy private dick could "find" some evidence? Throw a bit of cash at him and see what he conjures up.

Alternatively..... under what possible scenario does they guy who apparently forged it find himself in the abscence of any evidence to show he had done it and has to hire someone to help prove he wrote it?

Couldnt find his receipt from the auction, his pens, his inks, the "kidney", his recipe for agibg ink, his notes, all his research...... nothing.

Andcthen couldnt even get the year right as to when he did it or when his friend died.

Bizarre indeed.

P

[Sam Flynn]

under what possible scenario does they guy who apparently forged it find himself in the abscence of any evidence to show he had done it and has to hire someone to help prove he wrote it?

My brain just exploded.

[Keith Skinner]

Well - the same points had occurred to me. We do cover this in 'Inside Story' but without expressing any opinion or commenting on the curious logic of the quest. Basically, Mike had initially employed Alan Gray to find the whereabouts of Anne and Caroline after they had left him. Alan became very interested in Mike's story and believed Mike's claim that he (Mike) had forged the Diary but was being prevented from telling the truth by people in London who were threatening him with violence. Alan was determined to help Mike prove his case and expose the truth of what was going on but became increasingly puzzled and frustrated by Mike's constant lying and prevarication to obtain the material evidence to prove he had created the diary. After 4 years of achieving nothing except an unpaid bill for over £3000, Alan Gray concluded that Mike Barrett did not write the diary but that it was probably the joint endeavour of Tony Devereux and Anne Graham.

Best Wishes
Keith

[Bernard Beaule]

It was videorecorded? That is great news!

BTW one of the things I have been looking at is the entire subject of artificial aging of documents. It probably deserves its own thread at some point but at the moment I'm too ill to get into deep matters. Suffice to say that sugar has been used by forgers so the mere mention of it in this context is not risible in and of itself.

Is there any scientific reference explaining how sugar has an impact on ink molecules?

[Keith Skinner]

Thank you Bernard. I've absolutely no idea! But perhaps the question was directed towards Sir Robert who I hope is making a speedy recovery from his recent illness.

All Good Wishes
Keith

[Mr. Poster]

Sugar has no impact on ink molecules (or any other).

In the context within which we are considering the matter...ink has no molecules, it being not a compound but a mixture.

Perhaps Barrett was thinking of Hofmann who added "sugars" (note: not sugar) to his ink formulation to try and produce surface cracking on the writing he was trying to produce.

Its just more nonsense from Mike Barrett.

P

[Paul]

Hello Keith.

[Keith Skinner]

Sorry. Do I know you?

I almost got into a discussion with Scott on another thread about Aaron Davis Cohen/David Cohen and was in danger of touching on Martin's Cohen/Cohen/Kaminsky/Kosminsky theory which, after all these years Paul,
I have to openly and honestly admit, I never could really follow. Which is why I'm leaving the explanation to you. If I could work out how to post a smiley, I'd put it here!

Actually, having reminded myself about the Thames Police Court Register and checking back to our first edition of the A To Z (of blessed memory), I was wondering why we ever suggested an association between the brothel raid and Aaron Davis Cohen? The reasoning appeared to be because it was the preceding entry in the summary sheet to that of Gertrude Smith and Mary Jones (for keeping a brothel) and then we included the following entry for Ellen Hicky who assaulted PC Cohen - and seemed to make that incident part of the raid also? Somewhere in my memory bank I'm sure I can hear Martin saying that David Cohen was sweeped up in a raid on a brothel? I know it all became too much for me and ultimately I was far more interested in your fascination with Martin's yellow socks!

Every Good Wish
Keith