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The difference, of course, is that Obama's wares don't fall into the category of "escape reading." Not to hijack the thread for a discussion best constrained to a different forum, but I don't think it's going to be controversial to say that the consequences of buying a politician's "wares" are going to be more serious than when buying PHC's. So should the due diligence. Let's confine ourselves to books. What should I be more concerned about? Whether PHC's very entertaining books are true down to each little detail per some anonymous critic? Or if some Ivy League researcher claims in a book "Arming America" to have uncovered evidence that the second amendment wasn't intended to protect an individual right. But when that book is reviewed by his peers, who are not afraid to speak publicly and under their own names, who provide evidence the researcher fabricated his research, the researcher then protests that he can't defend himself because a mysterious office flood destroyed those irreplaceable records. And only those records. I think if someone wants to spend a lot of time on the first issue, they and their priorities need to be recalibrated. There are more serious frauds being perpetrated than what Capstick is alleged to have gotten away with. We should consider ourselves lucky if the only consequence we face for falling "victim" to a fraud is that we're out $20 that we still consider well-spent despite the ankle-biters and have a desire to go hunt Africa.
Out of all the issues I have with the world, I'm amused by the fact that someone thinks the most pressing one that needs to be addressed is my faulty "perspective" on Capstick. I will tell you this; if I do hunt the same areas with people who claim to have known PHC, and they start giving me some morbidly serious lecture about the "real facts" concerning the man, I'm going to shut them up. Politely. Because there's something about the spirit of a "recreational activity" that they're just not getting. | |||
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How about showing a touch of class by rewording the thread topic and spelling his name correctly? One perpetrator seems to be back-peddling and the other has based his claim on a friend of a friends aquaintance. It is easy to be small. Get big! | |||
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I don't know of he was a fraud or not. I really don't care. His books were entertaining regardless. Years ago, I scanned the record books to see if there were any entries where he was listed as PH. I did find a small number of entries. Accordingly, I do believe he was a PH at minimum. | |||
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Captmike Those are not friend of a friend they are solid working Professional Hunters some with over 30 years in the bush. I know them as well, Ill agree it seems chicken shit to not name them but Adrook and I promised to keep them out of it. It is also second hand info that a PH of a friend that knew a PH thinks he was in a camp together once. | |||
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Maybe somebody will write a tell-all book on Peter, just like someone did on John Taylor.  | |||
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three pages of bullcrap....and some folks complain about excessive posts on the classifieds!  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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Mac, you need to brush up on your History. Zambia became independent in the early '60s. There was no Bush War in Zambia when Capstick was there. The War was in the South and only Guerrilla Camps were in Zambia at that time. I have a hard time believing Capstick didn't have a Zambian License as a few Pounds Sterling in and envelope could buy you one then. There may indeed be no Official Record, but then there is no Official Record of my .45 Colt Auto Permit for Tanzania either. 
I haven't read that book in years but if you are referring to the incident where they were shooting from the Machan over the waterhole I will call BullShit on your PH friend. I knew Peter well enough to have dinner with him a time or two and to have a few drinks over the Black Jack table after the children had all gone to bed at SCI. I also knew Bob Langeveld quite well, having worked with him for a couple of years in Zambia and lived close by for a few years in Seattle. That incident did happen ( I asked) but not quite as written. Peter took some literary license with the story, in particular the drinking. But he was, in fact there, and participated in the shooting. I have always found the old time Zambian PH's particularly jealous of Capstick's fame. They must have gotten tired of people asking them if they knew him. (most didn't but they will tell you they did) The fact that he made a living and became famous when they didn't and didn't really bothered some of them. Anyone who has sat around a campfire with a good storytelling PH needs to shake a lot of the Make Believe Dust off the conversation and realize that most of the stuff is just a story. A lot of the same stories are told by many different people, I doubt if they all had the same incident happen to them. Gator A Proud Member of the Obamanation "The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." Ecclesiastes 10:2 "There are some ideas so absurd that only an intellectual could believe them." George Orwell | |||
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I can thank Capstick for starting the fire in my heart to go to Africa. Who among us has not exaggerated a "sea story" | |||
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If capstick did half of what he claimed he did he has still done more than 99% of us. show some real evidence that he lied. Quit being jealous that at his worst he still had a more exciting life than you | |||
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Without the name of the legend of the business who supplied you with this information, your assertions cannot be varified. He wants to remain anonymous, why? If what he is saying is the truth he should have no problem with revealing his name and coming forth and setting us all straight. Maybe the man who made these claims about Capstick is the liar. For all we know, this legend doesn't even exist. Produce a name or quit writing these types of threads. Better yet, get the legend to come online and tell us all what he told you. If he has one hair on his nutsack he should be more than happy to do so. JMO Landrum | |||
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I enjoyed Capsticks books as much as anyone else. I do remember picking up an Africa Record Book, I believe by SCI but not certain, and Capstick did have an entry for an elephant by an Italian hunter, Ugoletti I believe was his name. I remember it because the weight of the ivory was really uneven, it was like 80 lb on one side and like 50 or something on the other. I think I saw he had like a Sable or other antelope in there also. While he seemed to have a lot of stuff go wrong on a lot of hunts which would make you wonder if it was true, I am thinking how come PH's like Cundill, Rann, Riggs, and Palmer have not said anything to counter what he wrote. Paul C | |||
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The title of this thread indicates a sad individual. Jim "Bwana Umfundi" NRA | |||
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Peter Capstick was a very gracious man, and did not hesitate to speak to anyone who approached him at a hunting convention, SCI, DSC, etc. I anyone had a real problem with him, I am sure he would take the time to address it personally with them. His wife Fiona still comes to the conventions. She is also a very friendly and gracious person. I am sure she would talk with any of you about your problems if you have any. | |||
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Mark Sullivan is the video equivalent of Capstick's writing. Well executed, well filmed, well written and totally over the top for those who know. | |||
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Wow! Question the Capstick orthodoxy around here and you get called everything but a white man. It is interesting what his AR defenders have to say, though; -Zambian PHs who speak in less than favorable terms of him must be jealous liars -PHAZ and/or the Republic of Zambia must have not been in existence when he was supposedly a PH -the members of PHAZ weren't even born when he was supposedly a PH (ridiculous, I know one member who is near 70 years old) -One could be a PH without holding a licence in Zambia at the time he was supposedly a PH -One could get a PH licence with a simple bribe and there must be no record of it -the remains of a house he supposedly lived in are still standing so he must have been a PH -a friend of Chipolopolo and myself who is an old school Zambian PH is either a liar and/or non-existent (I assure you that he is neither nor does he have the time for nor interest in internet pissing contests) -I am a sad individual for bringing this up -Chipolopolo and I are twats and cunts for bringing this up -PHC may or may not have an animal or two in either SCI or Rowland Ward's but we're not sure -a PH might remember another PH who thinks he may have shared a camp with him -Saeed surreptitiously had this thread posted at his fancy to bash PHC (Saeed had nothing to do with it) -Of course he was liar but he sparked an interest in Africa for many people so what's the harm -He was a liar but he didn't hurt anyone -He was a liar but we shouldn't say so out of respect for his widow because she's a supporter of the DSC -All of us are liars at one time or another so what does it matter -All writers embellish (I guess around here claiming the experiences of others as your own and claiming to have been something you weren't is categorized as embellishment and exaggeration, most would call it lying) etc, etc It's funny that not one person has ever come forward who can claim to have had PHC as a PH. Seems to me that where there is smoke there is usually fire and that all this speaks for itself. | |||
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Geoff Broom wrote in his recent book that PHC was an up and coming PH who worked for him with good success. I believe that was at Matetsi, but could be wrong on the location. IIRC he noted that PHC was an adept buff hunter and PH, but shy on elephant experience. Read the chapter for yourself one and all. There was no reason in the world for Geoff Broom to add the bit about PHC if it wasn't true. My take is that yes he was a PH and had some experience, enough to coble together facts from here, events from there and write a hell of a tale. Was he a stalwort PH, no, he wasn't, he was an entertainer first and last. Did he embelish his stories, hell yea, they're stories, not segments of an autobiograohy or sworn testimony. Was he a fraud, hell no, he was an entertainer. JPK  Free 500grains | |||
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If you don't find all of these believable than you haven't been around Africa much. I asked you once before but you chose to ignore the question. How old is PHAZ and what Government Agency issued PH licenses in the later '60s? You claimed to have checked so the answer must be at the tip of your tongue. You may be correct about his license. But evidently you just want to make assertions and not actually provide evidence, if you have any to provide. The old, "I called somebody and he said somebody told him this", is exactly what you are complaining about. It is no surprise that your claims are not being Canonized. Gator A Proud Member of the Obamanation "The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." Ecclesiastes 10:2 "There are some ideas so absurd that only an intellectual could believe them." George Orwell | |||
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Like I said before, PHAZ says he was never licensed in Zambia. Why don't you point us to a Zambian agency that will verify his supposed license or better yet a client who hunted with him or an operator who employed him? Hell, better yet, contact PHAZ yourself and tell them all of their members are too young to have known him and that they are a bunch of liars. We haven't touched base with ZAWA yet, maybe you could try that route, perhaps they might have some record. | |||
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I wish my memory were as sharp as Paul's. My SCI record book shows Dr. Marco Ugoletti shot an elephant in Zambia's Luangwa Valley in July 1969. Its tusks weighed 80 and 66 pounds. The PH listed as guiding Ugoletti was Peter Hathaway Capstick. PHC also was mentioned in magazine articles by at least one American gun writer as his PH for a Cape buffalo hunt. Argentinian Juan Pozzi, who often posts in the South American and Books/Video threads here will tell you that Capstick also guided for jaguars and killed boars with a knife on his continent. He may have embellished some things a tad, but Capstick in my opinion was the 20th Century's greatest outdoor writer -- and that includes O'Connor, Page, Keith, Askins and the other gun flacks about whom for some reason we never hear a disparaging word. Bill Quimby | |||
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Let me say up front that I have never been a Capstick fan. I read his books long after I had read about everything out there by Hunter, Taylor, Corbett and all the rest. When I did, my personal "bullshit meter" jumped off the wall. Total gut level reaction, but nothing rang true. When I later saw his videos, I had complete faith in my initial reaction. They bordered on a spoof of a hunting video, I thought. That said, the books were entertaining, but in no way did I ever feel that he was honest about his own exploits in them. For me, that ruined them. Someone above made the claim that it was OK, since all authors write fiction. That doesn't get a free pass with me. Some do. We call those books "Fiction" when they go on the library shelf. If they are not purported to be fiction, they are therefore assumed to be non-fiction. A lot of authors embellish, as I feel sure Taylor did. However, I also feel that he knew what he was writing about and had lived through a lot of it. Others, such as Hunter, you felt maybe actually downplayed their exploits. Fom a personal standpoint, I simply never enjoyed Capstick's books because the works themselves seemed contrived when they were supposed to be factual. I don't care a twit about proof, because the works are what they are and that is my reaction to them. Many enjoy them, and that's fine. What really galled me about Capstick was his book on Taylor. (I actually did burn that one. Threw it in the fireplace when I finished it). I thought it unconsionable that he would write such a non-flattering biography with so little hard evidence about someone who was dead and couldn't defend himself. Taylor was obviously a flawed individual, who had his own demons. This was obvious if you read between the lines of his own books. Be that as it may, it did no one any practical good (except Capstick and his publisher) to issue such a posthumous degrading biography. The character flaws reported were mostly of a personal nature, and had little bearing on his writings as a firearms expert, so reporting them served no public service (such as possibly showing that the volumes of information he wrote on firearms was not true). What amazes me here is how this very argument is being used to defend Capstick (what's the point; the man's dead; no one cares because his writing was so good etc), when Capstick did this very thing for profit re: Taylor. The whole line of objection is morally disconnected. By Capstick's own actions, he supported digging up dirt and reporting every unsavory fact of a persons life, so people should be encouraged to do the same concerning his life; OR the act of digging into the sordid details of a dead author's life is in bad taste, and Capstick should be castigated for doing to Taylor what people are apparently doing to him. Ya can't have it both ways guys. | |||
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Well seeing the Crapstik fans dont care that he wrote fiction, then they must have also been entertained by his slagging of Taylor. Craptick was an Ex stockbroker, he was aware that emotions dictate the market, likewise he used the same approach in his writings to good success. Its all about perception. | |||
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If it were not for Capstick then it is quite possible that you me and many thousands of (bacically armchair) critics on AR might not be discussing the issues. There is a real possibility that AR and many Africa hunting adventures and STORIES would not exist in the promenace that they do today. Peter sure oiled the ego and got a very very large number of procrastonators to make that first and often recurring trip to the dark continent. He had an attraction that is hard to deny and easy to defend. For those kafirs amongst us we understand your feelings, just that many many others cant and will continue to enjoy the tales of the bush Like it or not this below is a reasonable BIO by any standards we might want to use Peter Hathaway Capstick (1940-1996) was a famous American hunter and author. Born in New Jersey and educated at the University of Virginia, he walked away from a successful Wall Street career shortly before his thirtieth birthday to become a professional hunter first in Central and South America and later--and most famously--in Africa. Capstick spent much of his life in Africa, a land he called his "source of inspiration."[1] Though he spent decades hunting some of the world's most dangerous game, his death did not come from a lion's jaws or an elephant's tusks. A chain-smoker and heavy drinker, he died at the relatively young age of 56 from complications following heart surgery. After a short career as a Wall Street stockbroker, Capstick headed to Latin America. There he traveled widely while hunting, fishing, and mastering the Spanish language. After a few years he returned to New York, where he founded a business arranging professionally guided hunting trips. Shortly thereafter he took a position as hunting and fishing director of Winchester Adventures of New York, a subsidiary of the famous gun manufacturer. In that capacity he made his first trip to Africa in 1968.[2] Subsequently he began working as a professional hunter and game ranger in Zambia, Botswana, and Rhodesia. Capstick started writing about his adventures in the late 1960s and soon published numerous articles in various sporting magazines. In 1977 he published his first book--Death in the Long Grass[3]--which became a major commercial success and established his reputation as a spinner of hair-raising adventure yarns. He subsequently went on to become the world's best selling hunting author with a string of books detailing his own adventures as well as those of other well known hunters. While Capstick's name frequently comes up in the same breath as Hemmingway's and Ruark's in discussions of influential African hunting authors, some have questioned the truthfulness of his writings. Capstick has been accused of embellishing his stories--frequently to the point of outright fabrication--and of retelling the adventures of others as if they had happened to himself. Nonetheless, his abilities as a riveting storyteller and creative (if somewhat folksy and informal) prose stylist are beyond dispute. In early 1996 Capstick was a keynote speaker at the annual Safari Club International convention in Reno, Nevada when he collapsed in his hotel room and was diagnosed with exhaustion. He was immediately flown back to his adopted country of South Africa and underwent heart bypass surgery in a Pretoria hospital. He died just before midnight on March 13th due to complications from surgery. After a small private ceremony, his ashes were scattered over the Chobe River in northeastern Botswana. The .470 Capstick rifle cartridge, developed by A-Square's Colonel Arthur B. Alphin in 1990, bears his name, although Capstick had nothing to do with its development. His legacy is also saluted by The Dallas Safari Club's annual Peter Hathaway Capstick Hunting Heritage Award for the promotion of responsible hunting and wildlife conservation. Cheers, Peter | |||
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Chipolopolo, I have hunted in Zambia twice for dangerous game. (buf) On both occasions my PH was a South African with no Zambian license to lead safaris. So according to Zambian law we had to employ a Zambian Ph with a License who in this case was without any other qualifications whatever. (other than being politically correct.) The only saving grace in this situation was the Zambian was nice enough to go with the flow and allow the SA PH to conduct the safari. This could explain why PHC had no license, or maybe not. | |||
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Don't know why I'm even bothering to comment on this continuig argument other than I'm sick and bored to sensless.... Capstick, Hunter, Ruark, Hemingway, etc... It's ENTERTAINMENT for goodness sakes. Few are the autobiographical / personal experience writings that don't contain at least some BS, most a lot! Sometimes we know it sometimes we don't. Same goes for most magazine wirting. Unfortunately this even extends to what serves as "news" these days... I do agree with Art S. that Capstick through his own writings on others, opened the door to such examination of himself. Fair's, fair! That said, I don't give a hoot if he was full of it or not. I still enjoyed his writing. Who wants to spend money on the boring details of real day to day experiences with the ocasional exciting adventure? True, false, embellished or whatever, it's still FUN reading. Enjoy it for what it is not what it ain't! An old man sleeps with his conscience, a young man sleeps with his dreams. | |||
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Now there's a verboten word if there ever was one.  | |||
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Adrian, That very well could be the case, Like I said Zambia was the only venue in question. I too know a guy that hunts in Zambia and Bots on an RSA license. I hunted Jumbo with him in NG41. The legalities of it hell who knows like one poster said grease a palm or two and ?. And Trax, if stock broker gone PH makes a good story why does Sullivan generate so much critisism here (not from you)he was (I believe) a mortgage banker gone PH and I dont think anybody doubts his license in Tanz. Chipolopolo | |||
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Balla Balla: ,,,, The .470 Capstick rifle cartridge, developed by A-Square's Colonel Arthur B. Alphin in 1990, bears his name, although Capstick had nothing to do with its development. His legacy is also saluted by The Dallas Safari Club's annual Peter Hathaway Capstick Hunting Heritage Award for the promotion of responsible hunting and wildlife conservation./QUOTE] To that you may add the Peter Hathaway Capstick International Literary Award. Presented by Peter's widow to just three authors: Craig Boddington in 1999; Capt. John Brandt in 2001; and me in 2003. Bill Quimby | |||
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My thoughts from the last discussion on this topic: "Liar, Alcoholic, Plagiarizer. Who cares! His stories compelled me to go to Africa. I am forever indebted to him. I hope he's looking down from above and enjoying the happiness he's given to so many." Tanzania in 2006! Had 141 posts on prior forum as citori3. | |||
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From the biography in Bala Bala's post:
A spinner of yarns is not an autobiogropher and isn't taking a ploygraph, he is entertaining! He chose one of only two possibilities to stitch together a fact from here a fact from there, an event here a story there into a condensed and entertaining "hair-raising yarn." One was to create an imaginary character and the other to make himself the character. He chose well. JPK Free 500grains | |||
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Why should I? I didn't make the statement, you did. Now it is up to you to prove your statement, withdraw it or say you are only surmising based on the fact that a Society that didn't exist when Capstick was in Zambia says so. Do you even know if licenses were required in 1969? As far as the Zambian Government is concerned, good luck with that. Like Mac pointed out, what happened 40 years ago in Africa might as well have happened 400 years ago as far as paperwork is concerned. Perhaps we will only know when Fiona finally writes the Biography and includes the pictures of the licenses, if any. Gator A Proud Member of the Obamanation "The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." Ecclesiastes 10:2 "There are some ideas so absurd that only an intellectual could believe them." George Orwell | |||
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C'mon guys, Give the guy a break. He wrote some fantastic books, gave us a lot of entertainment, and if it wasn't for his writings an awful lot of us would never have developed the interest that got us to Africa in the first place. To top it off, he's dead for Christ's sake. I reckon there's very (if any) few PHs/authors who told the whole unvarnished truth and nothing but the whole unvarnished truth in their books. There's a bloody good reason for the old saying 'what happens in the bush, stays in the bush' .......... 'nuff said | |||
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Fiona Claire Capstick short BIO Was born in South Africa, where she became an officer in the armed forces, seconded to the military intelligence division as a multilingual translator and interpreter. She is currently serving as a sworn translator to the High Court of South Africa. Her late husband, Peter Hathaway Capstick, was the author of highly acclaimed safari accounts such as Death in the Long Grass and Safari: The Last Adventure. Fiona writes about the most prominent women in big game hunting down through the centuries in The Diana Files: the Huntress-Traveller Through History. ------------------------------------------ I stand corrected BUT believe that Peter's wife Fiona Claire Capstick is now married to MR.Pires .. I think he might be the Pires whom Fiona has written about in the Book Winds of Havoc Might be an interesting bok to read, also think Fiona is going to write a biography of Peter's life, wow it will certainly be a BEST SELLER Cheers, Peter | |||
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Peter you're quite correct, she is now married to Pires and if I remember correctly, she co-wrote Winds of Havoc with him. This link http://www.shakariconnection.com/bookshelf.html will take you to al the Capstick books, Winds of Havoc and a lot more.  | |||
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When you are successful in any endeavor, the detrators seem to come out of the woodwork. Be it competitiveness or petty jealousy that motivates the individual. So he embelished. So what. How many of you increase the size of the animal or the drama of the hunt in each subsequent telling of the tale? I would say that most of us fall into this category, and if you deny it, I will call you a liar. "Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming. Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time" | |||
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There is never a Diogonese Icon when you really, really need a Diogonese Icon!  Rusty We Band of Brothers! DRSS, NRA & SCI Life Member "I am rejoiced at my fate. Do not be uneasy about me, for I am with my friends." ----- David Crockett in his last letter (to his children), January 9th, 1836 "I will never forsake Texas and her cause. I am her son." ----- Jose Antonio Navarro, from Mexican Prison in 1841 "for I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Thomas Jefferson Declaration of Arbroath April 6, 1320-“. . .It is not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.” | |||
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That evidence seems pretty compelling. I think the late Col Charles Askins also cited him as his PH. At least that much of his life story is true. jorge USN (ret) DRSS Verney-Carron 450NE Cogswell & Harrison 375 Fl NE Sabatti Big Five 375 FL Magnum NE DSC Life Member NRA Life Member | |||
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With all this anti PHC, it sounds like he may have started SCI, well according to Steve and Saeed.  | |||
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Just read every post in this thread. I find it really...SAD. Jeff | |||
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