Theos-Talk Archives (February 2006 Message tt00017)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "carlosaveline cardoso aveline" 
<carlosaveline@...> wrote:
>
> 
> 
> 
> Friends,
> 
> Of course, the SPR declared HPB innocent in
> 1986, not 1886, as I  wrongly typed in the
> message below.
> 
> Apologies,  Carlos.
> 
> 
Hi--

A further correction would be needed to make this accurate.  After 
Vernon Harrison's article on the SPR report came out, Adyar hastened 
to claim that it was "vindication" of HPB.  Such was said in the 
American Theosophist by Dora Kunz and IIRC in the Theosophist by 
Radha.  Not thinking this was correct, I asked Harrison whether he 
considered such a claim justified.  This was at the second 
Theosophical history conference where we both were present in the 
1980s.  He said very definitely no, that it simply established that 
Hodgson's case was unproven.

And examination of the study finds that it focuses not on HPB's 
innocence or guilt on the various charges of fraud made by Hodgson, 
but almost entirely on the handwriting issues of his argument on 
forgery case.  So even if Harrison thought he had vindicated HPB 
rather than undermined Hodgson's case against her, he limits the 
scope of his inquiry to the forgery questions.

Finally, even if Harrison believed his article had vindicated HPB and 
said so, and it was published in the SPR journal, this would not mean 
that the SPR *as a body* had declared HPB innocent.  One editor 
expressed regret for Hodgson's report, though.  

HTH,

Paul