I think I pretty much said the same thing, didn't I?
But you really don't believe the article writer was an eyewitness, do you? What else might Sir Edmund have meant by his comment? The reporter and maybe the editor only gave what they chose to report about what somebody else said they did or didn't do.
If you don't want to believe eye witness testimony. That's fine.
And regarding Hilary's opinion, it would be similiar to Rosa Parks (if she was still alive) supporting the account of the black stripper who claimed she was raped by the Duke lacrosse team. She wasn't there and didn't witness what went on.
So her testimony, like Hilary's would not be much use in proving your point.
I will follow the evidence, not blindly following the opinions of legends who did not see what went on.