[john in springfield]

Those are really nice circles, but I'm not certain what your point is.

What you've pointed out is an argument for the authenticity of the Bomford certificate (as if we actually needed one following the public statement of the real person whose certificate it is...)

In the days of manual typewriters, the "L" key was frequently used as a substitute for the "1" key. Why? Because they looked so much alike that nobody cared about the difference. And the L key was a LOT easier to strike, because the "1" key was waaaay up at the top, and had to be struck - HARD - with the PINKY finger of the LEFT hand.

And that was just not easy.

I can tell you precisely why the earliest occurence is a "1" and every subsequent occurence is an "L." It's because the typist started off with the proper key, and then got lazy.

In fact, that initial "1" may well have been struck with an index finger, and not with the pinky at all.

All of which indicates that this document was typed by a REAL typist, on a REAL MANUAL (and probably pre-electric) typewriter.

[PureSolace]

Maybe what you say is true, and maybe it's not. That's why I'm drawing circles. :) I just want to find the truth.

And thanks, I thought they were nice circles too! :)

[InterceptPoint]

All of which indicates that this document was typed by a REAL typist, on a REAL MANUAL (and probably pre-electric) typewriter.

I tend to agree with you but there is a countering argument: A forger, knowing that he/she should be using a small "l" for a "one" makes a mistake and inadvertently hits the "one" key for the entry in question. Which explanation would Sherlock Holmes choose? Hard to tell.

[trueamerica]

See post number 350.

I had a typewriter in the 60's. It did NOT have a key for the number "one". I used lower case letter "l" instead just like on this document. The red circled number 1 could have been added later. Why? I don't know.

[shield]

I have to agree with you...the one means nothing.