Stoddard Online

THE WILBERT COFFIN STORY

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"BEHIND THE SCENES"

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Sometimes before moving forward it is necessary to stop and bring certain things into perspective. The time has now arrived to do just that here on "Stoddard Online."

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You may recall a couple of weeks back a certain Clement Fortin commenced leaving comments on my web site. You may further recall that this Mr. Fortin was touting some new publication that he had recently launched into the market place. This particular publication apparently dealt with the Wilbert Coffin affair, and was produced from trial transcripts.

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Those who know of me would very quickly recognize the fact that I do not get too excited when someone claiming to be an authority suddenly looms, waving another sheaf of papers. Usually, the emergence of these people provide some humour on an otherwise gloomy day. As the old saying goes,"they came, they saw, and suddenly, they are now going to conquer." A few months down the road, their ream of excellence will claim it's rightful resting place, "stashed amid the dust collectors between the book-ends of time."

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My mission statement is simple. It states in part that I will argue until the end of time for one to present their opinion, even though it does not parallel mine. My position has not changed. Though I may be committed to accept diverse opinion in general, there is no obligation on my part to supply the vehicle to express that opinion. Such is the case with Mr. Clement Fortin.

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Mr. Fortin has side-stepped the rules. This is totally unacceptable. I shall go into detail, so that you may form your own opinion with respect to this matter.

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Clement Fortin has set up a blog site to tout his recent publication. He maintains that he is the modern voice of "French Canada" on the Wilbert Coffin affair, and he makes reference to me as the voice of "English Canada" on the Wilbert Coffin affair. Let me set something straight here and now Mr. Fortin. Never, and nor would I, ever refer to this case as being language based. I get lots of support from French speaking Canadians on my site and I always have. I couldn't care less if your native tongue is Pig Latin, if I can assist in bringing this case to conclusion. That is my mandate. You Sir on the otherhand, are free to do whatever you see fit to achieve your goals as long as it doesn't involve me. I shall now elaborate.

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Mr. Fortin's original posting to my comment board came complete with his photograph and a description of this publication that he apparently has. I have made it clear in the past, I do not allow book sellers to promote their products on my site. Folks who have attempted this in the past had the decency to ask permission, which of course is always turned down. Clement Fortin apparently sees himself in a different perspective than others. He simply walks in unannounced and attempts to set up shop.

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From this point on, Clement Fortin gets bolder and bolder. This is also the point Mr. Fortin that I ask you to pay special attention to what I am going to say. Take a deep breath Mr. Fortin because you may not like it. I do not enjoy reporting on it either, but you have forced my hand and involved me in actions, that in my view are fraudelent and deceitful, and as well emit the appearance of gaining under false pretenses.

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Clement Fortin, you have a web site and that is no secret. As near as I can determine, you have created this site to create a potential reading audience for your material. That is your business, however, when I see how you have personally involved myself in the gathering of material for your site, it then becomes my business. I encourage you to read on with everyone else, and Mr. Fortin, I ask that you pay particular attention because in my view, many examples of false pretenses are about to be exposed.

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Until late last evening, December 04, 2007, Mr. Fortin, I counted a total of 12 comments on your complete site. Of those 12 comments, a total of 9 of them were copies of comments on my site, "Stoddard Online" and then pasted on your site. On each of these comments, you state that you received these comments from the senders by e-mail, and you quote your e-mail address, making it look very straight forward. There is one small hitch though. Read on.

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For you to state that these comments were sent directly to you by way of the e-mail address provided by you is a falsehood. I am going to copy an example of what I am saying and post it here. This comment was sent to the "Stoddard Online" web site on November 25, 2007. The author of this comment was Geri Ironside from British Columbia. I am reproducing it here today with her permission. Here is her comment as it appeared on my site on the day of submission.

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Geri Ironside said...

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I must admit that I havn't read Mr. Fortin's book which he says was written based on the trial transcripts. I would pose the question---would't we read the same information that has been around the block several times? What of the documents, police reports, and affidavits, etc. that were disallowed at the trial? If these facts had been given to the jury to ponder and weigh, the scales of justice would have tipped in a different direction.

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Geri Ironside

Pt. Coquotlam, B.C.
25 November, 2007

Here is the same comment extracted from your site stating that it was sent to you, to the address provided, on November 25, 2007.

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Clément Fortin said...
----- Original Message -----

From: Geri Ironside

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To: clementf@sympatico.ca

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Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2007 3:04 AM

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Subject: [Stoddard Online] New comment on THE WILBERT COFFIN CASE.THE END OF THE JOURNEY.. T....Geri Ironside has left a new comment on the post "THE WILBERT COFFIN CASE.THE END OF THE JOURNEY.. T...":

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I must admit that I havn't read Mr. Fortin's book which he says was written based on the trial transcripts. I would pose the question---would't we read the same information that has been around the block several times? What of the documents, police reports, and affidavits, etc. that were disallowed at the trial? If these facts had been given to the jury to ponder and weigh, the scales of justice would have tipped in a different direction.

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Geri Ironside

Pt. Coquotlam, B.C.

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It is interesting to note Mr. Fortin, that Ms. Ironside made the exact same typographical errors in the comment that you post on your site, that she did when she posted it to my site. Clearly, it is a case of copying the material. One final thing as well Mr. Fortin, and you would not have been aware of this . Ms. Ironside resides in the same home that I do. It was very easy to confirm all this with her.

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My suspicions were confirmed at this point. Messages were appearing on your site at an accelerated rate. You copied and pasted my comments to you that I had made on my own web site. You pasted my same comments twice. I did notice though, that for some strange reason you did not state that my comments had arrived to you via your e-mail address.

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The next one that I shall highlight is from Reg Mersereau of Fredericton, New Brunswick. The following is an exact reprint of Reg's letter to my comment board, and then later appearing on your site as your received material .

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Clément Fortin said...
----- Original Message -----

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From: Reg Mersereau To: clementf@sympatico.ca

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Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 4:20 AM

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Subject: [Stoddard Online] New comment on THE WILBERT COFFIN CASE.THE END OF THE JOURNEY.. T....Reg Mersereau has left a new comment on the post "THE WILBERT COFFIN CASE.THE END OF THE JOURNEY.. T...":

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I agree 100% it was the evidence that "wasn't" put before the jury that caused Wilbert Coffin to be executed. If it has taken this Fortin guy 53 years to understand that, then his head has been in the sand. I am not a lawyer but I have no trouble seeing that.

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Reg Mersereau

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Fredericton, N B

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Again, this is a clear example of the copying of material from my site to yours. I can personally guarantee 100% accuracy in what I am going to tell you next regarding the letter from Reg.

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You see Clement, by this time it was evident that you were feasting on your new found store house of popularity. There are many examples of comments being stolen from my comment board and appearing on your site.

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During this period, not once did I complain to you. I merely observed on a day by day basis as to what was taking place. I made the decision to go on a fishing trip. A fishing trip that I hoped would supply the necessary confirmation as to what was going on with my web site. I thought that it might take some time. Little did I know, I used the right bait the first time around. I say that because instantly my bait was grabbed and devoured on the first cast.

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You see Clement I set up a sting operation. I created a fictitious character. I gave him a name. His name became Reg Mercereau. "Reg" sent a baited comment to my message board that contained comments that might incite someone to grab hold. It worked miraculously well. According to you Mr. Fortin, "fictitious Reg" was apparently able to send an e-mail to you. Without doubt, that was an incredible feat.

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I could go on and on and cite many other examples, but what would it prove at this point. I am certain that I have made it abundantly clear to my readers. The mandate of my page has been, is, and always will be the maintaining of integrity. That is why I expose this junk when it surfaces from time to time.

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I have noticed Mr. Fortin that as of yesterday's date you placed another message on my comment board stating that you have installed a permanent link to my site from yours. According to yourself, you did this so that your viewers would have a quick link to what I am saying about the Wilbert Coffin case. Mr. Fortin, as I see it, you have no viewers or readers, because as I peruse your site, it is made up almost completely of readers that you have stolen from my site.

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You state Clement that you are a lawyer. I really do not know if you are or not, and down deep I don't really care. You do state that you have been in private practise, precisely where I do not know, and that you taught law at The University Of Sherbrooke. I am curious Mr. Fortin, if the actions that I have described above are becoming for those of a professional entrusted with the guiding of students in a faculty of law. I will not attempt to answer that question. I will leave it to those more qualified. That is my reason for making the decision to provide a copy of this posting to the law faculty at the university. It would be interesting as well, to learn the opinion of The Quebec Bar Association, should they be approached.

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In congruous fashion Clement, I am curious as well if it is becoming of a publishing house to resort to the acceptance of this sort of behaviour from it's authors. Again, as above I will not attempt to answer that question. That is my reason for making the decision to provide a copy of this posting to your publishers, Wilson & Lafleur. In my view, the behaviour as I have described here of an author representing a publishing house, appears extreme in the quest to sell a few books.

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I wish also to point out something to readers of these sites. On the main opening page there is a link that states "View My Complete Profile." When this link opens up, one of the items displayed is a little box indicating the number of profile views since each individual site came into existence. That number cannot be relied upon to provide an accurate number of hits to any of the blog pages. The reason is simple. The number is too easily influenced. You could sit there from any computer on the internet and click in and out of the link and it would record a new visit each time. There are other ways as well. When the profile page is open, it is only necessary to click the "F5" key. As fast as you can click, it will record you another profile visit. I thought that I would point that out to you Mr. Fortin, because I notice that for the very short time that you have been on your site, you appear to have an inordinate amount of profile visits recorded, and there is always the chance that someone may be playing with your numbers. In your case though, based on your popularity, the figures are probably quite accurate. Personally, I have no faith in any system that can be so easily skewed.

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A short way back in this posting I alluded to the message that you posted yourself on my site informing everyone that you had installed a direct link to my page. That could suggest to some that we have an accord between us. We haven't in the past, we do not now, and we will not have in the future. In other words, we have absolutely nothing in common. The situation involving the "borrowing" of commenters from my site to yours, and the establishment of the link between the sites is a product that has been concocted entirely in your own mind.

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Clement, I am not certain as to why you have chosen to go the route that you have displayed through all of this. One can only speculate the motives. It is you Clement, who harbours the true motive in this particular instance. It has been demonstrated that some get caught up in the associated fifteen minutes of fame that many seek throughout a lifetime. Whatever the true reason, it is unfortunate that individuals will get caught up in such shenanigans, especially at the expense of others. When insufferable rudeness occurs, as is displayed by your actions in this matter, it became time for me to bring the matter to conclusion.

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In closing, I want my readers of my site to be fully aware of the fact that I implore you, Clement Fortin, to cease/desist these practises immediately, and that within the next 24 hours you will go into the settings for your site and immediately take down the link that you installed to the "Stoddard Online" site and immediately inform me that it has been carried out. As the saying goes in legal jargon, "Govern Yourself Accordingly."

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Lew Stoddard