There's Something Wrong with the Swanson Marginalia

[Stewart P Evans]

Likewise

Not to beat a dead horse, so to speak... but I do think this is a relevant point, since several people seem to have been assuming that the two sets of annotations (written on different occasions) were a) those written on pg 138 and b) those written on the endpaper. This is clearly not correct, nor is it I believe what Davies said.
Several people have suggested that the endpaper notes are somewhat suspicious, perhaps especially suspicious in that it is here that we find the name "Kosminski." As Ally stated in the post that started this thread:
"The important marginalia, containing the name Kosminski, is written on an end paper and in a different pencil than can be found anywhere else in the book."
So I think it is important to correct the record here, and try to look at this whole thing as objectively as possible.
Rob H

Likewise, not wishing to flog a dead horse, it is relevant. But, as the bottom of the page annotation on page 138 is seen as the original, and that at the side and on the rear free endpaper added later, I do not see that this helps your case very much. Indeed, it assists the argument for the latter being added much later and affected by Swanson's deteriorating faculties. 'Suspicious' does not come into this as I am not suggesting that anything was faked.

[robhouse]

Stewart,

I am not really trying to make any case here, for or against authenticity, or regarding Swanson's memory. I do obviously have my own opinions on such matters.

Whether or not any of this helps or hurts the theory of Kozminski as a suspect, I still think it is important to be as accurate as possible regarding the document, as I am sure you would agree.

So just to nitpick, it was not merely the notes "at the side and on the rear free endpaper" that were added later but all of the remaining annotations. This would include not just the sentence in the left margin and the endpaper notes, but also the note about "known to head officers CID", and all the underlining and highlighting, both of Anderson's printed text, and Swanson underlining "also a Jew" in his own previously written note.

Rob

[Stewart P Evans]

Annotations

Stewart,
I am not really trying to make any case here, for or against authenticity, or regarding Swanson's memory. I do obviously have my own opinions on such matters.
Whether or not any of this helps or hurts the theory of Kozminski as a suspect, I still think it is important to be as accurate as possible regarding the document, as I am sure you would agree.
So just to nitpick, it was not merely the notes "at the side and on the rear free endpaper" that were added later but all of the remaining annotations. This would include not just the sentence in the left margin and the endpaper notes, but also the note about "known to head officers CID", and all the underlining and highlighting, both of Anderson's printed text, and Swanson underlining "also a Jew" in his own previously written note.
Rob

Yes, obviously, hadn't I already indicated that I agreed with your highlighting of the later annotations?

I saw all this in the actual book and extensively photographed it. And, as we have seen, it would appear that some time after making the original annotations Swanson went back and made a further set, including the endpaper annotations.

I agree re-accuracy, but shouldn't this all be published with the examiner's report?

Perhaps it will be in the new A-Z?

[Stewart P Evans]

Rob

Rob, please could you confirm that the photographs of the marginalia and annotations that you have been reproducing are mine.

[robhouse]

Yes, of course they are your photos. I am sorry I neglected to mention this before. I simply downloaded photos you posted on this thread in posts 9 1nd 10, on march 10 2009.

I do agree that a mention of these issues should be published in the A to Z. It would also be nice if Davies' report could be published... either here on casebook, or excerpted in the A to Z.

Rob H

[Chris]

I agree re-accuracy, but shouldn't this all be published with the examiner's report?

It would also be nice if Davies' report could be published...

Absolutely. A number of us have seen copies of the report, and I have been trying for months to get permission for it to be published here so that everyone can seen the evidence.

Unfortunately, it seems that permission isn't going to be forthcoming. If it had been, I think it would have been possible to get away from the endless diversionary arguments about the authenticity of the marginalia, and on to a more sensible discussion of their significance. But there it is.

[Stewart P Evans]

Interesting

It would be interesting to see if this is a policy decision by the Met, perhaps a letter to the Commissioner would not go amiss.

[cappuccina]

Sorry for backtracking a bit, but I wish to comment on the statements made by some here that signing some of the marginalia was an "odd" practice...

Actually, it's not odd at all, among engineers and scientists. My husband who is an engineer and has numerous patents in the industry he works in almost always carries some type of "ideas notebook" with him...He does, in fact sign/initial and date statments and/or drawings that he feels will have later significance or are "patentable"...

Why wouldn't it follow that someone like Swanson would do exactly the same thing with items he thought had potential "case breaking" significance??

[Stewart P Evans]

Annotations

Sorry for backtracking a bit, but I wish to comment on the statements made by some here that signing some of the marginalia was an "odd" practice...
Actually, it's not odd at all, among engineers and scientists. My husband who is an engineer and has numerous patents in the industry he works in almost always carries some type of "ideas notebook" with him...He does, in fact sign/initial and date statments and/or drawings that he feels will have later significance or are "patentable"...
Why wouldn't it follow that someone like Swanson would do exactly the same thing with items he thought had potential "case breaking" significance??

Which was Swanson, an engineer or a scientist? Sorry, only joking.

I wouldn't say that signing, or initialling, annotations in a book was common, but it certainly wasn't unknown nor was it odd. I have an old Scotland Yard detective's memoirs that belonged to a pathologist involved in one of the cases. He has annotated the rear free endpaper and pastedown with case notes, but has not signed or initialled them. Swanson obviously felt his significant enough to initial.

The book was obviously Donald Swanson's as he had written his name and address on the front pastedown sheet, ergo any annotations in the book may reasonably be expected to be his. The book would be presumed to be remaining in the family and publication of the annotations would, I presume, not be expected by Swanson.

[Scott Nelson]

Stewart,

Do you recall what Swanson used (pen, pencil?) to write his name and address on the front pastedown sheet?

[Stewart P Evans]

Pencil

Stewart,
Do you recall what Swanson used (pen, pencil?) to write his name and address on the front pastedown sheet?

Scott, yes it was a pencil, looks like the one with the purplish tinge. And here it is -

[cappuccina]

...my only point being that he Swanson would do this for the same reason a technical inventor would....so that, in the event of his death and the case was reopened, he would get proper historical "credit" for his "discoveries"...

[Tom_Wescott]

Actually, it's not odd at all, among engineers and scientists. My husband who is an engineer

Your ability to make EVERYTHING about you and your family and your daughters' friends is as amazing as it is pointless.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[cappuccina]

Wow, bitter much; I was simply using a familiar example. Perhaps your attitude is one of the reasons you are not married or in a long-term relationship are not allowed to have custody of, nor spend much time with your own child.

Knock off the adolescent behavior, and your quality of life will vastly improve, I can assure you.

How is any of this about my daughter's friends???....Lay off the alcohol too; that may help you significantly as well.

[Apache]

Sequence of notes?

I base my observations on the photographs supplied by SPE.

It appears to me that DSS underlined the text in question and then wrote his comment in the margin. If this is correct it would give:

identified the suspect the instant he was confronted with him

& after this identification which suspect knew, no other murder of this kind took place in London.

The comments at the bottom of page 138 appear to be a continuation of Anderson's writing explaining why the witness refused to give evidence, here he (Swanson) runs out of room and continues his thoughts on the end paper.