Originally posted by PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR 1
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The City Press is giving a verbatim report of the exchange.
The defendant is reported as speaking is he not?
There are 3 separate reports, none mention any one else speaking except the unnamed brother, who it appears is just confirming Aaron is who he says he is.
To suggest there is an interpreter, who is not mention by any of the 3 reports, which I accept you have not said, is unsupported speculation.
Why would you even consider that he was not speaking in English at the hearing?
Is it the casenotes from the asylum?
Let's look.
On admission to Colney Hatch it's reported
"Answers questions fairly but is inclined to be reticent and morose."
No mention of his not speaking English
"Nov 17 1892 Nov 17 1892: Quiet and well behaved. Only speaks German [?Yiddish]."
So 20 months after admission he is only speaking Germany or Yiđdish.
Such does not mean he CANNOT speak in English , only that he does not.
Sept 18 1893 "Answers questions concerning himself."
Its not clarified if he speaks in English at this point , or if an interpreter is needed. So no real help
At Leavesden, it's not recorded if he can speak or understand English , only that generally he does not communicate.
I see no reason given the City Press report of Dec 1889, to believe he could not speak English, certain in 1889 .
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