How Brown
10-29-2008, 09:44 PM
1.How likely to you...is the possibility that neither Anderson or Swanson actually attended the Hove Identification ? If there is a possibility, please elaborate.
Although so much about the identification (including the actual location where it took place) is open to question and it appears to be such a procedural anomaly, I would find it unlikely that neither one attended, but I would suspect that if only one of these two men where there, it would probably have been Anderson. I have a tendency to lean toward believing that there would have been more than just two officials involved, especially if it was known that the case might be solved by the witness i.d., but the apparent clandestine nature would suggest probably that the knowledge of it would be limited. I don't think they would have wanted a repeat of the fiasco that ensued after the Pizer affair, which might in itself explain why it was kept under wraps- especially seeing that the outcome was obviously less than they had hoped for. Determining exactly who might have been there I'll have to leave with those who are more familiar with the inner workings of the C.I.D., but I'm sure there would be other possibilities also.
2. If your answer to the previous question was "no", then who of the two...Anderson or Swanson....attended in your opinion based on what you've learned over the years ?
If you consider such things as Anderson's activities with regard to the Rose Mylett case, I don't think that it would be outside the realm of possibility that Anderson alone took it upon himself to persue this i.d., which, as it was not entirely successful, might have caused the Assistant Commissioner to take the failure personally.
3. What are your views on the criticism leveled towards Anderson by Major Smith following the uproar over Anderson's declaration that a low class Polish Jews was responsible for the WM ?
In dedicating an entire chapter of his memoirs to Anderson, clearly Smith was, at very least, offended by Sir Robert's claims. That said, nowhere in this chapter does he contradict the claim of the murderer's identity being known, nor does he supply an alternative. He attacks Anderson (maybe rightly so) for being irresponsibly specific, but obviously there is much more to it than that. In designating the Met's investigation "fruitless", he is merely stating the obvious. A careful reading reveals some curious wording and Macnaghten's lampooning of Smith in Days of My Years reveals that there was a bit more going on than we know about. But if one were to use the same tactics as used to discredit Anderson to bring down the credibility of Smith, it would be a K.O. in the first round.
4. Considering the recent debate or discussion over whether Anderson was anti-Semitic...have you seen one piece of evidence that suggest he was....and,just as importantly, have you seen one bit of evidence from Jewish sources that suggests as much?
The fierce response from "Mentor" is the closest thing to even implying that Anderson may have been anti-Semitic, but I think even that falls way short of the mark. In reading Anderson's religious works, you'll find repeated remarks revering Jews and Judaism, something that is severely wanting with regards to his words about Catholicism, of which he speaks with palatable bitterness. That's not to say that he didn't think Judaism took a right when it should have taken a left, and that the way of Christ is the correct path to God, but his theological differences don't, to me anyway, prove inherent anti-Semitism. I haven't yet come across anything that would have me believe otherwise, by Jewish writers or anyone else for that matter, but there may very well be something out there which could change my mind.
5. I understand you are planning an excursion to London in the near future. Have you any plans for visiting the PRO ? If not, where...because I am very nosey.:high5:
I would very much like to explore some of the archives this time, and I have some specific ideas, but it remains to be seen if I can pull myself away from the pub long enough to actually accomplish something. I will be staying in the East End, so I'm sure I'll spend a good deal of my time wandering and daydreaming. I hope to meet up with some of my friends from the WS1888, but other than that it will probably be mostly improv.
Although so much about the identification (including the actual location where it took place) is open to question and it appears to be such a procedural anomaly, I would find it unlikely that neither one attended, but I would suspect that if only one of these two men where there, it would probably have been Anderson. I have a tendency to lean toward believing that there would have been more than just two officials involved, especially if it was known that the case might be solved by the witness i.d., but the apparent clandestine nature would suggest probably that the knowledge of it would be limited. I don't think they would have wanted a repeat of the fiasco that ensued after the Pizer affair, which might in itself explain why it was kept under wraps- especially seeing that the outcome was obviously less than they had hoped for. Determining exactly who might have been there I'll have to leave with those who are more familiar with the inner workings of the C.I.D., but I'm sure there would be other possibilities also.
2. If your answer to the previous question was "no", then who of the two...Anderson or Swanson....attended in your opinion based on what you've learned over the years ?
If you consider such things as Anderson's activities with regard to the Rose Mylett case, I don't think that it would be outside the realm of possibility that Anderson alone took it upon himself to persue this i.d., which, as it was not entirely successful, might have caused the Assistant Commissioner to take the failure personally.
3. What are your views on the criticism leveled towards Anderson by Major Smith following the uproar over Anderson's declaration that a low class Polish Jews was responsible for the WM ?
In dedicating an entire chapter of his memoirs to Anderson, clearly Smith was, at very least, offended by Sir Robert's claims. That said, nowhere in this chapter does he contradict the claim of the murderer's identity being known, nor does he supply an alternative. He attacks Anderson (maybe rightly so) for being irresponsibly specific, but obviously there is much more to it than that. In designating the Met's investigation "fruitless", he is merely stating the obvious. A careful reading reveals some curious wording and Macnaghten's lampooning of Smith in Days of My Years reveals that there was a bit more going on than we know about. But if one were to use the same tactics as used to discredit Anderson to bring down the credibility of Smith, it would be a K.O. in the first round.
4. Considering the recent debate or discussion over whether Anderson was anti-Semitic...have you seen one piece of evidence that suggest he was....and,just as importantly, have you seen one bit of evidence from Jewish sources that suggests as much?
The fierce response from "Mentor" is the closest thing to even implying that Anderson may have been anti-Semitic, but I think even that falls way short of the mark. In reading Anderson's religious works, you'll find repeated remarks revering Jews and Judaism, something that is severely wanting with regards to his words about Catholicism, of which he speaks with palatable bitterness. That's not to say that he didn't think Judaism took a right when it should have taken a left, and that the way of Christ is the correct path to God, but his theological differences don't, to me anyway, prove inherent anti-Semitism. I haven't yet come across anything that would have me believe otherwise, by Jewish writers or anyone else for that matter, but there may very well be something out there which could change my mind.
5. I understand you are planning an excursion to London in the near future. Have you any plans for visiting the PRO ? If not, where...because I am very nosey.:high5:
I would very much like to explore some of the archives this time, and I have some specific ideas, but it remains to be seen if I can pull myself away from the pub long enough to actually accomplish something. I will be staying in the East End, so I'm sure I'll spend a good deal of my time wandering and daydreaming. I hope to meet up with some of my friends from the WS1888, but other than that it will probably be mostly improv.