Part 10, “A Person of Interest.”
(For earlier parts of this series, please click this link: Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin.)
From the public records, in perhaps December 2007 — Over time, Chief Coan, aided apparently by citizens in our community — your overly inquisitive neighbors and mine — begins to focus erroneously on one family.
The exchange appears below in black font, followed by the actual PDF documents I obtained, and then my commentary in blue font.
The exchange:
Subject: Interesting!
Here’s what “John Adams” writes in an archive from his “Inbox Reader Mail.”
I have lived in this town for so many years (our person of interest has lived her since 1968), [remainder deleted by City of Whitewater].
The files:
I have made the PDF files confirming this exchange available here — 2008-1 (8).
My comments:
1. Our Person of Interest. Someone writes to Chief Coan — a private citizen, I suppose — and describes someone as ‘our person of interest.’ Like the term suspect, it’s a term of the criminal law. Some of your neighbors and mine helped Chief Coan in his use of public time and resources to advance his search. As you can see in the email that Coan received, they have identified someone that they think is John Adams. They have even figured out when that man arrived in our town.
2. Familiarity. Whoever writes Coan this way expects to be well-received, and discusses a common understanding (that is, “our” person of interest). How often did Coan discuss this man’s name with others? I don’t know, but as you’ll see tomorrow, his search grows ever more fervid.
Next Up on Wednesday, March 5th at 8 AM CST: Part 11, “California?”