Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir:
In compliance with your request, I enclose herewith a transcript of the
pertinent sections of the journal of Dr. David Bannerman, deceased.
The original document is being held at this office until proper
disposition can be determined.
Our investigation has shown no connection between Dr. Bannerman and any
organization, subversive or otherwise. So far as we can learn he was
exactly what he seemed, an inoffensive summer resident, retired, with
a small independent income--a recluse to some extent, but well spoken
of by local tradesmen and other neighbors. A connection between Dr.
Bannerman and the type of activity that concerns your Department would
seem most unlikely.
The following information is summarized from the earlier parts of Dr.
Bannerman's journal, and tallies with the results of our own limited
inquiry.
He was born in 1898 at Springfield, Massachusetts, attended public
school there, and was graduated from Harvard College in 1922, his
studies having been interrupted by two years' military service. He was
wounded in action in the Argonne, receiving a spinal injury. He earned
a doctorate in Biology, 1926. Delayed after-effects of his war injury
necessitated hospitalization, 1927-'28. From 1929 to 1948 he taught
elementary sciences in a private school in Boston. He published two
textbooks in introductory biology, 1929 and 1937. In 1948 he retired
from teaching: a pension and a modest income from textbook royalties
evidently made this possible.
Aside from the spinal injury, which caused him to walk with a stoop,
his health is said to have been fair. Autopsy findings suggested that
the spinal condition must have given him considerable pain; he is
not known to have mentioned this to anyone, not even his physician,
Dr. Lester Morse. There is no evidence whatever of drug addiction or
alcoholism.
At one point early in his journal, Dr. Bannerman describes himself
as "a naturalist of the puttering type. I would rather sit on a log
than write monographs; it pays off better." Dr. Morse, and others who
knew Dr. Bannerman personally, tell me that this conveys a hint of his
personality.
* * * * *
I am not qualified to comment on the material of this journal,
except to say that I have no evidence to support (or to contradict)
Dr. Bannerman's statements. The journal has been studied only by my
immediate superiors, by Dr. Morse, and by myself. I take it for granted
you will hold the matter in strictest confidence.
With the journal I am also enclosing a statement by Dr. Morse, written
at my request for our records and for your information. You will
note that he says, with some qualifications, that "death was not
inconsistent with an embolism." He has signed a death certificate
on that basis. You will recall from my letter of August 5 that it
was Dr. Morse who discovered Dr. Bannerman's body. Because he was a
close personal friend of the deceased, Dr. Morse did not feel able to
perform the autopsy himself. It was done by a Dr. Stephen Clyde of this
city, and was virtually negative as regards cause of death, neither
confirming nor contradicting Dr. Morse's original tentative diagnosis.
If you wish to read the autopsy report in full, I shall be glad to
forward a copy.
Dr. Morse tells me that so far as he knows, Dr. Bannerman had no near
relatives. He never married. For the last twelve summers he occupied a
small cottage on a back road about twenty-five miles from this city,
and had few visitors. The neighbor Steele mentioned in the journal is
a farmer, age 68, of good character, who tells me he "never got really
acquainted with Dr. Bannerman."
At this office we feel that unless new information comes to light,
further active investigation is hardly justified.
Respectfully yours,