Just for fun:

Does anyone know why William Swinton, brother of the historian,
became William Clinton, brother of the astronomer?   References:
Devoto, MTE, 351 and Kiskis, MTOA, 237 in regards to the
Autobiographical Dictation of Oct.  3, 1907, the story of the three
dollar dog.

I'm assuming that Devoto's text was taken directly from the TS of the
dictation and that Kiskis took his text from the version published in
the NAR.  Where did the NAR take its text from if not the TS of the
dictation?  The texts seem to be very close, if not identical, except
that William Swinton of the original TS becomes William Clinton in
Kiskis's version (I haven't seen the NAR, but I assume that it is
Clinton there too).

Was it SLC's intention that William Swinton, an amiable Scotchmen
with a jug to support, be turned into one William Clinton at press
time?  Yes, it is true that the story of the three dollar dog is a
story rich with booze, fraud, and a high ranking U.S. military
officer.  Sensational stuff!  Was SLC trying to protect his friend's
reputation, despite the fact that Swinton died in 1892?  Why the
cover-up?  Was Paine right, was it actually Swinton's brother John?
Devoto corrects Paine in MTE but I have evidence that Devoto, at one
time, thought it wasn't either brother!  Was it, in fact - after all
- William Clinton of Washington D.C. who actually did launch that
three dollar dog?  And did his friends call him Bill?

Paul Berkowitz