Swanson and Anderson

[jonwilson]

They both believed Aaron Kosminski was the ripper. Does anyone know why???

[Scott Nelson]

Just what we need -- another new thread. Check the archives. It's been discussed endlessly.

[Stewart P Evans]

No Name

They both believed Aaron Kosminski was the ripper. Does anyone know why???

Anderson mentioned no name at all, only a low-class Polish Jew and Swanson never mentioned the forename Aaron. Also Swanson did not actually state that he believed him to be the Ripper, he merely endorsed what Anderson said in his book and gave the name 'Kosminski'. All this can be read in books on the case, have you read any?

[Uncle Jack]

Anderson believed that the homicidal polish jew was the killer. He believed this because he had a pre-concieved stereotype in his head of who the killer was and some poor geezer, whether it be Kosminski, Cohen, Kaminsky or some un-named chap, got put in the frame, just because they were a little odd and different.

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Adam. Or maybe you have a preconceived idea that all Victorian men of stature were anti-Semitic?

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Uncle Jack]

Good evening Tom,

Hi Adam. Or maybe you have a preconceived idea that all Victorian men of stature were anti-Semitic?

No not at all. I believe Anderson had a pre-conceived idea of the type of character the killer was, not the race of the him. He probably had the idea of the type of person the killer was and the Polish Jew suspect, whoever he may be, fitted this well. But if an equally insane Englishman had come along at the same time then I am sure Anderson would have thought the same conclusion.

The best Tom

[Natalie Severn]

Well one of the more famous quotes of the time was : "It couldnt have been an Englishman" !
So one wonders if Anderson was on the look out for someone practising beastly "front bottom" things with themselves-and where better to take a good look for such a person than in that part of Whitechapel where a lot of strange ex pats lived from Poland! Such a person was guaranteed to become a candidate for the Ripper in Sir Bob"s worms eye view!

[Uncle Jack]

Evening Natalie,

I was always of the belief that the quote "It couldnt have been an Englishman" was a fallacy? I've only ever heard it from the film 'From Hell'

[Stephen Thomas]

Testing 1 2 3........

Anderson is not offering up a THEORY.

Why do people talk about Anderson's THEORY?

Anderson stated that such and such HAPPENED.

Maybe he was lying but he certainly wasn't putting forward a THEORY.

[DVV]

Hi Stephen,

I think he offered up a theory.

According to his theory, the killer was a "sexual maniac of a virulent type".

From the immediate vicinity.

Perhaps living alone (= not a dosser).

But most likely with his "people", who were reluctant to bring him to "Gentile justice".

And it's only when the police found the guy, who turned out to be a Jew, that his theory "proved to be correct".
Anderson's "diagnosis" actually means "correct theory".

Amitiés,
David

[Pontius2000]

I'm not entirely sure that Anderson (or Swanson) actually believed that Kosminski was the killer. He could've said that as a cover up.

I think it is very likely that Anderson was McNaughton's source of information relating to Druitt. This seems to be a possibility considering the letter of Anderson's that was donated to Duke University about a woman that suspected a relative of hers was the killer and that it would bring a lot of shame on the family if the truth came out. Whether or not Anderson actually believed it and covered it up to keep it confidential is another story. And, it just as likely could've been Kosminski's family. though the letter sort of hints that the lady's family is of a good social standing.