Possible Repercussions from Anderson Revealing the Ripper's Identity

[Robert]

Hi Harry

Well, it's Ripperworld - nothing is ever straightforward or simple.

[Harry D]

Hi Harry

If Scott's right poor Aaron wasn't Jack at all, being at most a witness, if that. But tracing Isaac and family is a very tall order.

I was just amused by the bathos, Robert, s'all.

Where Kosminski's concerned, I'm undecided. He's referenced by three senior policemen, and you'd like to think they had sufficient grounds for suspecting him other than him being an oddball who liked to jerk his gherkin in public. And there's the small matter of the alleged identification, which I believe happened, but the circumstances are no less puzzling.

[Robert]

Hi Harry

If Scott's right poor Aaron wasn't Jack at all, being at most a witness, if that. But tracing Isaac and family is a very tall order.

[Harry D]

Actually Michael, I possibly have to correct myself. Perhaps I was thinking of the virtual flowers feature here :

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...GRid=135577377

Haha. I love that.

It went from vandals desecrating his grave to trolls posting comments online.

[Robert]

Yes, it's very difficult. In fact it's bloody difficult.

[Scott Nelson]

Yes Robert. But the problem is that he and his family completely disappear after the April 1891 census. And I can't say if they were there a couple of years earlier. I think the recorded birthplaces of the children indicate they had been in London since about 1870. Somebody may be able to trace them back earlier through voting records or whatever, but I can't. The possibility remains that they may have anglicized their last name as well.

[Robert]

Hi Scott

Do you still hanker after Isaac of Goulston St?

[Scott Nelson]

Then, of course, the question may be: did workhouse and asylum authorities document Kosminski by an anglicized name, say "Cohen", or something else to protect the Kosminski namesake?

Swanson and Macnaghten used the name "Kosminski" only in private writings.

[Robert]

Actually Michael, I possibly have to correct myself. Perhaps I was thinking of the virtual flowers feature here :

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=135577377

[Herlock Sholmes]

Yes indeed. Even c110 years later, Aaron Kosminski's grave was defaced when the shawl theory came out.

I didn't know that.

Londoners certainly know how to hold a grudge

[Robert]

Yes indeed. Even c110 years later, Aaron Kosminski's grave was defaced when the shawl theory came out.

[Scott Nelson]

There would have been repercussions against Kosminski families living in London at the time.

[c.d.]

From a strictly financial standpoint, the money generated by sales of a book that names the identity of the Ripper could far outweigh the fear of a possible libel suit. The key word here being possible. If the named killer came from a poor family, they might not have the resources to hire an attorney and furthermore they might not want the resultant publicity. They might opt instead to keep as low a profile as possible.

On the other hand, a reputable publishing company might want to protect its reputation and would not chance being involved in any way in a libel suit.

c.d.

[PaulB]

Wickarman,
Thanks. Precisely.

[Phil Carter]

Anderson did suggest this as a possible route in Blackwoods, pt. VI, March 1910; "..provided the publishers would accept all responsibility in view of a possible libel action."

I assumed that, 1) they never did, or that, 2) this was a ploy by Anderson to cover the fact he was only guessing at the identity of the killer.

Jon S.

Hello Jon,

The lack of comment after Blackwood's would suggest that publishers did consider it- and may well have realised, or been told, that Anderson was combining his penchant for 'moral guilt' and an unfinished, unprovable story.

The question always returns to Anderson's words. Are they trustworthy? Are they embellished? Are they wishful thinking? Are they made to make him look better? Are they false?

To me, opinion only- the way Anderson embellished and changed the manner of his departure from Scotland Yard, as proven by Simon Wood's research of official papers has shown Anderson's clear first impulse to colour his own reputation.

I therefore suggest that Anderson's words are not trustworthy, making the original question by c.d. redundant, imho.

Best wishes

Phil