Kosminski case notes;Allegations of threatening behaviour

[Hunter]

Hi Scorpio
In Rob Houses' recent book on AK he believes the most likely scenario is that the ID took place during AK's first visit to the workhouse. But he was only there for several days so I have a little difficulty seeing how his admittance to the workhouse, the staff informing the police of the knife incident, the police coming to the conclusion he could be JtR and an ID would be necessary, Lining up the witness, and conducting the ID (with difficulty) all could have taken place so quickly within several days. For this all to have happened, and the following events (from Swanson) of the subsequent surveillance of AK by the police and his return to the workhouse after the surveillance "with his hands tied behind his back" I think that the police must have been informed of the knife incident BEFORE he was sent to the workhouse (to allow for more time to set up and conduct the ID). And the only way I think they could have been informed before would have been by the family.

That is a very plausible theory. Its quite possible, given the short time that Kozminski was at the workhouse on that occasion, that the whole arrangement was made to place Aaron in an inconspicuous, but controlled environment, to facilitate an ID attempt. Swanson may have implied that the entire arrangement... getting him placed in the workhouse and transported to the Seaside Home for identification was done 'with difficulty'.

Having no hard evidence to arrest him as a result, Swanson was forced to release Aaron into his brother's custody and let the City CID maintain surveillance upon him until the family had finally had enough and let him be committed.

In regards to the threatening his sister with a knife episode...it didn't take much to come under suspicion at that time... just look at Ostrog... especially if you add the 'lunatic' factor to the equation. Rightly or wrongly, the authorities had their 'profile' of the murderer and without hard evidence against anyone, did the next best thing in their minds by locating every man that fit the profile, have him put away or watched until that could be accomplished. Houchin was an H Division physician, deliberately placed where he could process and evaluate the 'lunatics' coming through the system in the aftermath of the murders, in my opinion.

Kozminski was probably one of many 'lunatics' who were under suspicion, watched, institutionalized and even submitted to ID attempts in the months and even years after the height of the murders had ceased. For some reason, he became Swanson's favored suspect and, thus, Anderson's Jack the Ripper.

[Abby Normal]

That is a very plausible theory. Its quite possible, given the short time that Kozminski was at the workhouse on that occasion, that the whole arrangement was made to place Aaron in an inconspicuous, but controlled environment, to facilitate an ID attempt. Swanson may have implied that the entire arrangement... getting him placed in the workhouse and transported to the Seaside Home for identification was done 'with difficulty'.

Having no hard evidence to arrest him as a result, Swanson was forced to release Aaron into his brother's custody and let the City CID maintain surveillance upon him until the family had finally had enough and let him be committed.

In regards to the threatening his sister with a knife episode...it didn't take much to come under suspicion at that time... just look at Ostrog... especially if you add the 'lunatic' factor to the equation. Rightly or wrongly, the authorities had their 'profile' of the murderer and without hard evidence against anyone, did the next best thing in their minds by locating every man that fit the profile, have him put away or watched until that could be accomplished. Houchin was an H Division physician, deliberately placed where he could process and evaluate the 'lunatics' coming through the system in the aftermath of the murders, in my opinion.

Kozminski was probably one of many 'lunatics' who were under suspicion, watched, institutionalized and even submitted to ID attempts in the months and even years after the height of the murders had ceased. For some reason, he became Swanson's favored suspect and, thus, Anderson's Jack the Ripper.

Hi Hunter
good post.

Another possibility is that the ID took place in between the visits to the workhouse. In this scenario, perhaps while he was at the workhouse the first time the DR/staff hear of the knife incident (which precipitated his family bringing him to the workhouse the first time). They notify police, AK is discharged. The police go back and look at their lists from the previous house to house search and find AK's name and then set up the ID and subsequent ID. In this scenario then the family does not notify the police-its the workhouse- and the ID takes place sometime in between visits to the workhouse.

[Scorpio]

Hi Scorpio
Perhaps they did not. Maybe they only went to the police and told them about the knife incident and the police then made the inference.

But why would it be a foolhardy thing to tell the police there suspicions that there mentally deranged brother was JtR?

He was a burden to them
He was now a threat

and if they beleived (or somehow knew he was JtR) I would think it would be a great relief to them. I am sure they knew he was insane so they probably knew he would wind up in an asylum where he belonged and not on the gallows. And of course they would be doing themselves and society good by getting jack the ripper off the streets.

The police would not betray a confidence, i am sure, but they are accountable to the state, and had the police been at liberty to arrest and charge Aaron, then i suppose they would have done so. The East End was a volatile place and anti semetic behaviour by a minority of its citizens was possible. The Goulston St message, which was the only real piece of evidence found, was wantonly destroyed for such a reason.