Is Kosminski still the best suspect we have?

[Sally]

Yes. I have yet to find any attempt at counter-argument convincing - and have voted accordingly.

[barnflatwyngarde]

Harry D, good topic for a post.

I don't think Kosminski will ever go away, due mainly to Anderson and Swanson's written thoughts about him, although I am not entirely sure that the Swanson Marginalia is a total endorsement of Anderson's views.

Also I have trouble accepting that the man who so brutally butchered and dehumanised Mary Jane Kelly was calmly walking his dog a year later.

I still think that the blotchy faced man seen with Kelly by Mrs Cox is a more viable suspect than Kosminski.

This does of course assume that Hutchinson was lying.

But we all know that anyway.

Don't we?

[RockySullivan]

Would Kosminski be able to kill, eviscerate and remove organs in the pitch black in only a few minutes? There seems to be nothing to indicate he would.

[Scott Nelson]

The problem is, the two officials who privately named "Kosminski" never used a forename.

If Aaron Kosminski hadn't be adverse to using his anglicised name, "Abrahams," he would have gone down in the workhouse and asylum records as "Aaron Abrahams" -- and thus the Kosminski suspect would be lost to history. Or at the very least, it would have been extremely difficult to determine who he was in the records -- assuming name-change records and immigration records survived. But then the question would still be, can we be sure this is the correct Kosminski, the police suspect in the Whitechapel Murders?

[Monty]

The problem is, the two officials who privately named "Kosminski" never used a forename.

If Aaron Kosminski hadn't be adverse to using his anglicised name, "Abrahams," he would have gone down in the workhouse and asylum records as "Aaron Abrahams" -- and thus the Kosminski suspect would be lost to history. Or at the very least, it would have been extremely difficult to determine who he was in the records -- assuming name-change records and immigration records survived. But then the question would still be, can we be sure this is the correct Kosminski, the police suspect in the Whitechapel Murders?

And there lies the rub.

However a Kosminski is named.

Monty

[robhouse]

Also I have trouble accepting that the man who so brutally butchered and dehumanised Mary Jane Kelly was calmly walking his dog a year later.

Source? Specifically, for the "calmly" part.

RH

[PaulB]

And "walking" and "his" while we're at it.

[barnflatwyngarde]

Source? Specifically, for the "calmly" part.

RH

Good point Rob!

It is true that he may have been agitated while walking the dog, but there is no evidence that he was, and of course there is no evidence that he
wasn't.

Rebuke accepted!

I suppose I fell into the trap that that many people make when posting on the Message Boards, making an assumption that can't be proved.

I am a newbie, I'll learn.
Hopefully!

[Fisherman]

no question, he was a MAJOR suspect at one time.

For whom, apart from Anderson?

The best,
Fisherman

[barnflatwyngarde]

And "walking" and "his" while we're at it.

I only meant that the dog was under his "control".

Kosminski the loving pet owner............what are the odds?????

[RockySullivan]

I'm not knowledgable about Koz at all, can someone fill me in on the details of his self abuse? Why is Koz considered to have been a "chronic masturbator" or someone who masturbated more than usual? If Koz did frequently masturbate in public or in front of us others, this would be the one and only thing about him that might fit the ripper profile, and it's not a very strong point at that.

[Fisherman]

I only meant that the dog was under his "control".

Kosminski the loving pet owner............what are the odds?????

Paul is pointing out that it was not Kosminskis dog, barnflat.

Then again, that does not diminish your point - I think it is kind of hard to believe that the Ripper was a man who walked peopleīs dogs for them. Not much evidence as such, but there you are.

The best,
Fisherman

[Fisherman]

I'm not knowledgable about Koz at all, can someone fill me in on the details of his self abuse? Why is Koz considered to have been a "chronic masturbator" or someone who masturbated more than usual? If Koz did frequently masturbate in public or in front of us others, this would be the one and only thing about him that might fit the ripper profile, and it's not a very strong point at that.

Can you think of one serial killer that frequently masturbated in public? I canīt.

As for Kosminskiīs masturbation sessions, they are hotly debated. Some say he did, some say he didnīt, so there are two schools - surprise!

The best,
Fisherman

[RockySullivan]

Can you think of one serial killer that frequently masturbated in public? I canīt.

As for Kosminskiīs masturbation sessions, they are hotly debated. Some say he did, some say he didnīt, so there are two schools - surprise!

The best,
Fisherman

I can't think of any but Wikipedia lists compulsive masturbation as a characteristic of lust serial killers. What evidence or reports are that Koz was a compulsive masturbator other than self abuse being listed on his asylum record? Anything at all?

[Monty]

Can you think of one serial killer that frequently masturbated in public? I canīt.

As for Kosminskiīs masturbation sessions, they are hotly debated. Some say he did, some say he didnīt, so there are two schools - surprise!

The best,
Fisherman

Dahmer, Shawcross...apologies, you said one.

Monty