1. Aaron Kosminski
By: Dan Tobin
Period 8

2. Background Born in Klodawa, in Congress Poland Born September 11, 1865
Died March 24, 1919
Father- Abram Jozef Kozminski
Tailor
Mother- Golda Lubnowska
Emigrated from Poland to Britain in 1880 or 1881
Likely with his sisters’ families
Father either died or abandoned family (did not go with them)
Became a barber in Whitechapel
May have only worked sporadically
Possibly accepted financial aid from his sisters’ families or even lived with them
Known to be insane
Had been since at least 1885
Insanity diagnosed
Auditory hallucinations
Paranoid fear of being fed by other people (ate food off of the street)
Refusal to bathe or wash

3. Jack the Ripper Very famous serial killer Never caught Whitechapel
1888
“Autumn Of Terror”
Never caught
“Foreigner, over 40 years of age, dark complexion, shabby-genteel”

4. Crimes Crime Date Victim Punishment Threatened sister with knife
February 1891
Sister (unharmed)
Incarcerated in Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum
First “Ripper” murder
August 31, 1888
Mary Ann Nichols
Suspect (never caught)
Second “Ripper” murder
September 8, 1888
Annie Chapman
Third “Ripper” murder
September 30, 1888
Elizabeth Stride
Fourth “Ripper” murder
Catherine Eddowes
Fifth “Ripper” murder
November 9, 1888
Mary Kelly

5. Most recent crime (1888) Mary Kelly’s murder November 9, 1888
Kelly’s corpse discovered around 10:45 a.m. by landlord looking to collect rent
Most mutilated of the “Ripper’s” corpses
More time
Face mutilated beyond recognition
Nose, ears, and lips partially removed
Doctor’s belief about killer
No medical experience
“In each case the mutilation was inflicted by a person who had no scientific nor anatomical knowledge. In my opinion he does not even possess the technical knowledge of a butcher or horse slaughterer or a person accustomed to cut up dead animals.”
Disturbed yet? Just wait….

6. Evidence Lack of medical experience George Hutchinson Elizabeth Prater
Kosminski was a barber
George Hutchinson
Man entered Kelly’s room with her around 3 a.m.
Small moustache
Dark hair
“Jewish appearance”
Fits Kosminski well
Elizabeth Prater
Awakened at 4 a.m. by her kitten
Heard someone cry “Oh, murder!”
Sarah Lewis heard it too
Common phrase in Whitechapel (ignored)
Kosminski’s upbringing
Father dead or left
Possibly abusive mother
Distrust/hatred of women
DNA evidence (new)
Shawl from Catherine Eddowes
His DNA
No sentence (never caught)

7. Quote from Jack the Ripper
From Hell Letter
Letter received by head of Whitechapel Vigilance Committee
Hundreds received, this one believed to be real (no “Jack the Ripper”)
Half of a human kidney
From hell
Mr Lusk
Sor
I send you half the
Kidne I took from one women
prasarved it for you tother pirce
I fried and ate it was very nise I
may send you the bloody knif that
took it out if you only wate a whil
longer.
signed
Catch me when
you Can
Mishter Lusk.
From hell,
Mr. Lusk, I send you half the kidney I took from one woman. I preserved it for you. The other piece I fried and ate. It was very nice. I may send you the bloody knife that took it out if you only wait a while longer.
Signed,
Catch me when you Can
Mister Lusk.

8. Cultural References Books Movies Video game From Hell
Historical fiction
The Complete History of Jack the Ripper
Non-fiction
Movies
“From Hell”
Based on book
“Hands of the Ripper”
“Shanghai Knights”
Jack the Ripper (comedic appearance)
Video game
“Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate”
Jack the Ripper

9. Cultural References Songs Jack the Ripper- Clarence Stacey
Scotland Yard will never catch him, he's too clever
He's much too clever
But if they do, man they'll catch: The Ripper!
The Ripper, Jack The Ripper
Well, the streets of London kinda never safe
Whenever Jack The Ripper shows his face
So, you pretty little girlies, take a-my advice
And don't walk the streets of London late at night
When he walks down the streets
Every girl he meets he says; is your name Mary Kelly?

10. Sociological theory
I believe that Aaron Kosminski would fall into the behavioral theory. The Behavioral theory says that criminal behavior is learned through a person’s day-to-day experiences. Aaron Kosminski is unlikely to have had a good childhood, having been born in Poland. Poland at the time was extremely poor, with many families living in one-room houses together. At the time that Kosminski lived in Poland, the country was ruled by the Russian Empire and open anti-Semitism was practiced and endorsed. The Jewish were blamed for most problems in Russia, and law enforcement was often reluctant to help Jews during the frequent attacks that they were targeted with. This may have lead to their emigration in the 1880’s, and could likely have caused Aaron to have a great distrust of society and authority. Aaron’s father did not emigrate with the family, however, and it’s quite likely that he had either died or abandoned the family, as was quite common. This would’ve contributed to Aaron’s already unstable mental state, as he was also diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia. It also could’ve lead to Aaron distrusting women, as they had a larger role in his family (mother, and two sisters,) and he may have associated his poor childhood and treatment with women because of the absence of his father. He also may have blamed his mother for his father’s leaving. Aaron Kosminski learned in Poland at a young age that Jews were responsible for most of the world’s problems, that violence towards them was not only overlooked, but encouraged, and that women had a large role in his unfortunate childhood. All of this would’ve caused strain on Aaron’s mind, and, combined with his diagnosed insanity and paranoid schizophrenia, may well have pushed him over the edge and lead to his becoming Jack the Ripper. At a young age, he learned that violence was acceptable, and even encouraged by society, and this falls under the Behavioral Theory.

11. THE END (good luck sleeping tonight)