A Suspect

1888

Wood engraving, by an unknown engraver

The Illustrated Police News (15 September, 1888): detail of front cover

In contrast to the previous image, which shows a bourgeois foreigner, this illustration depicts a suspect from the Jewish trading or working classes. Several suspects were drawn from this social milieu. Most celebrated among these Jewish suspects were Aaron Kosminski, John Pizer, David Cohen, Hyam Hyams and Joseph Levy. None could be conclusively linked to the crimes although some had criminal convictions. xenophobia informed these investigations, an attitude that may have deflected the Police from more plausible suspects. [Click on the image to enlarge it, and mouse over the text for links.]

Image scan and text by Simon Cooke

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