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Who and When: Identifying Stride

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  • Who and When: Identifying Stride

    Hello all,

    I've always been a bit puzzled about something so I thought Id put it out here and see if anyone has any ideas.

    Elizabeth Stride was said to have been identified by print time Monday October 1st, as in the Daily News:..."The body found in Berner-street has been identified as that of Elizabeth Stride". And the Echo on the 1st:"The only other prominent fact yet made public is that Stride was seen in the company of a man, the description of whom tallies in some degree with that of the mysterious companion of Chapman". And the Evening News of the same day; " It was late in the afternoon, however, before any one was able to say they knew her. Eventually she was identified as Elizabeth Stride, familiarly known as Long Lizzie, who had been living at a common lodging-house, No. 32, Flower and Dean-street and who plied her painful trade in the neighbourhood".

    Interestingly though, to me at least, at the opening of the Inquest the jury Foreman stated he thought the Inquest was for Liz Stride and asked why the Inquest was in her name if the victim was not identified, and the Coroner replied; "That (the Stride ID) was a mistake. Something is known of the deceased, but she has not been fully identified. It would be better at present to describe her as a woman unknown. She has been partially identified. It is known where she lived. It was thought at the beginning of the inquest that she had been identified by a relative, but that turns out to have been a mistake."

    The next day the Inquest resumed and by far the longest and most involved witness presentation is by Mary Malcolm, who was sure the dead woman was her sister, Elizabeth Watts.

    My question is this; If the address of the deceased was known (by the Coroner), and papers published the name of the victim in their October 1st editions, and the Inquest is opened on Oct 1st using the victim name Elizabeth Stride (by the Jury Foreman), then why are we entertained by Mary Malcolm on Tuesday the 2nd?

    It would seem they knew who Liz was early on Oct the 1st.

    Best regards
    Michael Richards

  • #2
    That's how Wynne Baxter operated.
    Best Wishes,
    Hunter
    ____________________________________________

    When evidence is not to be had, theories abound. Even the most plausible of them do not carry conviction- London Times Nov. 10.1888

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    • #3
      We see examples of this all the time.

      Regardless what was written in the media, until the Coroner is presented with sufficient evidence the body will remain unidentified. Only when the Coroner is satisfied and her name is officially recorded will the authorities recognize her identity.

      Its not much different to the discovery of a dismembered body, but waiting for the doctor to arrive to declare the body 'dead'.

      Regards, Jon S.
      Regards, Jon S.

      Comment


      • #4
        Martha Tabram was believed to be a Mrs. Whithers for a time, and then Mrs. Whithers showed up alive, and Henry Turner showed up to identify her.

        As for Stride, the police were strangely reticent to allow very many people to view her body, even people who stated they believed they knew her and gave the name of Stride.

        Yours truly,

        Tom Wescott

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        • #5
          Thanks for the replies folks. It also seems odd to me that the claim of identifying the victim as Liz Stride was called a "mistake" by the coroner, despite the fact that the little bits of information had led them to her lodging house.

          How would she be partially identified exactly, and if so, how did that partial ID lead to her recent housing?

          Best regards
          Michael Richards

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          • #6
            I understand she was identified by her nephew-by-marriage, who recognised her from the picture in the paper. If I am not mistaken, he was a constable.

            Greetings,

            Addy

            Comment


            • #7
              The Mistake

              Originally posted by Michael W Richards View Post
              Thanks for the replies folks. It also seems odd to me that the claim of identifying the victim as Liz Stride was called a "mistake" by the coroner, despite the fact that the little bits of information had led them to her lodging house.

              How would she be partially identified exactly, and if so, how did that partial ID lead to her recent housing?

              Best regards
              Hi Michael,

              I suspect she was known to be Stride but hadn't been formally identified as such. The 'mistake' would thus be the accurate, but premature release of the name.

              Regards, Bridewell.
              I won't always agree but I'll try not to be disagreeable.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Bridewell View Post
                Hi Michael,

                I suspect she was known to be Stride but hadn't been formally identified as such. The 'mistake' would thus be the accurate, but premature release of the name.

                Regards, Bridewell.
                I suppose thats reasonable Bridewell, but consider this.....if they had tracked her down to her residence before the Inquest, then they had a source that knew her, and they could then go to the lodging house to get confirmation of that source. Did they need to have a family member ID her? Obviously preferable, ... not legally required though.

                My issue is that if they had information they had obtained that led them to the lodging house...then they had a surname, they knew she was an immigrant and as such might have no other family in London, and they had the residents of the lodging house and the original source that led them there to ID her.

                They opened the Inquest into the death of Elizabeth Stride. Then during the Inquest said she was only "partly" identified.[/I]Then they presented Mary Malcolm with the Watts story.

                Thats an odd sequence of events to my eye.

                Cheers Bridewell.
                Michael Richards

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