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  • Despatch from Dresden

    From Evans & Skinner:

    The letter was received at the Foreign Office on Dec 14, 1888, and the next day receipted at the Home Office by C.M. (whom I assume to be Charles Murdoch, Assistant Under-Secretary) and also forwarded to Police.

    Dresden
    11 December 1888

    My Lord,

    Regarding American German, Julius I. Lowenheim, came here this morning with a statement respecting the Whitehapel murders. He said that shortly before the occurence of the first crime he became acquainted in a “Christian Home” in Finsbury Square, with a Polish Jew one Julius Wirtkofksky, who, after consult[ting] him on a special pathological con[dition] told him that he was determined to kill the person conc[erned and] all the rest of her cl[ass] informant added, that he had recently addressed the London Police Authorities on the subject, without having received an answer.

    He further said that he could throw no light on the subsequent movements of Wirtkofsky but that he could identify him without fail.

    Lowenheim stated that his address, after the next few days would be, Poste Restante Nuremburg. It of course struck me that I had heard a similar [ ] before, and that the youth’s object was to accomplish a journey to London, gratis.

    However, he showed no anxiety in that respect, and the impression which he made upon me was not unfavourable.

    [signature &c. illegible.]

    ---------------------------------------------------

    Charles Van Onselen wondered aloud if one of the people he researched is this man, one Ze’ev Wulf Witkofsky/Wilkowski, sometimes Wilf or Wolf, who turns up in recorded history in the prostitution trade in South Africa at the turn of the century. However, the author could not trace his antecedents, or verify his presence in London in 1888.

    I find it an odd coincidence that Julius is the first name of the young doctor, and of the man he reported.

    Roy
    Sink the Bismark

  • #2
    I don't interpret Lowenheim as having been a doctor. The consulting on a special pathological condition phrase seems to just be a Victorian way of talking around the fact that two men had been sitting around a lodging house discussing V.D. and prostitutes.

    Dan Norder
    Ripper Notes: The International Journal for Ripper Studies
    Web site: www.RipperNotes.com - Email: dannorder@gmail.com

    Comment


    • #3
      Could this be your man?



      His occupation is listed as "Textil"
      Regards Mike

      Comment


      • #4
        Thank you Dan & Mike

        The Mr. Lowenheim in the link appears to be a German man, 34 years old at the time, married and raising a family with his wife. In Germany. Not the Yank who reported his suspicions of the London encounter with Wirtkofsky.

        Again, thanks gents,

        Roy
        Sink the Bismark

        Comment


        • #5
          Another possibility for Julius Lowenheim is this man. He would have been 21 years old in 1888. A "youth."

          From here Julius LOWENHEIM [N1549]
          • OCCUPATION: merchants clerk
          1901
          • OCCUPATION: clerk
          1910
          • RESIDENCE: 1901, Holloway Prison London
          • RESIDENCE: Apr 1903, 648 E 13 St New York
          • RESIDENCE: Apr 1903, St Louis MO
          • RESIDENCE: 1910, Sophia Ave 22nd Ward St Louis Missouri
          • RESIDENCE: 1930, St Charles St St Ferdinand Twp St Louis Missouri
          • BIRTH: ABT 1867, Berlin
          • DEATH: 7 Sep 1933
          • BURIAL: New Mount Sinai Cemetery, St Louis Missouri

          Death Cert here (has a different year of birth, 1870, but same date of death)

          lowenhimDMo.pdf
          Sink the Bismark

          Comment


          • #6
            2 questions

            Hello All. I noticed this again in Evans and Skinner.

            1. Does anyone understand the significance of the “Christian Home” in Finsbury Square?

            2. Was Julius Lowenheim possibly of Jewish extraction?

            Cheers.
            LC

            Comment


            • #7
              Hi All,

              Finsbury Square, 1888—

              No. 14, Young Women's Christian Association, Miss H.S. Baldwin, Superintendent.

              No. 28, German Young Men's Home, C.H. Feldman, Secretary

              No. 28, Young Men's Christian Association, W. Muller, Secretary

              Regards,

              Simon
              Never believe anything until it has been officially denied.

              Comment


              • #8
                rabbi

                Hello Simon. Thanks.

                I have researched "Lowenheim." One of two was a rabbi.

                Cheers.
                LC

                Comment


                • #9
                  identified

                  Hello Roy, Simon. To put this another way: Lowenheim claimed that he could identify Wirtkofsky. Was he ever taken to identify him? If Wirtkofsky, the Polish Jew, was identified, and KNEW that he was identified . . .

                  Cheers.
                  LC

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Lynn, I hadn't thought of that, a witness.

                    Here is the Julius Lowenheim I located. Is this the 'American German,' the 'youth' who spoke to the consul at Dresden about his conversation in London? In 1888? I don't know. Notice Julius and wife Sarah were born Germany and married in 1891, and daughter Zerlina born in 1892. But also notice in 1901 Julius was in Holloway Prison, London, while wife & daughter were at 634 Commercial Road, Limehouse, London. They immigrated to America at some point.

                    * Julius LOWENHEIM
                    ABT 1867 - 7 Sep 1933
                    OCCUPATION: merchants clerk 1901
                    OCCUPATION: clerk 1910
                    OCCUPATION: Manager .... & Meat 1920
                    OCCUPATION: restauranteur 1933
                    RESIDENCE: 1901, Holloway Prison London
                    RESIDENCE: Apr 1903, 648 E 13 St New York
                    RESIDENCE: Apr 1903, St Louis MO
                    RESIDENCE: 1910, Sophia Ave 22nd Ward St Louis Missouri
                    RESIDENCE: 1920, Spring Ave St Louis
                    RESIDENCE: 1930, St Charles St St Ferdinand Twp St Louis Missouri
                    RESIDENCE: Bet. 1931 - 1933, Natural Bridge Bridgeton Missouri
                    BIRTH: ABT 1867, Berlin 51 in 1920 born Alsace Lorraine
                    DEATH: 7 Sep 1933, Jewish Hospital, St Louis, Missouri bronchopneumonia; age 63 years, 7 months 21 days
                    BURIAL: 10 Sep 1933, New Mount Sinai Cemetery, St Louis Missouri
                    Father: Moritz LOWENHEIM
                    Mother: Zerline JACOBY

                    Family 1 : Sarah JACOBI
                    MARRIAGE: ABT 1891
                    Zerlina LOWENHEIM

                    * Wife Sarah JACOBI
                    5 Dec 1869 - 1 Jun 1940
                    OCCUPATION: restauranteur
                    RESIDENCE: 1901, 634 Commercial Rd Limehouse London
                    RESIDENCE: 1920, Spring Ave St Louis Missouri
                    RESIDENCE: 1930, St Charles St St Ferdinand Twp St Louis Missouri
                    RESIDENCE: 1940, 9900 Natural Bridge St Louis
                    BIRTH: 5 Dec 1869, Germany
                    DEATH: 1 Jun 1940, Jewish Hospital, St Louis
                    BURIAL: New Mount Sinai Cemetery, St Louis Missouri
                    Father: Jacob JACOBI
                    Mother: SCHOENGRUBER

                    Family 1 : Julius LOWENHEIM
                    MARRIAGE: ABT 1891
                    Zerlina LOWENHEIM

                    * Daughter Zerlina LOWENHEIM
                    9 Aug 1892 - 12 Jun 1975
                    RESIDENCE: 1901, 634 Commercial Rd Limehouse London
                    RESIDENCE: Apr 1903, St Louis MO
                    RESIDENCE: 1910, Sophia Ave St Louis
                    RESIDENCE: 1930, St Charles St St Ferdinand Twp St Louis Missouri
                    RESIDENCE: 1940, 9900 Naturalbridge
                    BIRTH: 9 Aug 1892, Germany age 17 from 1910
                    DEATH: 12 Jun 1975, 91605 (North Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA)
                    BURIAL: New Mount Sinai Cemetery, St Louis Missouri
                    Father: Julius LOWENHEIM
                    Mother: Sarah JACOBI

                    Family 1 : JENKINS
                    MARRIAGE: ABT 1913

                    And Mr. Lowenheim's Missouri Death Certificate (click) which generally conforms in the particulars. (if this doesn't come up let me know and i will capture it for the screen)

                    From the St Louis newspaper
                    Sink the Bismark

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      1888

                      Julius Lowenheim was twenty one years old in 1888. It was not uncommon for a young German man to travel to London and stay for awhile, working for instance in a hotel or resturant, and then return to Germany. As to why the British Consul characterized him as an 'American German' he could have picked up some Americanisms in his speech.

                      Roy
                      Sink the Bismark

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Polish Jew

                        Hello Roy. Thanks for that.

                        This looks like the one. You will notice that there was some hint that he merely wanted a pleasant vacation to England at government expense.

                        Yes, I noticed the stay at Holloway Prison. Wonder what the charge was?

                        My biggest fascination, however, involves HM government referring to Wirtkofsky as a "Polish Jew." I am also interested in Lowenheim's claim that he could identify him. I smell a faint odour of the "Seaside Home" episode.

                        Cheers.
                        LC

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Simon Wood View Post
                          Hi All,

                          Finsbury Square, 1888—

                          No. 14, Young Women's Christian Association, Miss H.S. Baldwin, Superintendent.

                          No. 28, German Young Men's Home, C.H. Feldman, Secretary

                          No. 28, Young Men's Christian Association, W. Muller, Secretary

                          Regards,

                          Simon

                          Hello Simon,


                          Dr. Frederick Gordon Brown ((b 1843, d. 1928)
                          of 6, North Buildings, Eldon Street, Finsbury Circus.

                          About how far from Finsbury Square is Eldon Street, do you know by chance?

                          best wishes

                          Phil
                          Chelsea FC. TRUE BLUE. 💙


                          Justice for the 96 = achieved
                          Accountability? ....

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Hello Simon,

                            Have found the answer..



                            Just around the corner, I believe.


                            best wishes

                            Phil
                            Chelsea FC. TRUE BLUE. 💙


                            Justice for the 96 = achieved
                            Accountability? ....

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Eldon rd

                              Hello Phil. Good grief! I thought PC Watkins lived on Eldon Road?

                              I daresay Neil will know.

                              Cheers.
                              LC

                              Comment

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