Exonerating Michael Kidney - A Fresh Look at Old Myths

[mariab]

I meant, ought there not be a reference to the article first appearing in the Examiner accompanying the dissertation.

Oops, didn't notice this. As I didn't (need to) read the “dissertation“.

Except, strangely enough it seems, an article that Jennifer Pegg (Shelden) and I wrote many years ago for Ripperologist. Last time I looked, it had the original illustrations.

Might I inquire which article you're referring to Don, if it doesn't highjack too much from the thread?

Hence her {Stride's} supposed ability to speak Yiddish that was learned on the job in Stockholm.

Her understanding Yiddish would automatically occur through her Swedish anyway. Even I understand (spoken) Yiddish and can read Danish from my German. (Reading Hebrew would have been another matter altogether, which I wish I could, for Lynn to spare his money with the AF project!)

[Supe]

"at work among the Jews" might mean either 'housework' or 'prostitution'

Believe what you like, which you will anyway.

Don.

[Rubyretro]

As an add on, and something that's always intrigued me, Eddowes was initially identified as 'Pheobe the Jewess' in some early news editions.

A possible connection?

Monty

Fascinating ! ...I don't know anything about this very strange (given that Eddowes was such a chirpy english sparrow) story...what is the reference ?

[Rubyretro]

RubyRetro,

I have always thought that that the reason that Liz and Kate were targetted was that they were soliciting for clients attending Jewish Clubs

In Liz'a case the "work among the Jews" reference almost assuredly refers to her doing odd-job cleaning work for Jewish families, even as she did in Sweden. Hence her supposed ability to speak Yiddish that was learned on the job in Stockholm.

Don.

How is it possible that you can definitely assert that "at work among the Jews" can only mean that did housework for them ? She was a Prostitute
(and I think that Tom's article makes that clear), and she did do cleaning.

I will grant you that I might well be making a false assumption over that quotation : it could mean either, infact.

"at work among the Jews" might mean either 'housework' or 'prostitution' -we can't know for sure.

[Hunter]

I've read many of Tom's articles and I think this is one of his best.

This has been discussed before, but it has been awhile, so perhaps some of the members who think Kidney may have been Stride's killer would like to comment upon Tom's take on this.

[Steven Russell]

Thanks for confirming that, Don. Didn't know he/she was called the shabbos-goy. Who says religion is crazy?

Best wishes,
Steve.

[Monty]

As an add on, and something that's always intrigued me, Eddowes was initially identified as 'Pheobe the Jewess' in some early news editions.

A possible connection?

Monty

[Supe]

Steven,

Yes, the so-called shabbos-goy who would do all sorts of tasks on the Sabbath denied observing Jews, like starting fires and the like.

Don.

[Steven Russell]

This is probably not relevant at all but I have read of Jewish families employing gentiles to perform certain tasks for them on the Sabbath since there were many things they were forbidden to do. Apparently, the young Elvis had such a Saturday job with a Jewish family in Memphis.

Best wishes,
Steve.

[Supe]

RubyRetro,

I have always thought that that the reason that Liz and Kate were targetted was that they were soliciting for clients attending Jewish Clubs

In Liz'a case the "work among the Jews" reference almost assuredly refers to her doing odd-job cleaning work for Jewish families, even as she did in Sweden. Hence her supposed ability to speak Yiddish that was learned on the job in Stockholm.

Don.

[Rubyretro]

Hi Tom -I just read your article/dissertation and thought it one of the best written, and best supported, bits of writing that I've had the pleasure to read in Ripper Land.

Two bits leapt out at me though -you claim that that one example of Liz lying, was her claim to having a deformed palate. Garry Wroe cleaned up the photo of Liz dead in the morgue, and she clearly had a deformed lip. This coralated with Neal Sheldon's statement that Liz was known as 'Old Mother Gum' because she had a deformed lip. Liz was clearly born with this deformity (and it couldn't have been caused by anyone putting their foot in her mouth as she escaped from The Princess Alice), but there was clearly 'some' truth in her assertion.....ok a 'palate' isn't a 'lip' -but she did have a deformed mouth.

The second bit of interest to me was :

Coroner: Did you see her during that three months?
Tanner: Yes, frequently; sometimes once a week, and at other times almost every
other day.
Coroner: Did you understand what she was doing?
Tanner: She told me that she was at work among the Jews, and was living with a
man in Fashion Street.
This exchange is very revealing, and is also quite important as it is coming from a woman who had known Stride for six or more years and had recently been spending much time with her

I have always thought that that the reason that Liz and Kate were targetted
was that they were soliciting for clients attending Jewish Clubs, the night of their deaths. The Statement about 'at work among the Jews ' (which I take as prostituting herself for jewish clients), and the mention of Fashion Street by both Liz and Kate...where there was a Synagogue....certainly gives food for thought.

[Supe]

Just how common is the last name Kidney?

For those with long memories and tenure on the boards, there was the hoaxer Arfa Kidney and his photograph of Aberline.

Don.

[Supe]

I meant, ought there not be a reference to the article first appearing in the Examiner accompanying the dissertation. And, valuable as the dissertations are (and I will admit I doubtless speak from a personal bias), they suffer some from lacking the formatting and illustrations in the original magazine article. Except, strangely enough it seems, an article that Jennifer Pegg (Shelden) and I wrote many years ago for Ripperologist. Last time I looked, it had the original illustrations.

Don.

[mariab]

The fact that anyone with that last name is related to this case makes me LOL every time I think too much about it.

As a newbie I used to find this hilarious too. It's a good thing Michael Kidney wasn't Eddowes' boyfriend, otherwise he might have been a major suspect for the Lusk letter.

[Brenda]

.

Just how common is the last name Kidney? I don't think I've ever heard of another Kidney besides Michael. The fact that anyone with that last name is related to this case makes me LOL every time I think too much about it.