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Nathan Kamisky a.k.a. Liberman??? Log Out | Topics | Search
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Casebook: Jack the Ripper - Message Boards » Suspects » Kaminski, Nathan » Nathan Kamisky a.k.a. Liberman??? « Previous Next »

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Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris

Post Number: 2155
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Wednesday, August 17, 2005 - 7:11 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Nathan Kaminski
Documented facts

24 March 1888 - Admitted to Ward BB, Whitechapel Workhouse Infirmary suffering from syphilis. Discharged as "cured" six weeks later - i.e. circa 5 May 1888.
His address was noted as 15 Black Lion Yard.
The A-Z gives his year of birth as circa 1865 (i.e. 23 years old in 1888) and having one year's residence in Whitechapel at the time of admission.

We can reasonably infer that his place of origin would probably have been Poland or Russia and the original form of his forename may well have been Natan, anglicised into Nathan.

1881: Black Lion Yard (Whitechapel North)
1 - Families: Freedman, Palmer, Brenner
3 - Jacobs, Walman
4 - Maxey
5 - Walker, Abrahams
6 - Gotlob
7 - Andrade, Mining, Krorner, Wedge
8 - Myers
9 - Cohen, Jackson
10 - Gatlob
11 - Davis

23 - Newbury
20 - Strynisher
18 - Goldoline
16 - Cohen
14 - Kenny
12 - Rosenberg
10 - Goldberg, Abrahams

8a - Goldfarb, Karington
6a - Murphy, Nash
4a - Head, Solomon, Saunders
2a (Red Lion Pub) - Edwards

It will be noted that in 1881 there is no No 15 Black Lion Yard listed.

1891:
15 Black Lion Yard, Whitechapel St. Mary

Residents:
Rachel Liberman (Widow) aged 52 born Russia
Children:
Harris aged 18
Pasha aged 13
Samuel aged 9
All born in Russia

Morris Morris (surname Davis struck out) aged 55 born Russia - Coffee house keeper
Leah Morris aged 38 born Russia
Chidren:
Sam aged 16 born Russia - Appentice machinist
Rachel Back aged 13 born Whitechapel - Apprentice buttonhole hand
Morris Back aged 12 born Whitechapel
Barnett Back aged 8 born Whitechapel
Michael Back aged 6 born Whitechapel
Boarders:
Israel Franks aged 24 born Russia - Collector
Aaron Woolf aged 45 born Russia - Traveller
Sarah Salovitch aged 20 born Russia - Dressmaker
Servant:
Hetty Bloom aged 19 born Russia

Couper Goodman aged 32 born Russia - Tailor
Sarah Goodman aged 28 born Russia
Children:
Kate aged 7
Esther aged 4
Rose aged 1
All born in Whitechapel

Interestingly there is one Nathan living in Black Lion Yard in 1891, and his surname is the same as the first family listed at No 15 in that year:
9 Black Lion Yard:
Head: Nathan Liberman aged 23 born Russia - Tailor
Wife: Diana Liberman aged 22 born Russia
Children:
Morris aged 1
Davis aged under 1 month
Both born in Whitechapel

Of the Liberman family living at No 15 in 1891, I have been able to trace the following in 1901:

Harris Liberman aged 30 born Russia - General Hand
Married and living at 118 Backchurch Lane

A Nathan Liberman married in London City in 1st Quarter of 1889 but on the register list there is no potential spouse named Diana. According to that list his wife's maiden name would have been either Milly Goldpinkus or Jani Capland. However, marriage in early 1889 would fit in with the ages of Liberman's two young children in 1891.

If this Nathan Liberman, born circa 1868, was the son of the widowed Rachel Liberman who was living at 15 Black Lion Yard, it is possible he was living with his widowed mother and siblings at that address in 1888, prior to his marriage in early 1889.

Why Liberman, if it were he, would have chosen to use the name Kaminsky, remains of course unknown, but the fact that it was for treatment for venereal disease may have influenced the adoption of a pseudonym.

I have yet to find Nathan Liberman or any of his immediate family, except for Harris, in the 1901 census but will post this if and when I do.

(Message edited by Chris on August 17, 2005)

(Message edited by Chris on August 17, 2005)
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Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris

Post Number: 2156
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Wednesday, August 17, 2005 - 7:17 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Here is the 1891 entry for Liberman:
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Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris

Post Number: 2157
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Wednesday, August 17, 2005 - 7:21 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

And here is the entry for the family of the same name living at 15 Black Lion yard

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Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris

Post Number: 2158
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2005 - 12:59 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

It is possible that a Harris Liberman who died in Whitechapel in March 1898 aged 25 is the one in question.

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Robert W. House
Inspector
Username: Robhouse

Post Number: 264
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2005 - 4:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Chris,

It seems that his age is not the same as Nathan Kaminsky's right? Kaminsky was supposedly 23 in 1888, Liberman would have been presumably only 20.

Rob H
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Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris

Post Number: 2159
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Friday, August 19, 2005 - 9:27 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi Rob
A valid point but I would make two points:
1) The only known documentary evidence relating to Kaminsky is the record of his entrance into Whitechapel Workhouse Infirmary where his age is given as 23. This information would have come, presumably, direct from him and I think it highly unlikely any checks would have been made to corroborate this or any any other of the information he gave.
2) I have mentioned in other contexts that age per se seems to be one of the least reliable indicatoes in the documentation we have available. Compare the ages given for Albert Backert in successive census returns! Whilst age can be useful for corroboration on occasion it seems to me unwise to dismiss or confirm a suggested identification on the ground of age alone.

Let me be clear - I am not saying categorically that Nathan Liberman was Nathan Kaminsky. But it does strike me as interesting that there was a young man with this comparatively rare forename living in Black Lion Yard, a young man, moreover, whose surname, again not a common, was identical with that of a family living in that same year at 15 Black Lion yard, the address given for kaminsky only 3 years earlier.
Chris

(Message edited by Chris on August 19, 2005)
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Robert W. House
Inspector
Username: Robhouse

Post Number: 265
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Friday, August 19, 2005 - 10:18 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Chris,

I think it is certainly an interesting idea, and I do agree with you on the age thing. It seems to me to be pretty common for people to give different ages on different documents (for whatever reason). Hopefully it is not a dead end. Most people have given up Kaminsky as "lost", meaning after May 1888 he disappeared into the fog of history. However, I feel that if anyone can find him it's you.

Rob
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Debra J. Arif
Detective Sergeant
Username: Dj

Post Number: 68
Registered: 4-2005
Posted on Monday, August 22, 2005 - 1:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi Chris
I am a bit late to this I know but interesting research.
You may already be aware of this but on March 1st 1888 one Isaac Woolfstein was admitted to the Whitechapel Infirmary from the same address of 15 Black Lion Yard.
He was a 23 year old Hebrew, single and a capmaker, he was admitted by the same doctor as Nathan Kaminsky and to the same ward BB, his complaint was 'orthitis' which I can't find a definite definition of apart from it may have something to do with swelling of the scrotum!!

As it appears that 15 Black Lion Yard was in multiple occupation in 1891, this guy has probably no connection to Nathan Kaminsky at all, but there are certain similarities in the two cases and Isaac was discharged only one week before Nathan was admitted from the same address...perhaps another alias???
Debra
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Phil Hill
Chief Inspector
Username: Phil

Post Number: 727
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Monday, August 22, 2005 - 4:01 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Chris - fascinating stuff. I take my hat off to your efforts and commitment once again.

I am increasingly certain that if we ever find new leads in this case it will come from the detailed census research you do and/or the court/legal material that AP is immersed in.

All the speculation we read on Casebook in a year is not worth one solid post like this, IMHO.

Sincerely,

Phil
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AP Wolf
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Apwolf

Post Number: 2416
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Monday, August 22, 2005 - 5:50 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Twelve brandy glasses in my wake I agree.
Don't count on me though, I drink far too much.
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Gareth W
Unregistered guest
Posted on Monday, August 22, 2005 - 4:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Debra,

That'd be "orchitis" - swelling of the testicles. Alternatively it may be a simple phonetic misspelling of "arthritis" - a far more common condition then as now.

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Debra J. Arif
Detective Sergeant
Username: Dj

Post Number: 69
Registered: 4-2005
Posted on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 - 3:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Gareth
Thanks for that, yes you are right it is plainly Orchitis.
( see below)
Actually there wasn't any arthritis listed amongst the complaints, plenty of rheumatism though.
Debra

orchitis
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Debra J. Arif
Detective Sergeant
Username: Dj

Post Number: 70
Registered: 4-2005
Posted on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 - 3:35 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Just to add ' Isaac Wolfstein' also seems absent from any other records after his entry in the Infirmary records.
I can find no likely entry for him in any census.

Also Orchitis has several causes eg. mumps but also Bacteria that cause sexually transmitted diseases (STD), such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis, can cause orchitis in sexually active men, usually aged 19-35 years.
Debra}
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Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert

Post Number: 4849
Registered: 3-2003
Posted on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 - 3:42 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi Debra

I had a quick look for Isaac, could only find Aaron Wolfstein. If memory serves, born 1865, born Russia, address Pelham St in 1891.

Robert
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Gareth W
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 - 5:27 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Debra,

Thanks for clearing that up, which is probably what poor Wolfstein hoped one day to say to his doctor!

Interesting that you point out the link with STDs and orchitis. It might simultaneously explain Jacky Boy's hatred of prostitutes and, incidentally, why he walked so silently. If he had swollen testicles he'd have had no choice but to walk v-e-r-y c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y. "Jack the Mincer" perhaps?

Only half-kidding.

[Clue - I *was* joking about the "silent walking" bit]

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