Who Struck the Match?

[Mike Covell]

The following statements appeared in The Hull Daily Mail on October 1st 1888. The first paragraph is from the introduction to the Berner-street murder,

A member of the club named Kozebrodski, but familiarly known as “Isaacs,” returned with Diemshitz into the court, and the former struck a match while the latter lifted the body up. It was at once apparent that the woman was dead.

The second paragraph looks at Louis Diemschutz, and his role in the events,

THE STEWARD’S STATEMENT
Louis Diemschutz known in this report as Lewis Diemshitz
One of the members, who is known as Isaacs, went out with me. We struck a match.

The next paragraph is taken from Morris Eagle's statement to the newspaper,

STATEMENT OF A RUSSIAN JEW
I went and struck a match, and then I could see there was blood on the ground.

Finally we have Diemschutz's statement,

STATEMENT OF A RUSSIAN POLE
Mr Diemshitz called me out into the yard, and told me to come and see what it was. When we got outside he struck a match, and when we looked down on the ground we could see a long stream of blood.

Diemschutz say’s “We struck a match,” meaning himself and Isaac’s.
Eagle say’s “I struck a match,” meaning himself.
Isaac’s say’s “He struck a match,” meaning Diemschutz.

So the question is, who struck the match?

[Howard Brown]

As if the Case isn't puzzling enough,eh Mike?

Nice find faulty one.:kiss:

[Sam Flynn]

... let's not start any flame-wars!

[Mike Covell]

To make matters worse, the newspaper simply fails everytime to get certain surnames and locations spelt correctly!

[Debra Arif]

Mike, I think Tom Wescott may have mentioned the striking of the match discrepancy in one of his Berner st series articles for Ripper Notes...can't remember what his conclusion to it was at the moment though and haven't got the article to hand.

[Mike Covell]

Thanks Debs, I have Ripper Notes all the way back to 2004 so I will have a look through this afternoon.

Thank you.