Trickey-McHenry Affair

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Steveads2004
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Trickey-McHenry Affair

Post by Steveads2004 »

Looking for opinions on this. Why did Lizzie not sue and then own the Boston Globe? I believe it was in the Brown book that I read there was too much truth in the allegations and Lizzie could not afford to have it come out, so she let it all go. This was a HUGE scandal! The Globe should have been put right out of business by Lizzie's lawyers over this.
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InterestedReader
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Re: Trickey-McHenry Affair

Post by InterestedReader »

I've found it too interesting to dismiss. The paper openly stated the names of the informants had been changed and it may be this offered some protection against libel charges. But you hear the constant complaint that these people cannot be found and they 'did not exist'. It's perfectly possible to identify some of them. The part of the story about Lizzie's pregnancy descends to the lowest level and is far from credible, but it's of interest to view it as a reflection of what readers were disposed to believe. Most crucially though there's a clutch of citizens exhibiting bad blood towards the Bordens and prepared to air extreme hostilities beyond the usual share of mean-spiritedness in a community. One does wonder why.
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NancyDrew
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Re: Trickey-McHenry Affair

Post by NancyDrew »

What happened to Edwin McHenry? I know Trickey died a rather tragic death (falling under a moving train) in Canada, but I cannot find out anything regarding McHenry, save for one mention that he moved to Buffalo (I don't know if this is indeed true.)

Perhaps, and this is just my speculation...Lizzie felt as if the best course was to simply let the whole thing die down. The paper not only issued an apology to her, but they switched coverage to being sympathetic to her cause.

She never exhibited much emotion. Except for 2 cases of "swooning" in the courtroom (which I suspect might have been orchestrated by her attorneys beforehand) she was practically stoic in her outward appearance. She didn't freak out when she found her father, never became hysterical or sobbed (reactions which I think wouldn't be inappropriate) and in general, carried herself quietly and with dignity.

Suing the Globe would have brought more attention and speculation to the whole pregnancy story. It would have engendered even MORE gossip about her private life....more reporters, detectives, nosy folk. You get my drift...Just my 2 cents here..
Steveads2004
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Re: Trickey-McHenry Affair

Post by Steveads2004 »

That is as likely an explanation as any, but it makes you wonder who said what and where the seeds of this story originated. Where are the specific kernels of truth in it?
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InterestedReader
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Re: Trickey-McHenry Affair

Post by InterestedReader »

Well that's weird...

I was just looking round at reports of the retraction and apology, and looking for news of Detective McHenry - who went on the run, basically, it was a mess - when one newspaper blames Dr Bowen for being the source of the story. I've not seen that before.
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NancyDrew
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Re: Trickey-McHenry Affair

Post by NancyDrew »

Maybe I'm reading this differently, but what the article you posted seems to say to me is that the source of the story about Lizzie's "physical condition" being NOT TRUE is the Bowens. In other words, they provided statements that proved McHenry's allegations to be false.
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InterestedReader
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Re: Trickey-McHenry Affair

Post by InterestedReader »

Oh yes! I misread.
As you were.

I'd read the same formula over and over in different titles & then there was this sudden Bowen addition.
(I think it's the past tense second sentence which threw me... It could be better put :grin: )
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InterestedReader
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Re: Trickey-McHenry Affair

Post by InterestedReader »

I've been rereading the Trickey McHenry report in the Witness Statements. It seems to be Officer Harrington's work, all the way. I've not yet seen any discussion of this but woo is it weird. Harrington hides himself in a Providence office - in a cupboard - and transcribes absolutely reams of alleged conversation between these sly foxes. He does so twice, and with the second you can add Mrs McHenry to the histrionic melée. Quite honestly it's like the most amateurish piece of play-writing - he even has them say "Begorre". So Harrington is hid in a cupboard to hear McHenry relate among much else how the missus hid under a bed while working flat out as a stenographer to record Lizzie talking to lawyers... And there's even a third sort of Chinese box with more concealed eavesdropping - which gets confusing. Oh there's some wonderful headline stuff in there about Lizzie and What Bridget Knows and a plan to "Get Bridget Out the Country" and how crooked everyone is among the police and lawyers...But it's the sheer length of Harrington's dialogue-ings which defies belief - he's really getting all this inside a cupboard? There's something naive about it too. Harrington writes these 'reports' like he's addicted to cheap crime fiction.
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