In the winter of 1910, the life of a 19-year-old male named Thomas Kedden took a dark and mysterious turn in Wilmington, Delaware. His path crossed with that of a man who would later be known as a monstrous figure, the serial killer Albert Fish. The two entered into what has been described as a sadomasochistic relationship, though the true nature of its consensual beginnings remains clouded in uncertainty, with some accounts suggesting Kedden may have had intellectual disabilities that would
have precluded his ability to truly consent.
Their association escalated over a period of about ten days, leading Fish to lure Kedden to a desolate, old farmhouse. Within the walls of this secluded structure, a horrifying ordeal unfolded over the course of two weeks. Fish subjected Kedden to a campaign of torture that culminated in a brutal act of mutilation. After tying Kedden up, Fish severed half of his penis. In his later confessions, Fish would recall the chilling memory of his victim's scream and the unforgettable look in his eyes.
The aftermath of this brutal assault is where Thomas Kedden's story dissolves into ambiguity. Fish, by his own account, had initially intended to kill Kedden and dismember his body. However, a fear of being discovered due to the potential for the body to decompose in the hot weather purportedly caused him to abandon his plan. Instead of ending his life, Fish claimed he disinfected the severe wound, applied petroleum jelly, and wrapped it with a handkerchief. He then left Kedden in the abandoned farmhouse, leaving behind a ten-dollar bill and a kiss before fleeing the scene.
From that point on, what became of Thomas Kedden is unknown. There are no available records detailing whether he succumbed to his grievous injuries or if he managed to survive the horrific attack. The incident did not lead to any immediate investigation, and no arrests were made at the time. The details of this gruesome event only came to light years later, as part of the chilling confessions of Albert Fish after he was apprehended for a multitude of other heinous crimes against children. While Fish was eventually executed in 1936 for his other murders, the case of Thomas Kedden was not a central point of the legal proceedings against him, leaving the final chapter of the young man's life an unanswered question.
