Saturday, February 8, 2025
Innocent Man in a Felon's Cell.
Saturday, February 1, 2025
Bloody Butchery.
“Aha, God damn you, I’ve got you now!” Shouted Antenat, and with one slash of the knife, he severed Kever’s carotid artery and jugular vein. “He never cut the throat of a hog and drew the dripping knife away more deliberately and with more complacency.” Said the Indiana State Sentinel.
With his dying breath, Kevers said, “I’m gone. Go, Billy, I’m killed.”
Antenat tried to stab Lowman in the chest, but Lowman dodged it and fled down the street. Antenat chased him for half a block, then turned back the other way and went to the home of his employer, Frederick Grafenstein.
He told Grafenstein what he had done, and Grafenstein advised him to go to the police station and turn himself in. Antenat agreed. On his way downtown, he was overtaken by Police Officer Minor, who escorted him to Central Station.
Lowman told the police that the attack had been unprovoked. He and Kever had stopped into Sprandel’s Saloon to get a beer. They saw the murderer in the saloon but had no difficulty with him. Antenat told a different story. He said the two men had tried to make him pay for their beers, and when he refused, they abused him for being a butcher.
The victim, Robert Kever, was a 23-year-old grocer of German descent. His reputation was generally good, but he was quarrelsome and known to be a bully. “In short,” said the Sentinel, “he was full of expressive bluster and made enemies thereby.”
40-year-old Louis Antenat was a French immigrant from Alsace-Loraine who had been in the country for seventeen years but had trouble speaking English. He was said to be of a quiet yet sullen disposition. But when excited, his fury knew no bounds. His wife had divorced him for drunkenness and cruel treatment, and he was arrested twice for assault.
He told reporters his version of the story:
I tell you how it was. I left the butcher shop, expecting to get me a bottle of beer, went to the little saloon at the corner of Second and Mississippi Streets and stopped up to the bar and called for me a bottle of beer and "pony whisky." The saloon keeper put it on the counter, when two fellows that I don't know stopped up and said they would take a drink too, and told him (the saloon keeper) that the butcher would pay for it. I said no, and the saloon keeper ( he is a good man) told them I was all right and not to make me no trouble; that I paid for my drinks and go about my business. Then one of them said to me, " You are the butcher what whips five men," and said I was no game and would not fight, and began to punch and kick me around...They kept pushing me around, and I left, and they followed me. When I got down to the corner of First and Mississippi Streets, one of them, I did not know any of the men, jumped on me and choked me, and another hit me on the back of the head. I was so mad I don't know what to do, and if I had two revolvers, I would shoot them both.
Antenat was tried for first-degree murder in March 1880. He was easily convicted and sentenced to life in Indiana State Prison North.
His attorney moved for a new trial on the grounds that one juror was asleep during the defense’s closing argument. The juror, Mr. Wakeland, filed an affidavit saying that he felt drowsy and had closed his eyes during the defense argument, but he was not sleeping. He heard every word of the argument. The judge overruled the motion. Antenat was taken to prison to serve his sentence.
In 1889, Indiana Governor Gray commuted Antenat’s life sentence to sixteen years. His good behavior in prison also reduced his sentence by six years. He was released in October 1890.
Sources:
“The Antenat Case,” Indianapolis Daily Sentinel, April 13, 1880.
“The Antenat Homicide,” Indianapolis leader., January 24, 1880.
“Bloody Butchery,” Illustrated Police News, January 31, 1880.
“City News,” Indianapolis leader., March 13, 1880.
“Home Notes,” Indianapolis Daily Sentinel, February 9, 1880.
“Indianapolis,” Cincinnati Daily Star., March 4, 1880.
“Stabbed to Death,” Indiana State Sentinel., January 21, 1880.
Thursday, January 30, 2025
With Hell in Their Hearts.
New Book!
The Taylor Boys and the Little Girl Who Lived
by Charles Huddleston
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This is one of the most stirring and remarkable true crime stories in the history of America. From bank fraud, bribery, “blind tiger” saloons and cheating at cards, to poisoning, insurance fraud, Mickey Finns, murder and more, this is a fascinating look at the treacherous Taylor Boys. Well-heeled, well-educated, and well-protected by their cronies and cohorts, the two Missouri brothers would stop at nothing in pursuit of their prolific criminal enterprises. But there was one courageous little girl named Nellie Meeks, who brought down their whole operation and brought on a Hanging Bee.
Available at Amazon and Audible
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Saturday, January 25, 2025
The Terrible Tragedy at Uniontown.
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Illustrated Police News, January 13, 1883. |
Saturday, January 18, 2025
A Friend Indeed.
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Michael Gorman's Last Look at Sing Sing Prison. |
Michael Gorman’s crime occurred on July 1, 1855, in
Brooklyn, New York. Three brothers, Charles, Robert, and William Johnson, along
with Patrick McDonough and James Campbell, were walking home around midnight on
Raymond Street. They came across three men lying face down in the gutter,
apparently passed out drunk. They tried to rouse the men, shaking them and
telling them they should go home.
One man, Michael Gorman, jumped up in a rage and said he would
go home for no one. He drew a dirk knife from his pocket and stabbed Charles
Johnson in the abdomen. He then attacked Robert Johnson, wounding him in the
back and abdomen, and stabbed Patrick McDonough in the right thigh.
The cries of the wounded attracted the attention of five
police officers from the Fourth District. They hurried to the scene and found
the three men on the ground bleeding. Officers Skidmore and Casler chased after
Gorman. They managed to secure Gorman after a desperate struggle that left
Casler severely injured.
The wounded men were taken to City Hospital. 17-year-old
Charles Johnson died later that day. Robert Johnson, 25, died twelve days
later. Patrick McDonough, 18, recovered
from his injuries. All of the men on both sides of the melee were Irish
immigrants.
Michael Gorman was indicted for the murders of Charles and
Robert Johnson. He pled not guilty to both counts. Gorman’s trial for the
murder of Charles Johnson began on October 23, 1855, and ended three days
later. The jury deliberated for 20 hours but ultimately could not accept Gorman’s
plea of self-defense. They found him guilty of murder. The judge sentenced him
to hang on December 21.
Governor Hill was initially reluctant, worried the 60-year-old
Gorman would be unable to support himself. Dolan signed a bond to provide for
his friend the rest of his days. The Governor yielded and granted Gorman’s
release.
"I have made up my mind to stop thinking of my prison
days and to enjoy the rest of my life as best I can,” Gorman told reporters. 1,200
inmates cheered as the old man walked down the corridors of Sing Sing for the last
time and through the door to freedom.
Sources:
“The Commutation of Gorman's Sentence,” Brooklyn Eagle, January 18, 1856.
“Death of Robert Johnson,” CITIZEN., July 14, 1855.
“The End Of A Long Imprisonment,” New-York Tribune., October 9, 1888.
“A Friend Indeed,” Daily Inter Ocean, October 18, 1888.
“The Fulton Avenue Tragedy, Brooklyn,” New York Herald., July 4, 1855.
“Horrid Murder,” New-York Daily Tribune., July 2, 1855.
“Kings County Court of Oyer and Terminer,” New York Herald., October 25, 1855.
“King's County Court of Oyer and Terminer,” New York Herald., September 19, 1855.
“A Lifetime in Prison,” Sun., October 9, 1888.
“Must Be Hung,” New-York Atlas., December 16, 1855.
“News Article,” New York Herald., December 27, 1855.
“No More Thought of Prison,” evening world., October 10, 1888.
“Released From Prison,” Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, October 27, 1888.
“Respite,” Albany Journal, December 20, 1855.
“Sentence of Death Commuted,” The Sun, January 19, 1856.
Saturday, January 11, 2025
Charley and Mary.
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Charley McGill and Mary Kelly. |
In 1874, Charley McGill saw Mary Kelly on the street in Columbus,
Ohio. He struck up an acquaintance with Mary that soon turned into “desperate
infatuated love.” They traveled together throughout Ohio, and although not
married, they lived together as man and wife.
Mary was a virtuous girl before meeting Charley, but
reportedly, in Cleveland, they lived off Mary’s earnings as a prostitute. After
an angry quarrel, Mary moved out. Charley searched for four weeks before finding Mary living in a Cleveland brothel. She invited him to her room, and as they lay
together in bed, he pulled out his revolver and shot her in the head.
At his murder trial, Charley McGill pleaded not guilty by
reason of insanity, but the jury did not buy it. He successfully
appealed the verdict and was retried but found guilty again. McGill was
hanged in Cleveland on February 13, 1879.
Saturday, January 4, 2025
The Buzzell Shooting Case.
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Susan Hanson |
Saturday, December 28, 2024
Blue-Eyed Executions.
It was a foolproof plan. Six men in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, bought insurance policies on the life of Joseph Raber, an elderly recluse living in a hut in the Blue Mountains. They were sure Raber would pass away soon and end their financial problems, but when he took too long to die, they helped him along. At their murder trial, reporters noticed that the killers all had one common trait and branded them “The Blue-Eyed Six.”
Two of the six, Franklin Stichler and Charles Drews, were hanged on November 14, 1879:
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Illustrated Police News, Oct. 18, 1879 |
Henry Wise, Isreal Brandt, and Josiah Hummel were hanged on May 13, 1880:
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Illustrated Police News, May 29, 1880. |
The last of the six, George Zechman, was found not guilty on appeal. He was an insurance investor, not a party to the conspiracy.
Read the full story here: The Blue Eyed Six.
Saturday, December 21, 2024
A Christmas Party Murder.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Deadly Bon Bons.
In 1898, Mrs. Ida Deane, of Dover, Delaware received a box of chocolates by mail from an anonymous sender. When she served them at a dinner party four people died of arsenic poisoning. Was it sent by Cordelia Botkin, the mistress of Ida’s husband?
Read the full story here: Murder by Mail.
Saturday, December 7, 2024
The Merrihew Murder.
Charles B. Merrihew became violently ill in May 1879 at his home in Lowville, New York, and was being nursed by his wife, Harriet. They sent for his physician, Dr. Turner, and while waiting for his arrival, Harriet confessed to Charles that she had been poisoning him. Though she refused to repeat her confession to Dr. Thomas, he quickly confirmed that Charles had taken poison. He was able to induce vomiting and save Charles's life.
The marriage was not a happy one. It was alleged that Charles was having an adulterous relationship with Maria Sheldon. Harriet also had a lover outside of her marriage.
The poisoning incident raised questions about the death of Charles’s brother David two months earlier. David, who was living with Charles and Harriet, suddenly became violently ill and died in their house. At the time, congestion of the lungs was given as the cause of death. After the attempted poisoning of Charles, the authorities exhumed David’s body and performed a thorough post-mortem examination. Doctors determined that David had died of arsenic poisoning. After a coroner’s inquest, Harriet Merrihew was charged with the murder of David Merrihew. She was arrested and taken to jail in Lowville.
Saturday, November 30, 2024
The Mysterious Murder of Rose Clark Ambler.
Picture from Illustrated Police News, September 22, 1883.
Saturday, November 23, 2024
The Banjo Homicide.
Lou Perry—known as “Big Lou”—was from a troubled family. Her real name was Louisa Dorff, and she was born in West Virginia. Around 1870, the family moved to Cincinnati, where her two brothers, Charles and Samuel, got into trouble and were sent to the penitentiary. When they returned from prison, they got into trouble again, and the family was driven out of the city. Lou stayed behind.
The Illustrated Police News politely referred to Lou as a “kept woman.” The Cincinnati Daily Star was a bit harsher: “She went from bad to worse and finally became a low, miserable, besotted prostitute.”
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Saturday, November 16, 2024
The Meierhoffer Execution.
On October 9, 1879, the police found John Meierhoffer’s body at the foot of the cellar stairs with a gunshot wound in his throat. Upstairs they found Margaret Meierhoffer in bed with Frank Lamens. Neither confessed to the murder; they each accused the other. The state found them both guilty and sentenced them to death.
The illustration is incorrect. The New Jersey gallows was not configured to hang two at a time. Margaret was launched into eternity at 10:25, an hour later Frank Lammens followed her.
Read the full story here: Who Shot Meierhoffer?
Picture from Illustrated Police News, January 15, 1881.
Saturday, November 9, 2024
A Naked Man’s Horrible Deeds.
Thomas Ryan, aged 88, lived in Chester, Illinois, with his widowed daughter, Julia Smith, her 12-year-old daughter Sallie, and 8-year-old son Arthur. On December 7, 1880, their peaceful morning was shattered when an intruder burst into the house. It was a naked man wielding an axe who ordered them all to kneel and pray as they only had a few minutes to live.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
"The Boy Murderer."
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Myron Buel. “He possesses an expressionless and almost idiotic countenance.” Illustrated Police News. |
Buel continued to
profess innocence while his attorneys appealed the verdict. His motion for a new
trial was denied, and the governor refused to grant a reprieve. Three days
before his execution, Buel confessed. He was in love with Catherine, the 14-year-old
daughter of his employer. Her rejections angered him so much that he lured Catherine
into the barn and then threw a rope around her neck. He beat her to death with
a milking stool, then ravished her.
Myron Buel was hanged on November 14, 1879.
Read the full story here: The Confessions of Myron Buel.
Saturday, October 26, 2024
The Stull-Best Murder.
The prime
suspect in Amy Best’s murder quickly became Mrs. Catherine Stull. Though Amy
Best was a 60-year-old widowed grandmother, Mrs. Stull believed she had been
having intimate relations with her husband, John Stull, for the past fifteen
years. Because of her husband’s infidelity, Mrs. Stull “had endured discord at
home and scandal abroad.” She had openly declared that if she ever caught them
together, she would kill them both.
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Poisoning Mania.
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Elizabeth Wharton, in custody, en route to trial in Annapolis. |
Saturday, October 12, 2024
The Confessions of Edward Tatro.
Charles
had to go to Highgate Centre on June 6, 1876, and he asked Alice to join him.
She declined, saying she felt ill and planned to go to bed. Charles’s father was
away visiting friends that evening, so Tatro said he would stay and take care
of Alice. Charles left home at about 7:00.
He
returned at about 10:00 and put his horse in the barn. As he approached the house,
he was surprised to see no lights. Charles entered the dark kitchen, and as he looked
for a match, he stumbled over something lying on the floor. He was shocked to
see what it was.
“He
lighted the match, and there met his sight the lifeless remains of his lovely
wife in a pool of blood, in the most mutilated condition,” said the St. Albans
Daily Messenger, “her head beaten almost to a pumice, and her brains oozing out
on to the floor.”