At 7 p.m. on January 1, 1923, Bernard and Elizabeth Quinn were having a New Years party at their home at 1 Woodbine Street, Hendon, Sunderland. At the party were at least4 other people including Elizabeth's mother Elizabeth Cassidy. The party would only end in tragedy.
Elizabeth and 60-year-old Daniel Cassidy had been separated for a while and she was living in Manchester at the time. She wrote earlier to her daughter she would spend Christmas and New Year with her in Sunderland. This information was told to Daniel in hopes of reconciling their relationship. This however was not the case as when as he had a different thought in mind.
Daniel would show up to the party with a revolver. He would shoot six times at people in the room. Bernard, his mother-in-law, and his wife were all three shot. A downstairs tenant, James Coggins, would hear the shots and rush upstairs. He would see Daniel with the revolver.
When he came into the room Daniel struck him with the revolver. James would knock the gun out of his hands and bring him to the ground. He would then march Daniel along Hendon Road until a policeman was found.
The three who were shot were brought to the hospital. Bernard was beyond help and would pass away. The other two would recover from their injuries.
Daniel would be taken to trial and try to plead insanity. The jury did not believe there were any signs of insanity from Daniel and he was found guilty and set to hang. On April 3rd Daniel would be executed in Durham.
SOURCES:
British Executions
Evening Chronicle January 2, 1923
Evening Chronicle January 9, 1923
The Gloucestershire Echo January 15, 1923
The Shepton Mallet Journal, City of Wells Reporter, and County Advertiser April 6, 1923
Saturday, December 31, 2022
Friday, December 30, 2022
Murder of Mary Jane Voller
On December 31, 1898 5-year-old Mary Jane Voller was sent to get a penny worth of linseed oil at a shop only across the street from her home in Barking, London, England. She left the home around 5:10 p.m. with a threepenny and was never seen alive again after that.
After 10 to 15 minutes Mrs. Voller who sent Mary on the errand got worried. The errand should have been quick and it shouldn't have taken this long. Mrs. Voller would ask Mr. Voller, but he believed she was overreacting. He didn't search for her and was trying to finish fixing Mary's shoes.
Mrs. Voller went and looked for her herself. She asked neighbors and went to the shop to ask if they'd seen the 5-year-old. The shopkeeper could not remember the girl as the family had only moved to the area weeks before. But when Mrs. Voller asked if a young girl buying linseed came in the answer was that no one had bought any since 2 that afternoon. This meant that no one had seen Mary, she never made it to the shop and had been taken young Mary within the 10 to 15 minutes she'd been gone. The family did a search was soon done on the streets for Mary.
Mr. Voller searched the streets with his father, and after finding no sign of his daughter they went to the police station. They hoped the girl had wandered off and was lost and reported that she was a lost child. A description of her was sent out across the country.
Mr. Voller would continue to search unfrequented places for his daughter. They would search abandoned houses and such. Going down Barking-Lane Mr. Voller went over to inspect a shed. Near the shed was a brook and his heart dropped when he saw something floating inside of it.
When they got close to the water the lantern blew out. Knowing there was something floating in the water Mr. Voller went into the water and searched the area blind on his hands and knees where he saw something floating. In his arms was the lifeless body of his daughter.
News soon spread of the discovery. Mr. Voller initially refused to move the body until the police came, but his wife convinced him to bring her home. The police and coroner met them at their home and it was obvious that the girl was brutally murdered.
Mary had been raped she had 2 punctures in her neck, one near her groin, and one on the inside of her left thigh. the wounds were accompanied by scratches and were believed to be done by a blunt object. These did not kill her and it was believed she drowned in the 3 feet. She did not have mud or such in her throat so it's believed she was unconscious or in shock when put in the water.
It's unknown who did this horrific murder to the young girl and will remain unsolved.
SOURCES:
The Standard January 4, 1899
The Essex County Standard Ect. January 7, 1899
The Weekly Standard and Express January 7, 1899
Lloyds Weekley Newspaper January 8, 1899
Thursday, December 29, 2022
December 30, 1903, Iroquois Theater Fire 1 Unidentified
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Image created by Charles N. Landon and published by the Tacoma Times |
The fire extinguishers that the theater had were meant to be thrown at fires on the ground and were useless against this fire as it rose. Three exits were forced open but unluckily lead to unfinished fire escapes. Some of the doors opening caused the fire to increase. Many people were trampled, crushed and asphyxiated in the fire.
Even though the theater claimed before the fire that it was "absolutely fireproof" it was not. It had been noted by several people including the fire department captain, and the editor of Fireproof Magazine that it was not. In fact, it was hazardous as the theater did not follow the rules. The fire warden was warned, but because they knew the owner would ignore it. Unfortunately, the carelessness of the owners caused 602 people to die.
One of the victims was never identified.
The victim was a white woman around 50-year-old. Her face was still recognizable when she died. She is buried in Montrose Cemetary in Chicago.
SOURCES:
Unidentified Wiki
Wikipedia
Find a Grave
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
UNIDENTIFIED: December 29, 1985 Tucson, Arizona Jane Doe
On December 29, 1985, the partial cranium of an adult woman was recovered from a residential yard. There were obvious signs of animal depredation on it. The previous tenant of the home reportedly left the cranium in the residence. When he vacated he told the new tenant that it was from a teaching specimen. Analysis however reveals that it's possible to have been a Trophy Skull from an unknown origin. the earliest that the woman may have died was the 1930s.
SOURCES:
NamUs
Unidentified Wiki
Monday, December 26, 2022
INFANTICIDE: December 27, 1902 Marylebone, London, England Baby Girl
On December 27, 1902, a baby was found wrapped up in a parcel beside the Great Central Railway at Rossmore Road Bridge in Marylebone. The infant had been born alive and healthy. It was found that she had a bruise over the right eye and her nostrils flattened. It's believed that something was pushed onto her face to cause suffocation leading to her death.
The coroner added that the baby may have been a victim of baby farming and was part of the illegal disposal of infants at the time.
SOURCES:
Unsolved Murders UK
SOURCES:
Unsolved Murders UK
Saturday, December 24, 2022
CURSES: The Wooden Man
The Egeskov Castle in Kværndrup, Denmark is home to the Wooden Man. He sleeps peacefully under the tower spire upon his pillow. Legend says the Wooden Man must stay or the house itself will suffer. It says that if he moves from his place the castle will sink into its moat on Christmas Night. Several owners believed the legend. They would spend Christmas away, but the current owners celebrate it and even leave a bowl of rice pudding for the Wooden Man. The Wooden Man is a doll the size of a child.
Countess Nonni loaned the Wooden Man out to the National Museum of Demark. He was weighed, measured, and photographed. The loan agreement was only for 6 months but after 14 days Countess Nani asked for it back. The castle creaked and groaned and the walls began to shake and once he restored to his pillow the castle became peaceful.
SOURCES:Thursday, December 22, 2022
Hit and Run of Mary Doherty
On December 23, 1922, in Blackpool, England a vehicle would run over 66-year-old Mary Doherty killing her. The vehicle would then drive off and the driver would never come forward. It was unbelievable that the killer did not know that they had run over Mary. A search for the vehicle was said to have happened all over Lancashire and Yorkshire, but the driver was never found.
SOURCES:
SOURCES:
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
INFANTICIDE: December 21, 1940 Derby, England Baby Doe
On December 21, 1940, the body of a newborn girl was found on the bank of the River Derwent at Derby, England. She was wrapped up in sacking and a piece of mackintosh and a part of an apron and tied up with several yards of tape. Her body had been in the river for some time and had washed down the river where it was found. She was born alive and died of asphyxiation, but it does not state whether or not it was from suffocation or drowning.
SOURCES:
Monday, December 19, 2022
URBAN LEGENDS: The Purple Mirror
A young girl was always sick because of her immunity impairment and her body was so weak she spent most of her teens in the hospital. One year for her birthday she received a cute hand mirror from her parents. She would treasure the mirror and would look into it every single day.
The girl's favorite color was purple and she decided to paint the mirror purple. After it was painted purple and she could look into it she became strange. She was shocked and tried to desperately peel the purple paint off of it. It would not peel though and it was stuck. It was permanently purple and she could no longer look into it.
Her illness would take for the worse maybe because she was distraught about her precious mirror. Her parents hoped that she would get better and bought another mirror, but she was not interested in it. 19 days before her 20th birthday she lay in her bed holding the purple mirror. She would look into it muttering "Purple mirror" repeatedly until her last breath.
In another variation of the story as told in the Kansai area the girl was not sick. One day a girl was approaching her 20th birthday. She was excited about her coming-of-age ceremony and was looking forward to wearing her best clothes for it. This would never happen though as she had died in a traffic accident.
Her family wanted to bury her with her treasured purple mirror. She carried it around with her everywhere, but when she died it wasn't on her person. When her parents looked in her room it was gone. So the funeral proceeded without it.
A short while after a terrible rumor about the dead girl began to spread. It was said that she was dating a boy with a bad reputation and this soured when she wanted to break up. This was why she had died and the missing mirror was a treasured gift from the boy. This however was not true.
It had turned out that a close friend of hers started the rumor. When it came to that girl's coming-of-age ceremony arrived she disappeared. Inside her room was the missing purple mirror. It's said that her parents died from anxiety.
In other variations of the story, it's until the person meets another age like 18 or 15, or sometimes when they graduate. Some say that she had an eating disorder and finally saw how she looked after painting the mirror. All in all because of the unfortunate fate of a young woman and her mirror a curse began.
SOURCES:
Thursday, December 15, 2022
MONSTERS: Black Annis
In the countryside of Leicestershire, England there is a cannibalistic witch living in a dark cave in the Dane Hills. She's known as Black Annis' Bower by the locals. She is very tall and horrible, with blue skin, long sharp teeth, claw-like fingers, and glowing eyes. The entrance of the cave is an old oak tree which she often hides at night and waits for her next meal.
She only leaves the cave to find tasty children with the tastiest being those who misbehave. If no children could be found then she would feed on livestock like sheep and lambs. It was most common to see her pull the children with her long arms through windows (no glass at the time). The children would be warned of her visit as her howl could be heard from miles away. Sometimes you can even hear her teeth grinding.
She would suck her preys dry of blood, and then the skins are hung on the oak tree to dry.
Her cave was filled with dirt into the late 1800s, possibly burying Black Annis in her home. It's unknown as it's believed that she was an immortal being able to adapt to the modern world. It's said that she adopted the name Cat Anna at the end of the 1800s and was said to be living in cellars under Leicester Castle where a supposed subterranean passage connect to Dane Hills.
It's unknown where Black Annis would reside now. Her territory is entirely lost now as the hillside is now a large housing estate.
SOURCES:
Wikipedia
Tuesday, December 13, 2022
Murder of Vera Isobel Minnie Page
On April 13, 1921, Vera Page was born in Hammersmith, London, England to Charles and Isabel Page She would grow up as an only child and would be known as a popular but shy and well-behaved girl. Her father was a painter for the Great Western Railways and her mother was a housewife. In order to supplement income, the couple would allow lodgers in their home.
The family owned a three-story home near Blenheim Crescent, they did not occupy the whole house. So they would have lodgers on the upper floors and typically they were family members or people known to the family. Arthur and Annie Rush were occupants of the home for 20 years.
On December 14, 1931, 10-year-old Vera left her home around 4:30 p.m. She was going to her aunts home that was around 50 yards away to collect two swimming certificates she achieved. She left them at her aunt's house the previous day. Vera would get the certificates and left her aunts home at 4:45.
By 5:30 p.m. she still hadn't returned so her father went to the aunt's home to get his daughter. The aunt told him that she had left almost an hour before for dinner. Charles hoped his daughter got sidetracked and visited the homes of her friends and relatives. When there was no sign of her by 10:30 p.m. he went to Notting Hill police station to report her missing.
With several friends, neighbors, and family members Charles and Isabel searched for Vera. They would search up into the morning, and the following day her description was circulated among the police. By the evening the media reported on Vera's disappearance.
Police determined that between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on December 14th Vera spoke to a school friend outside a chemists on Blenheim Crescent and Portobello Rd. Vera told her friend that she was going to purchase soap dominos for her parent's Christmas presents. After the brief conversation, the friend would leave Vera standing in front of the shop window. Her friend stated that she was carrying an envelope at the time, the one with her certificates inside. No one reportedly saw Vera after this.
On December 16th vera's body would be found lying in a patch of shrubbery in the front garden of 89 Addison Rd, Kensington, close to Holland Park. This was just a mile from her home. The killer tried to conceal the body by throwing handfuls of dirt and leaves on her body. Police suspected that her killer lived near the location of her body or knew the neighborhood well.
During the autopsy, it was found that Vera had been raped and strangled to death. Bruising on her neck showed she had been strangled with a ligature. She had been dead over 24 hoursand they believe she may have been killed close to 9 p.m. the night she disappeared. There were traces of soot and coal dust on her face. There was candle wax in two places on her right shoulder and three locations on the shoulder of her coat. In the crook of her elbow, an ammonia-stained finger bandage was found. Likely the killer lost it when moving her body, and did not notice it.
It's likely that she was stored somewhere warm after her death as she was greatly decomposed. Also, she was likely not outside or placed there soon after death. The day before between 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. and her clothes only had moisture on them where they touched the ground. It's believed her body was dumped there a couple of hours before discovery. It's believed with evidence of soot and coal on her that she likely was in a coal shed or cellar possibly with no electricity if the candle wax is from the area her body was hidden. It's likly she was placed there after 7:50 a.m. according to witness accounts.
A Mrs. Margaret Key would come forward and state that at 6:40 a.m. on December 16th she saw a man pushing a wheelbarrow with a bundle covered with a red table cloth with knitted fringe towards Addison Rd.
On December 17th a woman living close to Addison Rd would bring a child's red beret to the police station. She had found it on the 16th around 9:30 p.m. close to where Vera was last seen alive. It was Vera's beret. It smelled of paraffin, but that may have been caused by the woman storing the beret beneath her sink before bringing it in. The woman stated that she also found torn up peices of paper and a peice of candle, but thre those away. It's believed that the papers may have been her certificates.
It was also discovered that a coal shed near Addison Road was unlocked and left ajar during the time Vera was missing. It was unusual for the shed door to be ajar, but no one investigated it. So it's unknown if Vera's body was stored there but it's strongly believed it was and the murderer transferred her body using a wheelbarrow.
A suspect was soon found. 41-year-old Percy Rush knew Vera and her family through his parents Arthur and Annie Rush who rented a room from them. He lived down the street from them. He also had a bandage on one of his fingers. He also matched the description of the man with the wheelbarrow matched Percy's description.
Percy claimed that he normally would visit his parents on Mondays, but decided to go shopping after work that day. His wife was not home and didn't want to be home alone. He would return around 8:30 p.m. and his wife shortly after. They then went to sleep around 10:15 p.m.
Police believe that he lured her to the coal shed where he would attack and murder the girl. Percy said that he did not know the girl well enough that they may have only spoke once. That Vera wouldn't know or trust him enough to follow him anywhere.
He was wearing a bandage on his little finger because he got injured at work. At his place of work he would have had gotten in contact with ammonia. He had a rough bandage and his wife made a second with their supply at home that was more comfortable and protect against the ammonia. He stated that he got rid of that bandage on the 11th. His co-workes confirmed he was wearing a bandage at work on the 9th, but they did not know if he was wearing one on the 14th. He claimed that he threw the second bandage into the fireplace at work to get rid of it on the 11th. He claimed that hadn't worn a bandage since the 11th because he wanted to harden the wound. The bandage found on Vera was tried on his pinky finger and it fit.
Police found uncovered sections of bandage and a distinctive red table cloth with fringe, and candle in his home. On his jacket remenece of the coal dust, semen and wax was foud on his overcoat. The candle was found to be identical to the wax found on Vera. The bandages found at his home did not match the one found on Vera.
It's unknown if he was actually the perpertarator of the crime and it will remain a mystery who had murdered Young Vera Page.
Friday, December 9, 2022
SUPERSTITIONS: Black Cats
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| Photo by Akin Cakiner |
There are several superstitions on black cats. Though not all bad some see black cats of an omen for their black fur. In different cultures there are different beliefs in black cats. Cats have always had connections with humanity for a long time.
In Ancient Egypt cats were seen as divine. In Greek Mythology Hecate the goddess, of the moon, witchcraft, magic, and sorcery had a cat that was a familiar. In Japan if a black cat crosses your path it will bring you good luck. In Germany if one walks right to left in front of you luck is in the future. In Scotland it if you find a black cat on your doorstep then moneys coming to you soon. Some European sailors would bring a black cat for luck onto their voyages.
The most known and popular superstition for black cats though are that they bring bad luck. Like many other black animals like dogs it's believed that they are harbingers of death. Some believe that they are familiars or helpers of witches or the witches themselves. Some believe that they may even be the devil incarnate. This belief was even documented by the pope in 1233.
SOURCES:
Thursday, December 8, 2022
Murder of Michael Leo Resk
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A few hours later at 2 a.m. on December 9th a taxi driver would call the police on a delivery van parked on Acadia St. near Roome St . about 2 miles from his home. It was parked in an unusual way and was blocking the taxi driver's driveway. When the driver looked inside he saw a body. When police investigated the vehicle it was Michael's body that was inside. He was shot execution-style and was shot multiple times with a .32 automatic.
SOURCES:
Star-Pheonix December 10, 1955
Salt Wire December 9, 2020
City News Everywhere December 9, 2020
Salt Wire December 12, 2020
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
UNIDENTIFIED: December 8, 1886 Auckland, New Zealand
On December 8, 1886 the body of a female was found in water (not stated what source) in Auckland, New Zealand. She had drowned to death. There is little information in this case.
SOURCES:
Sunday, December 4, 2022
Girl of the Uchter Moor
In 2000 the body of a teenage girl was found in a bog by a peat cutter in Uchte, Germany. The person was using a backhoe at the time and dismembered the body. Leaving more than 100 body parts to recover. The girl was found to be from the iron age and was called Girl of the Uchter Moor or Moora.
Her remains were dated to 650 B.C. and she was around 16 to 19-years-old. It's believed that she lived as a laborer and had chronic malnutrition throughout her life, underwent two partial skull fractures, and suffered from different diseases. Due to her malnutrition, she suffered from bone decay and lack of bone growth, and she had a benign tumor in her skull.
Her death is believed to have been accidental. There had not been any violent injuries to her body that would have caused death. It's theorized that she may have been picking bilberries (intoxicating berries) at the time she died. She may have slipped and fallen to her death . She may have also been nude at the time she was mummified.
SOURCES:
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