Crazy Crimes: Phantom Barber of Pascagoula

 In 1942 WWII was in its 3rd year and towns across America were manufacturing weapons and supplies for it. The little town of Pascagoula, Mississippi was no exception. It is a coastal town and a perfect place to build warships. This had increased the population of the small town and it was thriving. Something strange began to happen in the summer of 1942.

On June 5, 1942, someone had slit the window screen at the Lady of Victories covenant. Two young girls were sleeping but awoke when a man they described as "Sorta short, sorta fat, and wearing a white sweatshirt was in the room. The girls were both missing a lock of hair and that was all he did.

A few days later on Monday the Barber struck again. He had slit open the window and snuck into the room that 6-year-old Carol Peattie. She was sleeping next to her twin brother. He had cut the girl's hair and had left a bare footprint at the scene.

It was believed that the same man had attacked a sleeping couple. He snuck in through a screen he had slit and entered the home. Neither was killed, and his typical trophy wasn't taken. It's also thought that he had also attacked another victim by using chloroform. But it's unsure if either case was connected to the Phantom Barber.

57-year-old Chemist William Dolan was charged with the crime involving the couple. He was not charged with any of the other hair snatching crimes. They believed he was guilty of them though because police claimed a bundle of hair was found behind his home. In the eyes of the people saw him as the Phantom Barber. It's possible that the police wanted to end the case and placed blame on William Dolan to stop the public fear.

SOURCES:
Mental Floss
Southern Living
Fun Factz 

Crazy Crimes: Whipping Tom

This one isn't a murder, but a strange crime that was happening in London, England in 1681. 

In 1681 lone women were afraid to walk around central London due to a criminal known as Whipping Tom. Whipping Tom was a man who would wait in alleys for a lone woman. When he found a victim he would quickly come up behind her lift up her dress, bend her over his knee, and spank her with a rod or his hand. Sometimes he would even scream "Spanko!" and then run off and disappear quickly. 

He was so quick in disappearing some believed that he may have been supernatural. He was termed Whipping Tom and given a little moniker of "The enemy of milkmaid bums everywhere."  His attacks went no further than a quick spanking. 

Locals began questioning whether or not the policing in the area was doing their job. Women started carrying weapons like pen knives in order to protect themselves. There were many men who became vigilantes and dressed in women's clothing and try to catch him.

There may have been another serial spanker in 1672 as one article mentions that another serial whipster was operating in London. It's unknown if this serial spanker was caught or if they thought it was the same man. In 1712 copycat had operated in the Hackney area. He was caught though and had done it because he was hurt by a woman.


SOURCES:
http://theunexplainedmysteries.com/2017/06/11/whipping-tom/
http://www.bpi1700.org.uk/research/printOfTheMonth/mayjune2009.html
https://funfactz.com/law-and-crime-facts/whipping-tom/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whipping_Tom

Interesting Deaths: Execution of George Spencer

A man named George Spencer was not the most attractive man. He had one fake eye and was called ugly and bald and would be accused of bestiality and homosexuality. This would lead him into not being able to keep a job for long. In 1641 he would be working for Henry Browning.

In the winter Henry would sell a pregnant sow to Jake Wakeman. In February the sow would give birth, but one of her little ones would come out deformed. The little piglet would be born with one eye and several other deformities. Because the piglet had these specific deformities George was accused of bestiality with the sow causing her to give birth to his offspring

Now today we know better.  Humans can have sex with animals, but it would never result in any children. Biologically it would be impossible, but in history this fact was unknown.

George would be tricked into making a confession. He was told that if he was to confess he would be given mercy. George believed that they mean that he would be given mercy by God. There was no evidence of George having sex with the sow, and this lead to the sow and him to be executed. George maintained he was innocent.

On April 8, 1642, George and the sow were brought to the Gallows in New Haven. George would watch as they killed the sow with a sword. Then they would hang George next.

SOURCES:
Legal Executions in New England
The Oak Daily