Suspicious Death of Birdie Hoffman and Murder of Gertrude Botts

At 7 pm on May 3, 1900, 18-year-old Birdie Hoffman and 16-year-old Charles "Otis" Botts went on a buggy ride in Peoria, Illinois. The two had been dating for the last two years and planned to get married. Birdie's parents tried to convince them that they were too young, but the two didn't care they wanted to marry.

On the ride, he would end up either sexually assaulting her or they had sex. Afterwards, this would upset Birdie greatly and he claimed that she was full of remorse over them doing that. He claimed that she refused to go home and they argued until 4 am. During the argument, she would grab his revolver and shoot herself in the head. 

Police however did not believe that she had killed herself. However, he could not be prosecuted for the crime as no evidence contradicted his statement. 

Five years later on January 6, 1905, a few days before his 21st birthday Otis argued with his wife, 19-year-old Gertrude at the border house they were staying at in Peoria. The two had been constantly arguing ever since they got married the year before. During the argument, He would strike her in the face and then begin to strangle her with a slender hair ribbon killing her.

He would leave the home and go to a saloon in Knoxville and Glendale. When he entered he seemed heavily intoxicated already and caused a disturbance. He was quickly kicked out. So he would catch a car on the way to the courthouse where again he made a disturbance. He was kicked out after traveling two blocks. 

He would then make it to Wall's Saloon on Fayette St. He would hang out there until late that evening. Towards the end of the night, he became more sober. He seemed greatly worried and even told the bartender that he wanted to drown himself in the river. 

 He would spend the night with his friend William Trautman on Nebraska Ave. At 10 am Patrolman Brannon and McEnvoy would go to William's to arrest him. He was still asleep when he arrived, and surprised him when they arrested him. It was found that he had a razor under his pillow. It was suspected he was planning on using it on himself. 

 He would then be arrested the next day for the murder. He would seem indifferent to his wife's death. He stated that it was an Eastern traveler named Albert Baer. His wife was infatuated with the man and the two had spent that night together, so he had to of been the one to kill her. Police did not believe him, especially since he was the last one seen in their room. It also didn't help that he was a suspect in the murder of another woman.

There was no solid evidence, but there was circumstantial so he would be brought to trial in just a couple months. At the trial, he would deny that he knew anything about his wife's murder. The jury would find him guilty and set him to be executed. This angered him and he yelled at the jury in the courtroom.


SOURCES:
Legal Executions in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Missouri page 20

The Altamont News May 10, 1900

Mount Carmel Register May 10, 1900

Herald and Review January 8, 1905

Herald and Review January 13, 1905

Marshall County Democrat March 30, 1905

Woodford County Journal April 6, 1905

Murder of Ida Crummell

In  1896 New Castle, Delaware 19-year-old Edward Wright (colored) and 23-year-old Ida Crummell (colored) were sweethearts. It was said that the two were practically married and even got furniture together, but the relationship would sour by July. It's not stated why Ida wanted to separate from Edward, but Edward was furious. He confronted Ida when she was with Mrs. Boyer and told her along the lines if he can't go with her that he would kill her. Ida did not want anything to do with him. After this altercation, he went and bought a revolver to kill her with.

On July 30th  Ida and Mrs. Boyer would go to the Wilmington and Northern Railroad Station on Water and French St. They had gone to see the colored excursion from Reading. While waiting for the train the two would walk to the P W & B station. This was when Edward would try to speak to Ida, but she would turn away and ignore him. The two would return to W&N.

Edward would leave and see Mr. Boyer and talk to him. He told him that he had a present for Ida and if he saw her tell her. He also told him that if he caught her with another man he would fix her. 

After the excursion train arrived Ida, Mary Thomas, and Joe Welch would walk along the railroad to Market St. Mrs. Boyer was not with them because she went to look for her husband. Mrs. Boyer would pass by Edward who walking the same way Ida and her group was. 

Edward would approach the group and call out to her. While Ida turned to her name being called Edward would shoot. The first bullet would hit her behind the ear and then the second would hit her in the forehead. She would fall down face first and as she lay there he would shoot her for the third time hitting her at the base of the brain. Edward would then walk away. 

Captain Champers was in the vicinity and had her carried to Front and Market Streets. She would then be taken to Delaware Hospital where she would pass away as she passed through the doors. 

Officers were quick to respond and found Edward near Water and Shipley Streets. He would be arrested for the murder. He had no remorse for the murder. After he was locked up he stated that he had killed her and planned on doing so since Saturday. He was extremely jealous and did not care to live without her. He was satisfied when he heard that she had died. 

In September Edward would go to trial. He would plead guilty due to insanity. Witnesses would come forward saying in 1895 he became ill and afterward complained of pain in the head. On October 2nd he would be found guilty of first-degree murder and would be set to hang.

On January 1, 1897, Edward would hang at 10:30 a.m. He was welcoming to the execution as he wanted to be with Ida. 

SOURCES:

Legal Executions in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia Page 10

The News Journal July 31, 1896

Delaware Gazette and State Journal January 7, 1897

Murder of Hannah Davis

 In 1829 21-year-old David Evans and Hannah Davis were loved each other in Wales. They were not wed yet,but in April Hannah would become pregnant. David was a Husbandry Laborer and Hannah worked as a servant for a farmer.  David claimed he loved her and was very attatched. 

On June 11th Hannah would visit David and ask him if he would go with her to see her family on Saturday the 13th. He was agree to go with her and they spent the next two hours together. He would promise that would,meet her on the road near Esgar Fynwent.

When the day came David would leave home between 9 to 10 and took a bill hook (a tool similar to an axe and a knife) with him. He would tell his sister that he was going to mend some gaps in the hedges. He began working and before closing one gap Hannah came to him. She would ask him if he was coming and he did not want to. He gave the excuse that his sister was washing his stockings. This did not work with Hannah and she told hime "Come this night, or I will never forgive you". 

David would hide the bill hook underneath his jacket and walked with her. They proceeded to walk along the road to Cwm-sifigw, in the parish of Llanybyther. When the two would get to Pencader mountain David would use the bill hook on her. He would slash her throat which did not make her fall, but then he would stab at her causing her to fall. He would use it no less than 14 times. She would fall into the ravine.

He would claim to automatically feel regret as he murdered her and their unborn child. he would then run homeward and on the way dipped the bill hook in a pool of water to clean off the blood. There was no blood on his clothes.He would sneak into the home about 1 to 2 a.m. when he'd lay in bed for an hour. He would then clean his shoes and grease them. In order to trick his sister who he told the day before that he wasn't going with Hannah he finished the hedges. 

Hannah's body would soon be found. It was said that her blood caused the water to be red for two miles. 

When police arrested David he had claimed innocence. He would go to trial and would be found guilty of the murder. He would be set to hang on September 21, 1829. David confessed to the murder just before he was to be hanged. He stated that just before the murder that the two were getting along and that he had done it out of jealousy. Jealousy of what was not stated or if he had planned to murder her all along that day. 

On September 21 David would be hanged in Camarthen. with perperations done David gave the signal he was ready by dropping a handkerchief. The bolt would draw but the hook gave way and  instead of hanging he landed on his feet. He expected to be reprieved, telling the officials that “He had been hanged once and they had no more to do with him”. This was not the case though as it was to be hanged till dead. He would be hanged a few minutes later and would hang for an hour. His body would be sent for disection.

SOURCES:
Executed Today
The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, Western Countries and South Wales Advertiser June 30, 1829

The Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser, for Somerset, Wilts, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall July 8, 1829

The Western Flying Post or Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury July 13, 1829

Chester Chronicle, and Cheshire and North Wales General Advertiser September 25, 1829

Sheffield and Rotherham Independent October 3, 1829

Murder of Harriet Louisa Lane

In London, England 1871 35-year-old Henry Wainwright and 20-year-old Harriet Lan met. Henry was working as a brushmaker with a shop and Harriet was a milliner's apprentice. Henry who was already married had Harriet in a house in Mile End. He would then support two families.

Seen as a family man and devoted father to his original family no one knew of Harriet. While together Harriet would go by Mrs. Percy King and the two would have two children together. Even though Henry owned a shop taking care of two families was difficult to take care of both. He would move Harriet and their children to cheaper accommodation in Sidney Square, but it was fruitless. He would go bankrupt.

Harriet was not happy with the life she and Henry had. She tired of sharing the man she loved and being the other woman in his life. It was said that she was starting to drink and would berate him when she drunk. She would often ask him to leave his wife and live with her. Henry wanting Harriet out of his life.

In September 1874 Henry would tell Harriet what she wanted to hear. He told her that he was finally leaving his wife to be with her. They would make plans that on September 11th they would meet so he could leave his wife. He told her that if anyone asked if she who she was meeting that she would respond with a "Mr. Frieake" so that word wouldn't go back to his wife. 

On September 11 Harriet would have friends look after the children. She would leave Sidney Square with her nightclothes wrapped in a parcel to White Chaple. This would be the last time anyone saw Harriet. Her friends would become increasingly worried. Henry would tell them that she went to Brighton and a letter came saying she was going to live in Paris with a man named Edward Frieake.

Without their mother, Henry would put the children in the care of a neighbor. The neighbor had helped Harriet look after the children. It seemed soon that no one looked for the young mother believing she went to have a better life.

What actually happened was that Harriet and Henry would be at his workshop. He would shoot his young lover to death. The gunshots were heard, but no one inquired them. So Henry was able to bury Harriet in a shallow grave at the workshop.

Even after Harriet's death, Henry was still in heavy debt. A year later and in desperation he moved to Essex and had to sell his workshop. Knowing that if he left Harriet's body there his evil deed would be found. 

Exactly a year after Harriet's death Henry contacts his little brother Thomas for help. Thomas had not known that Henry had killed Harriet until he asked him for help. The two would dig up Harriet's bodies and dismember her. They would then place her into parcels. Thomas would leave after they dismembered her.

Henry would ask Alfred Stokes, a former employee, to help watch the parcels while he went to get a cab. The parcels were heavy, stinking, and mysterious. Alfred was a bit curious and suspicious of what he was transporting. Thinking it was an easy task he helped. Henry would ask him to watch them when he went to get when Henry got out of view the curious Alfred took a peak. Inside he was horrified because inside was a human head. 

Alfred kept his cool when Henry got back. He would help him load the cab and saw him off. He would then give the cab a chase, and passing a policeman he told him to stop the cab. After being ignored by two policemen he finally found one that believed him near London Bridge. 

The policeman halted the cab and Henry tried to bribe him. The police officer unimpressed looked inside the cab. He would find Harriet's body inside. Henry would be arrested right there.

At trial, Henry would claim that his dead lover's remains were given to him by an unidentified man at a pub. The jury did not believe his story and found him guilty. He would be sentenced to death. At 8 a.m. on December 21, 1875, Henry would be brought out to the Newgate Goal and executed. 

Henry Wainwright

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Murderpedia

The Ministry of History

British Executions

Herts Memories 

Murder of Harriet Baker

At one point Harriet Baker and George Jones lived together but were separated by 27 July 1877. On the night of July 27th, Harriet went to George's home in Burslem, England.  A neighbor had also been dining with the two. Two were having an argument about a letter. During the absent neighbor, George claimed Harriet had struck him and response he had stabbed her with a knife.

He was charged with manslaughter and life in prison.

SOURCES:
Aberdeen Journal, and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland (01 August 1877)

Aberdeen Journal, and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland (14 Nov 1877)

Aberdeen Journal, and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland (09 November 1877)

Murder of Hannah Brown

Hannah Brown lived in an apartment owned by Elizabeth Corney. She said that Hannah was a good tenant and lived there until December. Hannah told her landlord that she was going to get married on Christmas.

Hannah said her future husband wanted her to get pocket money from selling her things as where she was going they would have enough stuff. On December 24th a man came to her apartment and placed her trunks in a hackney-coach. She told Elizabeth that she wasn't going to hand over the keys yet because she had something still there and would be there Monday to pick it up.

 She never told anyone who he was, Except for a friend, Hannah Davis, someone supposed to participate in the wedding. They had dinner that her home All they got was the name Greenacre from Hannah and him. He promised to bring her to America to his property in Hudson Bay.

James Greenacre came to the friend's home on Christmas. They were all ready for the wedding. He asked her if she had seen Hannah. They stated no. He told her the wedding was off as he didn't want to pull them both into poverty after finding out Hannah had no property. He refused to come into the house and thanked them for the dinner they were invited to on December 22nd.

He then told her brother's mistress the same thing. He said that Hannah lied about having money and made him go into debt. She tried to get him to talk to Hannah's brother, but he refused. He was in a hurry to leave.

Hannah never arrived that Monday. Instead, a boy came with the key and told Elizabeth that a man had given him the key to give to her.  When she went in there was only a birdcage. The rent at the apartment was done weekly and was paid on Tuesdays.

On December 28, 1836, A man found Hannah's torso in a bag on Edgware Road in London, England. It was 20 yards from Pineapple Gate behind a flagstone, there was a cord that closed the mouth of the bag.  Inside the bag were bloody rags and a torn child's frock.

On Jan. 6, 1837 Hannah's head was found in a canal near Stepney. Her face seemed to have been mangled. Her legs were then found in Camberwell. She was left unidentified for 10 weeks. Her brother and wife then went to go see the face of the murdered woman. Fearing it was Hannah.

The face was mangled, but they were able to recognize her. There also other things that pointed to her identification. There was a bite mark from a dog that had bitten her on the leg, and her ear had been torn at some point.

Investigators found that the to be husband was James Greenacre. He was in bed with another woman when the police came. He rented a room and the woman and a child rented the other room in the home. Hannah's things were found in the home. He initially denied that he knew her, but soon admitted he did.  He told the Investigator that he was lucky he got him that night as he was leaving the next day.

He said he found that Hannah was trying to buy some silk nightgowns in his name. On Christmas-Eve she came to his home and seemed to be drinking with some coachmen. She asked for some Rum and tea and he obliged as they drank together.

He then brought up the silk gowns and that she misrepresented herself. She retaliated and told him they were declined and that he was lying about his worth. She was rocking her chair back and forth during this conversation and he put his foot against her chair. She fell backward.

Her head his a chunk of wood and he claimed it had killed her. He tried to shake her awake, but it failed. He then dismembered the body and pretended to look for her to tell her the wedding was off.

The autopsy showed that she was dismembered shortly after death. That the injury to the eye may have been first and then the blow to the back of the head. He told the woman he was living with that Hannah had left all of her things in the home. He gave the things to her and had no idea of the murder as she was out of the home at the time.

James Greenacre was found guilty of the crime.

SOURCES:
History By The Yard
The Champion and Weekly Herald
The Leeds Intelligencer and Yorkshire General Advertiser

Murder of Ada Clark

26-year-old Nicholas Foley was in love with Effie Riggs, the sister of Ada Clark. One day Effie had quarreled and rejected Nick and he was not happy about it. He had been living at the Clarks home in Elgin, Nebraska on and off for the last two years. Mr. Clark had to kick him off the property and told him to never return. Before leaving Nicholas stated he was going to kill Henry Riggs (Effie and Ada's father) before the week was through. He had for the last He borrowed a revolver intending to kill himself with it. Instead, he realized that it would not bother Effie and her family.

Around 11 p.m. on June 19, 1889, Mr. Clark gave one of his children some medicine and went back to bed. Around midnight He woke up with a sharp pain in his side. He had been shot. He woke up asking, "Who is striking me?" Ada exclaimed with "Someone shot you!"

Mr. Clark then rose out of his bed and heard someone downstairs. He then put his bed against the door to prevent the shooter from getting inside. Ada heard someone climbing up to the window. She moved the curtain to look out and met eye to eye with a pistol held by Nicholas. He shot her in the face and killed her. He then tried to shoot Effie. He shot 4 times and missed every shot. He then left on one of the horses on the property.

It wasn't until the next morning when the family got help. Neighbors had heard screaming at the time of the murder, but didn't come. It wasn't until Henry Duvall heard the cries and found them.  A search for him ensued.  On June 22,  after Ada's funeral organized themselves and dispersed to look for him. He was arrested in Petersburg by Sherrif Beckwith.

When they were four miles east of Elgin they stayed with A.H. Palmer who was friends with Sherrif Beckwith. A lynch mob surrounded the home and took Nicholas. They refused to let Sherrif Beckwith leave and stop the lynching.

Nicholas knew that he would be killed, but when it came closer to the end he began to breakdown. The mob brought him to a bridge 300 yards away. He was then hung from the bridge and his neck was broken and it killed him. He was left hanging there till 5 when the corner came.

SOURCES:
Fremont Tribune- June 20, 1889
Omaha Daily Bee- June 23, 1889
The Herndon Courant- June 28, 1889
Democratic Advocate - June 29, 1889
The Semi-Weekly New Era- June 29, 1889
Nebraska State Journal- Feb 11, 1891

Serial Killers: Hugo Schenk The Viennese Housemaids Killer

Hugo Schenk was born to a well off family. He began a life of crime around 1869 and 1870. He would pretend to be Prince Boleslav von Wilopolsky an escapee from the henchmen of the Tsar from Warsaw. He would convince women of this and would get a dowry from alleged brides. He was caught and sentenced on December 5, 1870, and served 2 out of 5 years for a number of frauds at the Mirov detention center.

 He was arrested again in 1881 and was released in 1883 at 34-years-old. This time he met a thief in there name Karl Schossarek who would help him with his crime spree. He started his ways again soon after, but with even worse plans for the girls. After his release, he met a 34-year-old Josefine Timal. He courted her and then promised her his hand in marriage. She was working as a maid in Vienna, Austria and convinced her to quit her job. She packed up all her stuff believing they were going on a honeymoon to Kraków. Instead, he took her near the Hranice Abyss raped, gagged and then tied her to a heavy stone and sunk her into the water. He then took all her stuff for himself.

He was convinced that Josefine's Aunt Katharina Tamil would find out what he had done. In order to cover himself, he wrote her on June 21, 1883, telling her they had married and invited her to his property. He picked her up from the station and drove her to Krummnußbaum. With Schossarek they then killed Katharina by sinking her into the Danube much like he had done with Josefine. He also stole her valuables.

Six weeks later he was onto his next victim, Theresia Ketterl, another housemaid. He had tried a different method on her. He brought a gun to their picnic at a gorge in Lilienfeld and taught her how to play Russian Roulette with an empty gun. He secretly loaded the gun and gave it to give it a try and she shot herself thinking it was empty.

In December his next con was 30-year-old Rosa Ferenczy. She was also a maid but also the illegitimate daughter of a Hungarian nobleman. Rosa was said that she suspected him in cheating, but didn't believe it when he showed himself. At Christmas, she stated to her landlady that "You'll either see me happy and married or never again." The next day Rosa's body was found in the Danube near Presbourg. The duo had killed the woman.


Schenk was already planning five more murders when he was caught on Jan. 10, 1884 and the next day Schossarek was arrested. He wanted to save up enough money to escape to America with Emily Höchsmann. He had supposedly fallen in love with her even though he originally intended for her to be another victim. He openly courted her and gave her jewelry (possibly from previous victims) and spent money on her. It's said that he spent the rest of his day with her right after he murdered Theresia.


The two were then sentenced to death by hanging on April 22, 1884. Schenk's skull was autopsied and neurologically examined after his death. His skull is now displayed in the Vienna’s Kriminalmuseum (Crime Museum),

SOURCES:
Murderpedia
Wikipedia
Revolvy

Murder of Mary Ellen Kearney

In 1866 19-year-old Mary Ellen Kearney and 21-year-old John Moran were seeing each other. Her father had learned of John's bad character and was refusing to let the two see each other. He forbid John from their home in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

It had turned out that Mary Ellen went to see John at his cottage the week before March 19, 1866. He wasn't home and while waiting for him she read a letter on the table. The letter was from a man named Mallory in Philadelphia who wrote to John telling him that the man they had garroted died from their injuries.

When he came home he asked her if she had read the letter. She admitted she did. She told him that she hoped he wasn't guilty of the crime and didn't get an answer. He snatched the letter from her hands and threw it into the fire. The two then went out on a walk. When they got to spot he threatened her with a revolver he had with him. He forced her to take an oath to not tell anyone of the letter's contents. She did and went home.

Fearing for her life and knowing that the oath was not binding she admitted of the contents of the letter and that John threatened to kill her on March 18th. At the time John was working at Grover and Baker's Machine Shop near her home.

On the 19th He came to Mary Ellen's home. John knocked on a window and called out to her to talk to him. She did so and when she opened the door he shot her. She staggered to the kitchen door and screamed "Oh Aunt I am Killed" as she fell to the floor. The ball came through her left side through her heart and out the right. It had killed her almost instantly.

John was already been gone by the time the physician came. On March 23rd he turned himself in to the police. He refused to answer questions. On May 24th the trial began. He was supposed to be hanged on Jan. 25, 1867, but his time was then commuted in early January to life in prison.

SOURCES:
The New England Farmer  March 14, 1866
The Daily Evening Express  March 23, 1866 (part 1)
The Daily Evening Express  March 23, 1866 (part 2)
Lewiston Gazzette March 28, 1866
The Pittsburgh Daily Post May 25, 1866
Harrisburg Telegraph- Jan 11, 1867
Intelligencer Journal -Jan 12, 1867