UNIDENTIFIED: September 19, 1902 Detroit, Michigan Unknown Man

At 7:10 p.m. on September 19, 1902, an accident would happen on Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. No 176 Woodward car heading west hit an unknown man was leaning over the side of the platform of a Rapid Railway car that was heading East. 

He was still alive and would lay on the road in the rain. He had been bleeding from his ears and had internal injuries. It was said that medical help for him was overlooked, and would soon die. The coroner arrived he was in the same place he died. Angry at the crowd that was watching the spectacle he asked why no one took him off of the road. This caused the crowd to go silent. 

In the man's pocket was an article from the Toledo Blade, the article was about a similar accident. It is possible he was recently in Ohio City. A jury found that the man's death was an accident from his own carelessness. 

The man was a white male and was around 35-years-old. He had black hair and a sandy almost red mustache. He had the tattoo J.M.C. on the upper part of his right arm. He was 6 ft and 190 lbs. He was wearing a black worsted coat, light striped trousers, a black topcoat, black flannel overshirt, black lace shoes, black socks, and a black fedora. 

It's unknown if he had been identified or not, but his grave is still marked as "Unknown Man". 

SOURCES:

Find A Grave

Detroit Free Press September 20, 1902

Detroit Free Press September 26, 1902

Murder of Harry Patterson

On July 8, 1914, a group of boys went to a swimming hole in Yeager, Oklahoma. A fight broke out between two close friends 13-year-old Nathan Halford and 12-year-old Harry Patterson. Nathan would then stab Harry in the chest with a knife. Harry would run and scream for help as he tugged at the knife. He would soon drop dead from it as the knife had hit his heart.

I could not find more information on the aftermath of this murder.

SOURCES:
The Oklahoma News July 8, 1914
The Witchita Beacon July 8, 1914
Muskogee Daily Phoenix and Times-Democrat July 9, 1914

St. Louis Globe-Democrat July 9, 1914

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 

Murder of Lenore Anna Cohen and Charles "Charlie" Murray

   

On March 19, 1915, little 5-year-old Lenore Cohen was seen in the Tenement building she lived on 3rd Ave. in Manhattan, New York by a neighbor. She smiled and showed the milk and candy she had. Her Aunt Mrs. Eckers asked the young girl to go on an errand to get milk for her. Leonore was excited as a penny was usually a reward.

 Ms. Augusta Johnson lived on the second floor. She heard a small cry outside her door 15 minutes after the other neighbor saw her. She opened the door and saw nothing, but stumbled over Leonore when she stepped out the door. The murderer probably heard Augusta's screams as it had aroused everyone in the Tenement. Leonore was still alive at this point. and was carried up to the third floor where her aunt lived. Her cousin tried to resuscitate her as she was foaming from the mouth, but she did not survive.

She had been hacked at with a knife. She had also been "criminally assaulted" possibly meaning molested. A later article states that her clothes were unbuttoned. There were finger marks on her throat. There were two sets of stairs in the building and Leonore didn't typically use the ones she was found on. Police believed that the murderer forced her to the area she was found. There was a cord found with grey hairs and is unknown if it was a part of the case.

It was brought to the police's attention that girls on 3rd Avenue have been harassed by an oldish guy who offered to buy them candy if they go with them.

Less than two months later on the night of May 3, 1915, 4-year-old Charles Murray was playing in behind the Tenement building he lived in on First Ave. in the East side of Manhattan, in New York. He was last seen alive 20 minutes before he was discovered. His 6-year-old sister walked into the hallway and saw a "foreign man" leaving it in a hurry. Shortly after she found her brother.

There are two gruesome crime scene photos. I will not post it as it shows the boy's intestines, but it's obvious whoever murdered him gutted him. It's described that the perpetrator hacked at the boy. His clothes were left unscathed from knife marks as the perpetrator unbuttoned his shirt before killing him. Just like the murderer of Lenora had. One article notes that a piece of the body was taken.

Several letters were sent to the mother of Leonore. The writer claimed to be the killer and boasted of his crimes stating the Eckard's (relatives of theirs) knew of the murders. The letters were signed with H.B. Richmond, Jack the Ripper. It was later found that a man named Edward Richmond had written the letters. 

A letter was also sent to Mrs. Murray, but it seems to have been written by another person. This letter claimed they were going to continue their crimes. 

There were several suspects, but none of them were convicted of the crime.


SOURCES:

Find a Grave (Lenore)
Find a Grave (Charles)

Case Book

New York Tribune March 20 1915

Chronicling America March 20, 1915

The Brooklyn Citizen March 21, 1915
Buffalo Courier March 22, 1915
New York Tribune March 20, 1915
Wilkes-Barre Semi-Weekly Record May 7, 1915
Evening Public Ledger May 6, 1915
The Washington Post May 9, 1915
Daily News May 16, 1915

Murder of Adam Richard Payne

 On October 9, 1955, the body of 34-year-old Adam Payne was found lying on the roadway of KY 428 (Guston Rd), 7/10th of a mile west of Guston in Meade County, Kentucky. He was initially reported as being struck by a vehicle. The responding trooper found that this did not lead to his death as the victim died from gunshot wounds and was struck after death. He had been shot and killed in another location and then his body had been dumped.

SOURCES:

Kentucky State Police

Murder of Fanny Faulkner

In 1870 75-year-old Fanny Faulkner was a charity pensioner in Washington, D.C. She was living in a single apartment on Ohio avenue, in Washington. On the day of October 6, 1871, 32-year-old James Grady had horrible plans for the 75-year-old.

On October 6, 1870, James "Jimmy" Grady went to the home of Fanny Faulkner drunk. He had foul plans for the elderly woman. He sexually assaulted her and intended to rob her. He would beat, strangle and kick the woman. Mrs. Curtin was told by some children at the grocery store that Jimmy Grady was at Franny's home eating food.

This worried Mrs. Curtin and she rushed to Fanny's home. Inside he saw James over Franny. Franny laid on the floor suffering and unable to speak. James left after Mrs. Curtin arrived. James went to a blacksmith shop nearby and bragged about assaulting Fanny. Franny ended up dead the next day from the injuries.

At trial, he plead not guilty. The jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to death. James tried to get a new trial due to 1. him being intoxicated during the crime, 2. He didn't intend for murder just rape, 3. he was possibly from an influential family, 4. He wasn't skillfully represented.

This did not happen and James Grady was hanged on March 24, 1871.

SOURCES:
Legal Executions in Deleware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia page 15
Evening Star Jan 19, 1871
Alexandria Gazette Jan. 20, 1871
Evening Star Jan 24, 1871
The Baltimore Sun March 15, 1871

UNIDENTIFIED: September 24, 1908 Lebo Kansas Unknown Boy

On September 24, 1908, the body of a young man was found dead 3 miles east of Lebo, Kansas on the Santa Fe train tracks. His body was in bad condition due to being run over by a train. It was believed that he was riding the rods of a passenger train or was on freight and fell off. This resulted in the train running over his body. His head and left shoulder were severed from his body. It wasn't stated on how recent they believe he died.

He was a white male and was believed to be in his teens likely around 14 to16. He had a fair-skinned and freckled complexion. He had light hair and brown eyes. He was around 5 ft tall. He had a half-moon like a scar over his right eye. He had nothing that would identify him, but he was carrying milk tickets and two tickets to an Opera in Tennessee   

SOURCES:
Find a Grave
The Lebo Enterprise September 24, 1908
The Sun September 24, 1908
The Burlington Democrat September 25, 1908
Chanute Weekly Tribune September 25, 1908
The Waverly Gazzette October 2, 1908
Sylvia Sun October 1, 1908

Murder Annie Tomicik

On September 22, 1924, a 30-year-old Italian Immigrant, Peter Vergolini spotted 10-year-old Annie Tomicik in Gary, Indiana. He asked the young girl if she would ride around in his vehicle. She would get into the car and never be seen alive again.

Peter would drive her to the woods and attack the girl. He would sexually assault the girl and strip her of her clothes. Use them to tie her arms to her side. He would then strangle the poor girl to death. He would dig out a grave by hand in the sand dunes and bury her.

After hearing that the girl was missing a witness stated that the girl had gotten into Peter's car. This lead police to look for him. He was then caught in Chicago, Illinois a few days later. They would grill Peter for Annie's location. He would bring them to her body.

He was sentenced the death penalty. He would be set to die on Jan. 30, 1925 by electric chair.

When newspaper reporters went down to see Peter before his execution he seemed unbothered by it. He was leaned back in his chair with his feet propped up smoking a corncob pipe. He greeted the reporters and asked if they brought him some moonshine. He would state that he would leave for the old world and have women,  moonshine, a big car and no fare to pay. When they started shaving his hair he made a joke that it would just mean he can see the smoke better.

When he went to the chair he was still indifferent to his fate. At 12:02 a.m. the electricity was turned on and was pronounced dead at 12:06 a.m.

SOURCES:
Legal Execution in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Missouri
Horror History
The Huntsville Times Sep 25, 1924
Green Bay Press-Gazette  Sep 25, 1924
Middlesboro Daily News Sep. 25, 1924
The Billings Weekley Gazette Sep. 30, 1924
St. Louis Post-Dispatch Jan 30, 1925
The Morning Call Jan 31, 1925
Journal and Courier Jan 31, 1925

The Unsolved Murder of Oda Apple

Around 9 pm on the night of  August 8, 1953, 45-year-old Oda Apple and his 3-year-old son left their home in Cincinnati, Ohio were walking to an errand at the drug store. On the return, Oda and his son were walking hand in hand and were only a few doors down from their home when Oda was shot in the back of the head.

His son would watch Oda stumble and fall on the sidewalk. His son would run home screaming that the firecrackers got his dad. Oda's wife would find her husband lying in the grass dead. It was said that it was a relatively calm night and no one seemed to be outside to witness the death. There was one neighbor who heard the gunshot and thought it was a car backfiring. They believed that they heard footsteps fleeing that was not of a child. His son also claimed that he saw no one.

There was no evidence that Oda had any enemies and they couldn't find anyone with a sufficient motive. One article stated that Oda may have felt that something dreadful was going to happen soon, but was not specific on why he felt that way. Police at the time also believed that it's possible that Oda may have been killed accidentally by a stray bullet and his death may not have been intended by the killer.

SOURCES:
Ohio Attorney General
The Cincinnati Enquirer August 10, 1953
The Cincinnati Enquirer May 21, 1956