 |
Register Subscribe Login |
| 1. |  | Allen Photographer and Naturalist (Alton, England) n.d. Minnie Warner and Lizzie Adams next to the grave of childhood friend and sister Fanny Adams Carte de visite Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm The grave was paid for by popular subscription. Fanny Adams (Aged 7) was murdered by a solicitors clerk named Frederick Baker (Aged 24). Baker lured young Fanny into the local Hops field with the prize of candy. After 5PM when Lizzie and Minnie returned home without Fanny the ladies of the village began the search and interrogated Baker as to her whereabouts based on the information of the other girls. Baker had admitted to such, but was let go on account of his standing within the community. The search continued into the local Hops fields where the villagers happened upon the remains of Fanny Adams. The body was horribly disfigured into several pieces. The eyes had been ripped from her head as has the organs from her tiny body. It took the search party several days to find all of her remains. They also found a stone caked in blood and hair assumed to be the murder weapon. Baker was quickly arrested and his home searched. The police turned up a diary with an incriminating entry which read "24th August, Saturday - Killed a young girl, it was fine and hot". He was later hung at Winchester after having made attempts to reconcile with the family via letters. Baker's family had a history of mental Illness and Baker himself had already once attempted suicide. The tern Fanny Adams survives in vernacular language today. Sailors in the first world war had described their rations of Mutton Stew as Sweet FA to describe the mess of meant contained in the can. Since the rations were also in small servings the doublespeak of the term was used as "very little". The connection between the severed chunks of meant and the small remains of the child's body are very haunting indeed. More recently to carry on with the analogy of Sweet FA meaning a small amount of something, now it has mutated into Sweet Fuck All. A popular notion for very little based on the same tragic events at Alton in 1867 |
| 2. |  | London Stereoscopic Company 1873 Madame Dixblanc Carte de visite Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Belgian murderess accused and convicted of killing her house master Maria Caroline Riel in 1872 in a drunken rage. She then fled to Paris where she was apprehended and brought back to Dover. She stood trial and earned a sentence of life in prison. She was paroled in 1893 to much public outcry. |
| 3. |  | London Stereoscopic Company 1882 The Late Lord Frederick Cavendish Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Lord Frederick Cavendish was brutally murdered while strolling in Phoenix Park, Dublin on 6 May 1882 by political agitators whose interest was apparently in killing Cavendish's companion Thomas Henry Burke. Though Burke's assassination was planned in advance, Cavendish had arrived the same day in Ireland and was killed as a byproduct of sectarian political violence. Popular myth has it that he was stabbed to death by a group of assailants. While there were a group of men present and partaking, their method was more sinister. Instead of stabbing their intended victims the group brought surgical knives and slashed the victims many times to promote a slower suffering and eventual death by bleeding. |
| 4. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. The Prisoners Charged With The Phoenix Park Murders Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Lord Frederick Cavendish was brutally murdered while strolling in Phoenix Park, Dublin on 6 May 1882 by political agitators whose interest was apparently in killing Cavendish's companion Thomas Henry Burke. Though Burke's assassination was planned in advance, Cavendish had arrived the same day in Ireland and was killed as a byproduct of sectarian political violence. Popular myth has it that he was stabbed to death by a group of assailants. While there were a group of men present and partaking, their method was more sinister. Instead of stabbing their intended victims the group brought surgical knives and slashed the victims many times to promote a slower suffering and eventual death by bleeding. |
| 5. |  | G.H. Braund 1887 Archibald Reed Carte de visite Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Archibald Reed who was brutally murdered on the banks of the Exe at Tiverton July 30th, 1887. Aged 37 years. I could not find much about the case, but the memento mori style of remembrance card coupled with the eulogy is very compelling. |
| 6. |  | William N. Hobbs 1872 Georgiana Lovering, 12 years old murdered Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Lovering was murdered by her uncle at the age of thirteen in the woods outside her home. Apparently her uncle used a trap to take her out to the secluded woods where he killed her. There is a popular broadside published from the time recounting the horrors of the story. She was murdered October 25th, 1872. This is a perfect example of how photographers used older family portraits to make composite souvenir Images that would be for sale. Victorian emphasis on the sentimental played a large part as to why these images were commercially viable. Today, to sell a postcard of a murder victim or some other paraphernalia would be considered somehow indecent. |
| 7. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist 1869 The murdered Hagerty Family and Andrew Thompson Carte de visite Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm An interesting cdv of the victims and executioner on one photograph.. Mr. Thompson kept an illicit affair with the Mrs. Hagerty for several years leading up to the event. Having been estranged from her husband at some point, Mrs. Hagerty began to make long term plans with Mr. Thompson who had become bored with her attentions. The group traveled one night to Wisconsin to leave Iowa behind and start fresh. Mrs. Hagerty's daughter was ill before the trip and succumbed to the harsh winter elements just outside of Lancaster, Iowa when she passed away. The couple panicked and according to Thompson's testimony, he made the declaration that he would lead his sled back into Iowa to return home. Mrs. Hagerty protested violently according to his statement telling him that he would be dead before he made it back. She then proceeded to attack Mr. Thompson with a hammer that was in the sled. He wrestled the hammer from her and hit her several times on the head. She did not die then according to his testimony. The two boys, hysterical from seeing their mother hit were screaming aloud as Mr. Thompson noticed a group of sleds approaching in the distance. To keep the crying and screaming family from crying aloud and attracting attention Mr Thompson took bedding from the sled and covered both the mother and her remaining offspring with it until the sleds had passed. He then lifted the bed and found the three had expired. Frightened by his actions, Mr Thompson fled along the river towards Prairie du Chien where he threw the family and their belongings into the river where they were found in the spring by fisherman. Thompson signed his confession and was sentenced to death. |
| 8. |  | J.F. Daniel & Co. (London) n.d. Miss Contstance Emily Kent Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Miss Contstance Emily Kent was accused by a local Reverend Wagner of Brighton as having slit the throat of her brother with the aid of another nurse. There was no evidence as to Kent's guilt other than a sworn statement by Wagner in London saying he had conducted three days worth of fire and brimstone interrogation at which point Miss Kent apparently confessed tot the murder. Though she never made a public statement on the matter, the court found her guilty and she was sentenced to death which was soon rescinded to life Imprisonment upon public outcry and intense scrutiny over the case. She was later let out under the care of Rev. Wagner before fleeing England altogether. Nothing is heard from her in later life. |
| 9. |  | Sanderson (Preston, England) 1876 Morgan Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Portrait of the Preston hero "Morgan" who with such wonderful sagacity distinguished himself on the 16th of April 1876 by discovering the mutilated remains of the child Emily Holland at Blackburn so cruelly murdered by the barber Fish after the police had been completely baffled. Property of Thomas Parkinson 18, Church Street, Preston. William Fish (25) of Blackburn had murdered 7 year old Emily Holland. Here is his confession. Statement made by William Fish, who has been this day brought before the magistrates on the charge of the willful murder of Emily Holland, on the 28th March, 1876. I told Constable William Parkinson that I had burnt part of the clothes, and put the other part under the coals in my shed; and I now wish to say that I am guilty of the murder. I further wish to say that I do not want the innocent to suffer. At a few minutes after five o'clock in the evening, I was standing at my shop door in Moss-street, when the deceased child came past. She was going up Moss-street. I asked her to bring me one half-ounce of tobacco from Cox's shop. She went and brought it to me. I asked her to go upstairs and she did. I went up with her. I tried to abuse her, and she was nearly dead. I then cut her throat with a razor. This was in the front room near the fire. I then carried the body downstairs into the shop; cut off her head, arms and legs; wrapped up the body in newspapers on the floor; wrapped up the legs also in newspapers, and put those parcels into a box in the back kitchen. The arms and head I put in the fire. On the Wednesday afternoon, I took the parcel containing the legs to lower Cunliffe; and at nine o'clock that night, I took the parcel containing the body to a field at Bastwell, and threw it over the wall. On Friday afternoon, I burnt part of the clothing. On the Wednesday morning, I took a part of the head which was unburnt, and put it up the chimney in the front bedroom. I further wish to say that I did all myself, no other person had anything to do with it. The foregoing statement has been read over to me, and is correct. It is my voluntary statement, and before I made it, I was told that it would be taken down in writing, and given in evidence against me, (Signed) WILLIAM FISH (Witnesses) ROBERT EASTWOOD, Superintendent. |
| 10. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. Adelaide Bartlett Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Suspected of Poisoning her Husband in the well publicized case called "The Pimlico Mystery". A strange marital union with interruptions of another lover for her and a very complex death scenario for him have historically left the case open to debate. Bartlett was acquitted of poisoning her husband with chloroform which was the sole cause of death. |
| 11. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. The Priory Balham Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm In the Priory case Charles Bravo was poisoned but who by is still not clear - the three most likely people were his wife Florence Bravo, her maid Mrs Cox, or the local physician Dr. Gully. For a fascinating read, see James Ruddick's book Death at the Priory: Love, Sex and Murder in Victorian England (London, Atlantic. 2001) about the sordid affair. In short the relationship between Florence and Charles was less than ideal. Florence rebelled against Charles' sexual aggression and penchant for rough sex and sodomy very little as it was thought improper to do so at the time. Complicated further by her inability to produce a child for Charles and her previous affairs with Dr. Gully, the story is thick with whodunits that remain to this day. Conventional taste points to Florence poisoning her husband with the possible aid of Gully or Cox. This series of carte de visites are pulled together from various sources. The overly retouched series (blue) were probably from courtroom appearances and made from drawings. The outdoor group shot was most certainly published during the trial from an earlier image. |
| 12. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. Mrs. Bravo Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm In the Priory case Charles Bravo was poisoned but who by is still not clear - the three most likely people were his wife Florence Bravo, her maid Mrs Cox, or the local physician Dr. Gully. For a fascinating read, see James Ruddick's book Death at the Priory: Love, Sex and Murder in Victorian England (London, Atlantic. 2001) about the sordid affair. In short the relationship between Florence and Charles was less than ideal. Florence rebelled against Charles' sexual aggression and penchant for rough sex and sodomy very little as it was thought improper to do so at the time. Complicated further by her inability to produce a child for Charles and her previous affairs with Dr. Gully, the story is thick with whodunits that remain to this day. Conventional taste points to Florence poisoning her husband with the possible aid of Gully or Cox. This series of carte de visites are pulled together from various sources. The overly retouched series (blue) were probably from courtroom appearances and made from drawings. The outdoor group shot was most certainly published during the trial from an earlier image. |
| 13. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. Mr. C. Bravo Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm In the Priory case Charles Bravo was poisoned but who by is still not clear - the three most likely people were his wife Florence Bravo, her maid Mrs Cox, or the local physician Dr. Gully. For a fascinating read, see James Ruddick's book Death at the Priory: Love, Sex and Murder in Victorian England (London, Atlantic. 2001) about the sordid affair. In short the relationship between Florence and Charles was less than ideal. Florence rebelled against Charles' sexual aggression and penchant for rough sex and sodomy very little as it was thought improper to do so at the time. Complicated further by her inability to produce a child for Charles and her previous affairs with Dr. Gully, the story is thick with whodunits that remain to this day. Conventional taste points to Florence poisoning her husband with the possible aid of Gully or Cox. This series of carte de visites are pulled together from various sources. The overly retouched series (blue) were probably from courtroom appearances and made from drawings. The outdoor group shot was most certainly published during the trial from an earlier image. |
| 14. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. Untitled Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm |
| 15. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. Dr. Gully Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm In the Priory case Charles Bravo was poisoned but who by is still not clear - the three most likely people were his wife Florence Bravo, her maid Mrs Cox, or the local physician Dr. Gully. For a fascinating read, see James Ruddick's book Death at the Priory: Love, Sex and Murder in Victorian England (London, Atlantic. 2001) about the sordid affair. In short the relationship between Florence and Charles was less than ideal. Florence rebelled against Charles' sexual aggression and penchant for rough sex and sodomy very little as it was thought improper to do so at the time. Complicated further by her inability to produce a child for Charles and her previous affairs with Dr. Gully, the story is thick with whodunits that remain to this day. Conventional taste points to Florence poisoning her husband with the possible aid of Gully or Cox. This series of carte de visites are pulled together from various sources. The overly retouched series (blue) were probably from courtroom appearances and made from drawings. The outdoor group shot was most certainly published during the trial from an earlier image. |
| 16. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. Mrs. Bravo Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm In the Priory case Charles Bravo was poisoned but who by is still not clear - the three most likely people were his wife Florence Bravo, her maid Mrs Cox, or the local physician Dr. Gully. For a fascinating read, see James Ruddick's book Death at the Priory: Love, Sex and Murder in Victorian England (London, Atlantic. 2001) about the sordid affair. In short the relationship between Florence and Charles was less than ideal. Florence rebelled against Charles' sexual aggression and penchant for rough sex and sodomy very little as it was thought improper to do so at the time. Complicated further by her inability to produce a child for Charles and her previous affairs with Dr. Gully, the story is thick with whodunits that remain to this day. Conventional taste points to Florence poisoning her husband with the possible aid of Gully or Cox. This series of carte de visites are pulled together from various sources. The overly retouched series (blue) were probably from courtroom appearances and made from drawings. The outdoor group shot was most certainly published during the trial from an earlier image. |
| 17. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. Mrs. Cox Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm In the Priory case Charles Bravo was poisoned but who by is still not clear - the three most likely people were his wife Florence Bravo, her maid Mrs Cox, or the local physician Dr. Gully. For a fascinating read, see James Ruddick's book Death at the Priory: Love, Sex and Murder in Victorian England (London, Atlantic. 2001) about the sordid affair. In short the relationship between Florence and Charles was less than ideal. Florence rebelled against Charles' sexual aggression and penchant for rough sex and sodomy very little as it was thought improper to do so at the time. Complicated further by her inability to produce a child for Charles and her previous affairs with Dr. Gully, the story is thick with whodunits that remain to this day. Conventional taste points to Florence poisoning her husband with the possible aid of Gully or Cox. This series of carte de visites are pulled together from various sources. The overly retouched series (blue) were probably from courtroom appearances and made from drawings. The outdoor group shot was most certainly published during the trial from an earlier image. |
| 18. |  | Ramsdell's Photographic Gallery (New Haven, Connecticut) 1882 Jennie Cramer Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Jennie Cramer was found floating face down on the shallow shores of the Long Island Sound. It was though that the young beauty had drowned after falling off the pier. Later after the inquest, it was found that Cramer had been repeatedly raped with force and poisoned with arsenic. It is thought that the two murderers were of local wealth. The Malley family ran a department store in the town and two sons were brought to trial on the matter and were acquitted on the merit of family wealth and the corroborative courtside declarations of their prostitute friends. Though today in legal standing this sort of case could not hold water. It is still a testament to the power that money can bring big fish in a small pond. It is indeed likely that the Malley boys had taken liberties with Miss Cramer and killed her when after raping her in fear of the story being leaked. See Virginia A. McConnell's excellent book "Arsenic Under the Elms: Murder in Victorian New Haven" (University of Nebraska Press, 2005) on the case. |
| 19. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. Jennie Cramer Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Jennie Cramer was found floating face down on the shallow shores of the Long Island Sound. It was though that the young beauty had drowned after falling off the pier. Later after the inquest, it was found that Cramer had been repeatedly raped with force and poisoned with arsenic. It is thought that the two murderers were of local wealth. The Malley family ran a department store in the town and two sons were brought to trial on the matter and were acquitted on the merit of family wealth and the corroborative courtside declarations of their prostitute friends. Though today in legal standing this sort of case could not hold water. It is still a testament to the power that money can bring big fish in a small pond. It is indeed likely that the Malley boys had taken liberties with Miss Cramer and killed her when after raping her in fear of the story being leaked. See Virginia A. McConnell's excellent book "Arsenic Under the Elms: Murder in Victorian New Haven" (University of Nebraska Press, 2005) on the case. |
| 20. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. James Malley Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Jennie Cramer was found floating face down on the shallow shores of the Long Island Sound. It was though that the young beauty had drowned after falling off the pier. Later after the inquest, it was found that Cramer had been repeatedly raped with force and poisoned with arsenic. It is thought that the two murderers were of local wealth. The Malley family ran a department store in the town and two sons were brought to trial on the matter and were acquitted on the merit of family wealth and the corroborative courtside declarations of their prostitute friends. Though today in legal standing this sort of case could not hold water. It is still a testament to the power that money can bring big fish in a small pond. It is indeed likely that the Malley boys had taken liberties with Miss Cramer and killed her when after raping her in fear of the story being leaked. See Virginia McDowell's excellent book "Arsenic Under the Elms" on the case. |
| 21. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist 1905 Lizzie Dolan Carte de visite Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Bertillon System mug shot carte de visite of a female murderess. |
| 22. |  | A.J. Jackson 1875 John True Gordon. Rockland, Maine Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm John True Gordon was convicted of killing his brother and his whole family over a bad reaction to a lost inheritance to his brother. The family was brutally murdered with an axe and then a fire was set to the property. John True Gordon was arrested on weak evidence of bloody clothes and suspicious emotional behavior during the proceeding investigation and was sentenced to the gallows. He proclaimed innocence all the way to his death. He tried to commit suicide the day of his execution, but failed to succeed and was dragged to the gallows where he died. A fellow inmate later confessed to the murders thus driving a further spike into the temperament surrounding the abolishment of the death penalty. On the back of the cdv is a consent that the photograph bears his likeness. |
| 23. |  | A.J. Jackson n.d. John True Gordon Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm |
| 24. |  | Chas. A. Saylor (Reading, Pennsylvania) 1870 Z.E. Snyder alias John Deal Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Convicted of the murder of Richard M Harlan, January 23rd 1870; To be executed May 18th, 1870. An interesting study of a murderer while in jail before execution - with a defiant and smug look. |
| 25. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist 1875 Josie A. Langmaid Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Murdered at Pembroke, New Hampshire on October 4th, 1875. 17 year old student beauty Josie Langmaid was murdered in the woods close to the Pembroke Academy whole returning home from school by Joseph Lapage, an itinerant Tree cutter. Her body was found on October 4th and her head the following day. Josie Langmaid had been cruelly raped and decapitated. A series of memorial cards such as this are still found. I have enclosed two examples and also 2 views from stereoviews where the body was found in the woods. There is not much to see in these views, but the atmosphere is haunting American Gothic. |
| 26. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. Josie Langmaid Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm |
| 27. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. Josie Langmaid - the location of her murder Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Murdered at Pembroke, New Hampshire on October 4th, 1875. 17 year old student beauty Josie Langmaid was murdered in the woods close to the Pembroke Academy whole returning home from school by Joseph Lapage, an itinerant Tree cutter. Her body was found on October 4th and her head the following day. Josie Langmaid had been cruelly raped and decapitated. |
| 28. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. Josie Langmaid - the location of her murder Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Murdered at Pembroke, New Hampshire on October 4th, 1875. 17 year old student beauty Josie Langmaid was murdered in the woods close to the Pembroke Academy whole returning home from school by Joseph Lapage, an itinerant Tree cutter. Her body was found on October 4th and her head the following day. Josie Langmaid had been cruelly raped and decapitated. |
| 29. |  | Hill's Photographic Studio (New Bedford, Massachusetts) 1892 Lizzie Borden Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm This is possibly the most famous in the series of Nineteenth Century American Murder cases. Lizzy Borden was acquitted of giving her parent the notorious "40 Whacks" with an axe. Although only Lizzie and the maid were in the house at the time, there was no incriminating evidence to link Lizzie to the case. A handless hatchet was found in the basement and Lizzie had apparently burned a dress a few days after the killings under weak explanations. None the less she was acquitted under lack of evidence. Explanations abound the current research about who did the killing. Some speculate that Lizzie was having a lesbian affair with the maid and was caught by her stepmother thus bringing on a pact of murderous license with the maid as accomplice. Others have pointed out repeatedly that the strength of the axe blows and the resulting damage had to have been caused by an outsider of larger proportions. To this day, the case remains unsolved. |
| 30. |  | S. B. Beal (St Paul's Churchyard, London) 1871 John Selby Watson Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm John Selby Watson murdered his wife by poisoning in London. |
| 31. |  | S. B. Beal (St Paul's Churchyard, London) 1871 Wife of John Selby Watson Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Murdered in London by her husband, John Selby Watson. |
| 32. |  | Cramb Brothers (Glasgow) n.d. Dr. E.W. Pritchard Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Pritchard, an a established surgeon. was the last man to be hung in Glasgow for the murders of his wife and mother-in-law by poison. |
| 33. |  | Verrier (Montrouge, France) n.d. Leon Troppmann in prison Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm He was found guilty of murdering a family of eight a year before the Paris Commune broke out. His intent was to steal money. He was only 22 when he was guillotined. |
| 34. |  | London Stereoscopic Company n.d. The alleged (Convicted) murderer of Mr. Dyson Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Charles Peace was a fascinating career criminal whose exploits began at a very young age from boosting watches to breaking and entering households. Peace was married with children when he met Mr and Mrs Dyson. He was introduced as a tradesman, one of the few jobs he held down for a short period in his life. Mrs. Dyson and Peace began having an affair and the tryst lasted some time until Peace was confronted by both to distance himself from the family. Peace never relented and followed the coupe to different counties in England and continued his now angered harangue against Mr Dyson once even brandishing a revolver and shooting Mr. Dyson. Peace ran and enjoyed some time alluding the authorities until he was caught, tried, and sentenced to death. |
| 35. |  | O.P. Annex Souvenir 1900 (ca) 23 portraits of murderers and men executed in the electric chair Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm |
| 36. |  | Unidentified photographer / artist n.d. Rose Clark Murder Cabinet card Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Interesting composite cabinet card showing The Home of Rose Clark depicting the sitter, her home and a white piece of cloth and unusual rock formation built on the wall to indicate her death scene. |
| 37. |  | J.S. Hull (Minneapolis, Minnesota) n.d. The Katherine Ging murder Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Ms. Ging was murdered by Hans Blixt and Harry Hayward on December 3rd, 1894 near Lake Calhoun In Minneapolis. The assailants murdered Ms. Ging for an insurance scam taken out on Ging for $10,000. The case is included in the book by C. Sifakis Strange crimes and criminals (New York: Checkmark Books, 2001) |
| 38. |  | J.S. Hull (Minneapolis, Minnesota) n.d. The Katherine Ging murder Private collection of Brad Feuerhelm Ms. Ging was murdered by Hans Blixt and Harry Hayward on December 3rd, 1894 near Lake Calhoun In Minneapolis. The assailants murdered Ms. Ging for an insurance scam taken out on Ging for $10,000. The case is included in the book by C. Sifakis Strange crimes and criminals (New York: Checkmark Books, 2001) |