23 - Death Rides the Rails, Part Three

Some speculative crimes that may be by the same killer.  Three crimes are described, the murder of the interracial Casaway family in San Antonio, TX; the Hills in Ardenwald, OR; and the Cobles in Rainier, WA.
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San Antonio
“Claims he is innocent,” Austin American-Statesman, August 14, 1911.
“Five in family killed while asleep,” San Antonio Express, March 23, 1911.
“House in which tragedy occurred appears gloomy,” San Antonio Express, March 25, 1911.
“M'Williams held in jail,” Houston Post, August 17, 1911.
“Mystery deepens,” Victoria Daily Advocate, March 27, 1911.
Official Guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the United States (1908).
“Person crazed,” Victoria Daily Advocate, April 1, 1911.
Ruby B. Casaway. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134658370/ruby-b_-casaway
“Says he killed Casaway family,” Victoria Daily Advocate, May 30, 1911.
“Texas news,” Austin American-Statesman, August 10,1911.
“Two brothers located,” San Antonio Express, March 31, 1911.
“White suspected,” Victoria Daily Advocate, March 25, 1911.
“With a smiling face defendant hears evidence,” San Antonio Express, August 15, 1911.
 
Ardenwald
“A reign of terror at Ardenwald,” Salem Capital Journal, June 16, 1911.
“Attorneys admit Harvey employed them after crime,” Oregon Daily Journal, December 21, 1911.
"Fiend uses axe to murder family of five,” Oregon Daily Journal, June 9, 1911.
“Harvey family record bad; case of state in brief,” Oregon Daily Journal, December 20, 1911.
“Much evidence against Harvey not yet divulged,” Oregon Daily Journal, December 21, 1911.
“Mulatto may be murderer of 4, belief of police,” Oregon Daily Journal, June 10, 1911.
“Murder and suicide,” Salem Statesman Journal, June 12, 1890.
“Nathan Harvey is dismissed; will be rearrested,” Oregon Daily Journal, December 26, 1911.
“Nathan Harvey may be Barbara Holtzman slayer,” Oregon Daily Journal, December 21, 1911.
“Neighbors recall strange actions of Nathan Harvey,” Oregon Daily Journal, December 21, 1911.
“Posse on trail of man seeking an unused road,” Oregon Daily Journal, June 21, 1911.
“Reward of $2875 for conviction of Hills' murderer,” Oregon Daily Journal, December 20, 1911.
“Series of crimes for 20 years in Harvey's family,” Oregon Daily Journal, December 20, 1911.
“Stories agree up to about an hour before murders,” Oregon Daily Journal, December 20, 1911.
Thatcher, George A. Why Some Men Kill: Or, Murder Mysteries Revealed. Pacific Coast Rescue and Protective Society, 1919.
 
Rainier
“Did insane man slay couple?,” Tacoma Times, July 12, 1911.
“Fiend confesses,” Roseburg (OR) Review, July 25, 1911.
“Rainier butchery proves parallel to that of Hills,” Oregon Daily Journal, July 12, 1911.
“Sheriff Mass of Clackamas to go to Rainier, Wash.,” Oregon Daily Journal, July 16, 1911.
“Slain with axe while asleep,” Seattle Star, July 12, 1911.
“The Cathey boys in limelight,” Corvallis (OR) Weekly Gazette-Times, July 21, 1911.
 
Opening music by Kevin MacLeod.
Closing music by Soma.

22 - Death Rides the Rails, Part Two

The infamous Villisca murder, the convoluted clues and divisive aftermath, when a charismatic conman came to town.
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“Axe murders claiming 31 victims during the last 4 years probed,” Green Bay (WI) Semi-Weekly Gazette, July 20, 1915.“Confesses Blue Island murder,” Princeton (IN) Daily Clarion, July 19, 1915.“Family and guests murdered in sleep,” Bayard News, June 13, 1912.“Farmer is a suicide after killing two,” Webster City Freeman, September 17, 1912.“Four are victims to mysterious axe,” Dixon (IL) Evening Telegraph, July 6, 1914.Getting the Axe. http://gettingtheaxe.blogspot.com/James, Bill and Rachel McCarthy James. The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery. New York: Scribner, 2017.“Ricks is not the man,” Marshalltown Evening Times-Republican, June 14, 1912.Taylor, Troy. Murdered in Their Beds: History and Hauntings of Villisca and the Midwest Axe Murders. Whitechapel Press, 2012.“Thinks slayer knew family,” Waterloo Courier, June 12, 1912.Villisca Ax Murder House. http://www.villiscaiowa.com/index.php“Whole family brutally slain in their home; accused man, jailed, in peril of lynching,” Tacoma (WA) Times, December 7, 1910.“Wrong confession by death's head,” Keokuk Daily Gate City, January 23, 1910.
Opening music by Kevin MacLeod.Closing music by Soma.

21 - Death Rides the Rails, Part One

Before the infamous Villisca murders in Iowa, there was a series of other, eerily similar, axe murders across the Midwest indicating that that crime may not have been as isolated as is often thought...
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GeneralGetting the Axe. http://gettingtheaxe.blogspot.com/
James, Bill and Rachel McCarthy James. The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery. New York: Scribner, 2017.Taylor, Troy. Murdered in Their Beds: History and Hauntings of Villisca and the Midwest Axe Murders. Whitechapel Press, 2012.
Colorado Springs“Arrest is made in wholesale murder,” Anaconda (MT) Standard, September 22, 1911.Arthur J. Burnham (1871-1912). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22917676/arthur-j_-burnham“Burnham released,” Leadville Herald-Democrat, September 24, 1911.“Burnham involves another man,” Elk Mountain Pilot, September 28, 1911.“Burnham lived in Leavenworth,” Leavenworth (KS) Post, September 21, 1911.“Discovery of gory ax,” Leadville Herald-Democrat, September 29, 1911.“Finger mark best clue,” Leadville Herald-Democrat, September 22, 1911.“Finger print on ax examined by expert,” Leadville Herald-Democrat, September 24, 1911.“Former suitor is now suspected in killing of six,” Wilkes-Barre (PA) Times-Leader, September 22, 1911.“Ghastly crime; six are slain,” Princeton (IN) Daily Clarion, September 21, 1911.“Inquest being held,” Montrose Daily Press, September 30, 1911.“Italian is held for wholesale murder,” Butte (MT) Miner, September 22, 1911.“Italian nabbed for the murder,” Montrose Daily Press, September 22, 1911.“Searching dumb evidence,” Leadville Herald-Democrat, September 27, 1911.“Six killed with axe by unknown,” Trenton (NJ) Evening Times, September 21, 1911.“Six murdered in Colo. Springs,” Salida Record, September 22, 1911.“Suspects detained by police,” Lincoln (NB) Journal-Star, September 22, 1911.“Two families murder victims,” Anaconda (MT) Standard, September 21, 1911.“Two families not slain by an insane murderer,” Buffalo (NY) Times, September 23, 1911.“Two families with heads split open,” Montrose Daily Press, September 20, 1911.
Monmouth“Axe murder case,” Oak Hill (KS) Gazette, March 25, 1915.“Killed with ax while sleeping,” Rock Island Argus, October 2, 1911.“John Knight to prove that he was working,” Monmouth Daily Atlas, January 29, 1918.“Lovey Mitchell, colored man, is held, charged with Dawson murders,” Monmouth Daily Atlas, March 22, 1915.“Lovey Mitchell given freedom this morning,” Monmouth Daily Atlas, September 23, 1918.“Mitchell is given freedom,” Monmouth Daily Atlas, May 6, 1915.“Murder is baffling to officials,” Monmouth Republican-Atlas, October 2, 1911.“Murder trials to commence next Monday,” Monmouth Daily Atlas, January 16, 1918.“Three of family slain with ax while asleep,” Moline Dispatch, October 2, 1911.
Ellsworth“Charles Marzyck caught in Canada,” Topeka Daily Capital, May 4, 1912.“Family of five murdered in Kansas,” Boise Idaho Sunday Statesman, October 17, 1911.“He reaches Ellsworth,” Lawrence Daily Journal-World, May 16, 1912.“Showman family of five murdered,” Ellsworth Reporter, October 19, 1911.“Showman murder clue has blown think officers,” Wichita Daily Eagle, June 29, 1912.“Slayer of family of five friendly with watch dog,” Wichita Daily Eagle, October 18, 1911
Opening music by Kevin MacLeod.Closing music by Soma.