17 - The Toledo Clubber

I'll look at this almost forgotten serial killer who terrorized Toledo, Ohio in the 1920s.  Then we'll examine other attacks in Toledo in elsewhere attributed to the Clubber, the fires he supposedly set, and suspects in the case (and by necessity, the murders of Beulah Purvis, Grace Loomis, and Dorothy Sielagowski).

“6^th woman victim of club killer,” Salem News, November 20, 1925.

“A giant negro,” Seymour (IN) Tribune, February 15, 1927.

“Akron Clubber comes to grief,” Coshocton Tribune, November 24, 1925.

“Alleged assailant of Toledo woman is held,” Marion Star, November 15, 1926.

“Alonzo Robinson,” http://murderpedia.org/male.R/r/robinson-alonzo.htm

“Another girl is victim of club maniac,” Coshocton Tribune, November 12, 1926.

“Another suspect in Toledo,” Wilmington News-Journal, November 28, 1925.

“Another Toledo woman clubbed,” Kentucky New Era, January 20, 1926.

“Another woman slain by clubber,” Washington (DC) Evening Star, January 19, 1926.

“Arrest of negro may clear up Toledo Clubber mystery,” Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, November 5, 1926.

“Arrest two in Toledo charged with being clubbers,” New Castle (PA) News, January 20, 1926.

“Arrested for digging up woman's body,” Huntington (IN) Herald, October 5, 1926.

“Attacker of Toledo girl identified,” Benton Harbor (MI) News-Palladium, December 17, 1925.

“Believe two maniacs at large in Toledo,” Hamilton Evening Journal, January 21, 1926.

“Bloodhounds to be put on club killer's trail,” Coshocton Tribune, November 23, 1925.

“Cincinnati prisoner is not Toledo Clubber,” Portsmouth Daily Times, January 8, 1927.

“Cleveland man held as Toledo Clubber,” Delphos Daily Herald, February 5, 1931.

“Club killer may be one of seven suspects in jail,” Salem News, November 23, 1925.

“Clubber active in Norwood,” Portsmouth Daily Times, December 1, 1925.

“Clubber may be pyromaniac,” Indiana (PA) Gazette, November 23, 1926.

“Clubber suspect dies and thwarts police,” Mattoon (IL) Journal-Gazette, March 19, 1927.

“Clubber, victim at death point,” Ironwood (MI) Daily Globe, March 19, 1927.

Cobb, James C. The Most Southern Place on Earth: the Mississippi Delta and the Roots of Regional Identity. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.

“Detectives at Croy funeral,” Hamilton Evening Journal, October 28, 1926.

“Failure to catch Toledo Clubber stirs citizens,” Coshocton Tribune, December 1, 1926.

“Fear Toledo Clubber at falls; LaSalle girl victim,” Buffalo (NY) Courier, December 2, 1925.

“Fiend assaults and murders 7-year-old child; search begun,” Coshocton Tribune, May 29, 1928.

“Fire damages Toledo's largest auditorium,” Kane (PA) Republican, May 28, 1925.

“Grave robbery charge held,” Hamilton Evening Journal, February 14, 1927.

“Hoppe confesses series of crimes; clubbings in Toledo cleared up,” Coshocton Tribune, July 7, 1928.

“Girl's death may never be solved,” Huntington (IN) Press, October 24, 1926.

“Identity of clubber near, police believe,” Marion Star, October 28, 1926.

“Insanity to be defense of murderer of Toledo girl,” Wilmington News-Journal, May 31, 1928.

“Iron bar used in slaying,” Hamilton Evening Journal, October 27, 1926.

“Jack the clubber,” Cincinnati Enquirer, February 26, 1904.

“Loomis jury selection is slow process,” Benton Harbor (MI) News-Palladium, May 24, 1927.

“Maniac who wields club still lurks,” Zanesville Times-Recorder, November 21, 1925.

“Michigan officers link gruesome find of heads with Turner murder,” Greenwood (MS) Commonwealth, January 14, 1935.

“Mutilated body of teacher found,” Washington (DC) Evening Star, October 26, 1926.

“Murderer of Beulah Davis a black fiend,” Circleville Herald, January 4, 1927.

“New attack of mystery killer stuns police,” Marion Star, January 19, 1926.

“One is clubbed to death, other killed by bullet,” Circleville Herald, October 27, 1926.

“Organize reat man hunt for girl's slayer,” Olean (NY) Times-Herald, May 29, 1928.

“Pocketbook of victim clue to Toledo Clubber,” Zanesville Times-Recorder, October 28, 1926.

“Slain woman is identified,” New Philadelphia Daily Times, August 21, 1925.

“Slater may hunt Toledo Clubber; another woman slain last night,” Marysville Journal-Tribune, October 27, 1926.

“Slayer of Beulah Purvis is found criminal insane,” Coshocton Tribune, January 22, 1927.

“Slayer of policeman and murderer of child die in electric chair,” Zanesville Times-Recorder, December 1, 1928.

“Stephenson fails to rush big suit against the Klan,” Marshall (TX) Messenger, May 19, 1925.

“Suspect arrested as Toledo Clubber,” San Bernardino (CA) Sun, December 20, 1926.

“The Toledo Clubber – unsolved mystery of the Kuschwantz,” https://kuschwantz.wordpress.com/category/hoppe/

“Thousands hunt for maniac who attacks women,” Harrisburg (PA) Evening Times, November 21, 1925.

“To ask death for man who lured women,” Belvidere (IL) Daily Republican, September 8, 1926.

“Toledo aroused by club killer,” Salem News, November 19, 1925.

“Toledo clubber of women starts his work again,” Pittston (PA) Gazette, January 19, 1926.

“Toledo Clubber is sought by police,” Piqua Daily Call, February 4, 1931.

“Toledo Clubber may know fate this evening,” Wilmington News-Journal, July 11, 1928.

“Toledo Clubber still murdering; body parts found,” Coshocton Tribune, November 27, 1926.

“Toledo co-ed is seized near school by man,” New Castle (PA) News, December 11, 1925.

Toledo Complex, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toledo_Complex

“Toledo police hunt slayers of two women,” Mansfield News-Journal, October 27, 1926.

“Toledo police scour city for club killer whose fourth victim flees,” East Liverpool Evening Review, November 17, 1925.

“Toledo visited by disastrous fires,” Portsmouth Daily Times, June 4, 1925.

“Two women murdered in Toledo, Ohio; teacher was assaulted, belief,” Decatur (IL) Herald, October 27, 1926.

“Victim of axe attack won't tell police,” Ogden (UT) Standard-Examiner, May 28, 1925.

“Who killed Mrs. Grace Loomis?” Rushville (IN) Daily Republican, March 17, 1927.

“Woman eludes maniac killer,” East Liverpool Evening Review, November 4, 1926.

“Woman is beaten by men; may die,” Coshocton Tribune, December 8, 1927.

“Woman victim tentatively identifies him,” Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, November 28, 1925.

“Women fail to identify Toledo man as clubber; Norwood girl attacked,” Hamilton Evening Journal, November 30, 1925.

“Young teacher is found with head crushed,” Mansfield News-Journal, October 26, 1926.

Opening music by Kevin MacLeod.

Closing musc by Soma.