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Was Abbott Innocent?
Illustrated Police News, February 28, 1885.Joseph Crue returned from work to his home in Groton, Massachusetts, on January 18, 1880, and found his wife, Maria, lying dead in the bedroom. She had been...
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The Harris-Burroughs Affair.
A young woman entered the Treasury Building in Washington, D.C. on the afternoon of January 30, 1865. She went to the office of the Comptroller of the Currency and opened the door just enough to peek...
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Life, Crimes, and Conviction of Lydia Sherman.
When the press learned that Lydia Sherman had poisoned three husbands and eight children, they called her “The Arch Murderess of Connecticut,” “The Modern Borgia,” and “The Poison Fiend.”Read the full...
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The Acquital of Joseph A. Blair.
Joseph Blair of Montclair, New Jersey, had a vicious argument with his coachman, John Armstrong, on June 26, 1879. Blair was angry that someone had seen his wagon in front of a beer saloon, and he went...
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For Love of His Landlady.
Benjamin and Mary Merrill lived with their four-year-old son on Illinois Street in Chicago, where they ran a boarding house. During the day, Benjamin worked as a broker, and Mary took care of the house...
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The Mysterious Murder.
A boatman working near the foot of Little Street in Brooklyn, on October 3, 1864, saw a package floating on the water. Thinking it might contain something of value, he took it into his boat. He...
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Dr. John W. Hughes.
Dr. John W. Hughes was a restless, intemperate man whose life never ran smoothly. When his home life turned sour, he found love with a woman half his age. Then, he lost her through an act of deception,...
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Killed With a Cuspidor.
Jerry Shoaff was drinking with a group of young men at Tom Clarke’s saloon in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the night of October 3, 1888. Eight of them decided to go next to Goelecke’s Saloon on East Main...
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The Bloody Century Audiobooks.
Listen to a sample from The Bloody Century audiobook.Listen to a sample chapter from The Bloody Century 2 audiobook.
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Youthful Killers.
Murder knows no age limit, and some of the most sensational murders in the 19th century were committed by teenagers. Often, their victims were abusive parents, but young killers were as likely as...
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The Madison County Murderer.
Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, March 28, 1868.George Stotler went to Jacob Eisnagle’s house in Anderson, Indiana, on the afternoon of March 7, 1868. He wanted to borrow a horse so he could ride...
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Affairs in Norwich.
On the morning of March 22, 1881, 60-year-old Alby C. Thompson was found in the Thames Hotel on Market Street in Norwich, Connecticut, suffering from a “paralytic fit.” It was a bad part of town, known...
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Portraits of Helen Jewett.
Helen (Ellen) Jewett was an upscale New York City prostitute. In 1836, her clients included politicians, lawyers, and wealthy merchants. One of them, a young clerk named Richard Robinson, wanted Helen...
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A Horrible Butchery.
Three teenage boys made a shocking discovery in Philadelphia’s East Fairmont Park on December 26, 1888. They were in a secluded area near the reservoir where the Water Department stored pipes. Sitting...
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The East Liverpool Borgia.
Daniel Van Fossen and his wife hosted a dinner party for their extended family on January 8, 1885, at their home in East Liverpool, Ohio. Fourteen people were in attendance, including members of the...
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"Your Time has Come!"
--"'Your Time has Come'", Illustrated Police News, December 8, 1883.Thomas Barrows was found dead in his home in Kittery, Maine, on November 14, 1883. He was lying in his bed with six bullet wounds...
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Lust and Lead.
Around 1:30 a.m. on February 5, 1881, police were summoned to 109 Poplar Street in St. Louis to investigate gunshots. Inside, they found a scene of bloody carnage. At the top of a staircase, a woman...
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One Week Only!
One Week Only! The Bloody Century Half Price! The Bloody CenturyTrue Tales of Murder in 19th Century America eBook $9.95 $4.99Sale ends September 22, 2025.
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Why I Hate A.I.
Artificial Intelligence would be an excellent tool for historical research, but for one flaw – it does not distinguish between fact and guesswork. I was researching Robert Sprague, who murdered his...
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The Demon Druses.
"The verdict of the coroner’s jury charges that Mrs. Druse shot her husband with a revolver, struck him with an axe upon the head, and severed his head from his body, causing instantaneous death. That...
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Undue Religious Excitement.
Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, March 28, 1868.Robert Sprague, a normally peaceful man, was spending a quiet evening with his family in their home in Jasper, Iowa, on February 17, 1868. He was...
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The Richardson McFarland Tragedy.
On the afternoon of November 25, 1869, Daniel McFarland walked into the office of the New York Tribune and there shot and killed Albert Richardson, a Tribune editor. Richardson had planned to marry...
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Emma and Charles.
Emma Malloy and George E. GrahamIllustrated Police News, April 17, 1886 & May 15, 1886.Famous Evangelist, temperance leader, author, and publisher Emma Molloy opened her home to the lost and...
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