Case of most interest besides JtR poll

[sdreid]

In a similar poll I have over on websleuths, Dahlia is now 6 votes ahead of JtR and Zodiac is only one vote behind JtR.

[Magpie]

I've been on a murder mystery jag again recently, here's a few that I noticed weren't on the list:

William Desmond Taylor (perennial favourite)
George Reeves *
Abbe Gelis (There's so little info available, it's frustrating)
Lead Masks case
Bella in the Wych-elm
Somerset Beach mystery
Bob Crane


*assuming it was a murder, of course

[sdreid]

Hi Magpie:

Did you mean Somerton Beach (Taman Shud) or is Somerset Beach one that I haven't heard of? I do have Taylor and Taman Shud on that other poll that doesn't have a limit of ten.

[Observer]

Here's one for you Stan R. I heard of this murder from a radio broadcast a few years back, it struck me as being very interesting. The murder of Herman Cohen Jewish moneylender in Sunderland in 1909. I havn't been able to find much information online regarding this murder, but if I remember correctly he was bludgeoned to death. Robbery was not the motive as quite a large sum of money was in a box on a table next to where his body was found. It is unsolved.

[sdreid]

Here's one for you Stan R. I heard of this murder from a radio broadcast a few years back, it struck me as being very interesting. The murder of Herman Cohen Jewish moneylender in Sunderland in 1909. I havn't been able to find much information online regarding this murder, but if I remember correctly he was bludgeoned to death. Robbery was not the motive as quite a large sum of money was in a box on a table next to where his body was found. It is unsolved.

Thanks for the reminder - I did hear of that case several years ago. If I remember correctly, due to some other cases, there was some suspicion he might have been killed by a serial killer of sorts. I have the case at #149 on my top 500 list.

[sdreid]

We are approaching the 100th anniversary for the Axeman and we are in the 50th range for Zodiac.

[Mayerling]

Thanks for the reminder - I did hear of that case several years ago. If I remember correctly, due to some other cases, there was some suspicion he might have been killed by a serial killer of sorts. I have the case at #149 on my top 500 list.

Hi Stan and Observer,

The murder of Herman Cohen in Sunderland in 1909 was linked to that of John Nisbet on a train in 1910 by John Alexander Dickman. Nisbet was killed for the payroll money he was carrying to a colliery, and which was never found. Dickman was identified, and eventually hanged for the murder - although doubts persist that the actual measure of the law ("beyond a reasonable doubt") were fully met by the evidence against Dickman. Dickman may have killed Cohen to rob him as well. There is also a possibility that Dickman may have shot and killed Mrs. Caroline Luard (wife of General Luard) at her summerhouse at Sevenoaks in September 1908, which led to an anonymous letter writing campaign against the General that may have caused his suicide within weeks of the murder.

Jeff

[Damaso Marte]

Re: the torso killings, perhaps one day we'll find somebody who remembers their great-grandfather complaining bitterly about Jack the Ripper stealing his spotlight. I wonder how famous the torso killings would be if the C5 never died.

[John Wheat]

To Damaso Marte
I think the Torso Killings would be quite famous had the C5 never died.

Cheers John

[sdreid]

I think that's true John although since JtR leads most to the Torso Case that in itself makes it quite famous. If it stood alone, I suppose it would be on the level of the New Orleans Axeman.

[sdreid]

JtR is now in third place on the Websleuths poll following Dahlia and then, by one vote, Zodiac.

[Ausgirl]

The Gatton Mystery! I've done a ton of reading on that case this past couple of years. Maddening stuff, lots of red herrings and possible suspects. I'm still eyeballing McNeill, the brother-in-law. Something's terribly 'off' about that man..

Elizabeth Short's murder is pretty fascinating.

The Thames Torso murders have just lately caught my interest.

[sdreid]

Thames Torso is included over on that other list but I was limited to ten here.

[sdreid]

The Gatton Mystery! I've done a ton of reading on that case this past couple of years. Maddening stuff, lots of red herrings and possible suspects. I'm still eyeballing McNeill, the brother-in-law. Something's terribly 'off' about that man..

Yes, even though all the cases occurred in the Anglosphere, I did at least work one in from a non-NATO country.

[CPenney]

The subject doesn't say "murders" only, so I'd mention the D.B. Cooper hijacking.

I'd also say the Zodiac holds the imagination, due to the fact that there is so much information, like the letters, clues, etc. The reason, IMO, things like the Cleveland torso or the Thames torso murders are less high-profile is that, besides the lurid details of the murders, there is little for latter-day sleuths to discuss.

I guess this is in the "solved" category, but I've always been interested in the notion that David Berkowitz wasn't the lone "Son-of-Sam", but was part of a cult that did those murders as a team.