McAlester, Henry R., 126
McDonald, Tom, 255
McGill, S. H., 179
Meinke, William, 243-244
Mennen, Frederick C., xiii
Meyer, J. H. William, 93, 173-175
Michael, Charles H., 145
Miller, Fred, xiv
Miller, J. C., 16, 94
Miller, William P., 203
Mills, Henry, 218
Minich, John, 60-61
Minneapolis Tidende, 35, 41
Moe, John, 36, 50-51, 110, 141-142
Molloy, Edward, 155-156, 194, 219-220
Moor, George C., 19, 27-28
morphine, 101
Morrison, J. Roy, 77
Mother Goose Tales (Perrault), xi-xii
Mrs. Gunness, the Female Bluebeard, 136
The Mrs. Gunness Mystery! A Thrilling Tale of Love, Duplicity & Crime, 139-143
Munsterberg, Hugo, 115
“Murder Farm”
artifacts found at, 144-145, 146-147
bodies discovered at, 72-73, 84-86, 90-96, 99-100, 107-113, 161
death chamber at, 93
festive atmosphere at, 134-136
the fire at, 65-69
purchase of, 248-249
scavengers at, 134-135
spectators at, 90, 97-98, 107-108, 131-136, 146, 151-152
murder gang theory, 92-94
“The Murders in the Rue Morgue” (Poe), 259
Myers, Charles, 252
Myers, Harry, 243
N
Neiburg, Charles, 108
Neiss, Carl, 127
Nellis, Daniel, 102
Nellis, John, 102
Nepsha, John A., 248-249
New York Times, 91, 100, 128, 138, 154, 234
Nicholson, Albert, 19-20, 25
conflict with Belle over pigs, 31
on Gunness’s death, 28
Nicholson, Swan, 19-20, 25
conflict with Belle over pigs, 31
on Lindboe, 33
testimony of on Gunness’s death, 27
“Nigger Liz.” See Smith, Elizabeth “Nigger Liz”
Nikkelson, Lindner, 109
North Eastern Railway Company, 9
Norton, Ira P., 131, 146-147
testimony of, 175-176
Norwegian immigrants, 3-6
jobs taken by, 10-11
journey to America of, 8-9
Norwegian Lutheran Children’s Home of Chicago, 60, 80-81, 114
O
Oberholtzer, Madge, 258
Oberreich, Louis H., 22
Olander, Mrs. George, 81
Old-Time Pictures and Sheaves of Time (Taylor), xiii
Olson, Anton, 12
Olson, Jennie (daughter), 73
Belle questioned about, 56
body of, 85-86
disappearance of, 37-38
Lamphere on death of, 88, 234
omitted from the will, 81
Peter Gunness’s death and, 19-20, 25-26, 27
true crime book on death of, 141-142
On the Witness Stand: Essays on Psychology and Crime (Munsterberg), 115
O’Reilly, Mae Frances, 160, 161
P
Packer, Alfred, 258
Parker, C. R., 230
Peckham, B. A., 252
Pegler, Arthur James, 117
Peglow, Arthur, 110
Perrault, Charles, xi-xii, xvi
Peters, Charles, 121-122
Peterson, Bella. See Gunness, Belle
Peterson, Carl, 89, 111
phrenology, 115, 116-117, 159-160
Pinkerton agents, xv, 128, 146
Pitner, Frank J., 49-50, 81
Pittsburgh Press, 92
Plato, E. F., 109
Poe, Edgar Allen, 259
poisons, 88, 101, 119, 141
as cause of death in the fire, 171-172
Haines’ testimony on, 203, 205-206, 207
Maxson on, 185-186
Mrs. Carlson and, 251-254
Sorenson and, 94
Poston, John, xiv
Practical School of Watchmaking, 173-174
Prince (border collie), 153
psychics, 130
psychometry, 153
psychopaths, 115
Pulitzer, Joseph, 227-228
Q
Quigley, Thomas R., 126-127
R
racism, 75-76
Ralston, Angus, 13-14
Rehart, S. F., 115-116
Reid, James D., 229
Restauration (sloop), 5
Reynolds, Wesley, xv, 21
Richmond, Louis, 242
Richter, John D., 157
instructions to the jury, 215-216
sentencing by, 218-219
Rip Van Winkle, 178
“Rip Van Winkle” (Irving), 182
Rittman, Fred, 201-202
Robinson, George L., 154
Robinson, Sarah Jane, 260
Rockefeller, Etta V., 127, 128
Rossville Cemetery, 230
Rouch, Jacob, 138
Rough on Rats, 88
Royal Baking Power, 204
Rumely, Edward A., 70-71
Rupel, J. P., 235
Ruppert, Eva, 18
Russell, C. F., 246-247
Rye, John, 50-51, 183, 214
S
San Francisco Chronicle, 91
Sawyer, F. H., 138
Scandinavian Emigrant Aid Society, 4
Schell, Edwin A., 80, 230-240, 260
Schimmack, Pat, 109
Scholl, William Mathias, xiii, xvi
Schuettler, Herman F., 92-94, 101
Schultz, Bertha, 58
Schultz, Louis, 130-131, 144
failure of to appear as witness, 169, 212, 214
teeth found by, 146, 202-203
Scott, David, xiv
Selbyggen, 7
serial killers, 117-118, 205, 260-261
Bloody Benders, 122-125
Hoch, 120-122
Sharp, Zerna, xiii
Sherman, Lydia, 260
Shirer, Seward S., 105
Short, Bessie, 197-198
Simpson, Jennie Sophia, 19
Sister Carrie (Dreiser), 10
Skandinaven, 4, 89, 98, 110
Belle’s ads in, 32
Slater, William, 183-184
Smith, Elizabeth “Nigger Liz,” 75-76, 165
as alibi, 188, 214
complicity of, 240-242
death of, 244-245
Lamphere’s “confession” on, 237-238
skull in the possession of, 244-247
Smith, James, xiv
Smith, Ralph N.
closing argument by, 214-215
on doubts about Belle’s death, 102
in the inquest, 77
Lamphere questioned by, 74-75
on Lamphere’s confession, 229
on Lamphere’s “confession,” 234-235, 240
in Lamphere’s trespassing trial, 55-56
Norton questioned by, 175-176
on number of Belle’s victims, 144-145
opening statement by, 163-167
questioned by Worden, 192
on sightings of Belle, 242
Smutzer questioned by, 186-187
Smith, Russell W., 249
Smutzer, Albert, 97
appearance of, 67
Asle Helgelien and, 83
Belle’s complaint to about Lamphere, 53
on Belle’s missing skull, 79
in the body search, 107-108
on doubts about Belle’s death, 102
at the fire, 67-69
in the inquest, 77
investigation of Truelson, 160-161
Lamphere questioned by, 74-75, 77-78
on Lamphere’s guilt, 69
on the murder gang theory, 101
in the search for bodies, 84-86, 90-91
spectators and, 134-135
teeth search by, 130-13
1, 144, 146-147
testimony of, 186-187
thanked by Lamphere, 223
Smyth, Don V., 168
Sobinsky, Mary, 156
Solberg, C. E., 114
Sorenson, Axel, 13
Sorenson, Bella. See Gunness, Belle
Sorenson, Caroline, 13
Sorenson, Lucy, 13, 18
body of, 72-73
burial of, 80, 153
last day of, 59-61
photograph of, 254-256
in the will, 60, 81
Sorenson, Mads Ditlev Anton, 11-16
Belle questioned about, 55-56
candy store of, 12-13
death of, 16
in gold mining scam, 13-15
Jennie on the death of, 26
questions about death of, 94
Sorenson, Myrtle, 13, 18
body of, 72-73
burial of, 80, 153
on Gunness’s death, 28
in Lamphere’s vandalism trial, 57
last day of, 59-61
photograph of, 254-256
in the will, 60, 81
souvenirs, 134-135
Spurunewski, George G., 129
Stahlman, George, 251-252, 254-256
Steele, Pearl, 221
Steinbucher, Martha, 120
Stephenson, D. C., 258
Stern, William, 108-109
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 227-228, 231-234, 238-239
Stockyard Bluebeard, 120-121
Størset, Berit, 6, 139-140
Størset, Brynhild Paulsdatter. See Gunness, Belle
Størset, Paul Pedersen, 6, 139-140
Striver, I. T., 109
strychnine, 94, 119, 171-172, 251-252
as cause of death, 174-175, 190-191
Haines on, 204-206, 207
Stubbert, Sarah D., 138
Sturgis, Claude, 92
Sutherland, Martin, 163-164
closing argument by, 209-211
Mack questioned by, 169-171
Meyer questioned by, 174
Swenson, J. C., 99
Swope, Thomas H., 205
T
Talbot, John E., 157
Tasso (steamship), 8
Taylor, Benjamin F., xiii
Tell, Emil, 109
Text-Book of Legal Medicine and Toxicology (Haines), 204-205
Thaw, Harry K., 160, 198
Thaw, Jonathan G., 160
Thistlewaite, Mark, 229
Thuns, Gustav, 109
Toppan, “Jolly” Jane, 260
Torgersen, John Z., 11
Townsend, Alonzo, 111-112
transatlantic crossings, 8-9
trial
Antiss’s testimony in, 188
Ball’s testimony in, 191
closing arguments, 208-216
corpus delicti established in, 166, 169-172, 200-203
defense’s case in, 200-207
first day of testimony in, 168-172
Haines’ testimony in, 203, 204-206, 207
Helgelien’s testimony in, 179-180
instructions to the jury, 215-216
jury deliberations in, 217-218, 222
jury selection for, 157-158, 162
Marr’s testimony in, 188
Maxson’s testimony in, 184-186, 202-203
Meyer’s testimony, 173-175
opening statements, 163-167, 189-191
prosecution’s case in, 182-188
spectators, 178, 183, 193-199
testimony on the teeth in, 175-176, 190, 191-192
verdict in, 218-223
Truelson, Julius, 160-161
Turner, Mrs. Ray, 179
Twenty Years a Detective in the Wickedest City in the World (Wooldridge), 105, 106
U
United States Pharmacopeia, 205
V
Valparaiso, Indiana, 138
Vamp Slayer, 249
Vaughan, James Lawrence, 156
Viking (longship), 5
voodoo, 246-247
W
Wagner, May, 113
Walcker, Julia, 120-121
Walcker, Marie, 120
Walker, John C., 17
Wallace, Bessie, 183
Wase, George, 60-61
Washburne, Tubby, 70-71
Wasser, George, 191
Weidner, John, 37-38
Weir, Ellsworth, 185, 211-212
Weir, William C., 192
Wheatbrook, John, 56, 57-58, 74, 165
Whorwell, Thomas, 71
Wilcox, Franklin T., 85-86, 171-172
Williams, Andrew, 242
Williams, Caroline, 114
Williams, George, 109
Williams, R. S., 130
Willis, L. L., 253
Wist, Johannes B., 110
A Woman of the West (Vaughan), 156
women spectators, 193-199
Wood, H. Parker, 254
Woods, James, xiv-xv
Wooldridge, Clifton R., 105-106
Worden, Wirt
Antiss questioned by, 188
Belle subpoenaed by, 166
closing argument by, 213-214
Colson questioned by, 184
death of, 258
doubts of about Belle’s death, 166, 200-203, 241-242, 249, 258
Lamphere counseled to silence by, 220
on Lamphere’s “confession,” 234-235, 239
on Lamphere’s innocence, 128-129
in Lamphere’s trespassing trial, 54-55
in Lamphere’s vandalism trial, 57-58
Mack questioned by, 170-171
Meyer questioned by, 174-175
Norton questioned by, 175-176
opening statement by, 189-191
on Pinkerton agents, 146
reputation of, 156-157
Smith questioned by, 187
Smith’s death and, 244
on the verdict, 221-222
World Columbian Exposition of 1893, 5
Wrench, F. T., xiii
Wright, Mrs. George, 192
Y
York, A. M., 123-124
York, William, 123-124
Yorkey, John A., 255-257, 258
Yukon Mining & Trading Company, 13-15
Z
Zahner, Joe, 134
Zanelar, Benjamin, 134
Zimmer, Matthew, 95
For
CHRISTOPH KELLER
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My thanks, as always, to my agent, David Patterson. In sharing her material with me, Janet Langlois couldn’t have been more gracious. Katherine Ramsland was equally generous in providing me with transcripts of the correspondence between Belle and Andrew Helgelien. Krista Reynen and Meg Moss supplied invaluable research assistance. I owe a special debt of thanks to Susie Richter of the La Porte County Historical Society, as well as to historian Bruce Johnson.
Mostly, as ever, I wish to convey my gratitude, appreciation, and everlasting love to my wonderful wife, Kimiko Hahn.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © Kimiko Hahn
Harold Schechter is an American true-crime writer who specializes in serial killers. Twice nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime, he is the author of the nonfiction books Fatal, Fiend, Bestial, Deviant, Deranged, Depraved, The Serial Killer Files, The Mad Sculptor, and Man-Eater. Schechter attended the State University of New York in Buffalo, where he earned his PhD under the direction of Leslie Fiedler. He is a professor of American literature and popular culture at Queens College of the City University of New York. Schechter is married to poet Kimiko Hahn and has two daughters, the writer Lauren Oliver and professor of philosophy Elizabeth Schechter.
Praise for Harold Schechter’s
Hell’s Princess
Hell’s Princess can take its place among Schechter’s other true-crime classics as the definitive rendering of one of the most beguiling and brutal of all female serial killers. His gruesome page-turner abou
t Belle Gunness, grounded in meticulous historic research, confirms his reputation as one of the top true-crime writers of our time.”
—Katherine Ramsland, bestselling author of
Confession of a Serial Killer
“Harold Schechter’s Hell’s Princess had me on the edge of my seat to the last page! Like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Hound of the Baskervilles, Schechter’s hound that is always ready to pounce is Belle Gunness, America’s most notorious female serial killer. Schechter’s achievement is humanizing this inhuman monster, while making us feel the sexual neediness and loneliness urging Belle’s victims to give up everything to get into her bed. How the case ultimately turns out is a seminal event in jurisprudence written by one of America’s greatest storytellers and historians.”
—Fred Rosen, author of Murdering the President: Alexander
Graham Bell and the Race to Save James Garfield
“Harold Schechter demonstrates why he is the dark prince master of American true-crime history, in this first definitive account of notorious female serial killer Belle Gunness and her ‘human slaughterhouse murder farm.’”
—Peter Vronsky, author of Serial Killers:
The Method and Madness of Monsters
ALSO BY HAROLD SCHECHTER
NARRATIVE NONFICTION
Killer Colt: Murder, Disgrace, and the Making of an American Legend
The Devil’s Gentleman: Privilege, Poison, and the Trial That Ushered in the Twentieth Century
The Mad Sculptor: The Maniac, the Model, and the Murder That Shook the Nation
Man-Eater: The Life and Legend of an American Cannibal
NONFICTION
Psycho USA: Famous American Killers You Never Heard Of
Savage Pastimes: A Cultural History of Violent Entertainment
Fatal: The Poisonous Life of a Female Serial Killer
Fiend: The Shocking True Story of America’s Youngest Serial Killer
Bestial: The Savage Trail of a True American Monster
Depraved: The Shocking True Story of America’s First Serial Killer
Deranged: The Shocking True Story of America’s Most Fiendish Killer!
Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original “Psycho”
The Whole Death Catalog: A Lively Guide to the Bitter End
The Serial Killer Files: The Who, What, Where, How, and Why of the World’s Most Terrifying Murderers
FICTION
The Tell-Tale Corpse
The Mask of Red Death
The Hum Bug
Nevermore
Outcry
Dying Breath
Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men Page 33
