The Kitchen Table Historian
When Indiana police heard that Leonard Grubb had killed a man, they definitely wanted to hear more. Haunted by the victims ghost, Leonard happily confessed, leading to one of the strangest stories in Indiana history. Sources 2 In Nashville Jail as Murder Story Is Sifted. The Republic, 10/28/1930 Slaying Exposed in Brown County. The... Continue Reading →
A large part of making it through prison is learning how to pass the time. Some people just sit and stare, letting their brains wander into realms of imagination far outside their concrete cells. Some read, either to further their education or just for entertainment. There is a myriad of ways to keep yourself occupied;... Continue Reading →
Some relatives are unwelcome at Christmas. Some are rude. Some look down on you. Some are unwelcome because they're already dead. In 1937, a dead man allegedly compelled his son to commit a terrible crime at Christmas. Sources Vesper Youth Confesses ‘Spiritual Slaying’ of Son. Marshfield News-Herald, 12/27/1937 Release Wife of Confessed Baby... Continue Reading →
Christmas morning is something that’s looked forward to by families all over the country. It’s a time to gather with family in a warm, loving space protected from the colder weather that can dominate so many regions during that time of year. The brightly-lit rooms are filled with the delightful smells of homecooked meals and... Continue Reading →
When Iowa policemen arrested a robbery suspect in 1947, they thought they had just apprehended the thief responsible for numerous area break-ins. They didn't suspect that they had just caught a notorious and uncommon criminal. Sources ‘Widely-Sought Criminal Nabbed.’ The Democrat and Leader, 3/9/1947 p. 1 ‘Burglar, Wanted By the FBI For Jailbreak and... Continue Reading →
By March 8, 1947, police in Davenport, Iowa, were looking for an unknown suspect who had been breaking into local homes throughout the city. There had been no solid leads, and every crime that the robber committed was like a slap in the face to the local law enforcement. They were eager to catch... Continue Reading →
In 1924, Cora Raber was a young woman who found herself in an undesired position. But she had resolved the issue, and was going to get married. Or so she thought. What happened to the Would-Be Bride? Sources Arden Murder Solved. The Herald-Press, 8/12/1924 Identify Dead Girl; Arrest Man. The News-Palladium, 8/12/1924 Murder... Continue Reading →
On August 10, 1924, the decomposed body of a young woman was found near the town of Arden, Michigan. The remains were only half-clothed, and had been mauled by wild animals. Unceremoniously dumped along a disused railway line, authorities estimated that the girl had been there for almost a week. The coroner soon determined that... Continue Reading →
Charles Strelow couldn’t watch over his hidden fortune all the time, so he bought a dog. Trained to be vicious, it looked like the end when Charles left the farm. But fate intervened. What happened to the hermit’s sentry? Sources Reverses In Chicago Realty Led Two Strelow Brothers To Hoard Their Money and... Continue Reading →