The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-08-04
SLAYINGS MARK
Los ANGELES
HISTORY
Violent Deaths in That City
Seem to Run in
Cycles
BY COPELAND G. BURG,
international News Service.

1
City of Angels--L4os Angeles -is
often referred to as the city Of
murders" because of the Clara
Phillips thammer killing" the mys.
terious murder of William Desmond
Taylor and other famous crimes Of
violence.
And Los Angeles bears out the
ancient theory. among newspaper.
men that crime comes in cycles.
/ Every sensational Los Angeles
murder has been closely followed
/ by two new murders.
| Recently Doctor Thomas w.
/ Young, wealthy society dentist,
confessed he had killed his beautiful
wife, Grace, club leader, by smother
ing her to death with somnoform,
deadly dental gas. Within forty
eight hours after the woman's body
was dug up from q cistern under
were two brand-new murders on
record in Los Angeles.
A man was found shot to death
on deserted pier, and b building
engineer beat to death and slashed
the throat of his, atepdaughter.
i A year ago, when Norman Selby,
kid Mccoy" former ring idol, was
arrested charged with the murder
of Mrs. Teresa Mors, found dead In
her apartment, two other murders
of mystery went on record imme.
diately, A man was shot to death
In his own automobile and his body
flung into the street, and a man and
a woman were found murdered in
an apartment house.
Every killing here that has at
tracted nationwide attention has
been followed by two fresh crimes.
the trio of deaths usually coming
on record within forty-eight hours.
Every Example.
The student Of the art of murder
will find every example in the rec.
ord Of Los Angeles. which includes
the following famous cases:
Harry New In July. 1919, led po-
lice officers to his automobile, in
which reposed the body Of his
IsWeetheart, F'reda Lesser, whom he
had shot and killed while driving
through q nearby lonely canyon.
New was tried, convicted ana given
a life. sentence.
]. r. c'Bauebeard'J Watson. ar
rested in January, 1920, "n a
minor charge. later confessed he
had murdered twenty-seven women.
He was sentenced to life imprison.
ment.
Mrs. Louise q. Peete was arrest.
ed and convicted OF killing Jacob.
Denton, wealthy mining operator,
after his body was found in his
mansion basement in June, 1920.
On circumstantial evidence, Mrs.
Peete, Denton's housekeeper, was
sent to San Quentin Prison for life.
J. Bolton Kennedy. while enter
Ing a house in Beverly Glen, In
1921, was shot to death. Mrs.
/ Madalynne Obenchain and Arthur
Burch were both tried for the
murder, but the juries disagreed.
Kennedy was killed q short dis
lance from the DR.. Young cabin,
where the dentist murdered his
wife. Young claimed to have
passed the Kennedy cabin the
night Kennedy was shot.
Movie Director Killed
William Desmond Taylor, motion.
picture director OF national re-
nown, was found dead in his apart.
ment, in the heart OF the city, Jan
uary 2, 1922. The crime is still q
mystery. Many prominent motion
picture actors and actresses were
mentioned by police in connection
with Taylor's death.
Alberta Meadows, q beautiful
young woman, was murdered July
IL, 1929, by Mrs, Clara Phillips,
another beautiful woman, Who bent
herlyictim TO death with a hammer.
Mrs. Phillips was convicted and
then escaped to Central America.
Later she was returned to this
country and is now known as the
most beautiful prisoner in San
Quentin, where she is serving a life
sentence.
Earl C. Remington. club n1em-
Der and bank safe designer, was
murdered in front OF his residence
in April. 1923. His assailant has
never been apprehended.
Fred Oesterreich, wealthy retired
manufacturer, formerly of Milwau-
kee. was killed in his home here in
August, 1928. His wife was accused,
but later the charges were dismissed.
The tragedy wrecked Mrs. Oester-
reich's health. and she is now said
to be in a critical condition.
Doctor Benjamin Baldwin, sur
geon, was shot to death in the apart
ment of Mrs. Margaret Willis. Mrs.
Willis surrendered after placing the
physicians body in a trunk and
throwing 1t over an embankment
near the city's edge. She is serv'
~