William Wilson Talcott William Wilson Talcott ( December 4 , 1878 – August 24 , 1922 ) was an American football player , school teacher , newspaper publisher , and ice cream manufacturer . Talcott played college football for the University of Michigan in 1897 and 1898 and was the starting quarterback for the undefeated 1898 Michigan Wolverines football team . After graduating from Michigan , he worked as a school teacher in Illinois and Michigan . He entered the newspaper publishing business in 1905 and published " The Englewood Economist " from September 1906 to January 1918 . From 1918 to 1920 , he was the business manager of the Paris edition of the " Chicago Tribune " . He later went into the ice cream business in Chicago . In August 1922 , Talcott led a legal battle with the head of a so - called " love cult " with which his wife had become involved . The legal battle received national newspaper coverage . When his wife refused to part ways with the cult , Talcott committed suicide by jumping from an excursion boat off the shore of Chicago with rocks in his pockets . Early years . Talcott was born in December 1878 in Valparaiso , Indiana . He was the second of five children of Charles Ransom Talcott and Harriet E . Malone , who were married in October 1873 . His father was a native of Valparaiso who began his career as a school teacher . From 1874 to 1886 , his father was the publisher of the " Porter County Vidette " , a local newspaper in Valparaiso . In August 1886 , when Talcott was seven years old , the family moved to Chicago where his father worked for many years at the Western Publishing House . After the family ' s move to Chicago , Talcott grew up in the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago ' s South Side . He attended the public schools in Englewood and graduated from Englewood High School . As a senior in the fall of 1896 , Talcott was captain and quarterback of the Englewood High School football team . In September 1896 , the " Chicago Tribune " wrote : " Englewood has always come into the field with a team of strong and heavy men . This year ' s team will be no exception to the rule . . . Talcott , quarter back , is Captain , and he has all of last year ' s line men to work with . " The 1896 Englewood team , led by Talcott and end Clayton Teetzel , won the Cook County football championship . The season ended with a 38 – 6 victory over Hyde Park , which was described in the Englewood High School newspaper as follows : " The final game with Hyde Park . . . was the greatest of all . To defeat our ancient rivals was the happiest ambition of the team . The defeat of ' 95 still rankles in the breasts of seven of the team , and they were determined to do or die . ' It was a glorious victory , ' the score being 38 to 6 , when time was called because of darkness with ten minutes yet to play . " University of Michigan . In the fall of 1897 , Talcott and his Englewood teammate Clayton Teetzel enrolled at the University of Michigan as students in the Literary Department . During Talcott ' s freshman year , he played as a backup quarterback for the 1897 Michigan Wolverines football team . He also joined the Theta Delta Chi fraternity in 1897 . In its annual publication , " The Shield " , the fraternity reported that the Michigan chapter was " proud " in having Talcott play " quarter in a number of the games . " As a sophomore , Talcott was the starting quarterback in six of ten games for the undefeated 1898 Michigan football team that won the school ' s first Western Conference ( as the Big Ten was then known ) championship and prompted Louis Elbel to compose Michigan ' s fight song , " The Victors . " In the early days of football , players were required to play on both offense and defense . On defense , Talcott was a linebacker . Blocking was known at the time as " interference , " and after a 23 – 0 victory over Notre Dame in October 1898 , " The Michigan Alumnus " wrote that " Talcott shone in the interference . " During his junior year , Talcott did not return to the varsity football team , and was instead the captain of the junior class football team . As a senior in the fall of 1900 , Talcott was an assistant coach under Langdon Lea for Michigan ' s varsity football team , " winning quite a reputation for himself in that line . " Talcott also served as the Chairman of the Senior Literary Social Committee . He graduated with his bachelor ' s degree in 1901 . Teaching . After graduating from Michigan , Talcott became a school teacher . In 1902 , he was a teacher at a school in Chicago . In early 1904 , Talcott wrote a letter to the secretary of his graduating class at Michigan , informing his former classmates that he was the principal of the high school in Bessemer , Michigan . In his letter , Talcott noted that he had " fully decided to make teaching his life work " and " expressed his belief that participation in athletics and other activities of student life , as supplementary to the work of class - room , and library , and laboratory , might form a very valuable part of the preparation of the teacher , in giving self - control , confidence , and knowledge of human nature . " On August 24 , 1904 , Talcott married Shirley J . Patterson , at Jackson , Michigan . They listed their address at the time as Hurley , Wisconsin , a city located a short distance across the border from Bessemer , Michigan . Newspaper publishing . In approximately 1905 , Talcott followed his father into the newspaper publishing business . He began his publishing career with the " Englewood News " , serving the Englewood section of Chicago . In September 1906 , Talcott and his younger brother , James Richard Talcott , founded " The Englewood Economist " , a weekly newspaper serving the Englewood community . The first edition was four pages and included the following statement of goals : This paper ventures to present itself for the approval of the entire district west of Wallace street and south of Garfield Boulevard . Fifteen thousand copies will be distributed each week by a select body of carriers . . . The business interests have for years needed such a medium as The Economist will be , as is shown by the readiness with which many concerns , both large and small , have entered into the plan . Besides giving space to important local items The Englewood Economist will , each issue , contain short articles on interesting incidents of the day , occasionally a short story , and always bits of wit and humor . In a word it will be the aim of the paper to afford this rapidly growing section a means of self - expression and cause people to await its delivery anxiously . . . " The paper ' s circulation grew to 138 , 750 by 1922 . Though its name was later changed to the " Southtown Economist " , the newspaper founded by the Talcott brothers was still publishing 100 years later . By 1912 , James Talcott had left " The Englewood Economist " and moved to Kansas City , Missouri . In 1918 , Talcott sold the newspaper to Foster & McDonnell , who published the " Auburn Park Community Booster " and the " West Englewood Telegram " . In August 1918 , Talcott moved to Paris , France , as the business manager of the Paris edition of the " Chicago Tribune " . At the time of his departure , the new owners of " The Englewood Economist " wrote , " By training and experience Mr . Talcott is exceptionally well fitted for the duties he is about to assume and he leaves with the felicitations for success of a host of friends and acquaintances throughout Chicago . " He was joined in Paris by his family in the summer of 1919 and returned to Chicago in March 1920 . Talcott and his wife had three children . In late February 1920 , he wrote in a postcard to " The Englewood Economist " : " We are spending a few days in Switzerland , Southern France and Italy before sailing March 6th from Naples . Will see you before April 1st . Give my best to all the folks . " After returning from Europe , Talcott published editorials in " The Englewood Economist " strongly supporting approval for the League of Nations . Ice cream business . By 1922 , Talcott had left the newspaper business and was working for The Hydrox Company , the largest ice cream company in Chicago . He was described in some sources as " head of the city ' s largest ice - cream manufacturing concern , " but he described himself in February 1922 as the company ' s advertising manager . He wrote an article that was published in " The Soda Fountain " in February 1922 urging ice cream manufacturers and vendors to adopt a sales campaign to promote winter sales of their products as an aid to good health . Talcott wrote that " the combined ice cream interests of the country should be able in the same way to get the people , men , women and children to stand on the corners and eat ice cream in a snowstorm for the sake of improved health , increased vitality , and strengthened constitution obtainable from eating plenty of the delicious product . " Talcott went so far as to proffer several potential slogans for use in promoting winter sales . Talcott ' s slogans included the following : " HARDEN YOURSELF TO ENDURE COLD - - EAT PLENTY OF ICE CREAM < br > ICE CREAM IS A GREAT HARDENER - - EAT IT OFTEN ALL WINTER < br > ICE CREAM FOR LUNCH ON SCHOOL DAYS WILL ENABLE YOUR CHILDREN TO ENJOY THESE RUGGED , WINTRY DAYS < br > FIGHT COLD WITH COLD - - EAT ICE CREAM < br > THE BLASTS OF WINTER HAVE LITTLE EFFECT ON CHILDREN THAT EAT ICE CREAM " Legal fight with " love cult " and suicide . Wife ' s involvement with the " House of Happiness " . In August 1922 , Talcott became involved in publicized legal proceedings against Albert J . Moore , the leader of the " Life Institute " or " House of Happiness " , which was described in the press as a " love cult . " Moore operated the Life Institute out of a " temple " at 162 East Ontario Street in Chicago . Moore sent delegations from his temple to the homes of wealthy Chicago society women to perform incantations that were said to render the homes " divorce proof . " Moore also gave lectures on titles that included , " The Origin of Sex " and " Healing the Sick Through Sex Understanding . " Talcott ' s wife , Shirley , fell in with Moore and admitted to having given him $ 7 , 000 . Hattie Cartwright , wife of Illinois Supreme Court Justice James H . Cartwright , admitted giving Moore $ 4 , 000 . Mrs . Talcott ' s sister , Mrs . Dedo Patterson Wilkinson , wrote a letter to Talcott begging him to " do everything possible to get his wife out of ' control ' of ' Dr . ' Moore . " The letter from Mrs . Talcott ' s sister continued , " I talked to Moore and tried to make him let up ; only he wouldn ' t . Something must be done with him for she [ Mrs . Talcott ] is not responsible , but I am not susceptible . " Mrs . Talcott ' s sister urged Talcott to have her put in a sanitarium , if needed , to win her back from Moore . Talcott ' s brother later recalled , " My brother was undoubtedly despondent . He recently brooded incessantly over domestic troubles . He worried as no man ever worried before . " Criminal complaint against Moore . When his wife refused to cease her association with Moore , Talcott resorted to legal proceedings . In mid - August 1922 , Talcott , acting in the name of his wife , swore out a complaint against Moore , charging that Moore was deceiving wealthy women from the " best homes " in Chicago into turning over thousands of dollars to " heal their homes " and make them " divorce proof . " Moore was brought into police court to face the charges on August 17 , 1922 . At the hearing , he produced typewritten testimonials bearing the names of " the city ' s most prominent families . " Mrs . Talcott also appeared at the hearing and told newspaper reporters that she did not approve of her husband ' s action and felt that he " shouldn ' t prosecute Moore . " The judge set the matter for an evidentiary hearing on August 22 , 1922 . Talcott ' s complaint against the leader of a " love cult " drew coverage in newspapers across the country , with Talcott billed as the " nemesis of the love cult , " and the " leader of the famous ' husband ' s rebellion . ' " At the resumed hearing on August 22nd , Judge John Henderson heard testimony from several witnesses . Hattie Cartwright testified that Moore was a fake healer , noting that he claimed to be " greater than Christ " and to have the ability to raise the dead , yet he " couldn ' t raise hair on his own bald spot . " Another witness testified that his wife referred to Moore as " my master . " Mrs . Talcott ' s sister testified as to the hold Moore held over her sister : " Mrs . Talcott and Mr . Moore and I went to lunch at the Hamilton club . He informed me it was only a courtesy when people talked to you to look them in the eyes . I said to myself right then , ' hypnotism . ' My sister sat as a broken flower . I ' ll never forget how she looked . " At the end of the day ' s hearing , Judge Richardson fined Moore $ 100 and court costs . Moore said he would appeal the ruling and told his disciples at the Chicago Avenue police station that he would hold services as usual that evening . City Attorney , Louis P . Piquette , threatened to close all meetings at Moore ' s temple . That evening , 50 of Moore ' s followers gathered at his temple , where they conducted ceremonies " as usual , without molestation " from the police or City Attorney . Commitment proceedings against wife . Following Moore ' s trial on August 22nd , Talcott had his wife committed temporarily to a " psychopathic hospital " for mental examination due to " her decision to cleave to the ' House of Happiness . ' " Talcott declared to police that he believed his wife ' s mind had been affected by an infatuation for Moore ' s teachings . Her incarceration was brief , as physicians declared her sane . She was released on August 24th . Talcott ' s suicide . On the morning of August 24th , Talcott was reportedly despondent and disappeared . That afternoon , a well - dressed man matching Talcott ' s appearance , climbed to the upper deck of a small excursion steamer , the " Favorite , " and jumped from the railing as it travelled from Lincoln Park to the Navy Pier . Police recovered a straw hat left by the jumper and took the hat to the Talcott home . The police showed the hat to Mrs . Talcott , who had just reached the Talcott residence at 637 East Marquette Road , after her release from the hospital . Mrs . Talcott told the police that she could not identify the hat as her husband ' s property . Talcott ' s seven - year old son , Byron Talcott , said " he was certain the hat was not his father ' s , as it had too narrow a band . " That night , life and coast guards were stationed on the lakeshore with searchlights in case the body washed ashore during the night . Two days after Talcott ' s disappearance , a haberdasher from the South Side identified the straw hat as a Portis Brothers hat that he had sold to Talcott two months earlier . The haberdasher ' s story was corroborated when he produced a second , identical hat which was still in his stock . After two days , the coast guard commander ceased efforts to retrieve the body . He noted that the water was too deep at the point " where the death leap occurred , " but added that the water conditions would bring the body to the surface within a few days . On August 30th , Talcott ' s body was found floating in Lake Michigan near Van Buren Street . Mrs . Talcott was escorted into the city morgue through a back door . She " calmly identified the body , and departed for the office of her attorney , " leaving orders that Talcott ' s body be taken to the Western Casket Company for cremation . According to one newspaper ' s account , " Seemingly unmoved , she took one glance at the body and said , ' That ' s my husband . ' She then turned and walked out . " Talcott ' s body was discovered to have large stones in his pockets , lumps of coal concealed in his clothing and a bundle containing other weights grasped in his hand . Police also discovered several documents on Talcott ' s body . The documents included the letter from Mrs . Talcott ' s sister urging Talcott to act , a grand jury subpoena from the investigation of Moore , and quantities of advertising literature for Hydrox Ice Cream . However , the item that drew the most attention in the press was a cryptic handwritten note that appeared to contain a threat against Talcott . The note read , " Friday , P . M . - - I will give you until tomorrow morning before you leave the house to withdraw from this case or I will introduce [ two words obliterated ] damaging evidence of six years ago . " Talcott ' s brother - in - law , George E . Repp , told police that he believed the note was Talcott ' s effort to record a threat made by Mrs . Talcott . Repp described an angry encounter at the Talcott residence : " Talcott , in writing the threat , was but quoting the words of his own wife . I was with them in the Talcott home the day before Talcott testified against Dr . Moore . Mrs . Talcott then threatened to reveal happenings of six years ago if he didn ' t drop out of Monroe ' s prosecution . " Mrs . Talcott ' s attorney told reporters that the " damaging evidence of six years ago " may have referred to " a domestic trouble of some kind " between the couple while Talcott was employed with the " Chicago Tribune " in Paris . However , he declined to elaborate , and Mrs . Talcott also refused to comment . Aftermath . Public and press attention continued to focus on Moore and Mrs . Talcott following Talcott ' s suicide . On September 12 , 1922 , after Moore and his assistant were charged by the Assistant State ' s Attorney with conspiracy to operate a confidence game and obtain money by false pretenses , Mrs . Talcott appeared at the Criminal Court building seeking to post property valued at $ 7 , 000 to secure Moore ' s release . Her effort initially fell short , but the bond was reduced and Mrs . Talcott signed for Moore and his assistant . In November 1922 , Moore was tried , convicted and sentenced to 90 days in jail , but the conviction was later overturned . At the trial , Mrs . Talcott testified that the institute aimed " to establish ultimate peace in the world by making people happy , giving them good health , mental and financial . " She added , " I wouldn ' t marry him [ Moore ] , for he has a wife and seven children . But I can love him as a priest . I think he ' s the greatest man in the world . " Moore relocated to a 130 - acre farm located five miles outside of Harvard , Illinois , along the Wisconsin border . Moore established a commune that he called the " Humanity Trust " in " Heaven City . " Moore faced further legal troubles in 1925 when a 50 - year - old follower died following a boxing match with a 15 - year old girl with whom he was having an affair . Though Moore was exonerated of any wrongdoing , the " Chicago Tribune " published a report on the commune in June 1925 , describing the facility as a " drab farm with one main dwelling , and a big white barn " where ten families live , work , study , play and practice " a strange communism . " The " Tribune " reported that the inhabitants of the commune included " Mrs . Shirley Talcott and her three children . " In 1934 , Mrs . Talcott again followed Moore when he relocated Heaven City to a 362 - acre farm in Mukwonago , Wisconsin . Mrs . Talcott stayed at Moore ' s side until his death in 1963 at age 82 . In 1977 , " The Milwaukee Journal " published a feature story on Mrs . Talcott , who , at age 95 , was still living at Heaven City . Mrs . Talcott told the newspaper , " Mr . Moore was a teacher of metaphysics . . . Mr . Moore was a wizard with people . He knew the workings of the mind . " Mrs . Talcott died in 1978 , and Heaven City was disbanded in 1979 .