Miller called the Legislature into session to pass amendments to collect state income tax and inheritance tax, as well as budget controls. All nine were innocent it just took eight decades for Alabama to admit it. On his twenty-first birthday on May 26, 1874, notorious Texas outlaw John Wesley "Wes" Hardin committed the crime that forced him to take an alias and go into hiding for three years, 18 months of which were spent in Escambia County, Ala.: he shot and killed Deputy Sheriff Charles Webb in Brown County. In Lowndes County in the summer of 1965, where the Voting Rights Act was being violated, a group of black and white protestors were harassed by police in Hayneville. By this time, even Lamar County residents were turning against Rube. One of the most famous true crime books was written about the case, titled "Blood and Money," which in turn inspired a 1981 TV movie, "Murder in Texas," starring Sam Elliott, . She died in 2004 at the age of 97and was buried with much fanfare in New Ebenezer Cemetery in Coffee County. This incident initiated a manhunt after the railroad detectives gathered a posse and began tracking the man they were now calling Railroad Bill. Engineer Richard Hawes, his wife, and two children were brutally murdered in an event that baffled people for years. Search the internet for James Earl Files + JFK and you'll find numerous interviews with a man who says he was the shooter on the "grassy knoll" in Dallas, who killed President Kennedy in 1963. She also reputedly killed three other husbands, two children, her mother, her two sisters, a grandson and a mother-in-law. This terrorist attack by the Ku Klux Klan on a black church is still the most notorious in Alabama history for its senselessness as well as for how long justice was delayed. (Source: Alabama Department of Archives and History). It was a bomb. The temperatures had been in the low 30s. The Chairman and Board are at Holman on death row. He would leave again at 9 a.m. Friday mornings and Kate would return to business as usual. (Photo of Ira Thompson from a 1928 edition of Collier's magazine entitled "The Whip Wins. According to journalist Lee Peacock their story is included in "History of Conecuh County, Alabama" by B.F. Riley. It had been weighted down with iron. 1880-death unknown. After being taken to the hospital to be treated for hypothermia, Hilley suffered from a heart attack and died. He was eventually arrested and received treatment for his wound. Billy the Kid escaped from jail on April 18, 1881. The remains were never identified. She had been . They found her floating face down. Sadly, the following day, Emmas beaten body was discovered in Lakeview Park Lake. "Carpenter, a southerner, became a feared terrorist during the Civil War. According to prosecutors, Richards motive for murdering May was so she wouldnt tell on him for murdering her mother and younger sister. Nearly 20 years after the murders of Tracie Hawlett and J.B. Beasley, law enforcement was able to link Coley McCraney to their murders using DNA evidence collected at the crime scene. . Wed love to hear your thoughts! Cherry died in prison on November 18, 2004 at the age of 74. Who did I choose for your county? Aileen Wuornos (aka "That chick from Monster ), 1956-2002. Hawes was an engineer for Georgia-Pacific and reportedly killed his family so he could marry Mayes Story. After making restitution and serving a period of probation, he was pardoned by the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles in 1998. Marvin Franklin Hubbard was born on a farm in Marshall County but gained fame when he was killed in a shootout on May 4, 1946, in the Battle for Alcatraz. Lackey confronted Newman and as Newman called 911, Lackey began firing shots. Bill'sex-wife Jenny arrived in Blount County in July 1918 and announced she wasn't dead. Its been said that if you stop on the bridge in your car and turn your lights off, one of the two people will enter your vehicle leaving behind a wet spot in its wake. After a duel with Alexander Hamilton in which Hamilton was killed, Aaron Burr, former war hero, was suddenly a wanted man. The victims were identified as Jerome Maurice. He and his brother, the notorious Jack, were mortally wounded by a party of officers Tuesday morning near Paine's saw mill, in Hale County." Rhonda Bell Martin, black widow, 1907-1957. The Talladega Creeks, including Selocta, son of Chief Chinnabee, had chosen not to join the war against the settlers so Selocta devised a way to warn Gen. Andrew Jackson who was camped 30 miles north. ". Learn more about old Alabama insurance laws and women who used arsenic in this article. When I created this list, I tried to stick with more historical figures when dealing with violent crimes, to prevent highlighting any recent tragedies. But they insisted on having the last word about their former son-in-law and inscribed her headstone: Murdered By Her Husband. Charles Bannister, outlaw, unknown birth and death. Jonathan Myrick Daniels pushed her to the ground and was shot and killed in her place. Garrett tracked him to Fort Sumner on July 14 where he was shot and killed Garrett was murdered by Jesse Wayne Brazel on February 29, 1908. However, political and business figures from any generation were fair game. (Memorial to Selocta/Photo by Wrong Way Dave via FindaGrave.com), Selocta Chinnabee, Indian general, birth unknown-1835. Jim had been known to escape from captivity, where he would be sent to work in mines. Thank you! Thomas Coleman, an unpaid special deputy, ordered them to leave the sidewalk and aimed his gun at one of the women. (Source: Reita Jones via Encyclopedia of Alabama), Christopher Sheats, declared neutrality in Civil War, ca. Newspaper accountssaid that on Dec. 28 or 29, a deputy at the jail where Kelley and Hip was surrounded by a mob and ordered to release the man. (The Varner's Cash Store building in 2013 by Richard Apple via Wikimedia Commons). John S. Barker, cult leader, birth unknown-1934. Also, read about another Calhoun County "notorious" killer, Audrey Marie Hilley, here. The case was an immediate sensation. Rhonda Bell Martin of Montgomery was executed in 1957 in Alabama's electric chair after confessing to killing her mother, two of her husbands and three of her children with arsenic, reportedly for the insurance money. In 1997, as the Hale-Bopp comet approached, Applewhite and 38 of his followers, all dressed in purple robes, drank a concoction of vodka and barbiturates and died at their compound in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. Jimmy Files, confessed to killing JFK, 1942-? If anyone has more information, email kkazek@al.com. Robert Bentley, embattled current governor, 1943-?? (Grave of James Foster in Perdue Hill Cemetery in Monroe County via Darryl Searcy/ FindaGrave.com). Injured were James Finney and Bob Patterson. If youre interested in learning more about the horrific history of all murders in Alabama, you can find lists just by searching list of murders in Alabama or list of Alabama murders. If youre interested in learning more about famous murders, a simple search of Alabama famous murders will find you the results youre looking for. In 1967, Krenwinkel met Charles Manson and, in 1969, accompanied Manson Family members on two murder sprees. In 2019, there were 43 Montgomery County murders alone. She was also accused of killing another niece, Shirley's older sister Polly. While some homicides received more attention than others, all were very horrible events that shouldve never happened. Burr suffered a stroke in 1834 and died in 1836. The tale was repeated in Kathryn Tucker Windham's "13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey. Jennifer is the Alabama staff writer for Only In Your State and has nearly 15 years of professional writing experience. [1] On his way to jail, he claimed his innocence. Dig deeper Marshall Herff Applewhite, cult leader, 1931-1997. In a6-6 vote, House Judiciary Committee members were split on whether toallow their legal counsel to continue investigating Gov. Finding the most notorious person from each of Alabamas 67 counties was no easy task. Residents were lashed for such offenses as "loose talk and toting a hip flask," according to a 1928 article in Collier's magazineentitled "The Whip Wins." He was also Alabamas only first gentleman his wife Lurleen Wallace was governor from 1967-68. (An Associated Press photo of Earle Dennison leaving the courtroom), Earle Dennison, black widow killer, ca. She was arrested, put on trial, and denied by Roddey. Price, who authorities believed was after Ethel's $3,000 life insurance policy, was eventually convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Lackey was sentenced to death on April 3, 2008, and was later executed in Alabama by lethal injection on July 25, 2013. He was stabbed to death in North Carolina in 1941. The telegram also listed their train itinerary, so when cops caught up with Richard in Birmingham, they arrested him for murder. Drawing of bushwhackers from The Civil War Trust, Ham Carpenter, Civil War guerilla, dates unknown, According to a 1976 Journal-Register Newspaper, Ham Carpenter of Hamilton was one of the most notorious people of Marion County. When bones were discovered in spring of 1912 by a local farmer and his son fishing in the Warrior River, local resident Jim House remembered that Jenny Wade Wilson and her 19-month-old baby had not been seen since 1908. Maj. Milton Butterfield, man buried beneath church, unknown birth-1864, Milton Butterfield, a major with the 24thAlabama Infantry killed in Atlanta during the Civil War, is buried beneath Union Springs' Red Door Theatre, which occupies the ca.-1909 Trinity Episcopal Church. Richard Hawes was the only suspect and as he was taken to jail, he continued to claim his innocence. The Hawes murders occurred in December 1888 and resulted in lots of media attention for Birmingham. Ethel's parents, overcome with the loss of their young daughter, buried her in Newville Baptist Church Cemetery in Henry County. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The Murder of Kate Ragsdale Ragsdale, a 73-year-old retired Librarian, was found brutally murdered in her home February 24, 2013. After the children were found chained at the bottom of Lakeview Lake a mob came to the jail for vigilante justice and 10 people were killed by deputies. Read on to find out the true story behind the Hawes murders. 1867-1902, William "Will" Reynolds shot nine people, killing seven, in the bloodiest day for law enforcement in Alabama's history. No bodies or trace of the ship were ever found. The day of the shooting, students claimed she seemed perfectly normal. That same afternoon, a telegram announced that Richard married the former Mayes Story in Mississippi. "I know now how foolish, vain and wholly useless it is and must have been, and were I set at liberty this morning, I should hope to be dead by sunset, as all men must hereafter point at me as a murderer. In May 2002, Bobby Frank Cherry was convicted of four counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, which killed four African-American girls. The most famous murder in Alabama history is the 1988 Hawes murders, which took place in the city of Birmingham. While frightening in its fervor, the collection is an example of folk art at its most primitive. BhamWiki.com says: "The Hawes murders were a notorious and sensational crime discovered in December 1888 that produced a deadly riot and gained nationwide media attention for the young city of Birmingham." The nine the teens and young men accused of raping two women aboard a train ranged in age from 13 to 20. After a small group was released from the Hayneville Jail, four people, two white clergymen and two young black women went to Varners Cash Store for soft drinks. He made it to Jackson, who gathered 1,200 infantry and 800 cavalry and marched toward Talledega, saving the town. He died near the Texas-Mexico border. Uncovered is where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts can learn from and teach others. Although the crime statistics for how many murders in Alabama 2021 or how many murders in Montgomery, Alabama, 2021 have not been released, we can imagine a general homicide rate based on the statistics from 2020. His sons took the Booth monument to a stonecutter who removed the inscription and re-inscribed it as Pink's grave marker, where it remains today, Lewis Powell, Lincoln assassination conspirator, 1844-1865. On February 28, 1890, Hawes was executed. Emma was an alcoholic and May, the oldest daughter, was forced to care for her younger sister and brother, Irene and Willie. It was called the Free State of Winston. Its not like notorious people are publicized like famous people or celebrities. There Are Numerous Historic Buildings In This Alabama City, Underneath Foley, Alabama Lies A Creepy Yet Amazing Tunnel, 9 Historic Photos That Show Us What It Was Like Living In Alabama In The Early 1900s, Few People Know The History Behind Waldo Covered Bridge, The Second Oldest In Alabama, Family-Owned Since The Early 1900s, Step Back In Time At Chris Famous Hotdogs In Alabama, The Story Behind The Murders That Happened At This Alabama Lake Is Truly Chilling, The One College In Alabama Where Youll Most Likely Have A Ghostly Encounter, This Abandoned Funeral Home In Alabama Will Chill You To The Bone, Aunt Jenny Johnston Bankhead National Forest. There was no physical evidence that connected either sister to the crime. In the late 1800s, Katherine Lackner gave up a respectable life to be with portly but rakish riverboat captain named William Simpson "Simp" McGhee. These individuals are also known to have committed some of the most infamous Alabama murders. Sheats and many in Winston County opposed secession and declared the county neutral during the war. The creepiest place in Alabama is a haunted bridge known as Hells Gate Bridge. Bill eluded them, hijacking a train car in the process. Do you know of any other famous murders in Alabama? She did not go into trances but instead read the grounds left in the bottoms of coffee cups. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Hearing of Burr's plans, Thomas Jefferson declared him a traitor and issued an order for his arrest. Yvonne Coley - May 25, 1984. Then, "Hipp and Kelley were taken by a mob of 100 armed, masked men and lynched on the courthouse columns. Murder of Judge Edward Aaron - Birmingham, Alabama 1957. (1970 photo shows Manson Family follower Patricia Krenwinkel/AP/File Photo). Reynolds opened fire and killed Colbert Sheriff Charles Gassaway, his brother, Deputy William Gassaway, Deputy Jesse Davis, Deputy James Payne, Deputy Pat A. Prout, Deputy Bob Wallace and Hugh Jones. (Photo from the Scottsboro Boys Museum and Cultural Center). (Source: San Francisco Chronicle March, 1895). OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. 1866. By the time he donated his collection to the Alabama Department of Archives and History in 1937, he'd amassed more than 50,000 native artifacts from surrounding counties, including jewels from a long-dead Indian princess, according to a 1928 Associated Press article published in thePrescott, AZ, Evening Courier. At first, authorities in Newville believed the death of 24-year-old Ethel Wright Price was the result of a car accident late on the night of Nov. 9, 1931. According to the article "The Life and Work of Sequoyah," by John B. Davis, Sequoyah drank heavily and spent all his money on liquor. Getty Each state has a connection to an infamous serial killer. He was captured in Washington County, Ala., and taken to Fort Stoddert. She didn't believe her colleagues were really dead. Because Richard was away on business a lot, Emma was left alone to tend to their daughters. But in between, he left his mark on Alabama. Peacock said legend states the brothers were so despised that they were buried facing west instead of the traditional east when they were cut down from the gallows., (A late-19th century photo of John Kirkham from Barbara Kim Thigpen), John K. McEwen, beloved businessman and reader, 1856-1939. He and Starr, also a famous outlaw, may have been romantically involved. The 6-foot, 2-inch man soon grew to more than 560 pounds, too large to handle his farm work. Remember, while the word notorious often has negative connotations, the definition is broader: generally known and talked of; especially widely and unfavorably known.. As soon as Sanderson touched it, exploding shrapnel ripped through his body, instantly killing him. These murders resulted in a delay riot that quickly garnered media attention across the country. On December 4, 1888, two boaters, John Keith and Ben Culbalson, discovered the body of a young white female in East Lake. The "garden" was a collection of folk art crosses and signs on his Prattville property that admonished passersby "Hell is Hot Hot Hot," "Jesus Saves" and "Repent." The outlaw named John Harrison Middleton was born in Tishomingo County, Miss., and died in Le Flore County, Oklahoma. It was overgrown with enormous trees and thick underbrush. Willie Maxwell, voodoo preacher and murderer, 1925-1977. ", (Grave of Allen Page by Melody via FindaGrave.com), The Ward Brothers, outlaws, Irvin (1828-1859), Stephen (1834-1859), The Ward brothers are buried in the Ward-Witherington Cemetery in Conecuh County. During his last month in jail, he admitted to his brother and a guard that he paid John Wylie, an associate, to murder Emma and Irene. Ira Bowman Thompson was a distinguished Alabama attorney and politician who served in World Wars I and II. Anodd footnotes about the case: She reportedly asked that her body be donated to science so people could figure out why she killed. He also passed a state bank holiday in March 1933, eight days before Franklin D. Roosevelt declared a national bank holiday as his greatest achievement.
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