Sheila O'Hare

Authors Sheila O’Hare and Alphild Dick gather newspaper reports of crime in The Mile High City, most from the late 19th and early 20th century. Denver. Denver probably wasn’t any more crime-ridden that other cities of similar size, but the newspapers were always eager to have horrendous stories to relate. There were no mass shootings – but there were plenty of one-at-a-time shootings, fueled by alcohol or just orneriness. As usual, much of the crime was against women; the “Denver Strangler” went after prostitutes in the city’s red light district, and the “Capitol Hill Slugger” used a blunt instrument against women walking alone (he accounted for 18, four fatally; not always robbing the victim). Neither the “Strangler” nor the “Slugger” were ever caught. Of course the gentler sex also got its licks in, poisoning husbands for their money or dealing with unfaithful lovers with a Colt .38. The authors went to a great deal of effort to use census records and other data to track down the subsequent history of many of the perpetrators. Interestingly enough, few were executed, even for pretty brutal crimes; Colorado repealed its death penalty in 1897 and replaced it in 1901 (supposedly because there were too many lynchings while there was no death penalty).

Interesting enough if you’re that kind of reader. Lots of illustrations, but no bibliography or index. For another notorious Denver crime, see Murder at the Brown Palace.… (altro)