October 17, 1941 Denver, Colorado Theodore Coneys, later called the “Denver Spider Man,” kills 73-year-old Philip Peters after being caught stealing from Peters’ ice box Coneys had fallen on hard times and was desperate for food. He and Peters had been friends and Coneys visited his home in hopes of being invited to dinner as… Continue reading Man who had been hiding in attic for weeks kills friend, “haunts” house for 9 more months
Tag: 1940s
“Miracle Mike,” the chicken who lived 18 months without a head
September 10, 1945 Fruita, Colorado A chicken intended to be eaten survives being beheaded, lives for another 18 months The chicken, later called “Miracle Mike” or “Mike the Headless Chicken,” was 5-and-a-half months old when he was selected to be butchered. The swing of the axe meant to end his life removed most of his… Continue reading “Miracle Mike,” the chicken who lived 18 months without a head
Stampede caused by counterfeit ferry tickets leaves 3 dead and 60 injured
August 18, 1941 New York The bodies of 2 women are covered after a stampede caused by counterfeit ferry tickets The ferry meant to shuttle the patrons across the Hudson River was only capable of carrying 3,100 people. However, after admitting 1,400 on board it was discovered that nearly 5,000 awaited the journey. Thousands of… Continue reading Stampede caused by counterfeit ferry tickets leaves 3 dead and 60 injured
The Sant’Anna di Stazzema massacre
August 12, 1944 Sant'Anna di Stazzema, Tuscany, Italy Nazis murder 560 locals and refugees, including 130 children In the span of 3 hours, the 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division rounded up all locals, locking them in barns or stables. They then took groups of captives to shoot with machine guns or at point-blank range, or brought… Continue reading The Sant’Anna di Stazzema massacre
Execution of Acid Bath Murder John George Haigh
August 10, 1949 Wandsworth, London, England Serial killer and “Acid Bath Murderer” John George Haigh is executed Haigh had been a career criminal, specializing in fraud. After many stints in prison for fraud, Haigh determined the reason he was caught often was because he left his victims alive. While serving time, he experimented with dissolving… Continue reading Execution of Acid Bath Murder John George Haigh
