Though Murder Has No Tongue

Home > Other > Though Murder Has No Tongue > Page 29
Though Murder Has No Tongue Page 29

by James Jessen Badal


  Mad Butcher: Charles Vorell rumored to be, 172–73; one or more killers, 35–36, 56–57; profile of, from Pearce’s “torso clinic,” 9, 53–55, 161; staging bodies, 6, 54; as transient, 173. See also Dolezal, Frank; Sweeney, Francis Edward

  Maher, Richard L., 151–52

  Mahon, John J., 50–52

  Marks, Gertrude Ann (Sue) Nigrin, 178–79

  Matowitz, George: investigation of torso murders and, 15–16; Merylo and, 16, 44; silence on Dolezal case, 45, 56, 165; unlikely to allow deal for Sweeney, 152

  Matowitz, Thomas G., Sr., 136, 149–50

  McCormack, Martin A., 46

  McDevitt, Paul, 22, 23–24, 26

  McFarland, Rebecca, questioning Dolezal’s suicide, 75, 82, 97

  McGunagle, Fred, 130–31

  Media: casual standards of, 32–33; on Cleveland politics, 7, 151–52; criticisms of O’Donnell in, 48–50, 170; on Dolezal case, 33, 42–46, 48–50, 63, 165; on Dolezal in custody, 40–41; on Dolezal inquest, 62–63, 78, 82; on Dolezal’s arrest, 24, 30, 52, 55–56; on Dolezal’s confessions, 32; on Dolezal’s death, 58; Dolezal’s photos in, 40–41, 69, 71, 74, 77; on Dolezal’s sanity, 42; on Dolezal’s treatment, 34, 41–43, 46–48; fiftieth anniversary stories about torso murders in, 135–36; hints of Sweeney as suspect in torso murders in, 134–35, 169; Jones’s story of attack by Dolezal in, 38–39; major players in Dolezal case silent in, 56; Ness courting, 36; O’Donnell’s relations with, 32, 48–49, 146; reviewing torso murders, 70, 130–31; rumors that Dolezal killed sister and nephew in, 175–79; on secret suspect in torso murders, 130–31, 143; on sheriff’s department vs. police department, 32; Sweeney’s popularity with, 114–15, 119, 151–52; on torso murders, 3, 5, 24

  Medical training, Sweeney’s, 118, 161

  Mental disease: caused by alcohol and drug use, 187–89; determination of sanity and, 182–85; diagnoses of Sweeney’s, 120–21, 189; evident in Sweeney’s late-life writing, 129–31, 188–89; Sweeney’s wife questioning sanity, 119, 155

  Mercyhurst College, forensic experts investigating Dolezal’s death at, 97, 99–107

  Merrills, Helen, 25–27

  Merylo, Peter, 16; on arrest of Dolezal, 24–25, 27; background of, 15–16; on case against Dolezal, 17–18, 24–25, 31–33, 56, 149, 165; on Dolezal’s death, 94–95, 165–66; on Dolezal’s guilt, 44–45, 52; effects of torso case on daughters of, 71, 73; Lyons and, 26–27, 149; Merrills and, 25–26; Ness and, 16–17, 165; notes on torso murders, 28, 52, 78–79, 94–95, 99; on Sweeney as suspect in torso murders, 132–33, 152, 160–62; working on torso murders, 16–18, 44–45, 57, 173

  Miller, Nick, 39

  Miller, Raymond T., 6–7, 19

  Miller, William, 43

  Monney, Charles A., 6

  Motowitz, 27

  Mulroy, John, 39

  National Museum of Crime and Punishment, 180

  Ness, Eliot, 8, 19, 36, 72–73, 75; collaborating with Fraley, 113, 140; on death of Sweeney’s brother, 171–72; on Dolezal case, 25, 27, 56, 94, 134, 149, 164–66; interrogation of Sweeney, 140–42, 144; leaving Cleveland, 151, 161, 166; Martin Sweeney and, 115, 140; Merylo and, 16–17, 25, 27, 32, 94, 165; O’Donnell vs., 146–47; operatives of, 94, 133, 165; reputation of, 10, 164; searching for killing space, 20–21, 31; secrecy around suspicions about Sweeney, 129, 140, 154; secret suspect in torso murders, 113, 115–16, 125n, 132–40, 143, 154; shantytown raids by, 10–11, 120, 159; Sweeney as secret suspect of, 127, 133–34, 140, 158–59; Sweeney’s cards and letters to, 129–31, 139, 162, 188–89; unable to make case against Sweeney, 152–55, 158–59; working on torso murders, 15, 127–28, 161

  Ness, Elizabeth, 129, 142

  Ness, Robert Eliot, 129

  Ness, Sharon, 129

  Nigrin, Anna Dolezal, 39, 175–79

  Nigrin, Gottlieb, 175, 177–78

  Nigrin, Joseph Allan, 39, 175–79

  Nigrin, Joseph Allan, II, 178

  “Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity” defense, 183–85

  Notebook, found in Dolezal’s apartment, 31

  Number, of victims, 5

  O’Donnell, Martin L., 38, 44; case against Dolezal and, 34, 39, 42–43, 58, 108, 169–70; Charles Dolezal’s lawsuits against, 24–25, 27, 79, 99, 147–49, 173; death of, 147, 149; on discrepancies in Dolezal’s confessions, 33–35; at Dolezal inquest, 82, 89–91, 167–68; Dolezal’s arrest and, 11, 23–24, 27, 30, 52, 145–47; on Dolezal’s death, 3, 58, 88, 91, 104–5, 148, 170; on Dolezal’s injuries, 41–42, 46–48, 62; election of, 7–8; Gerber and, 167–68; ignoring gambling, 8, 146–47; letter implying Dolezal killed sister and nephew to, 175–79; Lyons and, 20, 23–24; media and, 30, 36, 45–46, 48–50, 53 56, 146; mistreatment of Dolezal under, 42–43, 50, 55, 63, 92; police department and, 44, 56; political maneuvering of, 7–8, 19, 27, 146; power of, 63, 90, 92, 164–65; reputation of, 52, 146; revisiting Dolezal’ apartment, 37; in theories of cover-up of Sweeney as murderer, 128; treatment of Dolezal under, 42, 46, 84, 150–51; violating Dolezal’s civil liberties, 42, 45–46, 50, 84

  Ohio Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home. See Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home (Sandusky)

  Olson, Greg, 104

  O’Neil, Floyd, 3, 88

  Otwell, Frank, 28

  Palda, George, 85, 86

  Pearce, A. J., 19, 155; “torso clinic” of, 8–10, 53–55, 135, 161; torso murders under, 36, 166

  Pendergast, Leonard F., 120–21

  Penty, Myron J., 44, 49, 50–51

  Peterka, Edward, 158–60

  Phillips, Frank C., 27

  Platter, H. M., 157

  Plea, Dolezal not entering, 44

  Police Department, Cleveland: Dolezal’s death and, 60, 74, 81–82; killer staging bodies to mock, 6, 54; lack of experience with serial killers, 9–10; lack of progress on torso murders, 3–5, 10; Pearce’s “torso clinic” for, 8–10; rumors about secret suspect in torso murders within, 135–36, 140; sheriff’s department vs., 24–25, 32, 43, 47–48, 56, 146; Sweeney and, 133, 134, 136. See also Law enforcement agencies; Merylo, Peter; Ness, Eliot

  Polillo, Florence (victim no. 3), 5, 31; disposal of body, 31, 35, 42; Dolezal charged with death of, 44, 56–57, 165; Dolezal’s confessions about, 32–36, 42; Dolezal’s relationship with, 17, 22–23, 31–32; as only murder Dolezal charged with, 36, 57; possible drug deals with Sweeney, 156–57; possibly different murderer than other torso cases, 56–57

  Politics, 63, 144; in Cleveland, 6; in Cuyahoga County, 6; Dolezal’s arrest used in, 27, 146; in lack of impact of torso clinic profile, 54–55; in law enforcement turf wars, 19, 27, 44, 48, 165; Martin Sweeney’s career in, 114, 118–19, 143, 151–54; torso murders used in, 6, 96, 115

  Postcards, from Sweeney to Ness: “Gaylord Sundheim” name fitting style of, 139; mental disease evident in, 129–31, 188–89

  Profile, from “torso clinic,” 9–10; Dolezal not fitting, 53–54; lack of impact of torso clinic, 54–55; Sweeney fitting, 161

  Psychiatry: assessing risks of violence, 189–91; diagnoses of Sundheim, 189; forensic, 180–92; at Pearce’s “torso clinic,” 9

  Psychohistory, of Sweeney, 181

  Psychopathy, 185–86

  Race, of victims, 5

  Religion, Dolezal’s, 47

  Republican National Convention, 5, 15

  Republicans, in Cleveland administration, 7, 115

  Reputation, of victims, 5, 72, 120

  Robinson, Robert, 160–61

  Roosevelt, Franlin Delano, 119

  Rumbelow, Donald, 162

  Safety director, Eliot Ness as, 8, 164–65

  Sagalyn, Arnold, 133–34, 140–41, 154

  Sailor, victim no. 4 thought to be, 31

  Sanity: forensic psychiatry in determination of, 182–85; Sweeney’s, 119, 120–21, 155, 183–85

  Schug, Andrew, 75, 82, 97, 133

  Schwein, Florence, 81, 134, 139, 140

  Scientific Investigation Bureau, Cleveland, 74, 134. See also Cowles, David

  Search, of Dolezal’s a
partment, 17, 31, 36

  Sellers, Charles W., 27

  Serial killers, triggers for, 155

  Sex crimes, torso murders as, 17

  Sexuality: Dolezal reported as “pervert,” 17–18, 88; Dolezal’s, 12, 17–18, 22, 37; search for “perverts,” 18, 21; Sweeney’s, 157

  Shantytown raids, Ness’s, 10–11, 120, 159

  Sheppard murder case, influence on Gerber’s reputation, 80–81, 166

  Sheriff’s department, 20, 24, 150; Charles Dolezal’s lawsuits against, 99, 147–49, 173; Cuyahoga County Commissioners cleaning up, 149–59; on Dolezal’s death, 60, 107; Dolezal’s injuries while in custody of, 84, 103; Jones sisters’ testimony during absence of, 167–68; mistreatment of Dolezal by, 34, 41–42, 47, 61–63, 79; police department vs., 24–26, 31–32, 43, 49, 56, 146. See also Law enforcement agencies; O’Donnell, Martin L.

  Short, Elizabeth (the Black Dahlia), 136–37

  Sickert, Walter, 97

  Slaughterhouse, Dolezal’s job in, 31

  Slavic Village, Kingsbury Run area now known as, 174

  Smart, Clarence, 85, 87–88, 104–5, 148

  Sokol family, Mary Sweeney and, 121

  Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home (Sandusky), 157; Sweeney admitted to, 120, 122, 159, 160; Sweeney’s leaving, 133, 166

  Soukup, Fred P., 86; on Dolezal’s death, 59–60, 63; Dolezal’s defense and, 46, 48, 50; on Dolezal’s injuries, 46–48, 62, 85

  Sternicki, L. J., 168; examining Dolezal, 47–48; testifying about Dolezal’s condition, 86

  Stone, C. W., 119, 187

  Stone, Mark Wade: The Fourteenth Victim documentary by, 75–76; investigating Dolezal’s death, 75–76, 79, 81–83, 95–96, 147–48; taking materials on Dolezal’s death to forensic experts, 96–97, 99–108

  Straus, Reuben, 61, 80–81, 158

  Suicide, Dolezal’s. See Death, Dolezal’s

  Suicide attempts, Dolezal’s, 24, 39–41, 47, 55, 58–59; injuries not explained by, 62, 84, 103; in inquest records, 83–84

  Sunbather, at Norris Brothers, 160–61

  Sundheim, Gaylord, 180; as Ness’s secret suspect, 113, 139, 154. See also Sweeney, Francis Edward

  Sweeney, Anna Cleary, 116

  Sweeney, Catherine Mehan/Mahon, 116

  Sweeney, Delia O’Mara, 117, 124

  Sweeney, Dominic, 116–17, 124

  Sweeney, Francis Edward, 157; alcoholism of, 119–23, 186–87, 189–91; appearance of, 160–61; background of, 116–17; cards and letters to Ness, 129–31, 139, 188–89; continuing to write prescriptions, 156–57, 187–88; cousin’s awareness of deterioration of, 121–22, 143; cousin’s awareness of police suspicions about, 143–45; in cover-up theories, 127–28, 151–54; death of, 123; diagnoses of, 189; drug abuse by, 123, 157, 186–89; evidence against, 156, 158–61, 163; family of, 118; family’s awareness of suspicions about, 170–71; fitting profile from Pearce’s torso clinic, 161; Fransen considering best suspect, 124, 125n, 137; guilt of, 161–62, 168–69; health problems of, 117, 122–23, 186–87; institutionalization of, 119–20, 122–23, 127–28, 136, 145, 157, 190–91; interrogations of, 144, 158–59, 161; lie detector tests for, 113–14, 140–42, 144, 152, 154, 161; likelihood as Mad Butcher, 134–36, 154–63, 189–91; location of, 122–24; medical training of, 118; mental deterioration of, 119–21, 161, 188; military service of, 117, 190; Ness and, 158–59, 162; as Ness’s secret suspect in torso murders, 116, 127, 132–40; personality of, 118, 161; photo of, in materials about torso murders, 137–39, 138; police unable to make case against, 136, 144, 152–55; possible triggers for murders by, 155–56, 158–59, 161; possibly doing illicit medical work, 156–57; psychohistory of, 181, 183–85; sanity of, 119–21, 155, 183–85; sending letters and postcards to Ness, 130–31, 162, 188; surveillance of, 133–34, 154–55, 161, 166, 186–87; as suspect in torso murders, 129, 154, 180–81; violence by, 119, 189–91; wife’s charges in divorce petition, 119–21, 155; writing to Hoover, 162, 188–89. See also Sundheim, Gaylord

  Sweeney, Francis Edward, Jr. (Francis’s son), 120, 170

  Sweeney, Honora Callery, 124

  Sweeney, James Anthony (Francis’s son), 120, 170–71

  Sweeney, John, 116, 124

  Sweeney, Joseph M., 150

  Sweeney, Marie Carlin (Martin L.’s wife), 118

  Sweeney, Martin J., 116, 117–18, 124

  Sweeney, Martin Joseph, Jr., 171–72

  Sweeney, Martin L., 6–7, 114; awareness of police suspicions about cousin, 127–28, 143–45; background of, 116–17; cousin as secret suspect in torso murders, 116, 140, 153–54; cousin’s deterioration and, 121–22; in cover-up theories about torso murders, 127, 144; disaffected Democrats and, 7–8; Ness and, 8, 140; political career of, 114, 118–19, 151–54, 153; silence about Dolezal case, 56, 169–70

  Sweeney, Mary (Francis’s sister), 121, 133, 171

  Sweeney, Mary Josephine Sokol (Francis’s wife), 118; awareness of suspicions about ex-husband, 170–71; charges in petition for divorce, 119–21, 155–56

  Sweeney, Myles, 124

  Sweeney, Winifred Callery, 116, 124

  Sweeney family: among Irish immigrants in Cleveland, 116–17; entangled genealogy of, 124; mental disease in, 117–19; relations among, 118, 121, 124–25; tainted by mental illness and suspicion of murder, 181

  Symes, Steven A., 101, 104, 105

  Tattoos, on victim no. 4, 31

  Taylor, Nettie, 39, 175, 178–79

  Todd, T. Windgate, 81, 158

  Torso clinic, 36, 166; profile of killer from, 53–55, 135, 161

  Torso murders: Black Dahlia murder not linked to, 124, 136–37; characteristics of, 17, 137, 185–86; conspiracy theories about, 127–29, 150–54, 171–72; difference of Polillo, 36, 56–57; difference of victim no. 11, 80–81, 158; effects on families of involved parties, 70–73; lost material pertaining to, 155, 162, 181; media coverage of, 3, 5, 24, 70, 130–31, 135–36; Ness’s secret suspect in, 113, 115–16, 125n, 129, 132–40, 139, 143, 180–81; in partisan politics, 6, 96, 115, 169; under Pearce vs. Gerber, 166; possible resumption of, 160–61; pressure to solve, 14–15, 169; quantity of notes and reports on, 16–17, 28, 52; stopping, 63; teams working on, 67, 139, 147; thorough investigation of, 162–63; timing of, 144, 190–91. See also Mad Butcher

  Trunk, Lloyd, 62

  Tylicki, Clarence M., 32, 59, 150

  Unknowns (Ness’s secret operatives known as), 165

  The Untouchables (Ness and Fraley), 113

  Veterans Administration Center (Dayton): Sweeney at, 122–23, 191; Sweeney writing prescriptions at, 157, 187–88

  Veterans Administration Hospital (Cleveland), Sweeney and Burton lobbying for, 144

  Victim no. 1. See Andrassy, Edward

  Victim no. 3. See Polillo, Florence

  Victim no. 4, 31

  Victim no. 7, 157

  Victim no. 8 (Rose Wallace), 22, 35

  Victim no. 11, 80–81, 120, 158

  Victim no. 12, 120, 158

  Victims: Andrassy as only one with rope burns, 156; lack of identification of, 120, 145; Lady of the Lake as, 4, 145, 155; masks, in police museum, 70; possible method of subduing, 159–60; reputation of, 72, 120; timing between, 145. See also Bodies

  Vorell, Charles, 172–73

  Vorell, Frank: Dolezal family’s animosity toward, 172–74; on Dolezal’s mistreatment, 62, 84; testifying at inquest on Dolezal’s death, 82, 90; visiting Dolezal, 42, 86

  Vorell, Lillian, 174

  Wallace, Rose (victim no. 8), 22, 35

  West, K. S., 119, 187

  Whelan, Tommy, 139

  Winchell, Walter, 134–35, 143

  World War II, overshadowing Dolezal’s death, 58

  Young, Del, 88

  Zak, Charles, 178

  Zalewski, Martin, 16–18, 25–26, 132–33

  Zlamal, Oldrich, 47, 55, 103

  Zoul, William J., 44

  nbsp;

 

 


‹ Prev