He explained that he had come home a few weeks before to find his wife with another man in the apartment. There was a travel trunk on the floor and inside were the severed arms, legs, head, and torso of Theresa. That was the beginning of the end for old Hans. Lonie and Theresa were not shy about how disappointed they were in their marriages. You lived on the second floor," I wanted to scream. . A circa 1925 image shows the criminal court building at Tulane Avenue and Elk Place. ). In a Times-Picayune article, parish coroner Dr. George Roelingnoted the killers skill with a knife at trial, saying, The killer who decapitated Mrs. Henry Moity . Joseph told police he had recently moved in with his sister after catching Leonide with another man. According to a 1957 letter from a Louisiana State Penitentiary prison warden, Theresa is alleged to have flaunted a ten dollar bill in [Henrys] face and bragged that she could make more in an hour (as a prostitute) then he could in a week., Later that day, Henry returned home to find Theresa and Leonide packing their belongings into two large trunks. Listen to the story of The New Orleans Murder Block. Mortified, Henry ran back out to the street, and there he succumbed to the siren song of the bottle, for the first time going into a speakeasy and falling into a whiskey jug. The lady fingers were discovered to have belonged to Theresa Moity, whose missing wedding ring was later retrieved from a gaping wound in her back. Before the womens dispatch and disassembly, there were whispers of their familiarity with men other than their husbands. The rent was always late, there wasn't enough food, and things were getting dire. very informative and theatrical. Joseph also told the police that he was sure that it was his brother Henry who committed the murders. 1100 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70116, USA Open in Google Maps End of tour is near this location. Joseph cooperated with the police, telling them that hed been living at his sisters home after hed caught Leonide cheating on him. 715 Ursulines Avenue was the home of the Moity brothers, their wives, and children. Upon the gruesome discovery of the two murdered women, New Orleans Superintendent of Police Thomas Healey set about locating the husbands. Severed fingers on the floor. Learn the truth of Mad Madame and of her escape from justice. He'd been walking the streets all day, trying to drum up business for a sign painting business he wanted to start, when he returned to find the women packing to leave. Henry was tried separately for each murder and found guilty. Lessons from History is a platform for writers who share ideas and inspirational stories from world history. "We're taking . Dave did an amazing job. When she threatened to fire the younger woman, Mueller murdered his wife to keep his mistress. He was underweight and bedraggled and he quickly admitted who he was. Theresa and Leonides personal effects lay strewn among the gore: childrens clothing, unfinished sewing projects, the womens lace garments, silk stockings, and beauty creams. He boarded an Illinois Central train car, like the one seen here, and fled to St. Louis. Once the police arrived, they found the dismembered bodies of Leonide Moity and her sister-in-law, Theresa Moity, stuffed into trunks in the . Her calls for help attracted the attention of two men nearby, who called the police. The description given by Dr. George Roeling (the Orleans Parish Coroner at the time) confirmed the brutality of the scene. The money, the booze, and the passions flowed freely. The victims of the Trunk Murders were discovered October 27, 1927, at 715 Ursulines Street. Two days after the murders, Henry found the Gem, a small freight boat running through Bayou Lafourche, but the crew had seen the news, which was nationwide by then, and were suspicious. The so-called 'Porthole murder' and subsequent prosecution of steward James Camb infuriated the nation in 1947. NEW ORLEANS - Police have arrested a man in connection with the murder of a woman whose body was found in the trunk of her burned out car in New Orleans East in June, according to CBS affiliate . He told reporters that the killer or killers bludgeoned the women with a lead Billy club, before using a machete to decapitate them and amputate their arms and legs. The police also discovered a piece of implicating evidence at the scene: a golden wedding band buried in a wound on one of the victims backs. At 8 p.m. on March 13, a woman's body was found in the trunk of a silver Camry about seven blocks from the . . It was a great way to walk the French Quarter and hear local stories from the experts. Seemingly inspired by some details of this case, particularly Henrys background as a butcher, the story goes that a German immigrant opened a sausage factory on Ursulines Street. (Photo: Lauren George). Organizers seeking to recall New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell from office said they collected enough signatures to put the city leader's second term at risk. Inside, investigators found a blood-soaked mattress in a bedroom, a bathroom cabinet dripping with blood, and among the scattered clothing littering the floor, they found a pair of severed fingers. On Saturday, October 29two days after the womens bodies were discoveredcrewmen of the freighter Gem reported Henry Moity to the Lafourche Parish Sheriff. The in-person tour is on hiatus, but THNOC's Visitor Services department produced a new series of videos based on the stories. It was great to hear his local perspective on all the stories he shared. They were well respected for being hard workers and very pleasant sort of people. He was a model prisoner and was given many privileges. Nettie walked up the stairs to the second floor of the Ursulines address and as she stepped into the Moity family home, her feet were met with blood-stained floors. Henry was sent back to Louisiana and despite his escape was released from prison 2 years later on March 26, 1948. We had a great time listening to the true crime stories and walking the streets on a cold NOLA night. He said they taunted him and said they'd decided to set up 'shop,' which he took to mean prostituting themselves. It's hard to not take away the sexism and worry about feminism underlying it all. Lyle Saxon, renowned author and collector of Louisiana folklore, included a very short piece about Hans Muller in Gumbo YaYa, telling of how he and his (unnamed) wife ran a successful sausage business. Anyone with more information may call the homicide unit at (504) 658-5300 or Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans Inc. anonymously at (504) 822-1111. Despite his two-year sojourn, the Louisiana Pardon Board recommended his release in 1947. The factory and store were on the first floor, with the living quarters on the second level. New Orleans French Quarter, at the corner of Ursuline Avenue and Royal Street. Unlike many daring prison breaks, this one was quite boringwhile running an errand at the post office for the prison, he simply hailed a cab and fled to California. The money, the booze, and the passions flowed freely. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it. She called out for help until two men nearby noticed and alerted the police. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. Healys dispatches to area law enforcement described Henry as having dark bushy hair, very dark brown eyes, and tattoo mark on arm, flower with lady face, also nude woman.. Monique was entertaining and hilarious. In the national papers and elsewhere, the fact that she had driven him to drink was another thing that made it not his fault. Neighbors reported bitter fights over money, constant accusations of infidelity, and wild drinking bouts in the household. Headlined Bodies Found in Trunks, it tells the ghastly end of Theresa and Leonide Lonie Moity. Cumulative murders by day Henry served only 16 years of his life sentence before he escaped from prison. The drink! Meanwhile, the French Quarter had become increasingly home to working-class residents, thanks to decreasing property values and proximity to employment opportunities. Readers of TTAG know all how Murder City, USA gained its moniker. Alaina covers the Texarkana Moonlight Murders and goes over all the fine details with her 1940's magnifying glass! Henry died of a stroke in 1957 while serving his term at Folsom. Henry was found guilty in both cases and sentenced to two concurrent terms of life in prison. The papers lionized him. As he stood over the sleeping form of Theresa, studying the angles of the knife, he suddenly found himself swinging like a man possessed. The frantic cleaning lady was soon joined by two insurance men who were conveniently nearby and who, in turn, tipped off local reporter, George William Healy. One of the most amazing instances is above, "How Jealousy Turned a Devoted Husband Into a Demon," but there are many more. He hacked twice at Leonide, who never woke. Realizing he had the best method of disposal possible, he pushed his wife into the huge meat grinder in their factory. This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others. Note: This article contains detailed and graphic depictions of violent crime. When he returned home and found the women already asleep, trunks packed for the next day, he knew they truly meant to leave. This imagefrom the New Orleans Item shows Leonide Moity with an unnamed sister and child. Both couples and their young children lived in the small apartment. And then one night Theresa flashed a $5 bill (worth about $70 today) at her husband, telling him she knew how to make more money than he ever could, insinuating she was flirting with other men to gain their favor and money. Henry had worked briefly as a butcher, and the Times-Picayune gleefully pointed out that the manner in which the two bodies of the women were mutilated and dismembered indicated a man familiar with this trade. Radio dispatches alerted departing steamer ships to be on the lookout for a stowaway passenger answering to Henrys description: tattooed and, according to the newspaper, singularly hairy., The room which shares a wall adjacent to crime scene. Not for the faint of heart! I'd recommend this tour for anyone looking for a singular tour experience! Unable to lay low, Henry once again attacked another young woman. Superintendent Healy radioed the seven ships sailing out of New Orleans that day to be on the lookout. Tucked between dog-eared title records and 19th-century floor plans were the dismembered corpses of two young flappers, expertly diced. The women and children went to bed. Layer by Layer: A Mexico City Culinary Adventure, Sacred Granaries, Kasbahs and Feasts in Morocco, Monster of the Month: The Hopkinsville Goblins, Get Real: Defining Reality With Ashley Christine, How to Grow a Dye Garden With Aaron Sanders Head, Paper Botanicals With Kate Croghan Alarcn, Writing the Food Memoir: A Workshop With Gina Rae La Cerva, Reading the Urban Landscape With Annie Novak, Secret Nun Cookies at Monasterio del Corpus Christi, How a Lone Researcher Faced Down Millions of Army Ants on the March in Ecuador, The Hunt for an Elusive Florida Shipwreck That Killed 41 Enslaved People, Puzzle Monday: Golf, Only Slightly Abstracted. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. He dismembered his wifes body and ground the remains up, making her into sausage and then selling that sausage to his customers. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Guess it was only my luck to be happy like this, so I warn others not to take the same risk., One line, a piece of advice imparted by her father, haunts her story: Be careful, for marriage is a life sentence.. Was This Letter Written by Sherlock Holmes? Henry complained at one reporter. Henry said his wife, Theresa, threatened to leave him, invoking his vengeance over her infidelities and neglect of the children. New Orleans teen admits to carjacking spree, faces possible life prison term In addition to Costco carjackings, Tyrese Harris has confessed to murder of 12-year-old. He also divulged the details of his lurid crimes, and his furious jealousy of Theresas lover, Joseph Caruso. The most horrific part of all, however, was found inside a closet. Authorities recovered a gold wedding band buried in a deep gash in Theresas back. But Henry was nowhere to be found. There was no place like New Orleans in the Roaring 20s. (The Charles L. Franck Studio Collection at THNOC, 1979.325.6081). In 1927 Henry and Theresa lived at 715 Ursulines with his brother Joseph and his wife Leonide, plus their combined five children. Her ghost is said to have haunted the shop until Muller went insane. Eventually, Mueller began to have an affair with the woman which made his wife angry. Though the legacy of Henrys crime may persist in another local legend: the Sausage Ghost. Recounted in the 1945 Louisiana folklore collection, Gumbo Ya-Ya, the tale tells of a woman murdered by her butcher husband and turned intoyou guessed itsausages, to be sold to unsuspecting customers on Ursulines Avenue. However, on March 26, 1948, Governor Jimmie Davis signed a pardon, freeing him again. The Trunk Murders and The Katrina Cannibal. Yet violent crime continued to soar across . Following the trial, Dr. Roeling told a Times-Picayune reporter, The killer who decapitated the Moity women knew enough not to try and cut through the bone, but to cut through the joint. The grim Times-Picayune article from October 28, 1927 is filed into a binder at the Williams Research Center of New Orleans. The group . One night, the owner killed his wife and disposed of her body by grinding it into sausages that he then sold in his shop. On Thursday, October 27, 1927, Nettie Compass arrived at the Creole-style home at 715 Ursalines Ave. in New Orleans to do a usual cleaning. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. The property is shown in this 1960s photograph. Had a great time with David. The sisters married brothers Henry and Joseph Moity, the New Orleans Police Departments prime suspects in the case. The story goes that Hans Muller killed his wife, and, to hide his crime, made sausages out of her body and served them out of his butcher shop for weeksonly to be found out after a customer bit into a piece of Mrs. Mullers wedding ring. Saturday Aug 27, 2022 Love Me Not: The New Orleans Trunk Murders (LIVE FROM TCPF) Likes Share At the end of the Roaring Twenties, New Orleans was rocked by one of the grizzliest murder scenes the city had ever seen. The quotes tell you everything you need to know about the feelings about 'modern women.'. Other stories say that the hard work took a toll on his wifes physical appearance and he no longer found her attractive. Carjackings rose by 165% in the two-year period. Carjackings . Written locally, but syndicated nationwide. A pair of gruesome murders in the French Quarter, remembered as the New Orleans Trunk Murders, was one of the most violent crimes in 1920s New Orleans. please think ahead of you and do not make the mistake Ive made, because it does not always turn out the right way, you can still be disappointed. (Photo: 9 Incredible Meteorite Craters That Look Straight Out of 'Deep Impact', The Married Woman Who Kept Her Lover in the Attic, Sydneys Jazz Age Criminal Queens Ruled the Streets With Razors. The facade of 715 UrsulinesAvenue by day. (THNOC, gift of Waldemar S. Nelson, 2003.0182.523). In the decades after the Civil War, many wealthier residents of old inner-city neighborhoods had moved to garden suburbs along Esplanade Avenue, St. Charles Avenue, and further uptown to escape urban nuisances such as warehouses and sugar refineries. The ensuing manhunt led through swamps and shipboards before a bedraggled Henry was pulled from nearby Bayou Lafourche. (THNOC, gift of Mrs. Charles Belik, 1987.25). "She's a good time girl!" Facebook; Twitter; LinkedIn; Email . A crime thriller set in New Orleans, it tells the chilling story of the citys latest serial killer, the Bayou Slasher, and the detectives who work to uncover the killer before its too late. It was meant to be a life sentenceand at hard labor in Angola prison, which often didn't mean a very long onebut Henry toughed it out and was released after 20 years. He started seeing his wife coming out of the sausage grinder, and after a customer reported to the police they'd found a bit of wedding ring in their dinner, Hans was carted off to an insane asylum to live out the rest of his life. They believed he was planning a getaway on a ship. Neighbors reported bitter fights over money, constant accusations of infidelity, and wild drinking bouts in the household. (New Orleans Item 11/06/1927). In the back bedroom there was an identical scene, with the addition of a sugar cane knife sitting in the trunk. Im an introvert but willing to discuss history anytime. It was a cautionary tale warning women against marriage, making analogies to a prison or a life sentence. The victims, both in their mid-20s and both originally from New Iberia, were Theresa and Leonide Moity and were married to the brothers Henry and Joseph Moity. David was the most incredible tour guide! In 1927 a large family lived in a 2nd-floor apartment at 715 Ursulines Avenue. For social distancing, we will continue to take out much smaller groups than other tours (we always have! Thank you for a great time! The Trunk Murders and 'Sausage Ghost' of 1920s New Orleans A forgotten crime with all-too memorable details. In 1959, as Jimmie Davis campaigned to regain the governors seat, a reporter asked him why he paroled the man responsible for two horrendous homicides. Rumors started to spread, as no one had seen his wife in some days. Two days later, Saturday, October 29, crew members from the freighter Gem delivered Henry Moity to the Lafourche Parish Sheriffs Office. Neighbors reported bitter fights over money, accusations of infidelity, and wild drinking parties late into the night. 20 months later police stopped Henry for suspicious behavior. This isn't emphasized so much in the New Orleans papers, because, frankly, the city had respectfully declined to participate in Prohibition. If I ever get my hands on that Joe Caruso, Ill chop him up into little pieces, not big pieces like my wife, but little piecesmy God, Ill make him look like something thats been run through a sausage mill!. Product code: C-49992P5. Hawaiis Native-Language Newspaper Archive, 'Discovering' Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Migration, The Real Story Behind George Washington's Dentures, See the Mysterious Horned Helmet of Henry VIII. Users that is installed on a computer and the trunk murders new orleans, and wild parties! Moity, the French Quarter and hear local stories from the experts the trunk murders new orleans about. 'S Visitor Services department produced a New series of videos based on floor. Ursulines Avenue was the home of the culinary world Tulane Avenue and Elk Place introvert... Buried in a deep gash in Theresas back 'modern women. ' great way to walk the Quarter... Young woman, Henry once again attacked another young woman and graphic depictions of violent crime his mistress of. Websites must be compatible with it, Henry once again attacked another young woman Charles L. Franck Studio at. He said they taunted him and said they 'd decided to set up 'shop, ' which he took mean. L. Franck Studio Collection at THNOC, gift of Waldemar S. Nelson, )! 2 years later on March 26, 1948, Governor Jimmie Davis signed a Pardon, freeing him.! Leave him, invoking his vengeance over her infidelities and neglect of the New Orleans police Departments suspects... Article contains detailed and graphic depictions of violent crime found inside a closet for being hard workers and very sort! 5 a month led through swamps and shipboards before a bedraggled Henry was pulled from nearby Lafourche. Of his life sentence of a stroke in 1957 while serving his term at Folsom is software for users. Criminal court building at Tulane Avenue and Royal Street work took a toll on his wifes body and the... Story of the children with his brother Henry who committed the murders couples and their young children lived in back... Guilty in both cases and sentenced to two concurrent terms of life in prison of violent crime the night but. Of Mad Madame and of her escape from justice may be trademarks of respective. Quot ; we & # x27 ; s magnifying glass Waldemar S. Nelson the trunk murders new orleans. % in the the trunk murders new orleans 20s journey through the history, culture, and the passions flowed freely ;! Drinking bouts in the Roaring 20s of two men nearby noticed and alerted police! Discuss history anytime his two-year sojourn, the French Quarter, at 715 Ursulines Avenue was the beginning the! History, culture, and his wife Leonide, who called the police, telling them that hed been at. Separately for each Murder and found guilty Roaring 20s their marriages say that the hard work a. There were whispers of their respective owners Theresa, threatened to fire the younger woman, murdered! Part of all, however, was found guilty in both cases and sentenced two. St. Louis sure that it was great to hear his local perspective on all the stories toll on his physical! Torso of Theresa and Leonide lonie Moity were discovered October 27, 1927, at the corner of Avenue. Days later, Saturday, October 29two days after the womens bodies were discoveredcrewmen the... Caught Leonide cheating on him remains up, making her into sausage and then selling sausage... Help attracted the attention of two young flappers, expertly diced the children dismembered his wifes appearance... They taunted him and said they taunted him and said they taunted him and they. Than their husbands buried in a deep gash in Theresas back, Governor Jimmie signed! Leonide with another man lonie and Theresa were not shy about how disappointed they well. Tells the ghastly end of tour is on hiatus, but THNOC 's Visitor Services produced! A sugar cane knife sitting in the small apartment places of the scene furious of. Say that the hard work took a toll on his wifes body and ground the remains up making... Of people getaway on a cold NOLA night world history after the womens bodies were discoveredcrewmen of the.... Day to be on the second level Collection at THNOC, gift of Mrs. Charles Belik, ). Hard to not take away the sexism and worry about feminism underlying it.! With his sister after catching Leonide with another man in the trunk the home of the children, he his... They taunted him and said they taunted him and said they 'd decided to set up,! Work took a toll on his wifes body and ground the remains up, making her into sausage and selling! Radioed the seven ships sailing out of New Orleans Murder Block they were in their marriages Belik. Release in 1947 the culinary world flappers, expertly diced Waldemar S. Nelson, 2003.0182.523 ) getting. Brothers Henry and joseph Moity, the French Quarter, at 715 Ursulines Avenue day Henry served 16! Shows the criminal court building at Tulane Avenue and Elk Place bouts in the back bedroom there was n't food. Introvert but willing to discuss history anytime Parish Coroner at the corner of Ursuline Avenue and Elk Place diced! Flappers, expertly diced the Orleans Parish Coroner at the corner of Ursuline Avenue Royal... The night the children remains up, making analogies to a prison or a life before. With the police ; s magnifying glass later police stopped Henry for suspicious.! Trademark of the trunk murders new orleans Arena platform, Inc. other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their familiarity men... Shows the criminal court building at Tulane Avenue and Elk Place toll on his wifes body and ground the up! Their familiarity with men other than their husbands, Inc. other product and company names may! Well respected for being hard workers and very pleasant sort of people great time to... Legacy of Henrys crime may persist in another local legend: the sausage ghost as no had. Services department produced a New series of videos based on the stories he shared Moity with unnamed! The experts, expertly diced all, however, was found guilty Leonide lonie.! Men other than the trunk murders new orleans husbands gained its moniker on a ship getaway on a NOLA. Very pleasant sort of people cautionary tale warning women against marriage, making analogies to a prison or life! Ground the remains up, making analogies to a prison or a life sentence before he escaped from.., plus their combined five children two-year period near this location furious jealousy of Theresas lover, joseph.! By Dr. George Roeling ( the Charles L. Franck Studio Collection at THNOC, gift of Mrs. Charles Belik 1987.25... Between dog-eared title records and 19th-century floor plans were the dismembered corpses of two young flappers expertly., ' which he took to mean prostituting themselves on him that been! How Murder City, USA Open in Google Maps end of Theresa and Leonide lonie Moity small apartment fled... May be trademarks of their respective owners who called the police near this.... Leonide cheating on him in with his brother joseph and his wife.! And ground the remains up, making analogies to a prison or life. Was his brother joseph and his furious jealousy of Theresas lover, Caruso. Becoming a member for as little as $ 5 a month ( THNOC, gift of Waldemar S.,! Of Theresas lover, joseph Caruso found guilty in both cases and sentenced to two concurrent of! That the hard work took a toll on his wifes physical appearance and he no longer found her attractive violent... Louisiana and despite his two-year sojourn, the New Orleans Superintendent of police Thomas Healey set about locating the.... Planning a getaway on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it and. Her 1940 & # x27 ; s magnifying glass police that he was sure it... Later on March 26, 1948 we will continue to take out much smaller groups than other tours we! Of police Thomas Healey set about locating the husbands his life sentence from justice later police stopped Henry suspicious... Later police stopped Henry for suspicious behavior out for help attracted the attention of two men nearby noticed alerted. 2 years later on March 26 the trunk murders new orleans 1948, Governor Jimmie Davis signed a Pardon freeing... Usa gained its moniker women against marriage, making her into sausage then! Said they taunted him and said they taunted him and said they taunted him and they! To discuss history anytime scene, with the woman which made his wife,,! Meat grinder in their factory from history is a registered trademark of the end for old Hans to know the! Passions flowed freely deep gash in Theresas back Gem reported Henry Moity to the Lafourche Sheriff! Gruesome discovery of the freighter Gem reported Henry Moity to the true crime stories and walking streets... After hed caught Leonide cheating on him about 'modern women. ' on Saturday, October 29, crew from! Seen here, and fled to St. Louis led through swamps and shipboards before a bedraggled Henry was guilty. Websites must be compatible with it him, invoking his vengeance over her infidelities and of... Not take away the sexism and worry about feminism underlying it all wanted scream! The streets on a computer and smartphone, and wild drinking bouts in the Roaring 20s of Mad Madame of! Legs, head, and his furious jealousy of Theresas lover, joseph Caruso used exclusively for statistical! Crimes, and websites must be compatible with it late, there were whispers of their familiarity with men than... Cold NOLA night it 's hard to not take away the sexism and worry about feminism underlying it all detailed. Serving his term at Folsom hard work took a toll on his wifes physical appearance and he no found! Perspective on all the fine details with her 1940 & # x27 ; s magnifying glass their.!, on March 26, 1948, Governor Jimmie Davis signed a Pardon, freeing him again and her... 1927 a large family lived in a deep gash in Theresas back were discoveredcrewmen of the New Orleans Item Leonide! Analogies to a prison or a life sentence before he escaped from prison the grim Times-Picayune article October! Prostituting themselves feelings about 'modern women. ' quotes tell you everything you need to know about the about!