Case 8

 Axeman

Demon or human monster?

“They have never caught me and they never will. They have never seen me, for I am invisible, even as the ether that surrounds your earth. I am not a human being, but a spirit and a demon from the hottest hell. I am what you Orleanians and your foolish police call the Axeman.”

The Axeman of New Orleans. His name still strikes fear in the hearts of people in the Crescent City to this day. Who was this sadist? He claimed to be a “demon from the hottest hell,” but was he actually just a monster of the human variety? Everyone has a theory. But no one has an answer. No one except the Axeman himself. 

From the late spring of 1918 to the mid-autumn of 1919, a murderer haunted the streets of New Orleans. During that time, the Axeman butchered a total of 13 victims. Young, old, men, women, the Axeman didn’t seem to care. And while all of his victims didn’t succumb to their injuries, the vast majority did. 

The first victims to fall prey to the Axeman were Joseph and Catherine Maggio on May 23rd, 1918. The Axeman slit his victims' throats, as well as bludgeoned them with an axe. Something seemingly unusual was the fact that there were no valuables taken, but the killer left his bloodied clothes at the scene. A gruesome murder, but it was just the beginning. 

The next attack occurred June 27th the same year. Louis Besumer and Harriet Lowe were the Axeman’s next victims, and while both survived the initial attack, Harriet died a few months later after a surgery to repair damage caused by the Axeman. While there was no connection between Besumer and the Maggio attacks, Besumer was arrested for the attack in his own home. He was held for nine months before being tried and acquitted for the crime. The evidence against Besumer was weak at best, but New Orleans police were desperate to catch a killer and calm the public panic. 

Mrs. Edward Schneider, eight months pregnant at the time, was the next victim. On August 5th, she was brutally attacked, but by some miracle, she survived, and later delivered a healthy baby girl. This attack led police to suspect that the attacks might be connected, which, in turn, led to another suspect being arrested, and later released for lack of evidence. 

Five days later, the next attack came, claiming the life of Joseph Romano. This time, there were witnesses. The victim’s nieces saw who they claimed to be a dark-skinned, heavy-set man in a dark suit and slouchy hat. The girls were not the first people to claim that the perpetrator was a non-Caucasian man. Harriet Lowe, apparently claimed to have seem a man of mixed race committing her attack. 

There wouldn’t be another attack until March 10th of the following year. Charles, Rosie, and Mary Cort Imiglia were the next victims of the Axeman. Mary, the daughter, died as a result of the attack. Rosie blamed the attack on Lorando and Frank Jorando, her neighbors. The men were convicted, but Rosie later recanted her statement against the men. 

Four days later, the Times-Picayune received a copy and paste-style letter which claimed that there would be more victims if the city wasn’t full of music on March 19th. The city did as requested, and there wasn’t another victim until August, nearly six months later.

Steve Boca was the next attacked. He was beaten on August 10th but survived. On September 2nd, William Carson was the next attempted victim, but he refused to fall prey and chased the Axeman off with a shot fired at the killer. This didn’t stop the Axeman for long, however, as the next day saw another victim. Sarah Laumann was bludgeoned, but she survived the attack. The Axeman’s final victim was Mike Pipitone, a husband and father of six. He was killed during the attack. 

While the Axeman was never caught, he did leave behind clues, as well as a signature. The killer usually entered the home via the back door. He typically used an axe or hatchet already on the premises. (Except for the first victims, in which he also used a straight razor, thus leading the police to suspect Joseph’s brother, a barber, of the crime.) Another commonality was that most of the victims were of Italian descent, leading to the possibility of a racially motivated killer.

Whatever the motive, there is no doubt that the Axeman was a truly terrifying killer, who traumatized and terrorized one of the most colorful cities in the country. Arguments could be made that the Axeman was, indeed, a monster. But a demon? While some suspect that he was, I believe that the Axeman was just a heartless man who took a sick pleasure from hurting others. Never doubt the depravity of man.