Axeman of New Orleans

The Axeman of New Orleans Eleven years ago a so-called “boogeyman” came to New Orleans, Louisiana. In May 1918, the people of New Orleans shook in their beds, cried while asking for mercy, and listened to every pin drop. Throughout these many sleepless nights the Axeman came to life in the city, leaving crimes left and right. The crimes committed did not stop in 1918, but continued into 1919, and still the murder is unsolved. Over a year period, there were twelve crimes committed and possibly one mysterious suspect. What brought the city to their attention was the first crime made on May 23, 1918 when an Italian grocer, Joseph Maggio and his wife were butchered in their apartment during the night above the Maggio grocery store (Taylor). In the crime scene was the weapon, an axe, which seemed to have had been covered in blood. As police dug into the case, several suspects were questioned, but investigators seemed to be lacking evidence and the only clear clue seemed to be a message written in chalk near the home reading; “Mrs. Joseph Maggio will sit up tonight. Just write Mrs. Toney” (Taylor). Looking back into files, what seemed to appear was a case similar to the Maggio’s. Standing out was the use of an axe to chisel out an access way into the victim’s homes. More importantly in 1911 there were three other murders targeted towards Italian grocers (“Axeman”). There had to have been some kind of pattern forming.

One month after the Maggio crimes came another scene of Louis Bossumer and Annie Harriet Lowe. Annie, discovered by neighbors lying in her own blood, claimed that her common law husband Mr. Bossumer attacked her. He lived behind his grocery store, but notice he was not Italian and survived, with a fractured skull (Smith). Popping out in the scene was again the access of the killer. In the house of Mr. Bossumer nothing was stolen, but the kitchen door was chiseled and lying on steps. After hospital treatment they were both released and with no