One of my personal favorite mysteries, The Axeman is a case filled with horror and despair.
By Unknown
The Axeman of New Orleans.
Between the years of May 23, 1918- October 27,1919. In New Orleans, the citizens were shaken by a serial killer for almost 18 months. At night when the victims slept, the killer attack them at their vulnerable state. The killer never used his own tools, but instead, use whatever is lying around in the victim's home. The total fatalities were 6, and 6 others were injured. The first attack was on May 23, 1918, at 4901 Magnolia Street. Catherine & Joseph Maggio were struck violently by a axe before a their throats were slit by a razor. The attack were so brutal that Catherine was almost decapitated and Joseph suffered many injuries. The bodies where first discovered by Joseph's brothers who lived in the same house at the time. When investigating, no valuables were stolen, a door was missing a panel, and axe covered in blood. Several more murders happened, although not many evidence was collected. Some
of the victims who survived described their attacker as a large white man with a hatchet had attacked them while sleeping.
Almost what all these attacks had in common was the weapon was not his own, the bottom panel of a door is gone, victims were mostly were of Italian, and all were attacked in their sleep. Although some murders could be from another person (s), one attack was severely different from others.
On October 27, 1919, another attack thought to be The Axeman occurred and his last of his killing spree. Esther and Mike Pepitone were attacked at around one AM in the morning. Esther woke to her husband screaming and ran to the bedroom; her husband was being attacked by two white men. Mike's head was struck eighteen times and died two hours later in the hospital, his attackers were never caught. The weapon on scene was a bolt of a heavy nut from a nearby circus. This was thought to be one of his brutal attacks. This mystery doesn't end here, the alleged serial killer had written letters to The Times- Picayune ( a newspaper company). His first letter occurred after five days on one of his attacks.
First letter:
"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 continued writing letters to the police insulting and threatening the police about his killings.
Second letter:
"They have been so utterly stupid to amuse not only me, but his satanic majesty…
But tell them to beware. Let them not try to discover what I am, for it was better that they never were born than for them to incur the wrath of The Axeman."
Third letter:
"Undoubtedly, you Orleanians think of me as the most horrible murderer, which I am, but I could be much worse if I wanted to. If I wished, I could pay a visit to your city every night. At will, I could slay thousands of your best citizens (and the worst), for I am in close relationship with the Angel of Death." Although his most famous letter made the community of New Orleans panicked in fear.
Fourth letter:
Now, to be exact, at 12:15 (earthly time) on next Tuesday night, I am going to pass over New Orleans. In my infinite mercy, I am going to make a little proposition to you people.
Here it is:"I am very fond of jazz music, and I swear by all the devils in the nether regions that every person shall be spared in whose home a jazz band is in full swing at the time I have just mentioned. If everyone has a jazz band going, well, then, so much the better for you people. One thing is certain and that is that some of your people who do not jazz it out on that specific Tuesday night (if there be any) will get the axe." This letter worked as on the exact date; the whole community was truly alive that night.
People would play on their instruments or record players, and those who didn't have one went to Jazz clubs to stay safe from the Axeman; luckily, no one was killed. Fun fact: A Jazz song called Don't scare me Papa, or as known as the Axeman's Jazz was created on this night.
To this day, no suspects or arrests were made; this case may forever be unsolved.