$100 for a Life: The Aul Case of 1930

A quarrel between cousins at an Tuscarawas County brickyard in 1930 ended with one cousin dead.

John Christian Aul (1904-1930) was born in Franklin Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, the son of Conrad Henry (1866-1940) and Emma Margo Aul (1871-1952). He grew up in a large family that included several brothers and sisters and spent his early years in the rural community near Strasburg, where his father worked to support the household. John worked as a laborer, employed as a brick wheeler at the National Brick Works east of Strasburg by the 1920s. On February 16, 1926, he married Anna Marie Meyer (1904-1992) in Stark County, and together they established their home in Franklin Township, where they raised two young children.

Paul George Aul (1901-1978), a cousin of John Aul, was the son of Jacob (1868-1945) and Catherine Margaret Margo Aul (1876-1954) of Franklin Township, Tuscarawas County. Raised in a large family, Paul grew up alongside several siblings. On January 27, 1923, he married Viola G. Yutzy (1905-1976) at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Dover. He stayed with his young family in Franklin Township, where he and Viola raised their children. Like his cousin John, Paul was employed at the National Brick Works in Strasburg in 1930 and the two cousins frequently worked the same shifts together.

During one of those shifts in early April 1930, the two cousins quarreled with one another, about what is unknown, and in anger Paul hurled a brick at John’s head. The brick struck John squarely on the head and, at first, the injury did not appear serious. As the day went on it became obvious that John was severely injured and he was taken to Union Hospital in Dover where they diagnosed him with a skull fracture and a concussion. John’s condition worsened and efforts to relieve the pressure on his brain failed. John Aul died of his injury at 4:00 am on April 5, 1930.

Following John Aul’s death, the county Sheriff’s department began an investigation and prepared to present the case to a grand jury. Despite the sheriff’s efforts, Aul family members expressed reluctance to pursue criminal charges, citing the close relationship between the families – John’s and Paul’s fathers being brothers. The prosecuting attorney was recorded in the paper as saying that he would take direction from the family before proceeding with any indictment against Paul Aul. Paul, who lost his job after the incident, reportedly agreed to pay medical and hospital expenses connected to the case.

The prosecuting attorney, rather than pursue a more serious charge, convinced the grand jury to indict Paul Aul on the charge of assault and battery. Despite the fact that he had been charged for a much lesser crime than murder or manslaughter, Paul’s attorneys convinced him not to plead guilty as it might open him up for more serious charges later. It was not until the case got closer to trial, and after promises from the prosecuting attorney to not seek further charges, that Paul decided to plead guilty to the charge of assault and battery against his cousin John Aul.

Paul Aul’s punishment for taking the life of his cousin was a $100 fine (about $2,000 today). John Aul was buried in Saint Aloysius Cemetery in Strasburg. Paul Aul remained in Tuscarawas County all his life and lived quietly in Strasburg until his death there on January 6, 1978. He is also buried in Saint Aloysius Cemetery. The tragic death of John Aul and the lenient punishment given to his cousin Paul was a somber reminder of how quickly anger can destroy both lives and families and how fickle justice could be.

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© Noel B. Poirier, 2025.