A drunken shooting spree leads to a fatal police pursuit, a murder indictment, and a hopelessly divided jury. On a Monday night in February 1888, Charles “Dock” Canter (1863-1888), a railroad brakeman from Buchtel Furnace, Ohio, arrived in Dennison. Though his fellow employees typically considered him a peaceable man when sober, he frequently became cantankerousContinue reading “The Fatal Pursuit of Charles Canter”
Tag Archives: murder investigation
Death Ends a Family Quarrel: The Ware Case of 1928
After years of abuse, a Newcomerstown woman took the law into her own hands. Content warning: The following story contains references to domestic violence. If you are experiencing domestic abuse or violence and need help, please visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Willa May Kennedy (1909-?), born in Nashville, Tennessee moved to Ohio with her parents.Continue reading “Death Ends a Family Quarrel: The Ware Case of 1928”
American Dream Ended: The Murder of Arnold Abbuhl
A Swiss immigrant’s American Dream ended with a blast of buckshot in 1885. Arnold Abbhul (1848-1885) and his family arrived in the village of Barnhill shortly after their immigration from Switzerland in April 1885. Arnold sought a new life for his family in Ohio, only to find a labor conflict brewing when he arrived. TwoContinue reading “American Dream Ended: The Murder of Arnold Abbuhl”
Two Shots in the Morning: The 1913 Death of Antonio Repici
The death of a popular Dennison man in June 1913 left the Tuscarawas County community searching for the truth. Content warning: This post contains references to suicide and domestic assault. If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. ClickContinue reading “Two Shots in the Morning: The 1913 Death of Antonio Repici”
Midnight at the Dover Hotel: The Unsolved Slaying of Harry Snyder
An unsolved 1940 slaying left Tuscarawas County questioning if a “total stranger” or hidden secrets killed Harry “Hetz” Snyder. The town of Dover, Ohio, was shaken in early May of 1940 by a fatal confrontation that ended the life of well-known Harry “Hetz” Snyder (1901-1940), a 39-year-old divorced Wooster Avenue gas station owner. Snyder spentContinue reading “Midnight at the Dover Hotel: The Unsolved Slaying of Harry Snyder”
Murder in Newcomerstown: The 1917 Nickles–Mayer Case
An early-morning confrontation at an Ohio foundry in 1917 ended two lives in different ways. Content warning: This post contains a historical discussion of ethnicity and race in Tuscarawas County. Very little is known about William “Bud” Nickles (1871-1925) other than what newspapers reported about him at the time. He was born in Louisville, KentuckyContinue reading “Murder in Newcomerstown: The 1917 Nickles–Mayer Case”
The Brightside Road Killing: The Death of Asbury S. Fowler
A feud between two Tuscarawas County neighbors ended violently on a Goshen Township road in 1924. Asbury S. Fowler (1870-1924) was born in Warwick Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, the son of George W. Fowler and Susan B. Burroway. He grew up in the Uhrichsville area alongside several siblings and half-siblings. Fowler married Eva Stempfly inContinue reading “The Brightside Road Killing: The Death of Asbury S. Fowler”
“You Want Your Divorce”: The 1949 Murder of Mary Covic, Part Two
The trial of Andrew Covic was one of the most talked about trials of the era, garnering attention from the entire county. Content warning: The following story contains references to domestic violence. If you are experiencing domestic abuse or violence and need help, please visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The trial of Andrew Henry CovicContinue reading ““You Want Your Divorce”: The 1949 Murder of Mary Covic, Part Two”
“You Want Your Divorce”: The 1949 Murder of Mary Covic, Part One
In July 1949, Andrew Covic ended his troubled marriage to Mary Covic with a fatal gunshot. Content warning: The following story contains references to domestic violence. If you are experiencing domestic abuse or violence and need help, please visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Andrew Henry Covic (1884-1966) and Mary Elizabeth Getchey Covic (1888-1949) were aContinue reading ““You Want Your Divorce”: The 1949 Murder of Mary Covic, Part One”
Indicted but Never Convicted: The Murder of Antonio Di Simone
In 1919, Italian immigrant Antonio Di Simone was murdered near Dennison, Ohio—two suspects were arrested, but justice never came. I have chosen to use the surname Di Simone as opposed to the others that appear in the historical record. It was the surname under which Antonio Di Simone was buried by his friends and itContinue reading “Indicted but Never Convicted: The Murder of Antonio Di Simone”