New Philadelphia WWII veteran George Jasper LeMasters was tragically murdered during a robbery at a Canton hotel. George Jasper LeMasters (1906–1950), known to many as “Jap,” was born in Union Township, Tuscarawas County. His early life was marked by tragedy when his father, Ernest LeMasters (1877–1918), was killed in a mine accident when George wasContinue reading “A Veteran’s Final Battle: The Murder of George LeMasters”
Tag Archives: murder trial
A Killing on 9th Street: The 1918 Death of Albert Cordrey
A fatal 1918 lawn-mowing dispute leads to a sensational manslaughter trial and ultimate exoneration. The life of Nellie Rhodes Claycomb (1886-1934) took a dramatic turn several years after her marriage to George A. Claycomb (1890-1953) on October 21, 1913. George was originally from Oklahoma, and Nellie was a housewife who already had a daughter fromContinue reading “A Killing on 9th Street: The 1918 Death of Albert Cordrey”
Mystery on Factory Street: The 1930 Death of Gilbert Lloyd
Eight bullet holes, a fatal 1930 “accident,” and the constable who walked away entirely free. Gilbert Sunkle Lloyd (1899-1930) was a Cleveland native who established a life in Dover, Ohio, as a family man and business owner. Lloyd was a well-known local figure, operating a gas station on the 300 block of Factory Street whileContinue reading “Mystery on Factory Street: The 1930 Death of Gilbert Lloyd”
Fight of His Life: The 1915 Trial of Frank Rose
A young Italian laborer fought for his life twice; first in a Bolivar boarding house and then in a court of law. Frank Rose (1895-?), born Francesco Russo in Caronia, Italy, immigrated to the United States aboard the S.S. Italia, arriving at the Port of New York in April 1913. A laborer described as 5’4”Continue reading “Fight of His Life: The 1915 Trial of Frank Rose”
Death at the Packing Plant: The 1941 Killing of Ferdinand Sandry
Workplace ‘kidding’ at a Dennison meat packing plant in the spring of 1941 sparked a fatal explosion of violence. Frank McGuire (1895-1955), born in Tuscarawas County, was a long-time resident of the Dennison area with a diverse work history. He married Emma Robinson (1898-1970) in 1914 and supported his family through various roles including clayContinue reading “Death at the Packing Plant: The 1941 Killing of Ferdinand Sandry”
The Fatal Pursuit of Charles Canter
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”
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”
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”
Tuscarawas County Stories 