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”
Tag Archives: murderer
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”
Murder on the Wheeling & Lake Erie
The 1911 murder of Tony Gerriod remains a mystery in Tuscarawas County history. Tony Gerriod’s surname was spelled a number of ways in the newspaper including Geraid and Gerald. I have chosen the spelling that appeared on the only legal document associated with him, his death certificate. His nationality is also vague, sometimes reported asContinue reading “Murder on the Wheeling & Lake Erie”
The Cistern Secret: The 1919 Clara Shroyer Case
A shocking discovery in a city cistern would unravel the dark, hidden chapter of young woman’s short life. Clara Madge Shroyer (1897–1930) was born in Mineral City, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, the daughter of Henry Shroyer (1872–1930), a local farm laborer, and his wife, Selena Emma Fisher Shroyer (1876–1937). She grew up in a rural farmingContinue reading “The Cistern Secret: The 1919 Clara Shroyer Case”
In the Line of Duty: The Murder of Deputy Myers
A tense standoff between a veteran sheriff’s deputy and an unstable Tuscarawas County farmer ended in deadly tragedy. Martin L. Myers (1890-1940) was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the son of Victor E. Myers (?-1892) and Ella McBarnes Myers (1872-1943). After his father’s death in 1892, young Martin grew up in Dennison, Ohio, where he livedContinue reading “In the Line of Duty: The Murder of Deputy Myers”
Adam Lantzer and The Newlywed Killing of 1913
A moment of joy between a Dover couple was shattered by a drunken driver on Wooster Road. Verna C. Dawson (1892–1923) was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, the daughter of Robert E. Dawson (1862–1916) and Etta Little Dawson (1874–1949). Her father, once employed at a pipe works in Newcomerstown, later returned to farming as theContinue reading “Adam Lantzer and The Newlywed Killing of 1913”
The Carnival Murder of 1912
When a carnival rolled into Newcomerstown in 1912, it left behind a dead man and a vanished killer. Documenting the life of Elix Vandil (1884-1912), known variously in American records as Alex Bender, Alex Raudel, and Alexander Vendel, illustrates the significant challenges faced when tracing the paths of recent immigrants at the turn of theContinue reading “The Carnival Murder of 1912”
Tuscarawas County Stories 