Crime Tidbit: The Annihilator/Ties to Jack the Ripper?

One of the two final victims of the
Annihilator, Christmas Eve 1885.

Did you know...that an Austin serial killer working in 1884-5 was suspected to be Jack the Ripper?

It's true. In 1884 and 1885, seven young women, all servant girls, were brutally murdered in the Austin, Texas area. 

"Seven females (five black, two white), and one black male were murdered. Additionally, six women and two men were seriously injured. All of the victims were attacked indoors while asleep in their beds. Five of the female victims were then dragged, unconscious but still alive, and killed outdoors. Three of the female victims were severely mutilated while outdoors. Only one of the murdered male victims was mutilated indoors. All of the victims were posed in a similar manner. Six of the murdered female victims had a "sharp object" inserted into their ears. The series of murders ended with the killing of two white women, Eula Phillips, age 17, and Susan Hancock, who was attacked while sleeping in the bed of her sixteen year-old daughter, on the night of 24 December 1885." (Source)

Sometimes the weapon was an ax, a few of the victims were stabbed in the face with some kind of spike. The killer usually knocked them out, then dragged them outdoors to mutilate them, though the MO was subtly different in each and every case. 

The victims of the crimes were “servant girls” – usually young, African-American women who at that time were commonly employed as domestic servants in many Austin households. The epithet “servant girl murders” is perhaps something of a misnomer – one of the victims was male, the boyfriend of one of the slain women; one victim was a child, the daughter of a servant who was herself attacked but not killed; and the last two victims were married white women, neither of them servants. (Source)

Popularly known as the "Servant Girl Annihilator," the murders stopped abruptly after the final two victims on Christmas Eve, 1885, and no one was ever charged. The case remains unsolved.

Three years later, the now world-famous murders in Whitechapel began. The tie between the two cases came because a "Malay cook" was named as a suspect in the Jack-the-Ripper case. He reportedly was employed three years earlier in 1885 at a hotel in Austin Texas. 

...investigated the matter, calling on Mrs. Schmidt, who kept the Pearl House, near the foot of Congress Avenue opposite the Union depot, 3 years ago. It was ascertained that a Malay cook calling himself Maurice had been employed at the house in 1885 and that he left some time in January 1886. It will be remembered that the last of the series of Austin women murders was the killing of Mrs. Hancock and Mrs. Eula Phillips, the former occurring on Christmas eve 1885, just before the Malay departed, and that the series then ended... (Source)

One of the most interesting things about this case is that it predates Jack the Ripper (supposedly the world's first serial killer) and H.H. Holmes (America's first serial killer). The annals of crime are more complicated than they seem!

For full information on the case, visit ServantGirlMurders.com, the Crime Library, or Wikipedia.

What do you think? Could Jack the Ripper and the Servant Girl Annihilator have been one and the same? 

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Historical Throwback Mini Competition: Answers and Winner!

Yesterday I did a mini-competition where I put images from great historical movies up and wanted people to guess what they were. The first person to get them all would receive a free copy of my historical fiction novel, Citadels of Fire. To see what the images were, click HERE.

Answers:

A. Dr. Zhivago (2002) 
B. Last of the Mohicans (1992) -- Apparently a lot of people had a hard time seeing this image. Sorry about that.
C. North and South (1985) -- Technically a mini-series, but still.
D. Legends of the Fall (1994)
E. Braveheart (1995)
F. Elizabeth (1998)
G. The Crucible (1996)

Winner: My friend and fellow author Rebekah Grow (rkgtheauthor.com) was the one who got them all. Great job, Rebekah. Glad I'm not the only historical fiction nerd around. :D Your copy of Citadels of Fire will be on it's way soon!
Happy Tuesday, Everyone!

What's YOUR favorite historical film?

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Historical Tidbit: Rise and Fall of the Romanovs

Did you know...that both the first and the last Tsar of Russia were tangled up with the Romanov Clan?

It's true!

These are the grand-duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia, and Maria in 1914, not so long before the Boleshevik Revolution that led to their execution, along with the their mother Alexandra and their father, Nicholas II, last Tsar of Russia. These beautiful girls were raised as royalty, but at these respective ages had relatively little time left to live.

Russia has a fascinating history. The Romanov family wasn't always considered royalty. They were simply a family of powerful nobles, until the mid-sixteenth century when Ivan the Terrible, first Tsar of unified Russia chose one Anastasia Romanovna as his bride. It's interesting to me that both the first and last Tsars in Russian history were entangled with the Romanovs.

Check out the story of how they were raised to royalty, through Ivan the Terrible, in Citadels of Fire. It hit shelves May 27th and is doing well among readers and critics. 

In a world where danger hides in plain sight and no one aspires to more than what they were born to, Inga must find the courage to break the oppressive chains she’s been bound with since birth.
As a maid in the infamous Kremlin, life in 16th-century Russia is bleak and treacherous. That is, until Taras arrives. Convinced that his mother’s death when he was a boy was no mere accident, he returned from England to discover what really happened. While there, he gains favor from the Tsar later known as Ivan the Terrible, the most brutal and notorious ruler ever to sit upon the throne of Russia. Ivan allows him to take a servant, and to save Inga from a brutal boyar intent on raping her, Taras requests Inga to stay in his chambers.

Up against the social confines of the time, the shadowy conspiracies that cloak their history, and the sexual politics of the Russian Imperial court, Inga and Taras must discover their past, plan for their future, and survive the brutality that permeates life within the four walls that tower over them all, or they may end up like so many citizens of ancient Russia: nothing but flesh and bone mortar for the stones of the Kremlin wall.

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The History of Memorial Day

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies.--Moina Michael

Happy Memorial Day, Everyone! I hope everyone has some fun plans. I've got a busy day, so I probably won't be on much until later this evening. Today, I thought we'd go over the history of this wonderful holiday!

Did you know...

That Memorial Day has it's origins in the Civil War?

It's true. More than 360,000 Union soldiers were killed during the war, and that added to the Confederate casualty count of 240,000. Half a million Americans died during this terrible time, so that all Americans could live free.

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Historical Pictures: A Quiz

So I'm kind of obsessed with historical pictures. (Shocking, right?) Ever since I found the "history" search category on Pinterest, wow I waste a lot of time on there! But I just can't help it! Historical pictures are just so fascinating! 

So, for today I've devised a quiz. These are early or childhood pictures of famous people throughout history. They're all people who did great things, whether good or questionable. 

Try and guess who they are. Post your guesses in the comments! I'll post the answers tomorrow!

It's one of those things where it's kind of hard to guess who some of them are, but once you know, you can totally see it in their faces! 

Who do you think these kids grew up to be?

Remember, Citadels of Fire is available for pre-order now! Check it out below if you haven't yet!

In a world where danger hides in plain sight and no one aspires to more than what they were born to, Inga must find the courage to break the oppressive chains she’s been bound with since birth. 

As a maid in the infamous Kremlin, life in 16th-century Russia is bleak and treacherous. That is, until Taras arrives. Convinced that his mother’s death when he was a boy was no mere accident, he returned from England to discover what really happened. While there, he gains favor from the Tsar later known as Ivan the Terrible, the most brutal and notorious ruler ever to sit upon the throne of Russia. Ivan allows him to take a servant, and to save Inga from a brutal boyar intent on raping her, Taras requests Inga to stay in his chambers. 

Up against the social confines of the time, the shadowy conspiracies that cloak their history, and the sexual politics of the Russian Imperial court, Inga and Taras must discover their past, plan for their future, and survive the brutality that permeates life within the four walls that tower over them all, or they may end up like so many citizens of ancient Russia: nothing but flesh and bone mortar for the stones of the Kremlin wall.

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Historical Tidbit: How J.R.R. Tolkien Made Beowulf Famous

Source

Most of us read Beowulf in school, or at least read excerpts and talked about it, right? There are also plenty of film versions of the story available these days.

The story of Beowulf and Grendel is important for many reasons. It represents the first story, mostly passed down through oral tradition, that was also written down. It's also the oldest known fiction written in English. Volumes have been written about this legend and it's importance to our culture, the Anglo-Saxon culture, and literature in general.

Did you know...that it was J.R.R. Tolkien that brought Beowulf to the world's attention?

It's true. Before Tolkien's time, the story of Beowulf and Grendel was very obscure, and used solely as a historical document, rather than a literary pillar or a work of art. No one read it in school back then. No one knew what it was. No one had heard the tale. Tolkien came across it in his research and understood it's import. He brought it to the attention of the Big Wigs at Oxford, begging them to pay attention. 

J.R.R. Tolkien (Source)

He wrote some essays and later a famous lecture known as Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics, in which he begged his colleagues not to dismiss the fantastical elements of Beowulf. He asked them to look at it as a work of art and a cornerstone in the development of many literary forms, including folklore, narrative, and fantasy. His paper became known as the formative work in  Beowulf studies. (Source)

Eventually, his efforts brought the story to the world. He helped people understand that this story was not getting the attention it deserved. That it was a massively important part of our history, and especially in the development of our literature. 

Without Tolkien, most of us today probably wouldn't know a thing about the Anglo-Saxon hero Beowulf, and his battle against the monster Grendel. The text would have remained obscure, as many similar texts do that never see the recognition they deserve.

I gotta say, I've always been impressed with Mr. Tolkien, but after hearing Orson Scott Card tell this story at the LTUE conference, I'm thinking J.R.R. Tolkien was foreordained before birth to bring amazing stories to the world. And boy did he ever succeed!

What do you think of this? How different would the world be without Tolkien's contributions?

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Ivan the Terrible of Russia: Backdrop for a Historical Saga

Ivan the Terrible
Source

It's been awhile since I posted about Russia or Ivan the Terrible. I read something that suggested that a great idea for a blog post for authors is to write about the back story or world that your story take place in. As I explained in THIS POST, the release date for Citadels of Fire was pushed to next year, but that doesn't mean I can't talk about the world it's set in.

So Ivan the Terrible was a tyrant who sat the throne of Russia during the 1500s. He was the first ruler to adopt the title of "Tsar" which is the Russian equivalent of Caesar. He was revered by his people, even though he was brutal.

Ivan was a very lonely child. His father died when he was only three, making him ruler of Russia under his mother, who would serve as regent until he came of age. When Ivan was eight, she died, and little Ivan, along with his simple-minded brother, Yuri, were swept under the rug. Every time Ivan latched onto someone and came to care for them, they were murdered in the bloody gyre that was the struggle for the Russian throne. The two boys often slept in closets or hid from assassins. Their childhood was full of paranoia and mistrust...

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Historical Tidbit: The Diary of Anne Frank

Source

Did you know that August 4th (Yesterday, not today. Unfortunately I'm a day late!) is the anniversary of the day Anne Frank was captured? 

Anne and her family hid in a closed-off portion of an Amsterdam warehouse along with another Jewish family and a single Jewish man. They went into hiding in 1942 and received aid from Christian friends. Twenty-five months of successful hiding let them hear about the Allied landing at Normandy, and they had hopes that Holland would soon be liberated. From the time Anne was thirteen years old, she kept a meticulous diary about the day-to-day goings-on and her experiences in the warehouse.

Source

On August 4th, 1944, given away by some unknown informant, they were discovered by the Gestapo. All were shipped off to concentration camps, and the entire family eventually made their way to Auschwitz. Anne and her sister Margot were eventually sent to another camp in Germany where they both contracted typhus and died. The camp was liberated less than two months later.

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Historical Tidbit: Origin of Pioneer Day

Source

Did you know...that today is a holiday?

So today is July 24th! For anyone living outside of Utah, it's just another Wednesday at work. But, for those of us in the Beehive state, today is Pioneer Day! It's the anniversary of when the Mormon pioneers arrived and began the settlement of our great state! 



Members of the early LDS church were brutally persecuted in the Eastern United States. Eventually, they packed up everything they had into the backs of covered wagons and handcarts and headed west. Back then, very little of the land between the Mississippi River and California had been settled. Of course American Indian tribes dotted the land, but, especially in Utah which is an arid desert, even they were few and far between.

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Historical Tidbit: Titanic Predictions

Did you know...?

That many writers predicted the disaster of the Titanic cruise liner?

It's true. No less than 4 writers in some way predicted the accident long before it happened.

Check out that crazy cover image!
Source

1) Morgan Robertson published a novella in 1898 entitled, Futility.  It was the story of a grand cruise liner that sank. In it, the boat was the largest and fastest of its day, and--get this!--was called the Titan. In his story, the boat has almost identical dimensions to the Titanic, and both boats, though they have huge amounts of people aboard, only carry enough lifeboats for half. In his book, Robertson's boat is known as "unsinkable." These similarities have been called "eerie." I say they're downright creepy!

2) M. McDonnell Bodkin wrote This Ship's Run in 1908. The boat in his story is called Titanic and it follows almost the same route the actual ship would four years later, though in the story it doesn't collide with anything. The similarities are so close that many people believe Bodkin might have seen early plans for the ship. (Source)

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The Role of Fire Throughout Human History

Did you know...that fires are as unpredictable today as they were hundreds of years ago?

Stating the obvious, perhaps, but it's both true and surprising. Here in the U.S we've already seen some wildfire tragedy this season. Just this past week, 10 firefighters were killed in Arizona. They all belonged to the same department--in Prescott, AZ--and represented roughly 20% of Prescott's force. 

Fires are interesting things. They were a common part of medieval life and I'm sure of life in earlier periods as well. While most cities in Europe and the East were surrounded by stone walls, the structures within were largely made of wood. Moscow burned a number of times during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, taking hundreds with them, including many children. And of course there was the famous Great Fire of London in 1666, though that wasn't by far the only time it burned. 

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Ann-Marie Meyers: Up in the Air + Patriotic Courage in the Face of Helplessness--A True Story

Hello Everyone! Today is the day before Independence Day so check out my true story of patriotism in the face of helplessness below! Meanwhile, please welcome Ann Marie Meyers to the blog. Her first novel, Up in the Air releases July 6. She's here to talk about finding your target audience. Make sure to click on the link below that to enter her Rafflecopter giveaway. Then check out my review of her book below. 

Ann Marie Meyers grew up in Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies. She has a degree in languages and translates legal and technical documents from French and Spanish into English. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, with her husband and super energetic daughter. Meyers is an active member of SCBWI and facilitates a children's writing group twice a month. Welcome, Ann Marie!

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Teaser Tuesday--Up in the Air + True Story of Patriotism

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So this is the week we will celebrate the birth of our country and the glory it has been since its inception. I come from a very patriotic family. My great-grandfathers on both sides fought on World War II and I have had lots of family in the military since then as well. So, in celebration, many of my posts this week will have a patriotic bent, and I may start out each one with a true story about the patriots in my family, or just a patriotic story in general. (Teaser Tuesday Below.)

One of my great-grandfathers, Blaine Hill, fought in World War II. One day, he and a buddy were walking behind a U.S. tank who was making its way through a jungle in the South Pacific. Every time the men in the tank saw a land mine ahead, they would radio to the two men behind them (one being my grandfather) and one of them would step out and shoot the mine from a distance so the tank could proceed safely. My grandfather and this other American soldier (sorry I don't know his name) took turns shooting the mines. At one point, several hours had passed since they'd come upon a mine. When the guys inside the tank reported another one ahead, neither my grandfather nor his buddy could remember whose turn it was to fire. 

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Historical Tidbit: The Battle of Gettysburg

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So this is the week we will celebrate the birth of our country and the glory it has been since its inception. I come from a very patriotic family. My great-grandfathers on both sides fought on World War II and I have had lots of family in the military since then as well. So, in celebration, many of my posts this week will have a patriotic bent, and I may start out each one with a true story about the patriots in my family, or just a patriotic story in general.

Today, the historical tidbit has to do with patriotism by definition, so I'll let it stand on its own.

Did you know...that the Battle of Gettysburg almost lost the war for the North, as much as it won it for them?

Source

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