who stopped them for questioning because they did not have a tag on th
care Brockelhurst made a complete confession in which he said that
while robbery was their primary purpose in killing the three men, his
girl friend had been "amused and entertained" by the killings, He was
placed on trial first and convicted by a jury which deliberaged for
only 22 minutes, When he was sentenced to die, he began weeping and
fainted, However, he recovered in his cell and the next day took the
stand against his former girl friend at her trial, He said that he
had killed the three men for her and did everything possible to bring
about her conviction but she was acquitted. He was quite bitter over
her acquittal and stated that his love had turned to hatred for the
girl who was then pregnant whth his child, His case was unsuccessful
appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court and he was electrocuted at the
Arkansas State Prison on March 18, 1938,
MEMPHIS NEWS-SCIMITAR, Memphis, Tenn., May ll, 19376
NASEVILIE TENNESSEAN, Nashville, Tenn., June 25 and June 26, 1937
11] SOUTHWESTERN (2nd) 527 ‘
See excerpt from DESIGNS IN SCARLET by Cooper, Filed in dark blue
binder.
who stopped them for questioning because they did not have a tag on the
care Brockelhurst made a complete confession in which he said that
while robbery was their primary purpose in killing the three men, his
girl friend had been "amused and entertained" by the killings, He was
placed on trial first and convicted by a jury which deliberaked for
only 22 minutes. When he was sentenced to die, he began weeping and
fainted. However, he recovered in his cell and the next day took the
stand against his former girl friend at her trial, He said that he
had killed the three men for her and did everything possible to bring
about her conviction but she was acquitted, He was quite bitter over
her acquittal and stated that his love had turned to hatred for the
girl who was then pregnant whth his child, His case was unsuccessfully
appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court and he was electrocuted at the
Arkansas State Prison on March 18, 1938,
MEMPHIS NEWS-SCIMITAR, Memphis, Tenn., May 1h, 1937e
NASHVILIE TENNESSEAN, Nashville, Tenn., June 25 and June 26, 1937
111 SOUTHWESTERN (2nd) 527 ,
See excerpt from DESIGNS IN SCARLET by Cooper. Filed in dark blue
binder.
who stopped them for questioning because they did not have a tag on th
car. Brockelhurst made a complete confession in which he said that
while robbery was their primary purpose in killing the three men, his
girl friend had been "amused and entertained" by the killings, He was
placed on trial first and convicted by a jury which deliberaked for
only 22 minutes, Yhen he was sentenced to die, he began weeping and
fainted, However, he recovered in his cell and the next day took the
stand against his former girl friend at her trial, He said that he
had killed the three men for her and did everything possible to bring
about her conviction but she was acquitted, He was ouite bitter over
her acouittal and stated that his love had turned to hatred for the
girl who was then pregnant whth his child, His case was unsuccessfully
appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court and he was electrocuted at the
Arkansas State Prison on March 18, 1938,
KEMPHIS NEVS-SCIMITAR, Memphis, Tenn,, May 1h, 19376
NASHVILIE TENNESSEAN, Nashville, Tenn,, June 25 and June 26, 1937
111 SOUTHWESTERN (2nd) 527
See excerpt from DESIGNS IN SCARLET by Cooper, Filed in dark blue
binder,
choaken oe
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Eri teh Get ey See Bo oe 7
BROCKELEURST, Lester
Brockelhurst, a 23-year-old white native of Galesburg, I11]1., where he
taught a. Sunday School class had always borne a good reputation until
he was sentenced to MaMXAKAXRKEXHHU Joliet Prison in 1935 for an armed
robbery committed in Chicago, After his release on parole, he moved
to Rockford where he again became a Sunday School teacher, He. met
and fell in love with an 18=year=old girl at a Church picnic and when
her parents objected to their marriage, they ran maway together on
March 31, 1937, Albin Theander, a 7-year-old Rackford resident, gave
them a ride in his automobile and Brockelhurst shot and killed hin,
robbing the body and taking the car, For the next six weeks, they
ranged the United States with Brockelhurst raising funds by robbing
various service stations and bars, On April 28, 1937, Jack Griffiths,
a Fort Worth, Texas, bar owner, resisted their efforts to rob his
establishment and Brockelhurst shot and killed him, They then went
to Little Rock, Ark., where they. abandoned Theander's car, On May 6
they started for Memphis, Tenn,, on foot and were given a ride by S7=
year-old Victor Gates, a Little Rock planter, While they were riding
in Lonoke County, Brockelhurst shot Gates in the back of the head and
dragged the body into a ditch where it was subsequently discovered,
They used Gates' pocket watch to pay the toll over a bridge and went
to New York wucr. vhey were arrested on May 13 by ah
BROCKELEURST, Lester
Brockelhurst, a 23-year-old white native of Galesburg, I11., where he
taught a.Sunday School class had always borne a good reputation until
he was sentenced to M#HAKAXRKZXKU Joliet Prison in 1935 for an armed
robbery committed in Chicago, After his release on parole, he moved
to Rockford where he again became a Sunday School teacher. He. met
and fell in love with an 18=year=old girl at a Church picnic and when
her parents objected to their marriage, they ran maway together on
March 31, 1937, Albin Theander, a l7=year-old Rackford resident, gave
them a ride in his automobile and Brockelhurst shot and killed hin,
robbing the body and taking the car. For the next six weeks, they
ranged the United States with Brockelhurst raising funds by robbing
various service stations and bars. On April 28, 1937, Jack Griffiths,
a Fort Worth, Texas, bar owner, resisted their efforts to rob his
establishment and Brockelhurst shot and killed him, They then went
to Little Rock, Ark., where they. abandoned Theander's car, On May 6
they started for Memphis, Tenn., on foot and were given a ride by 57-
year-old Victor Gates, a Little Rock planter, Whike they were riding
in Lonoke County, Brockelhurst shot Gates in the back of the head and
dragged the body into a ditch where it was subsequently discovered.
They used Gates’ pocket watch to pay the toll over a bridge and went
to New York woe. uhey were arrested on May 13 by a
BROCKELHURST, Lester
Brockelhurst, a 23-year-old white native of Galesburg, I11,, where he
taught a, Sunday School class had always borne a good reputation until
he was sentenced to MHMAKURXHMA Joliet Prison in 1935 for an armed
robbery committed in Chicago, After his release on parole, he moved
to Rockford where he again became a Sunday School teacher. He. met
and fell in love with an 18-year-old girl at a Church picnic and when
her parents objected to their marriage, they ran xaway together on
March 31, 1937, Albin Theander, a l7~year-old Rackford resident, gave
them a ride in his automobile and Brockelhurst shot and killed him,
robbing the body and taking the car. For the next six weeks, they
ranged the United States with Brockelhurst raising funds by robbing
various service stations and bars, On April 28, 1937, Jack Griffiths,
2 Fort Worth, Texas, bar owner, resisted their efforts to rob his
establishment and Brockelhurst shot and killed him, They then went
to Little Rock, Ark., where they. abandoned Theander's car, On May 6
they started for Memphis, Tenn,, on foot and were given a ride by S7~
year-old Victor Gates, a Little Rock planter, While they were riding
in Lonoke County, Brockelhurst shot Gates in the back of the head and
dragged the body into a ditch where it was subsequently discovered,
They used Gates' pocket watch to pay the toll over a bridge and went
