On this date in 1827, farmhand Jesse Strang murdered John Whipple at the Cherry Hill estate in Albany, NY. He was put up to the crime by Whipple's wife Elsie, with whom Strang was having an affair. Elsie even provided Strang with the gun he used, which she stole from her soon-to-be-late husband.
To add insult to (fatal) injury, John Whipple--wise to his wife's affair and fearing an attempt on his life--actually loaded the murder weapon with the bullet that would kill him.
After the shooting, Strang ran to a local store in an attempt to establish an alibi. The police saw through his alibi and arrested him for the murder. He promptly ratted out Elsie, who was then arrested as well. Strang was eventually convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He was executed in the last public hanging in Albany's history. Elsie Whipple was found not guilty and released.
Wikipedia: Murder at Cherry Hill
Historic Cherry Hill
Facebook: I am related to Jesse Strang
5 comments:
And not one "Don't squeeze the Charmin joke." I applaud your taking the high road. Being the hack that I am I wouldn'd have been so strong.
How ironic that he loaded the gun himself to prevent the death that the gun and the bullet caused. And even more interesting is that he gets it, and she gets off.
Pat,
Well, there's always the age factor to consider. I'm afraid to find out what percentage of my audience wouldn't get that joke.
Matty,
My guess is that juries of the day were less likely to believe that a woman would do something like that. And the main witness against her was Strang, who was a disreputable character. Besides murdering Whipple, he had abandoned a wife and children. Not someone a jury would put much faith in.
Wow. She was found not guilty and released. Talk about getting off scott free.
Trace,
She was as lucky as she was heartless.
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