RUTHLESS “DARK STRANGLER”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 197, 9 November 1927, Page 11

RUTHLESS “DARK STRANGLER”

CAREER OF GORILLA MAN ENDED MURDERER OF MANY WOMEN By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. Received 9.5 a.m. OTTAWA, Tuesday. Ift the conviction of Earle Nelson, the police believe they * have ended the career of the so-called “Dark Strangler,’' one of the most ruthless criminals in history. During 1926, the killer's reign of terror extended through a dozen Pacific Coast cities.

JJARLY this year he turned to cross the Continent eastward. He was an adept at disguise. His age was 37. He usually carried a suitcase, with two changes of clothing. During the last year it was definitely traced that he killed 16 women, aged from 14 to 60, never robbing them, but invariably leaving behind evidence of his gorilla clutch. This year he killed five, including three near Winnipeg. The evidence showed he killed Lola Cowan early in the forenoon. He walked out of the city, and begged a ride from a passing motorist. A tyre burst opposite the farm-house. While the motorist mended the tyre, Nelson

walked leisurely in and found the farmer’s wife alone. He strangled her and threw the body under a bed, helped himself to dinner and walked unconcernedly back to the motor-car. Nelson was married. He was employed as a machinist. He had been insane in an asylum, but escaped. He was kind to his wife, who did not suspdet his fearful deeds.—A. and N.Z. An Ottawa cablegram of Monday read as follows: —Earle was sentenced to death at Winnipeg for the murder of two women there. It was alleged, when Nelson was captured by the Winnipeg police, that Nelson had outraged and strangled 20 women jn various cities of the United States.