The unidentified serial killer in New Orleans, Louisiana who was named the Axeman of New Orleans terrorized the community from May 1918 to October 1919 maybe even as early as 1911.

The MO of the Axeman was to use a chisel on a panel of the back door of the home and killing the occupants with either an axe that was at the home or a straight razor. Nothing was ever missing from the homes which ruled out the motive of robbery. Leaving people wondering why these attacks were happening. A theory was that due to his victims being either Italian immigrants or Italian-Americans that the attacks were ethnically motivated. It was then theorized it was motivated by jazz music when a letter claiming to be from the Axeman said the following..

Hell, March 13, 1919

Esteemed Mortal:

They have never caught me and they never will. They have never seen me, for I am invisible, even as the ether that surrounds your earth. I am not a human being, but a spirit and a demon from the hottest hell. I am what you Orleanians and your foolish police call the Axeman.

When I see fit, I shall come and claim other victims. I alone know whom they shall be. I shall leave no clue except my bloody axe, besmeared with blood and brains of he whom I have sent below to keep me company.

If you wish you may tell the police to be careful not to rile me. Of course, I am a reasonable spirit. I take no offense at the way they have conducted their investigations in the past. In fact, they have been so utterly stupid as to not only amuse me, but His Satanic Majesty, Francis Josef, etc. But tell them to beware. Let them not try to discover what I am, for it were better that they were never born than to incur the wrath of the Axeman. I don’t think there is any need of such a warning, for I feel sure the police will always dodge me, as they have in the past. They are wise and know how to keep away from all harm.

Undoubtedly, you Orleanians think of me as a most horrible murderer, which I am, but I could be much worse if I wanted to. If I wished, I could pay a visit to your city every night. At will I could slay thousands of your best citizens, for I am in close relationship with the Angel of Death.

Now, to be exact, at 12:15 (earthly time) on next Tuesday night, I am going to pass over New Orleans. In my infinite mercy, I am going to make a little proposition to you people. Here it is: I am very fond of jazz music, and I swear by all the devils in the nether regions that every person shall be spared in whose home a jazz band is in full swing at the time I have just mentioned. If everyone has a jazz band going, well, then, so much the better for you people. One thing is certain and that is that some of your people who do not jazz it out on that specific Tuesday night (if there be any) will get the axe.

Well, as I am cold and crave the warmth of my native Tartarus, and it is about time I leave your earthly home, I will cease my discourse. Hoping that thou wilt publish this, that it may go well with thee, I have been, am and will be the worst spirit that ever existed either in fact or realm of fantasy.

-The Axeman

On March 13, 1919 another letter was sent saying that he would kill again at 15 minutes past midnight on March 19th anyone that wasn’t playing jazz music, that night all of New Orleans dance halls were filled with people and bands along with houses around town. That night he kept his word and no one was murdered.

May 23, 1918 an Italian grocer Joseph Maggio and his wife Catherine Maggio were attacked at their home. The attacker broke in and slit both their throats with a straight razor before bludgeoning them with an axe. Joseph was able to survive until his brothers arrived. While investigating the scene law enforcement found the cloths of the attacker leading them to believe they changed before leaving. The police did not search the area but later on the straight razor was discovered in the neighboring property and was found to belong to Josephs brother who had a barber shop, it was said that Joseph took the razor to have a nick honed for it. His brother was a suspect for a short time due to him living next door yet not hearing the attack. He was ruled out when police were unable to find any holes in his story of him being to intoxicated to hear anything when he was asleep.

There was a message left on the pavement nearby that read, ” Mrs. Maggio will sit up tonight just like Mrs. Toney” theorized to be a reference to the murder of Anthony and Joanna Sciambra in 1911, they were Italian greengrocers and customers would call Joanna Mrs. Toney.

June 27, 1918 Louis Besumer and his mistress Harriet Lowe were attacked in the back of Louis’s grocery store. The attacker his Louis in his right temple with a hatchet and caused a possible skull fracture. Harriet was hacked over her left ear and found unconscious when police arrived. They were discovered by a bakery wagon when the driver was dropping of a delivery. When police arrived they found the axe in the bathroom and discovered it belonged to Louis. He survived the attack and was able to tell police that he was asleep prior to the attack. Harriet also survived and told the police she remembered the attacker but due to her head injury police did not take her serious. In August 1918 Harriet told police that it was Louis that had attacked her, he was arrested and spent nine months in prison before being acquitted after a ten minute deliberation by the jury.

August 5, 1918 a 28 year old Anna Schneider who was 8 months pregnant was attacked. She was hit in the face repeatedly and her scalp had been cut open, she was discovered by her husband after midnight. She survived but could not remember any of her attack, two days later she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Police believed she was hit with a lamp near her bed, there were no signs of forced entry. Law enforcement started to speculate that the attacks were all done by the same person.

August 10, 1918 Joseph Romano was attacked. Joseph who lived with his two nieces, Pauline and Mary. The sisters were sleeping when the heard noises coming from their uncles room, when they found him he had taken two blows to the head that had caused cuts. The sisters were able to get a look at the attacker as he fled, they described him as dark skinned, heavy set, wearing a dark suit and slouched hat. Joseph seemed like he would pull through but sadly died from his wounds two days later.

Investigators discovered a panel on the back door had been chiseled off and the bloody axe was left in the backyard. Joseph’s death had caused the city to panic, scared that they would be next. Police started receiving reports of sighting’s of the Axeman and people worried when they discovered an axe in their yards. A retired detective made a public statement that he believed that the attacks were made by the same person who had killed in 1911. He then said the killer may have dual personalities who didn’t have a motive. That he was a normal law abiding citizen that had an overwhelming desire to kill, similar to ” Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”.

March 10, 1919 Charles Cortimiglia, his wife Rosie and their infant daughter Mary were attacked. Neighbors heard screams coming from their house, grocer Iorlando Jordano rushed to the house to see what was happening. When he arrived he saw Rosie standing in the doorway with a serious head wound and holding her deceased daughter, Charles was on the floor bleeding out from his injuries. The couple were immediately rushed to Charity Hospital with skull fractures. Investigators found a panel that had been chiseled off of the back door and a bloody axe on the back porch. Charles was able to recover from his injuries and go home two days after the attack, Rosie remained in the hospital claiming that Iorlando and his 18 year old son Frank were the attackers, however Iorlando was 69 and in poor health at the time of the attack and his son would be to big to fit through the back panel that had been removed. Even with this information police still arrested the two men and they were found guilty. Frank was sentenced to hang while his father to life in prison. After the trial Charles divorced Rosie because she falsely accused the men, a year later she announced that she lied about them being the attackers and they were released since her word was the only evidence police had.

August 10, 1919 a grocer named Steve Boca was attacked as he slept in his bedroom. He awoke during the attack to see a dark figure standing over him, he blacked out but when he regained consciousness he ran outside to see who had broke into his house where he realized he was bleeding. He found a neighbor for help before he lost consciousness again. Police again found that the backdoor had a panel chiseled off. Steve was able to recover from his injuries but had no memory of the night.

September 3, 1919 Sarah Laumann was attacked in her home. She was discovered when neighbors came to check on her, they found the 19 year old Sarah unconscious on her bed with a severe head wound and several missing teeth. The attacker came in through an open window and attacked her with a blunt object, police later found the bloody axe on the front lawn. Sarah was able to recover but could not remember the attack.

October 27, 1919 Mike Pepitone was attacked, he was found by his wife who woke up when she heard a noise and went to check on him. She saw a large man with an axe fleeing the scene but she wasn’t able to get a good look at the attacker to identify him. Mike was the last murder of the alleged Axeman killer.

The Axeman of New Orleans was never identified nor was there any other arrest made in the attacks.

Thank you for reading and be safe!

Read more with the book. https://amzn.to/3TjG1OP