Man Kills Dentist Over Picture, 1936

Posted on January 28, 2009 by lmharnisch

1939_0128_miner

A reader asked if I would do more stories from 1939. Here’s what I found. I guess you can never have too many stories about cantankerous old coots with shotguns.

Update: Several people have asked what became of Sylvester Warner. The Times didn’t follow up on the story, but he was executed Feb. 10, 1939.
1936_0425_voiss

Peter Voiss charged 50 cents ($7.41 USD 2007) for a picture.

1936_0426_voiss

Never mind that he killed a man. How are the burros?

1936_0704_voiss
1946_0914_voiss
 So ends the story of Peter Voiss. Of course, with Google, we can track down information on the Internet of unknown reliability.

He was supposedly born in Germany, where his father ran an inn and brewery. Are relatives on the trail of our reclusive prospector? Could be. 

The fate of Voiss’ beloved burros is unrecorded.

About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times
This entry was posted in #courts, Homicide, Transportation. Bookmark the permalink.

3 Responses to Man Kills Dentist Over Picture, 1936

  1. Jon says:
    January 28, 2009 at 10:07 am

    I guess Happy Chandler’s nickname was ironic.
    That Peter Voiss is quite a story…

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    Reply
  2. Cube says:
    January 28, 2009 at 11:47 am

    What ever happened to “Sylvester Warner” the other lead story. Did Kentucky ‘Fry him’??
    Do tell, please..

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    Reply
  3. Arye Michael Bender says:
    January 28, 2009 at 7:24 pm

    ‘The fate of Voiss’ beloved burros is unrecorded.’
    But rumor has it that they teamed up, and briefly toured in the fading days of vaudeville. Later they were seen on early live TV, working for exclusively for Milton Berle. No kinescopes survive. The Burros final screen appearances were as anonymous mules on ‘Death Valley Days’. They retired just before Ronald Reagan took over the host role from The Old Ranger, Stanley Andrews.
    There is no truth to the often circulated rumor that they were the real power behind Abe.
    A search of the Motion Picture Country Home records did not show them to be residents.

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