Tag Archives: crime and courts

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder, Part 8

Posted on October 14, 2014 by lmharnisch

The Herald-Examiner published a photo of Georgette Bauerdorf with a question mark, one of its visual cliches of the 1940s, Oct. 13, 1944. The investigation revealed that the young woman found face-down in the bathtub at 8493 Fountain Ave., was … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Hollywood | Tagged 1944, Cold Cases, crime and courts, Georgette Bauerdorf, hollywood | 8 Comments

Georgette Bauerdorf: An Unsolved Murder, Part 6

Posted on October 10, 2014 by lmharnisch

El Palacio Apartments, 8491 Fountain Ave., in a photo from the Los Angeles Herald-Express, courtesy of the Los Angeles Public Library. El Palacio in 2008, as shown by Google Street View. Los Angeles Times, May 10, 1931: El Palacio is … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Hollywood | Tagged 1944, Cold Cases, crime and courts, Georgette Bauerdorf, hollywood | 16 Comments

Georgette Bauerdorf: An Unsolved Murder, Part 3

Posted on October 7, 2014 by lmharnisch

Dec. 31, 1944: Major crimes increased in the city of Los Angeles, except for auto theft. Homicides are up 29.5% over 1943. There are many ways to portray 1944 in Los Angeles, when Georgette Bauerdorf was killed. We might talk … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged #Sheriff's Department, 1944, Cold Cases, crime and courts, Georgette Bauerdorf, hollywood, lapd | 13 Comments

Wealthy Carmel Woman, 37, Accused in Love Slaying of Ranch Hand, 19

Posted on October 3, 2014 by lmharnisch

Oct. 3, 1944 The sensational trial of Frances Andrews, 37, in the shooting death of Jay Lovett, 19, prompts a crackpot confession letter (a popular pastime in the 1940s, as found in the Black Dahlia case). This one included receipts … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Crime and Courts, Homicide, Suicide | Tagged 1944, Carmel, crime and courts, Suicide | 4 Comments

Georgette Bauerdorf: An Unsolved Murder, Part 1

Posted on September 30, 2014 by lmharnisch

The unrecommended reading list. Not shown: Donald Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files,” Scotty Bowers’ “Full Service,” Howard Blum’s “American Lightning,” Wikipedia, etc. These are curious times to be a diligent researcher in Los Angeles history. There is more of Los … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Homicide | Tagged 1944, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, crime and courts, homicide | 18 Comments

Man Kidnaps Woman in Attempted Murder-Suicide

Posted on September 26, 2014 by lmharnisch

738 S. Mariposa Ave., via Google Street View. Sept. 26, 1944 Mrs. Lilliam Bohny, 35, of 738 S. Mariposa Ave. was in her nightgown and housecoat, being shown some sweaters by sweater salesman Robert Lang when William E. Andrews, … Continue reading →

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LAPD Parker Center Cop Shop Files DR 73-402-191

Posted on September 4, 2014 by lmharnisch

In case you just tuned in, I was given a box of material that was cleaned out of the old press room after Parker Center closed. The items consist of photos, press releases and random bits of ephemera. There is … Continue reading →

Posted in 1973, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Parker Center Cop Shop Files | Tagged 1973, crime and courts, lapd, Parker Center Cop Shop Files | Comments Off

War Veteran Died After Police Beating, Lawsuit Says, July 11, 1944

Posted on July 11, 2014 by lmharnisch

July 11, 1944 The parents of Marine veteran J.P. Thomas Jr. sue Mayor Fletcher Bowron, Police Chief Clemence C.B. Horrall and other city officials, charging that their son died after being beaten in jail by police. The Times reported that … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Main Street, Music, World War II | Tagged 1944, crime and courts, film, hollywood, Hollywood Bowl, lapd, Music, World War II | 1 Comment

1944 in Print — Looking at Hollywood by Hedda Hopper, July 3, 1944

Posted on July 3, 2014 by lmharnisch

July 3, 1944 Officers from Pasadena, Glendale and Los Angeles County join to recover four safes that had been dumped in the San Fernando Reservoir by a gang of thieves. The safecrackers specialized in stealing a small safe, loading it … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Columnists, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood | Tagged 1944, columnists, crime and courts, film, hollywood | 2 Comments

1944 in Print — Looking at Hollywood by Hedda Hopper, July 1, 1944

Posted on July 1, 2014 by lmharnisch

July 1, 1944 Louella Parsons is on vacation and instead of running her replacement, Dorothy Manners, I thought I would switch to dear, old Hedda. I’m not a Hedda fan, so she won’t last long, but I thought she would … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood | Tagged 1944, crime and courts, film, hollywood | Comments Off

Out of the Past: An LAPD Cold Case From 1948

Posted on May 20, 2014 by lmharnisch

The northwest corner of Central and Manchester avenues, as shown on Google Earth. Notice the alley behind the stores. In nine years of blogging about Los Angeles, I have learned that families often launder the past and, understandably, murder is … Continue reading →

Posted in 1948, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged 1948, cold cases, crime and courts, lapd | 6 Comments

Zodiac: Most Dangerous Animal — Oh Not Again!

Posted on May 14, 2014 by lmharnisch

A “true” crime book that was “written in secret” evokes “Black Dahlia Avenger” and it’s intriguing that “The Most Dangerous Animal of All” treads the same territory as Steve Hodel’s “Most Evil.” In case you don’t recall, retired LAPD Det. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts | Tagged Books and Authors, crime and courts, Zodiac | 6 Comments

Woman’s Body Found in Trunk at Union Station, May 6, 1944

Posted on May 9, 2014 by lmharnisch

May 6, 1944 An old trunk wrapped with wire and tied with rope arrives at Union Station, where people noticed that it was leaking — and smelled. Sent to the repair department for inspection, the trunk was opened by … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Tagged 1944, crime and courts, lapd | 9 Comments

1944 in Print — Life Magazine, May 8, 1944

Posted on May 8, 2014 by lmharnisch

The glittering suit worn by Lynn Davis bears the label of Hattie Carnegie, America’s No. 1 fashion designer. May 8, 1944 This week’s movie: “The Adventures of Mark Twain.” The Ohio Reformatory for Women puts on a show. On … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood | Tagged 1944, art and artists, crime and courts, film, hollywood | Comments Off

LAPD Parker Center Cop Shop Files: Sandra Bowers

Posted on April 16, 2014 by lmharnisch

I was given a box of material that was cleaned out of the old press room at the LAPD’s Parker Center headquarters, sometimes called “the cop shop.” The box was a jumble of press releases, photographs, artists’ sketches and other … Continue reading →

Posted in 1982, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Parker Center Cop Shop Files | Tagged 1982, crime and courts, lapd, Parker Center Cop Shop Files | 1 Comment

Books From the Slush Pile: ‘Kitty Genovese’ by Catherine Pelonero

Posted on April 10, 2014 by lmharnisch

The reject pile! Aspiring authors, avert thine eyes! This is a sample of review copies that are cast aside in bins to be rummaged through by the staff. Usually they are contemporary genre fiction (“50 Shades of Stealing Maps for … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Crime and Courts | Tagged #Kitty Genovese, Books and Authors, crime and courts | 4 Comments

LAPD Scrapbook: L.A. Crime Wave, March 8, 1946

Posted on April 9, 2014 by lmharnisch

I recently visited the city archives and thanks to archivist Michael Holland, I learned that the LAPD kept scrapbooks in the 1940s. This is an editorial from the California Grocers Journal, which says: At one time police brutality was common … Continue reading →

Posted in 1946, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Tagged crime and courts, lapd | Comments Off

LAPD Parker Center Cop Shop Files

Posted on April 8, 2014 by lmharnisch

In 2013, I was given a box of material that was cleaned out of the old press room at the LAPD’s Parker Center headquarters, sometimes called “the cop shop.” The box was a jumble of press releases, photographs, artists’ sketches … Continue reading →

Posted in 1957, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Parker Center Cop Shop Files | Tagged 1957, crime and courts, lapd, Parker Center Cop Shop Files | 3 Comments

LAPD Scrapbook: Police Crime Laboratory Beats Best Exploits of Sherlock Holmes, March 10, 1946

Posted on March 22, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 10, 1946 Here’s a feature from the LAPD scrapbooks at the city archives on police chemist Ray Pinker and the LAPD crime lab, which in those days was at the old Central Police Station on 1st Street. Bloodstain pattern … Continue reading →

Posted in 1946, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Tagged 1946, bloodstain pattern analysis, crime and courts, crime lab, lapd | Comments Off

LAPD Scrapbook: Los Angeles Crime Down for 1948

Posted on March 21, 2014 by lmharnisch

January-February 1949 Here’s another item from the LAPD scrapbooks at the city archives: Los Angeles records a decrease in crime for 1948 compared to 1947, according to figures in the Pacific Coast International Law Enforcement News.

Posted in 1948, 1949, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Tagged 1948, 1949, crime and courts, lapd | Comments Off