Tag Archives: Suicide

October 16, 1957: Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

Posted on October 16, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 16, 1957: Paul Coates has a moving tribute to a dead man and a son who loved to play the piano. Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Paul Coates, Suicide | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on October 16, 1957: Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

September 16, 1947: Stanley Beltz, Colorful Lockheed Test Pilot

Posted on September 16, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 16, 1947: Colorful Lockheed test pilot Stanley Beltz is in trouble again. Beltz died in 1955 testing a F-94B Starfire and his despondent fiancee killed herself less than two weeks later. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Aviation, Crime and Courts, Suicide | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on September 16, 1947: Stanley Beltz, Colorful Lockheed Test Pilot

September 10, 1947: In Love but Unable to Marry First Cousin, 17, Man Shoots Himself

Posted on September 10, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 10, 1947: David Everett, a 30-year-old mechanic, is in critical condition at Torrance General Hospital after shooting himself in the head and neck in despondency over his frustrated love for his 17-year-old first cousin Janet. And yes, she lives in a trailer park. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Art & Artists, Comics, Suicide | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on September 10, 1947: In Love but Unable to Marry First Cousin, 17, Man Shoots Himself

September 4, 1933: Man Kills Wife and Daughter, Commits Suicide Over Pink Bedroom

Posted on September 4, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 4, 1933: A man fatally stabs his estranged wife and daughter, then slits his throat after an argument because his wife had the bedroom painted pink. Continue reading →

Posted in 1933, Art & Artists, Comics, Downtown, Film, Homicide, LAPD, Main Street, Nightclubs, San Fernando Valley, Streetcars, Suicide, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on September 4, 1933: Man Kills Wife and Daughter, Commits Suicide Over Pink Bedroom

August 27, 1907: Undertaker Sent Home as Minister Survives Suicide Attempt

Posted on August 27, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 27, 1907: An undertaker makes two trips to pick up a retired Episcopal minister — but he wasn’t dead. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, 1911, Black Dahlia, Suicide | Tagged , | 1 Comment

August 12, 1947: Distinguished UCLA English Instructor Dies in Plunge from S.F. Building; ‘He Was Not Married’

Posted on August 12, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 12, 1947: Dr. Stanley Dean Johnson, a specialist in the works of John Donne at UCLA, has been spending the summer at the Huntington Library. He is a brilliant scholar and popular with faculty and staff. But in August 1947 he plunged from the 15th floor of San Francisco’s Russ Building. He was 39 and “not married.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Books and Authors, Suicide | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on August 12, 1947: Distinguished UCLA English Instructor Dies in Plunge from S.F. Building; ‘He Was Not Married’

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on November 2, 2020 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1932 Columbia film “Washington Merry-Go-Round,” with Lee Tracy, Constance Cummings, Walter Connolly, Alan Dinehart, Arthur Vinton, Arthur Hoyt, Burton Churchill, Frank Sheridan, Clay Clement and Clarence Muse. Screenplay by Jo Swerling, story by Maxwell … Continue reading →

Posted in 1932, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 41 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on March 16, 2020 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1934 Warner Bros. / First National picture “Gentlemen Are Born,” with Franchot Tone, Jean Muir, Margaret Lindsay, Ann Dvorak, Ross Alexander, Charles Starrett, Russell Hicks, Robert Light, Addison Richards, Henry O’Neill, Arthur Aylesworth, Marjorie … Continue reading →

Posted in 1934, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, San Fernando Valley, Suicide | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Black Dahlia: Why Dr. George Hodel Didn’t Kill His Secretary

Posted on June 17, 2019 by lmharnisch

Here’s the May 9, 1945, death certificate of Ruth Frances Spaulding. Notice that the Los Angeles County coroner determined that Spaulding committed suicide at the age of 27. If you have listened to Steve Hodel at all, you will have … Continue reading →

Posted in 1945, 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Black Dahlia: Did George Hodel Kill His Secretary? Another Steve Hodel Lie

Posted on March 13, 2019 by lmharnisch

Steve Hodel claims repeatedly in his “Black Dahlia Avenger” franchise that his father, George Hodel, killed his secretary, Ruth Spaulding. It’s even in Wikipedia.

Posted in 1945, 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD, Suicide | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Jan. 10, 1959: Nixon Was Born … in a Hospital?

Posted on January 10, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 10, 1959: This was a fun, strange story. Art Ryon claimed that Richard Nixon’s mother said he was born in a hospital, not at home. Later this was strongly denied and Bela Kornitzer, in “The Real Nixon,”  went out … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, Richard Nixon, Suicide | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Jan. 10, 1959: Nixon Was Born … in a Hospital?

Jan. 6, 1959: Matt Weinstock ‘Law Is Upheld’

Posted on January 6, 2019 by lmharnisch

A very upsetting ruling came down recently from Appellate Justice Paul Vallee. Shocked by the discovery that three men were held in jail for five days before being arraigned, he stated in an opinion, “It appears the police are permitted … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, Columnists, Crime and Courts, Matt Weinstock, Suicide | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Jan. 6, 1959: Matt Weinstock ‘Law Is Upheld’

November 1947: Woman Commits Suicide in Mortuary

Posted on November 28, 2018 by lmharnisch

OK, even for Ernie Bushmiller and “Nancy,” this Thanksgiving panel is bizarre.. Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. Nothing further was written about this unfortunate woman, who killed herself the day before … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Suicide | Tagged , | Comments Off on November 1947: Woman Commits Suicide in Mortuary

Sept. 16, 1947: Stanley Beltz, Colorful Lockheed Test Pilot

Posted on September 16, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. Low flying charges have been filed by the Civil Aeronautics Administration against Stanley Beltz, Lockheed test pilot, who reportedly took a four-engined Constellation down to 200 … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Aviation, Crime and Courts, Suicide | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sept. 16, 1947: Stanley Beltz, Colorful Lockheed Test Pilot

Sept. 10, 1947: In Love but Unable to Marry First Cousin, 17, Man Shoots Himself

Posted on September 10, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. There are some obstacles that even love cannot overcome, or so David Everett has discovered. The 30-year-old mechanic is in critical condition at Torrance General Hospital … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Art & Artists, Comics, Suicide | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Sept. 10, 1947: In Love but Unable to Marry First Cousin, 17, Man Shoots Himself

Aug. 27, 1907: Undertaker Sent Home as Minister Survives Suicide Attempt

Posted on August 27, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. Manhattan Beach Aug. 27, 1907 Retired Episcopal minister the Rev. John Jewett, 83, wanted to die, so while staying with his son-in-law, J.D. Porter, he slit his throat with a razor. The … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, 1911, Black Dahlia, Suicide | Tagged , | Comments Off on Aug. 27, 1907: Undertaker Sent Home as Minister Survives Suicide Attempt

Aug. 12, 1947: Distinguished UCLA English Instructor Dies in Plunge from S.F. Building; ‘He Was Not Married’

Posted on August 12, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. Dr. Stanley Dean Johnson sounds like quite a fellow. He’s a specialist in the works of John Donne, having received his bachelor’s and master’s from the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Books and Authors, Suicide | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Aug. 12, 1947: Distinguished UCLA English Instructor Dies in Plunge from S.F. Building; ‘He Was Not Married’

May 10, 1943: Heartbreaking Story of ‘Punky,’ 14, Who Succeeded in Killing Herself on 7th Try

Posted on May 31, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 that originally appeared on the 1947project. You can’t help but notice in going through old newspapers that suicides and divorces (especially in the days before no-fault divorces) were treated as daily “brites,” … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Obituaries, Suicide | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Jan. 28, 1947: Man Leaps From Top of Empire State Building, Lands on Iowa Woman

Posted on January 28, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is a post I wrote in 2006 for the 1947project. Yet another of the kind of story that would never see Page 1 of The Times, but was featured on the front of the Examiner, with a picture … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Comics, Suicide | Tagged , , | 2 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 , , , | 4 Comments