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#1
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02-14-2012, 11:27 AM
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 My Rank: SECOND LIEUTENANT Poster Rank:260 definately female Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 5,471
Contributions: 18
5,471Posts 3,403Thanked 64Quoted 0Mentioned 18Contrib. |
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Gunnes Death Farm
Born in 1858 in Selbu, Norway, Belle Gunness emigrated to America in the mid 1880s. Belle married Mads Sorenson in 1893, and together they operated a store in Chicago. The store burned down, and Mads and Belle collected insurance on the property. Mads Sorenson died in 1900, with Belle collecting approximately $8,000 through his life insurance policy. On April 1, 1902, Belle married Peter Gunness in LaPorte, Indiana. Together, Peter and Belle owned and operated a small farm on McClung Road in LaPorte County. Belle again collected insurance on a husband when Peter died after a coffee grinder allegedly fell from a shelf hitting him on the head. Following Peter's death, Belle began advertising in Norwegian language newspapers in America for a husband. Several suitors answered Belle's advertisements. However, many of these potential bridegrooms would suddenly leave in the night, leading Belle's 18 year old niece, Jenny Olson, to be suspicious as to their welfare. Jenny then mysteriously disappeared, though Belle told friends and neighbors that she had left for schooling in California. The final man to respond to Belle's advertisement was Andrew Helgelein. Belle requested that Andrew sell his property and bring his money (about $3,000) to LaPorte, which he did in 1908. Andrew's brother, Asa Helgelein became suspicious when letters from Andrew ceased to arrive. Asa therefore traveled to LaPorte County to inquire about the welfare of his brother. In the early morning of April 28, 1908, the Gunness farmhouse burned to the ground. The Gunness children were found in the ashes of the home, as well as the body of a headless woman. This headless body, however, was much smaller in size than the rotund stature of Belle's body. After sluicing through the ashes of the home, dental work reportedly to be Belle's was found. Asa Helgelein arrived several days after the fire, and at his urging, the LaPorte County Sheriff began to further investigate the fire and Belle's relations with out-of-town men. The investigation turned into a national sensation, as numerous bodies were soon found to be buried on Belle's farm.. click to enlarge  ·  ·  ·  ·  ·  · |
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#7
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02-14-2012, 12:56 PM
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 ★ Legacy Member ★ Poster Rank:126 A chick. Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 12,914 12,914Posts 7,834Thanked 45Quoted 5Mentioned 0Contrib. |
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Re: Gunnes Death Farm
I think its fine here, it is a serial killer, her work would be appreciated anywhere on this forum. I don't go in vintage that much, and I completely avoid the medical maladies threads. I know they will make me very ill. |
