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William Edward Hickman hangs...
William Edward Hickman hangs...
Item # 570149
October 18, 1928
THE OMAHA BEE-NEWS, Nebraska, October 18, 1928
* William Edward Hickman 'dead man walking'
* Marion Parker kidnapping and murder
This 24 page newspaper has one column headlines on the front page: "HICKMAN GOES TO DEATH CELL" "'It Won't Be Long Now,' Cries Another Murderer as Slayer Passes"
Tells of the upcoming execution (eve) by hanging of William Edward Hickman for the murder of 12 year old Marion Parker after kidnapping her.
Other news of the day. Light browning, little margin wear, otherwise in good condition.
wikipedia notes: William Edward Hickman (1908 – October 19, 1928) was an American killer responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Marion Parker, a 12-year-old girl.
Hickman kidnapped Parker on December 15, 1927, by appearing at her junior high school, claiming that her father, Perry Parker, was ill, and that he wanted to see his daughter. He did not realize there were twin Parker daughters, and did not know either child's name, but the school administrator turned one of the girls over to him. The next day Hickman sent the first of three ransom notes to the Parker home, demanding $1,500 in $20 gold certificates.
On December 19, Parker delivered the ransom in Los Angeles but in return Hickman delivered the girl's dismembered body. Her arms and legs had been severed and her internal organs removed. A towel stuffed into her body to absorb blood led police to Hickman's apartment building, but he managed to escape. A $100,000 reward was offered for his capture, and for nearly a week Hickman eluded capture.
He was finally caught after spending some of the ransom in Washington and Oregon. He subsequently confessed to kidnapping Marion, but blamed her murder on a man who was actually in jail during the time of the crime. He was extradited back to Los Angeles where he confessed to another murder he committed during a drug store hold-up as well as many other armed robberies.
Hickman was one of the earliest defendants to use California's new law that allowed pleas of not guilty by reason of insanity. However, in February 1928 a jury rejected his claim and he was sentenced to hang. He appealed the conviction, but both the law and the verdict were upheld by the California Supreme Court; and the following October he died on the gallows.
Category: The 20th Century
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