IL IL - Elfrieda 'Fritzie' Knaak, 29, Lake Bluff, 30 Oct 1928

[Ausgirl]

Even if she did have a fling, I don't consider homosexuality or bisexuality evidence of mental instability or insensibility. Unusual to admit openly for the times, that is sure, and it definitely added to the sensationalism which sold more papers.

Um? Excuse me? I'm pretty darned sure I have said nothing of the sort.

As to Elfrieda's relationship with Luella -- the letter from Luella that was reproduced in Ms. Quinby's article states clearly that she wanted them to meet during business hours. Kids at school. Hubby at work. I see Luella's impassioned words as being clear indication of a reciprocal relationship that had been ended by Elfrieda.

NOT as "evidence of mental instability", for gods' sake, but as evidence of a possible motive for harming Elfrieda, on Luella's part.

My entire point in raising the issue of Luella is that their relationship appears to not have been mentioned in Elfrieda's 'boring' journals, which makes me doubt Elfrieda included every aspect of her life in said journals. So maybe her life wasn't quite as boring as those journals apparently indicate.

Alvin Knaak also sat by his sister's bedside, and reported her speaking to him. Was this also media sensationalism? I doubt Alvin would have stood for being lied about or horrendously misquoted in the papers. Dr. Rissinger is also quoted extensively as to what he heard Elfrieda saying to him. Also, why would the police rush off to investigate Frank Mandy, if what she said about 'Frank' was media bulldust?

Reporters do get things wrong, and they do make things up. They are, often, given misinformation. And yes, they seek to print what sells a paper, and cannot be considered wholly reliable. But I find it hard to believe that every report in this case, every quote ascribed to Alvin or the medical staff who attended Elfrieda, was simply made up by the media.

So while I agree with you that we ought to be cautious regarding the absolute verity of what's in the papers, we shall have to agree to disagree on all those reports being utterly inaccurate.

Of course, differing viewpoints are extremely valuable in any attempt to get to the bottom of things, and this is the beauty of discussing crimes on a public forum - and this forum, in particular, where I'm finding a surprising and pleasant level of civility, for the most part.

 

[Ausgirl]

I am curious where Hitch lands on that ladder of manipulation. Did he fashion himself a guru and just wasn't as good as he thought he was? Did he suddenly drop all of that after Elfrieda's death? Or is his cult connection a supposition?

Belinda, those are some really good questions.

I wish I knew more details about Hitch's life both before and after his being a policeman in Lake Bluff. It'd have been extremely uncomfortable for him to continue his 'classes' after being nabbed for burglary, I'd suppose. So maybe he quit?

If we could find out the address of that studio he rented, there's a slim chance there might still be records of how long he continued with his classes.

The cult thing isn't in concrete, in my mind. There's enough circumstantial stuff pointing that way to make me consider it a distinct possibility for now, though.

 

[momtolil]

Belinda, those are some really good questions.

It'd have been extremely uncomfortable for him to continue his 'classes' after being nabbed for burglary, I'd suppose. So maybe he quit?.

I don't know. He seemed to have a way with manipulating people. He may have talked his way out of trouble with people when it came to the burglary charges, after all he was able to get out of ever truly being charged in the end. I'm sure he was a ble to make himself out as the victim in the whole situation. I bet he had people still willing to take his classes.

His poor son, how it must of felt to have to take the fall for your father. What a crazy family.

I wish we could find information on the what truly became of them. I'm sure the son was a wealth of information. I wonderif he has any living descendents?

 

[MarieMueller]

I don't mean to say that you see "alternative" sexualities as evidence of mental instability, but to imply such in these articles, at this cultural time, to a general public did mean this (and took Hitchcock even further out of the picture as a suspect). I apologize for being unclear on this point.

I still do not see evidence of Elfrieda reciprocating Luella's intense feelings. From my reading of Luella's letter- how Elfrieda seems to be establishing some distance between herself and Luella-and the dinner visits recounted by Elfrieda's brother, I wonder if what began as close friendship started, for Elfrieda, to veer in a direction that she did not anticipate, and she consequently began to distance herself from Luella. Perhaps this friendship meant more to Luella than it did to EK, and this is why we do not see evidence of it in EK's journals excerpts, but we do see it with Luella.

I also imagine that, for Luella, to be the woman who had to suddenly answer for such a private letter in the midst of national press coverage, it must have been a bit uncomfortable to explain herself.

Elfrieda also wrote a letter to Hitchcock explaining that she did not feel comfortable visiting him at his studio anymore.

When looking at EK's friends, I find myself (or at least my alias), Marie Mueller, more interesting. Why did she go missing for a couple days immediately after EK is found?

You have a valid point that we can't throw out all the articles based on Spaid's opinion of their sensationalist nature, but I think it is so important to keep in mind, particularly when ideas of cults and strange mystical beliefs start to dominate the narrative, and when many quotes of Elfrieda's words seem so contradictory.

 

[MarieMueller]

Interestingly enough, when Hitchcock and his son are caught by Spaid on burglary charges the following summer, he gets let off, while his son was sent to jail. If I remember correctly, A.V. Smith handled this case too. The son subsequently dropped his father's surname.

One article has him as a bill collector before he is caught, and in the 1930 census he is listed as unemployed.

 

[momtolil]

Interestingly enough, when Hitchcock and his son are caught by Spaid on burglary charges the following summer, he gets let off, while his son was sent to jail. If I remember correctly, A.V. Smith handled this case too. The son subsequently dropped his father's surname.

One article has him as a bill collector before he is caught, and in the 1930 census he is listed as unemployed.

Even if he got away with what he possibly did to Eldrieda. It sounds like in the long run he eventually did lose his wife (filed for divorce) and his son due to his devious actions. I think he thought he was untouchable for awhile. All of this must have changed his life forever. Not that he probably didn't deserve it in one way or another.

 

[KariKae]

I keep wondering about Frieda's refusal to name her attacker(s). It makes me wonder if she was sexually assaulted. Her lack of responses would make sense, espcially in the time she lived and her family's status in the community. With as horribly injured as she was, doctors probably did not look very hard for signs of sexual assault.

 

[KariKae]

Interestingly enough, when Hitchcock and his son are caught by Spaid on burglary charges the following summer, he gets let off, while his son was sent to jail. If I remember correctly, A.V. Smith handled this case too. The son subsequently dropped his father's surname.

One article has him as a bill collector before he is caught, and in the 1930 census he is listed as unemployed.

Now that is interesting. Do you know what he changed his surname to? Mother's maiden name maybe?

 

[MarieMueller]

I keep wondering about Frieda's refusal to name her attacker(s). It makes me wonder if she was sexually assaulted. Her lack of responses would make sense, espcially in the time she lived and her family's status in the community. With as horribly injured as she was, doctors probably did not look very hard for signs of sexual assault.

I definitely wonder about that too, and wonder if it played a part in the narrative that is attempted that there were no signs of any attack, in some way?

Hargreave is reported as having noted scratches on parts of her body. I am not an expert on this subject, but I believe this is commonly seen in cases of sexual assault. Given the disturbing and extreme nature of her burns, I personally would not be surprised if the doctors did not actively look for signs of a sexual assault.

I agree that it is tragic to think of how all families involved in one manner or another with this incident were negatively affected. How traumatic.
http://knaakarticles.blogspot.com/

 

[Ausgirl]

I also imagine that, for Luella, to be the woman who had to suddenly answer for such a private letter in the midst of national press coverage, it must have been a bit uncomfortable to explain herself.

Luella is quoted in several newspapers, adamantly stating that she believed Elfrieda to have been more than capable, due to her extraordinary mental powers, of burning herself. Which I thought kind of strange, for a couple of reasons, and twigged the following thoughts:

1: If Luella is culpable, of course she'd divert attention away from the notion of murder and promote the idea of suicide in any way she could.

2: Luella's obsession with Elfrieda sounds like it hinged on Luella's perception of E as powerful woman (the subtext of her letter is extremely passive/aggressive, in my experience just the type to glom on to somebody far stronger than themselves), and maybe she couldn't stand to consider Elfrieda being victim and so truly believed E must have hurt herself (because she was percieved to be too powerful a person to be a victim).

Elfrieda also wrote a letter to Hitchcock explaining that she did not feel comfortable visiting him at his studio anymore.

We discussed a little earlier in the thread a comment Elfrieda made - 'I won't submit to his love until agreeable to his wife' (paraphrased here, I'm too weary to look up the precise wording, but that's the gist). And it was suggested this could mean she wouldn't hook up with Hitch until he got a divorce.

Having some proof that Elfrieda was indeed distancing herself from Hitch fits with this idea rather nicely.

MarieM -- any chance you could reproduce for us the text of these documents you've found? Journal exerpts, letters, etc? It really is much better to ponder things verbatim, as you've rightly pointed out, than relying on 2nd hand reports.

When looking at EK's friends, I find myself (or at least my alias), Marie Mueller, more interesting. Why did she go missing for a couple days immediately after EK is found?

Yes! Very odd that she 'disappeared' - and her family had no idea where she was, which to them was peculiar. This is why I've included her in that circle of Hitchcock-related people acting very oddly after Elfrieda was hurt - Marie Mueller was also one Hitch's "advanced psychology" students. I have wondered if she was afraid, knowing something about the incident, or even complicit in it.

If that had been my best friend so badly hurt and near death in the hospital, then afraid or not the cops would not have had to hunt me down and drag me in to see her.

 

[Ausgirl]

Just for convenience, here's the full text of the Luella Roeh letter. I've added a few notes in brackets.


Dear Fritzie:
(AUS: seems Hitchcock wasn't the only person who called her that)

I haven't forgotten you told me not to write but I am just this once regardless of what happens. Dear me, you made me care, so don't blame me entirely. I often wish I had taken the books the first day and this would never have happened. But after studying you a while something seems to tell me you were craving for a friendship that was full of love and kindness, one that understood you.

And before I knew it I was trying to be your friend. Not once did I think of anything beyond being a friend until the third time you came and the way you looked at me - I lost all control when --

(AUS: when -- what? sounds pretty plainly to me like Elfrieda did the seducing, here)

Then the next time you mastered me again more than ever. I've lived over that moment a thousand times. Darling, after that how can you be so distant?

(AUS: I don't think she's talking about dinner with the family, somehow)

I'd be satisfied just to see you if only for a moment. It's awful. I haven't done a thing worth while for a week. Can't sit still long enough even to read a short story. But, of course, if you don't intend to see me any more it will be best not to hear from you. I can forget in time, but God forgive you!

When you called the other morning I had my books all ready to ship, but when I started to seal them up I burst out crying before I knew the real reason for it. But the reason was this: Those books seemed a part of you. Then the phone rang -- you were talking, not like Fritzie, but a cold business woman. I couldn't say a word. Guess you noticed it. However, I unpacked the books. I kept them because they are what brought you into my life. I'll try to think more of them and less of you, I said.

I hope no harm comes in my writing, and that you will have more heart than to be angry. There's no harm in love, darling, and that's all I offer you. I must sign off before someone comes in and disturbs me. Trusting you will come again when you can,

Lovingly yours,

P.S, You'll have to ponder the mess I made of this letter, honey girl. I was in such a hurry. Am going up town and mail this before I change my mind and tear it up. You will remember I was just getting over a case when I met you. God knows I need your help. Dear, if you want to undertake the job of teaching and help me in your own way just name your price for once a week. From 11am to 3 pm any day except Monday or Saturday.

Love, B.
(AUS: that postscript is so telling - 'I was just getting over a case' - poor Mister Roeh, seems Luella made a habit of cheating of him. 'Teaching'..? Had Elfrieda branched out on her own, taking clients as Hitch did?)

Anyway, this is pretty obviously the words of a heartbroken, desperately smitten woman who alludes. in the privacy -- or assumed privacy, ha -- of this letter, to the relationship being rather more intimate than 'just good friends'. Note that she also alludes to E possibly getting into trouble over receiving the letter, and that E had instructed Luella not to write but then phoned instead -- was Elfrieda's privacy lacking at home? Could explain why her journals are so boring...)

I also have to wonder, based on the allusions to 'harm' and fear of trouble caused by her writing, etc, whether Luella had been rather indiscreet in prior letters, and this had been discovered by a family member.

 

[MarieMueller]

MarieM -- any chance you could reproduce for us the text of these documents you've found? Journal exerpts, letters, etc? It really is much better to ponder things verbatim, as you've rightly pointed out, than relying on 2nd hand reports.



Am I that untrustworthy? Lol.

Everything I quote and refer to can be found online, so you should be able to find it. When I have a chance to update my blog, I will include it then.

As for what Luella is referring to when she uses the word "case", I am not sure it means affair. It could also mean episodes, or fits, at this time.

 

[Ausgirl]

Thanks Marie! I'll look forward to the links. I've pretty much scoured the free paper archives and those docs haven't showed up for me - if they're ppv I won't be able to access them, though.


Good point about 'case', that's certainly food for thought.

 

[Belinda]

The letter seems pretty pointed to me. It certainly does not sound like a casual friendship. It almost sounds like Elfrieda was leading her on and then dumped her.

 

[Robin Hood]

I'm wondering now if the 'purification by fire' was about her lesbianism, without finding the link it seems EK was in some sort of 'hell' that Hitch saved her from 3 months previous (was this the time Luella wrote her letter ?) EK was pushing Mrs Roeh away, maybe Hitch instructed it in his teachings.
'I've been a good girl' on EK's deathbed has always struck me as strange, what's worse than having a feeling for married men in 1928 ? being attracted and pursued by the same sex, I'd say IMO
Maybe M.M. was also having 'lessons' to rid her of similar feelings. I don't think for one min Luella needed elocution lessons, she may have needed lessons on her 'case' before she met EK. Just another thing to throw in the hat, so to speak.

 

[Ausgirl]

It does sound like Elfrieda instigated a brief fling with Luella, and then regretted it. She sold Luella a pile of books at the same time - and encyclopedia sets are not cheap. Luella mentions almost sending them back (which is understandable), and thus cancelling Elfrieda's commission for the sale. But she doesn't. I feel quite sorry for her, if she was genuinely hurt and not some habitual drama queen.

I have to keep Luella on the suspect list, though, unrequited romantic obsession being a pretty good motive. Not to mention Ms. Quinby's case for another female being present in the furnace room, and that Luella lived a hop-skip from Lake Bluff, etc.

 

[Robin Hood]

Can we add Mr Roeh to the list please.

I'm waiting for a reply regarding his background, I want to fill in a few gaps there.

 

[Ausgirl]

I definitely wonder about that too, and wonder if it played a part in the narrative that is attempted that there were no signs of any attack

I've been thinking about this, MarieM. There really was a push from some quarters of the media to milk the suicide-for-weird-astral-love angle, just as there seemed to be an equal push on behalf of the coroner's office to have Elfrieda declared a suicide, and be done with it.

It could not now, and could not back then, be any more clear that Elfrieda Knaak did not burn herself, despite whatever she said to the contrary.

Now, there's an interesting snippet, a quote from some LEO or other, which stated, to paraphrase, that even if they found a perp and charged them with murder, the case would probably fizzle in court due to Elfrieda's claims to have harmed herself.

I found it strange that this would be publicised during an open investigation.

I also find it very odd that whoever was instructing the coroner's jury would squash evidence that Elfrieda was murdered, when that evidence very plainly existed.

Of course, a suicide finding on a case that was highly embarrassing to more than a few village officials and socially prominent folks would have made things very tidy. And of course, there would have been influence on some of the papers, from those who hold the purse strings.

Nothing unusual there, sadly. Happens all the time, then and now. But then we have people like Ms. Quinby, who lifted the lid on several cans of worms I'd say, by printing the Luella letter and openly theorising about murder. There were as many papers that seemed eager to report the truth as they were to make a fast buck on the story. Maybe the owners of those papers were outside whatever political/economic sphere that allowed strings to be pulled. Maybe they just had some integrity -- not all reporters/papers deserve to be demonised.

But some ought to be damned ashamed of themselves.

Can we add Mr Roeh to the list please.

Done, Robin. And good call.

 

[Ausgirl]

To add another Lake Bluff story that perhaps has no direct bearing on Elfrieda's case, but is every bit as fascinating, not to mention lurid and surrounded by corruption:

In my research, I came across the story of the celebrated young pianist Grace Potter, who vanished for a week in 1915, worrying her family sick. Grace turned up alive, if not entirely well, at a very well-to-do dairy farm in Lake Bluff. She had no memory whatsoever of where she'd been or what she'd done during the time she'd been gone.

The dairy where she was found, "Crabtree Farm", owned at the time by Scott and Grace Durand, has its own history of infamy. The Durands were, as far as I can see, profoundly eccentric and oddly prone to scandal. Really, if this was a history forum I'd give them a thread of their own just for being interesting.

Anyway, for those interested, here's some Elfrieda-era background to Lake Bluff and some of its other 'colourful' residents, as well as indication of local corruption (and the presence of Dillinger and Capone's buddies in the area):

Grace Stewart Potter

June 20, 1915
Grace goes missing.
And the police are, once again, very quick to call it suicide.

June 21
Grace turns up at Crabtree Farm

July. 1915
Grace recovers from her ordeal in a sanitarium
And remembers a bit, but nobody's talking..




The Durand Family

A (very sanitised) history of Crabtree Farm

Feb 23 1906
Mrs Durand fights for pure milk legislation.

May 14, 1911
Women Who Are Making The Outdoor Life Pay.
Pay-Per-View -Chicago Tribune
"There was no leeway In anything about the Crabtree farm. It was run like a clock.".

May 10 1912
Mrs Durand exposes corruption among meat inspectors.

June 13, 1915
War Opened on Black mailers By Mrs. Durand
Pay-Per-View -Chicago Tribune
"Mrs. Scott Durand. owner of the famous Crab Tree farm In Lake Bluff, declared war last night against blackmailers."

Nov 10 1915
Mrs. Durand's prize cattle are slaughtered.
Mrs. Durand threatens to shoot the Sheriff. And he, apparently, believes she just might.

-- What's interesting here is that the gutsy Mrs. Durand made a hell of a noise about corrupt meat inspectors who were not only instructing farmers on how to process tuberculosis-infected cattle for human consumption, but tagging Mrs. Durand's healthy cattle as diseased - the same cattle she snuck into a rival dairy at testing-time, which were subsequently all pronounced healthy.

Then all of a sudden, her entire herd was pronounced to be diseased and ordered by local officials to be destroyed. She was, quite justifiably, livid.

- A picture of Mrs. Grace Durand.

Dec 28, 1919
RICH CHICAGOANS ORGANIZE TO DEFEND THEIR WINE CELLARS
New York Times
"Wealthy householders of Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Libertyville are organizing to meet the raids of cellar bandits."

Sep 11, 1921
SCOTT DURAND'S FOSTER SON A LIQUOR THIEF
Pay-Per-View - Chicago Tribune
"Charged with having stolen $1500 worth ... In, June Jack Durand was living at home and with some friends was charged ... "

May 6 1922
...Dairy Fairies..??
:waitasec:

Jan 29, 1925
Mrs Durand makes a million dollars

June 24 1925
Jack sought for Burglaries, acting for the movies in California

June 26 1925
Jack Durand arrested in California
- the truth is sometimes both stranger & way funnier than fiction.

July 8 1925
Jack's Pa helps him out with bail..
.. and Ma puts up the farm for Jack -- the 'darling of society'

Nov 10 1925
Jack plays football for team Durand, before choosing his preferred prison.

Nov 14, 1925
Pay-Per-View -Chicago Tribune
"Jack, his foster father, Scott Durand of Lake Bluff, and Mrs. Durand held a conference last night. Although Mr. and Mrs. Durand want to make an appeal... "

Nov 17, 1925
Jack Durand's sad history & last night of freedom
And a related article.

July 26, 1925
A list of Jack's crimes.

March 14, 1926
A new trial requested for Jack

June 28 1926
The Hewitt/Renwick murder/suicide.

Jun 30, 1927
Mrs. Scott Durand Pleads, Then Pays Chauffeur's Fine
Pay-Per-View -Chicago Tribune
"Scott Durand of Crabtree farm, near Lake Bluff, yesterday appeared before Police Magistrate Samuel Sorenson In Lake Bluff on behalf of her chauffeur.."

Jul 21, 1928
SCOTT DURANDS WIN PAROLE FOR ADOPTED SON
Pay-Per-View -Chicago Tribune
"A long fight for parole from Joliet penitentiary of Jack Durand, foster son of the Scott Durands of Lake Bluff, was successful yesterday. ... "

Dec 5, 1931
Audience Walks Out as Dry Speakers Plead Their Cause
Pay-Per-View -Chicago Tribune
"Mrs. Scott Durand of Crabtree farm Lake Bluff, one of the prohibitionists... "

July 12 1932
Mrs. Durand bravely foils a kidnap plot
Article 1.
Article 2.
Article 3.

Feb 17, 1933
Scott Durand named in mob liquor conspiracy.
Despite Mrs. Durand being a staunch prohibitionist, and all.

Nov 28 1934
Durand farm searched for Baby Face Nelson & the Dillinger gang (featuring Eugene Spaid)
Article 1.
Article 2.

April 15 1949
Scott Durand dies.

 

[MarieMueller]

Time to post everything I can has diminished, sadly, but a couple thoughts:

1. Without settling the question of the Roeh woman, part of me feels that finally finding her after the coroner's inquest is somewhat fishy, but I can't fully say why. I just think there is something red herring-ish about her entrance into the story at this point. Same goes for the brain analysis that come out after the inquest, which mightily amused the neurology professor I found to show the articles to.
Roeh is found and interviewed by AV Smith and the journalist of the Chicago Tribune, J. Howard Wood, a local of Lake Bluff, who seems to be, from what I can tell, the only journalist with AV Smith when Roeh is intervied in Libertyville. While he writes articulately about certain aspects of the case, Wood's coverage of the furnace mystery would have been widely read throughout Chicagoland for sure, so when he seems to omit signs of struggle in the basement in his articles, or when he points out that EK must have done this to herself because no one heard her screams, thus showing that she was in a heightened trance state (??), I am a bit more guarded about his articles, and somewhat frustrated by the professional success that he encountered because of his coverage on this case. Apparently he was convinced that Hitchcock was innocent due to the cast, and that EK was off her rocker. Roeh's husband was a contractor, if I remember correctly. Contractors seem to pop up in some articles regarding criminal activity at this time, incidentally, in the area, although that in and of itself is a pretty tenuous connection.

2. I know which quote you mean Ausgirl, about how EK's admission to doing this to herself would stop any prosecution from being possible. It is interesting.