OH OH - Ruth Baumgardner, 21, Delaware, 4 May 1937

[Amy74]

You would need to read what was said by the star witness of the trial as to what they did with her, but she was found and placed in a mental institution in PA. The detectives would not answer any more questions about it and said that the family asked that the authorities close the case and let it go. She was not needed as a witness so they abided by the family's wishes. Sounded like she was found after the 2nd trail (Massula's). Info comes from "On Eagle's Wings The Story Of My Life Earnest Paul Webb" (He was one of the main State Patrol Investigators in the Conn Murder.)

Is "On Eagle's Wings The Story Of My Life Earnest Paul Webb" a book? Any idea where it can be found? I have had no luck searching for it online.

 

[fact-n-detail-finder]

Is "On Eagle's Wings The Story Of My Life Earnest Paul Webb" a book? Any idea where it can be found? I have had no luck searching for it online.

The only place I can find it so far is on typed sheets in the Patrol's investigation. The only pages there are 58-66. Unknown when it was typed.

 

[Claudette]

This sounds really weird to me. I'll need to see hard proof of this before I write it off in my mind. Please, do you have anything scanned and can you send it to someone here?

If she ended up in an institution I feel bad for her. Do we know anything about her being deceased, and when it happened if it did yet? It wouldn't surprise me if she had died from one of many pointless procedures they did during that time.

I've mentioned this on other threads before but there are many, many documented cases of women being institutionalized because they weren't obedient enough to their husbands, or their parents couldn't deal with them anymore (ie one girl was kind of a free-spirit and her parents didn't like it and institutionalized her and I think she lived out the rest of her life there).

Horrible existence. Much better now, thank god.

 

[Claudette]

The gang that took her was involved in the white slave trade. She reportedly had been taken to Steubenville, Ohio from Delaware, then she was taken to Pittsburgh, Pa, then????

MOO of course but - slave trade, as in prostitution? This could also explain why the family put her in an asylum. They were too ashamed of what she was, even though she had no choice in the matter and was probably really screwed up from it too. Shame on them if this is the case. What a horrible life.

 

[Claudette]

Doing a quick search, I could only find one reference to the book and it is from the Ohio State Highway Patrol (PDF link)

http://statepatrol.ohio.gov/doc/1930s.pdf

 

[pdxmama]

The only place I can find it so far is on typed sheets in the Patrol's investigation. The only pages there are 58-66. Unknown when it was typed.

Hi fact-n-detail,

The information you have provided is very intriguing but I have to admit I'm still a little confused. Could you tell us how you came to see the typed sheets and how we may be able to see them as well?

I have been searching through pages and pages on Google trying to find any mention of Ernest Webb's book and haven't found anything other than what was mentioned above. I am very curious as to how Ruth's story fits into his memoir.

Also, does anyone know if the facility where Ruth was said to be institutionalized still operating. I suppose their records would be confidential but it might be a place to start.

Thanks for the new info, this case is fascinating!

 

[momtolil]

This scenario does seem plausible to me. It could explain many of the questions regarding the family and the authorities and how they handled the case.

Possibly she got caught up with the wrong crowd after receiving an illegal abortion and was unable to get away until it was too late. Maybe her family couldn't handle the shame involved.

Having said that.....the whole white slavery thing seems a little odd to me. If there really was a slavery ring and a trial going on back then, it seems that someone would know something about it after all these years…. Even if it were just rumors.

 

[MaryLiz]

Today I would find the white slavery thing more believable than in 1937. But who knows what all went on in secret back then. It still seems a little strange to me for that time period.

 

[momtolil]

Today I would find the white slavery thing more believable than in 1937. But who knows what all went on in secret back then. It still seems a little strange to me for that time period.

Thanks, MaryLiz. That's what I was trying to say. The words weren't coming to me at that late at night. That darn insomnia!

I could be wrong but people in those days seemed more innocent.

 

[momtolil]

You would need to read what was said by the star witness of the trial as to what they did with her, but she was found and placed in a mental institution in PA. The detectives would not answer any more questions about it and said that the family asked that the authorities close the case and let it go. She was not needed as a witness so they abided by the family's wishes. Sounded like she was found after the 2nd trail (Massula's). Info comes from "On Eagle's Wings The Story Of My Life Earnest Paul Webb" (He was one of the main State Patrol Investigators in the Conn Murder.)

I'm not the best researcher out there, but I can't find any thing mentioned above, not even the state patrolman who wrote the story.

What trial are you speaking of?
What is the Conn Murder and the Massula trial?

Has anyone else found any information?

 

[Amy74]

I emailed the OSHP to see if they have a copy in archives or can direct me to who wrote the "1930s" section of the OSHP history referenced above, which in turn references Webb's book. Waiting for reply.

 

[Claudette]

Thanks, MaryLiz. That's what I was trying to say. The words weren't coming to me at that late at night. That darn insomnia!

I could be wrong but people in those days seemed more innocent.

They weren't, trust me lol (history and art buff....the 20s for example were a very raunchy era, it would put us to shame today if they had the internet and 24 hour news - think prohibition for example) society as a whole was just really big on internalizing everything and "minding ones business". If what we are all theorizing here, the family's public face and actions is how many families would have probably acted.

 

[Claudette]

Also his book probably was discontinued decades ago, my guess would be by the 60s if not way earlier. It might be hidden in some library in Ohio somewhere, most likely a university.

 

[Amy74]

Also his book probably was discontinued decades ago, my guess would be by the 60s if not way earlier. It might be hidden in some library in Ohio somewhere, most likely a university.

Probably so, but I thought since they quoted it in the 2008 article, the OSHP may have a copy or know where to find one.

 

[fact-n-detail-finder]

Probably so, but I thought since they quoted it in the 2008 article, the OSHP may have a copy or know where to find one.

I checked with OSHP about the book. They said Webb self published it. It sounds like they only have 1 copy and the typed transcript. Later I will type word for word what I found on pages 61 &62 about Ruth Baumgardner. I only have the section pertaining to the Conn Murder Case.

 

[fact-n-detail-finder]

The following had to be written years later from his memory. Some of his facts are off, such as Ruth Baumgardner was taken about May 4th and Patrolman Conn was shot & killed 9/27/37.

The following paragraphs are taken from pages 61& 62 of the typed transcripts of “ON EAGLE’S WINGS” The Story Of My Life Ernest Paul Webb:

"About two weeks prior to Conn’s murder a college coed by the name of Ruth Bumgardner had mysteriously disappeared from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. We questioned Ford later on this, but the name he gave was different. After showing him her picture, he readily identified her as Ruth Bumgardner. He also stated that Serino knew her very well. Ford said that she had been drugged and left at a house in Steubenville. This group left Pittsburgh to go to Huntington and she had been picked up when they came through Steubenville.
There were so many angles by this time that it is impossible to keep them in chronological order. Though many hours of police work, these five were identified through mug shots and pictures as having been seen in St. Clairsville, Huntington, and were definitely identified by a gas station attendant in Freeport. They had purchased gas there and left approximately 10 to 15 minutes before Conn stopped in. In Huntington they stayed over night a house of prostitution and were all identified together with the blanket that was on Conn’s body, s having been taken from this place.
The girl was suppose to have been dropped off at a house of prostitution in Pittsburgh. With this information the Pittsburgh detectives raided this place and took into custody, Ma Brown (Black) and two white or mulatto girls. I went with them on this raid along with 5 detectives. One detective and myself were assigned to the rear of this place which was along an alley. It was dark there, but a car entered the alley and the lights momentarily hit us. A second later they cut lose on us with an automatic weapon. I can only remember the brick dust and splinters. I took a dive into the dark spot which turned out to be about a truck load of tin cans and garbage. This car passed the front of the house and another detective emptied his gun into it but they got away. Ma Brown and her girls were taken to the detective bureau were they were questioned. Ruth Bumgardner had been there but her photo was identified as another name. Shortly there after, a Pinkerton Agent approached me in the hotel where I stayed and asked us to lay off the case at the request of the Bumgardner family, stating that she had been returned home and had been placed in a metal institution. Before I gave him a n answer, I conferred with Inspector Monyhan and Col. Black and they both agreed. This is one story the press never got as we told them she had just disappeared."

 

[momtolil]

Thank you, fact-n-detail-finder.

Thanks for taking the time to type this out. It makes everything a lot clearer. I'd love to know how she could have gotten mixed up with a group like that. It could have been simply by chance or a case of the wrong place at the wrong time.

I wonder what became of her? Did she stay in an instatution for the rest of her life? That would be such a shame for her life to be wasted like that.
I'm sure the family was mortified of the thought of her being involved (even unwillingly) with prostitution. I'm sure that was motivation for instatutionalizing her.

Scary... A few years later (in the 40's) is when they started performing labotamies on patients, thinking it was in their best interest.
(happened to a great uncle of mine after terrible case of shell shock after WWII)
That could be why she never was able to come forward to tell her story.

I wonder if a search of mental instatutions in the surrounding area would bring about some clues?

I'm hoping she was released at some point and was able to reume a normal life under another name.

 

[momtolil]

Patrolman George A. Conn memorial page.
It does match the story written by Officer Ernest Paul Webb.


http://www.odmp.org/officer/3338-patrolman-george-a.-conn

 

[Claudette]

Momtolil - I think you hit the nail on the head with the lobotomy idea.

This is amazing. I can't believe we (well, fact and detail finder!) found out what happened to this case. I never thought I would EVER find out anything.


Can you please stick around and maybe even take a visit over to the Evelyn Hartley case? Pretty please? :innocent:

 

[Marilynilpa]

First of all, thanks to all of you who have e-mailed me regarding this new information about Ruth Baumgardner. I appreciate it.

I have done a great deal of research about Ruth, and never uncovered anything about her being found and placed in an asylum. However, I certainly can't say that isn't true.

The whole "white slavery" thing doesn't feel right to me. How did Ruth wind up in the hands of white slavers? She snuck out of her dorm room late at night most likely to meet up with someone she knew. Unless she had been seriously duped, it seems unlikely that she would have arranged to meet up with someone intending her harm.

We have speculated regarding a possible pregnancy, but nothing has ever actually been proven about that. It's just a likely scenario.

One thing I have learned from years of researching these old cases it that mistakes, misstatements and outright lies often make it into newspaper accounts and even official records. You have to take the totality of the information from all sources, weed out what you know to be completely inaccurate, and what you have left is as close to the truth as you can achieve.:banghead:

Again, while I doubt the whole white slavery, mental asylum scenario, it could be possible. I'd feel more comfortable if there was more than one official source of the information.

I look forward to reading any further info about this, because I'd love to put Ruth to rest in my mind!