OK OK - Pauline Amsel, 14, Durant, 11 Nov 1914
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Kiki
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I have some thoughts on this case.
* The fact that Pauline alone was stabbed or slashed, however you want to phrase it, suggests to me a sexual or a personal motive. Considering Pauline's age any personal motive is probably a failed romance, unrequited love turned into jealous rage or even something trivial like a real or imagined slight can prompt extreme rage.
* Before of after Pauline's death had there been any known instances of sexual deviancy? A man loitering outside the high school? A man who frequently watched activites or events involving teen or pre-teen girls (in that era I'm guessing something like cheerleading) who had no reason or business for being there? Were there any reports or newspaper stories about women's clothing, especially underwear, being stolen from washing lines? Any reports of peeping or men exposing themselves?
* There is also the possibility that the motive for Pauline's stabbing was simply one of panic during a robbery gone bad. Pauline's family was known to be wealthy. Pauline probably had a pet. If so, she may have mistakenly thought she heard her cat or dog on the sleeping porch and went to let them out and then encountered the burglar who would have been just as startled to see her. Since it was dark they would have had to be standing close to be able to see each other. In a moment of panic he could have grabbed her and if she was struggling he may have been able to get at his knife easier than his gun. Also a gun may have woken the other people in the house.
* As for the high school photos, while none of Pauline's classmates could still be alive their children or younger siblings may be. If you had a class photo and there was a girl who was later murdered in it you would probably mention it when showing it to your children or grandchildren. "This is me here, here was our teacher, this was my best friend and this girl standing here was Pauline. She was murdered." Older siblings may be able to help identify Pauline through elimination. If you had a class photo she was known to be in they would be able to point out their sister and probably their sister's close friends that would have come to their house. One of these friends could be Pauline. If not you would slowly be able to rule out which girls were not Pauline. It would even be worthwhile contacting the siblings and children of Jewish men who lived in the area and were around Pauline's age at the time. Their fathers or big brothers may have dated some of the girls in the photo and they may remember some of these girl's names helping with elimination. Some of them may even have met or remember Pauline from temple or Jewish social groups.
* The fact that Pauline alone was stabbed or slashed, however you want to phrase it, suggests to me a sexual or a personal motive. Considering Pauline's age any personal motive is probably a failed romance, unrequited love turned into jealous rage or even something trivial like a real or imagined slight can prompt extreme rage.
* Before of after Pauline's death had there been any known instances of sexual deviancy? A man loitering outside the high school? A man who frequently watched activites or events involving teen or pre-teen girls (in that era I'm guessing something like cheerleading) who had no reason or business for being there? Were there any reports or newspaper stories about women's clothing, especially underwear, being stolen from washing lines? Any reports of peeping or men exposing themselves?
* There is also the possibility that the motive for Pauline's stabbing was simply one of panic during a robbery gone bad. Pauline's family was known to be wealthy. Pauline probably had a pet. If so, she may have mistakenly thought she heard her cat or dog on the sleeping porch and went to let them out and then encountered the burglar who would have been just as startled to see her. Since it was dark they would have had to be standing close to be able to see each other. In a moment of panic he could have grabbed her and if she was struggling he may have been able to get at his knife easier than his gun. Also a gun may have woken the other people in the house.
* As for the high school photos, while none of Pauline's classmates could still be alive their children or younger siblings may be. If you had a class photo and there was a girl who was later murdered in it you would probably mention it when showing it to your children or grandchildren. "This is me here, here was our teacher, this was my best friend and this girl standing here was Pauline. She was murdered." Older siblings may be able to help identify Pauline through elimination. If you had a class photo she was known to be in they would be able to point out their sister and probably their sister's close friends that would have come to their house. One of these friends could be Pauline. If not you would slowly be able to rule out which girls were not Pauline. It would even be worthwhile contacting the siblings and children of Jewish men who lived in the area and were around Pauline's age at the time. Their fathers or big brothers may have dated some of the girls in the photo and they may remember some of these girl's names helping with elimination. Some of them may even have met or remember Pauline from temple or Jewish social groups.
gaia227
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Did Pauline die after the authorities or doctor arrived or do we only have the time of her death from the parents?
Was Pauline's blood found in her parents room from when she walked in and said I'm sick?
Was Pauline's blood found on the porch?
I guess ultimately these are rhetorical questions because no one knows the answers anymore.
Was Pauline's blood found in her parents room from when she walked in and said I'm sick?
Was Pauline's blood found on the porch?
I guess ultimately these are rhetorical questions because no one knows the answers anymore.
Hello sleuths who are interested in what happened to Pauline. I am writing about the mystery because I lived in the same house for ten years. So much of the account from the father and the doctor did not make sense to me in that house. At 30 pages I though I had finished the book, but I now have 85 pages and a bibliography of 44 and still have not finalized everything. It has consumed me for the last year or so. I still go to Durant about once a year and try to get info each time. People still talk about it 95 year later! I certainly didn't solve the mystery, but have gathered info that may shed some light on the case. And, I have ideas of my own about the case which i will share - for better or worse. My only goal is to leave a copy in the local history museum in Durant - the Three Valley Museum - just in case more info is found someday. Otherwise, i may self-publish copies. Will let you know.
Vegas Bride
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A very interesting case and one I would hope could be solved somehow.
About finding a photo of Pauline, someone mentioned there being school group photos but the girls were not named, I wonder if someone could look at the different years of group photos, taken the year before her murder and then the year after she was murdered and figure out who was then missing in the later group?
Since she was cut at the throat, I'm wondering if she was being held from behind with a knife being held to her throat and then was cut when she screamed? If someone was intentionally trying to stab her imo it would be more of an attack from the front, perhaps stabbing her in the chest area. Also, what was she wearing? If she did have a planned meeting with a boyfriend I'm thinking she would have been more formally dressed, maybe even some make-up and hair fixed, if she was somehow unexpectedly woken up she would have been just in a gown.
If this was a current case there is so much that could be checked, things like scrappings taken from under her nails, luminol to show where blood loss was, checking to see if anybody suddenly left town.
Back then young girls were likely to have a diary, I wonder if Pauline had one, or if there would have been doodlings in her school papers? What happened to everything when they sold the house?
Things were so different back then, many things hushed up. It could be that the girl was sexually attacked but records were not kept so the family would not have shame on them. Since they were Jewish, I wonder if there would be any records of this in the Temple, who was the Rabbi then, perhaps he kept a journal and mentioned the murder? Or in the town where she was buried there may have been someone?
VB
About finding a photo of Pauline, someone mentioned there being school group photos but the girls were not named, I wonder if someone could look at the different years of group photos, taken the year before her murder and then the year after she was murdered and figure out who was then missing in the later group?
Since she was cut at the throat, I'm wondering if she was being held from behind with a knife being held to her throat and then was cut when she screamed? If someone was intentionally trying to stab her imo it would be more of an attack from the front, perhaps stabbing her in the chest area. Also, what was she wearing? If she did have a planned meeting with a boyfriend I'm thinking she would have been more formally dressed, maybe even some make-up and hair fixed, if she was somehow unexpectedly woken up she would have been just in a gown.
If this was a current case there is so much that could be checked, things like scrappings taken from under her nails, luminol to show where blood loss was, checking to see if anybody suddenly left town.
Back then young girls were likely to have a diary, I wonder if Pauline had one, or if there would have been doodlings in her school papers? What happened to everything when they sold the house?
Things were so different back then, many things hushed up. It could be that the girl was sexually attacked but records were not kept so the family would not have shame on them. Since they were Jewish, I wonder if there would be any records of this in the Temple, who was the Rabbi then, perhaps he kept a journal and mentioned the murder? Or in the town where she was buried there may have been someone?
VB
I really don't have anything new to offer, but I thought I'd share my opinions.
Pauline was very likely involved with someone. For whatever reason, she broke off the relationship. Maybe he was married? Maybe it was merely a flirtation, and she realized he was more serious? I doubt her father knew and forced her to break off the relationship, or we'd very likely have a solved crime.
The killer was spurned by Pauline, and very likely angry or hurt, and determined to keep the relationship going. Maybe he felt that if he couldn't have her, no one else could? Maybe the pain of rejection was simply too much? Either way, he went to her house late that night. Weapons were taken because he either feared a confrontation with her father, knew he'd end up killing her, or both.
When he snuck up to her room Paulie was shocked. Due to the proximity of her room to that of her parents, she felt it best to go to the sleeping porch, where she could handle the situation without waking her parents. It is possible that she still felt something for him, but knew the relationship needed to end. Either way, my best guess is that she knew the killer and didn't feel threatened by him whatsoever. Otherwise, why not scream immediately?
Now some will say that she did. But as one poster pointed out, it is doubtful she was asleep on the sleeping porch in November in Oklahoma. And why else would she be awake that late?
Once Paulie broke it off permanently, or spurned his less than innocent advances, the killer snapped and slit her throat. But she had time to scream, thus waking her parents.
I know one account indicates her throat was slit with a razor, but keep in mind, reporting back then was pretty suspect. It could have very likely just been cut with the same knife he used to stab the father.
Once wounded, Paulie was dazed and instinct took over. She went where she knew help could be found, or where she might feel safe (i.e., her parents' room). Dazed, all she could mutter was something about feeling sick. The thought of revealing the identity of her attacker never entered her mind.
Maybe her relationship was with a teacher from the Oklahoma Presbyterian College for Girls?
Pauline was very likely involved with someone. For whatever reason, she broke off the relationship. Maybe he was married? Maybe it was merely a flirtation, and she realized he was more serious? I doubt her father knew and forced her to break off the relationship, or we'd very likely have a solved crime.
The killer was spurned by Pauline, and very likely angry or hurt, and determined to keep the relationship going. Maybe he felt that if he couldn't have her, no one else could? Maybe the pain of rejection was simply too much? Either way, he went to her house late that night. Weapons were taken because he either feared a confrontation with her father, knew he'd end up killing her, or both.
When he snuck up to her room Paulie was shocked. Due to the proximity of her room to that of her parents, she felt it best to go to the sleeping porch, where she could handle the situation without waking her parents. It is possible that she still felt something for him, but knew the relationship needed to end. Either way, my best guess is that she knew the killer and didn't feel threatened by him whatsoever. Otherwise, why not scream immediately?
Now some will say that she did. But as one poster pointed out, it is doubtful she was asleep on the sleeping porch in November in Oklahoma. And why else would she be awake that late?
Once Paulie broke it off permanently, or spurned his less than innocent advances, the killer snapped and slit her throat. But she had time to scream, thus waking her parents.
I know one account indicates her throat was slit with a razor, but keep in mind, reporting back then was pretty suspect. It could have very likely just been cut with the same knife he used to stab the father.
Once wounded, Paulie was dazed and instinct took over. She went where she knew help could be found, or where she might feel safe (i.e., her parents' room). Dazed, all she could mutter was something about feeling sick. The thought of revealing the identity of her attacker never entered her mind.
Maybe her relationship was with a teacher from the Oklahoma Presbyterian College for Girls?
justthinkin
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Melody,
Interesting case, but the story doesn't add up at all, and my first thought was the girl's father did it. Why? Because we have a totally implausible story. We have an intruder who slashes the girl's throat, but as soon as the father intervenes, said intruder draws a gun on him, gun then jambs, so guy pulls a knife. What did the intruder do with the knife while fiddling with the gun or vice versa? Sounds like a made up story as it would require too much weaponry juggling. The intruder should be in a circus.
Then we have a daughter who walks into her mother's bedroom, announces she's sick when in reality her throat's been slashed, and the mother never notices blood dripping down the girl's neck? More implausibility. Meanwhile the mother is dialing for help. The girl dies 30 mins. later, and no help showed up??? Durant was after all, a small town. What were Mr. Amsel and his wife doing for that entire 30 mins? Also, if Pauline's head was half-severed from her body, she wouldn't have been walking anywhere.
Does a guy who brings a knife to do a crime also carry a gun? And if he had a gun on him, then why the necessity of slashing the girl's throat instead of just shooting her?
Also after firing the gun into the floor or wall, the intruder asks to be allowed to leave? Oh my. The guy's just mortally wounded Mr. Amsel's only child, and expects that Mr. Amsel will let him walk? Oh, but Mr. Amsel explains this away by saying he didn't know his daughter was injured. No? Well wasn't the intruder's borrowed coat bloody? After all, he'd gotten the coat from an upstairs bedroom....absurd. Most likely Mr. Amsel donned the coat to protect his clothing or pajamas, and as his daughter lay dying, he was off getting rid of the bloody coat.
Mr. Amsel's injuries weren't serious which reminds me of Darlie Routier, Jeffrey McDonald, et al. Most likely the Amsels left town because the rumor mill wouldn't die down, and people were saying that one or the other Amsel was responsible. This murder occurred before the women's suffragette movement, so it doesn't take much to think that the father expected his daughter to do what he said, and without question. The girl refused to give up her gentile boyfriend, a good motive, IMO. Besides the newspaper account, the rest we have to go on is hearsay.
It truly sounds like the parents fabricated the intruder story as a cover for what they'd done. Sorry.
http://durantdemocrat.com/pages/ful...estion remains - Who killed Pauline- =&open=&
Interesting case, but the story doesn't add up at all, and my first thought was the girl's father did it. Why? Because we have a totally implausible story. We have an intruder who slashes the girl's throat, but as soon as the father intervenes, said intruder draws a gun on him, gun then jambs, so guy pulls a knife. What did the intruder do with the knife while fiddling with the gun or vice versa? Sounds like a made up story as it would require too much weaponry juggling. The intruder should be in a circus.
Then we have a daughter who walks into her mother's bedroom, announces she's sick when in reality her throat's been slashed, and the mother never notices blood dripping down the girl's neck? More implausibility. Meanwhile the mother is dialing for help. The girl dies 30 mins. later, and no help showed up??? Durant was after all, a small town. What were Mr. Amsel and his wife doing for that entire 30 mins? Also, if Pauline's head was half-severed from her body, she wouldn't have been walking anywhere.
Does a guy who brings a knife to do a crime also carry a gun? And if he had a gun on him, then why the necessity of slashing the girl's throat instead of just shooting her?
Also after firing the gun into the floor or wall, the intruder asks to be allowed to leave? Oh my. The guy's just mortally wounded Mr. Amsel's only child, and expects that Mr. Amsel will let him walk? Oh, but Mr. Amsel explains this away by saying he didn't know his daughter was injured. No? Well wasn't the intruder's borrowed coat bloody? After all, he'd gotten the coat from an upstairs bedroom....absurd. Most likely Mr. Amsel donned the coat to protect his clothing or pajamas, and as his daughter lay dying, he was off getting rid of the bloody coat.
Mr. Amsel's injuries weren't serious which reminds me of Darlie Routier, Jeffrey McDonald, et al. Most likely the Amsels left town because the rumor mill wouldn't die down, and people were saying that one or the other Amsel was responsible. This murder occurred before the women's suffragette movement, so it doesn't take much to think that the father expected his daughter to do what he said, and without question. The girl refused to give up her gentile boyfriend, a good motive, IMO. Besides the newspaper account, the rest we have to go on is hearsay.
It truly sounds like the parents fabricated the intruder story as a cover for what they'd done. Sorry.
http://durantdemocrat.com/pages/ful...estion remains - Who killed Pauline- =&open=&
After writing 90+ pages with almost 50 references about this case and from my own perspective from living in the Amsel house, I stressed the same premise! Just one example about all those weapons.....one news report quoted Mr. Amsel saying the "intruder" used some kind of plastic knife on him. Add that to the gun the "intruder" used, the hat he was wearing and left behind, the coat he put on, the real knife he was supposedly carrying and a razor used on Pauline and you have just part of an unbelievable scenerio.
One post here questioned the bullet hole "in the floor" opposed to the bullet hole I knew about in the other end of the house in the wall. After I had written most of the "book" my brother reminded me of a story I had forgotten.....one day my mother noticed a car in front of the house and a man staring at our house so she finally went out to see what he wanted. He told her he had spent a lot of time in the house years ago when his relatives, the Amsels, lived there. My mother invited him in for a tour of the house. When they got upstairs, he pointed out the bullet hole in the wall and asked if she knew about it. I was about eight years old at the time and remember their visit but didn't pay much attention to their visit or follow them upstairs....oh, if I had only known then what I wonder about now!! What did that man know about the bullet hole?
That bullet hole was at the EAST end of the house. According to news reports the "intruder" came up the back stairs at the WEST end of the house and where the confrontation took place. Mr. Amsel was quoted as saying he followed the "intruder" out of the house to Elm Street which was SOUTH, but the neighbor said he saw the "intruder" going down the alley which was NORTH.......toooooo unbelievable..............
Newpapers get stories wrong and certainly did in those days, but from all accounts, I just cannot believe the basic story of the "intruder".
Syl
I lived in the Amsel house for ten years.
One post here questioned the bullet hole "in the floor" opposed to the bullet hole I knew about in the other end of the house in the wall. After I had written most of the "book" my brother reminded me of a story I had forgotten.....one day my mother noticed a car in front of the house and a man staring at our house so she finally went out to see what he wanted. He told her he had spent a lot of time in the house years ago when his relatives, the Amsels, lived there. My mother invited him in for a tour of the house. When they got upstairs, he pointed out the bullet hole in the wall and asked if she knew about it. I was about eight years old at the time and remember their visit but didn't pay much attention to their visit or follow them upstairs....oh, if I had only known then what I wonder about now!! What did that man know about the bullet hole?
That bullet hole was at the EAST end of the house. According to news reports the "intruder" came up the back stairs at the WEST end of the house and where the confrontation took place. Mr. Amsel was quoted as saying he followed the "intruder" out of the house to Elm Street which was SOUTH, but the neighbor said he saw the "intruder" going down the alley which was NORTH.......toooooo unbelievable..............
Newpapers get stories wrong and certainly did in those days, but from all accounts, I just cannot believe the basic story of the "intruder".
Syl
I lived in the Amsel house for ten years.
I just saw this cold (very cold) case mentioned and I have just finished reading what's here. Did anyone ever contact the "Oklahombres"? That seems to be the one road that might lead to a few real facts; like these ex-lawmen, historians etc. could say who was in charge and that might lead to at least a small file or report.
Kat
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This is going to sound like a stupid suggestion but has anyone watched that show (I think it's on PBS) called the History Detectives?
This story sounds exactly the type they like to investigate and create shows on.
Just my opinion.
Would be great if the family member posting here would contact them.
This story sounds exactly the type they like to investigate and create shows on.
Just my opinion.
Would be great if the family member posting here would contact them.
I have gone through all the posts about Pauline Amsels murder and will try to answer some of the questions and speculations from what I have gleamed from my research. I have not found any OFFICIAL records from local lawmen, territorial lawmen, detective agencies, coronary reports, or other records we could take for granted. My answers are secondary sources through news articles, censuses, interviews, and what I know for sure about the house in which the murder occurred. The order of my comments starts with the beginning of the posts here.
The only possible photo of Pauline is a blurred silhouette copy of a copy showing a man and child sitting on a bench on the south side of the wrap-around porch next to that entry door on Elm Street. The childs silhouette shows her wearing a dress and those lace-up boots which children wore in those days. Her feet cannot touch the floor. Someone had written on it that it was the Amsel house. I have tried to find photos from old Durant studios to no avail.
There were many arrests made for likely suspects from far and near to Durant. There were articles about the deputy or sheriff traveling to towns to check out suspects. All suspects were released. Even a posse was formed soon after the murder. Although the sheriff and deputy were mention, neither made any significant comments in print.
I found Pauline listed as a student at the Presbyterian School, but no photos ..so far.
Reports of the murder made papers as far away as Wisconsin.
As far as I can tell, the Amsels lived in Durant from 1900 to 1914, but one new report mentioned that the Amsels had visitors there in 1916. Much later a report noted that Mr. Amsel was in Durant on business.
I dont know if the fact that the Amsels were Jewish had anything to do with this case. They were well-to-do and seemingly well-thought of in the town. It is pure speculation that Paulines death was better than her marrying a Gentile. However, this was a paramount subject in Durant for years.
I agree that law enforcement did not do right by Pauline! In reading about territorial lawmens reports about other cases during that time, it seems impossible that this case seems to be completely lost in history. About five months (5 months!) after the murder, there is a brief notation in the governors record that someone sent a request that had something to do with the case. So much for the first 48 hours!
In researching, I was surprised that it was not uncommon for lawmen to be former outlaws and former lawmen to become outlaws or at least be easily paid off. Lawmen had a hard job with little or no pay except in goods rather than money often and no travel money to speak of, so it was often easy to look the other way.
In ten years, we never saw a bullet hole in any floor, but an Amsel relative toured the house when I lived there and pointed out the bullet hole in the bedroom wall.
The distance from the sleeping porch to the master bedroom was at least 25 feet, a long way to walk and then back to her own bedroom if not impossible in her condition. The doctor, who was also a neighbor and friend, was quoted extensively about her FOUR wounds that he surmised was done with a razor. And, Pauline had to walk up two steps from the sleeping porch before she walked down that long hallway. Interestingly, blood was found on the sleeping porch, the master bedroom and Paulines room. But no mention of blood in the hallway!
I dont know why the intruder would shoot into a far-away bedroom when his hat and blood were supposedly found on the sleeping porch and from his struggle with Mr. Amsel a stray bullet could not have reach the point of the bullet hole in the bedroom without going through a corner wall first.
No, I dont think Pauline was able to run past her father while he was struggling with the man.
I dont know where a fourteen year old Jewish girl who went to a girls school in 1914 in a small town could have developed such a deep relationship with a Gentile male who would want to murder her.
From different accounts, the intruder carried a sharp knife, a gun, a razor, a small non-sharp knife (which was what he used on Mr. Amsel according to Mr. Amsel) and wore a hat with a label from a Chicago store and put on Mrs. Amsels coat. Logical gear for a burglar or a suitor intent on murder?
Why are we still interested in this case? For me, its because I lived in the same house at the same ages as Pauline and it makes me sad that no one was ever held accountable for ending her life.
Maybe the bullet hole WAS from another occurrence, but that story never was mentioned in Durant for the 20 year I live there.
The nearest synagogue was in Ardmore, Ok. about an hours drive from Durant and that might be a possible research project if there were any record, which I sincerely doubt. I think it has been torn down. And, I speculate that any secrets are gone with any rabbi of that day.
If Pauline were meeting someone, the downstairs sleeping porch would have been more logical with its three doors if escaping. The upstairs sleeping porch had only one way in or out .a trap almost. Besides, in the dark, I think even Pauline would have had a hard time maneuvering around in the dark in that house ..little lone a stranger to the house.
Maybe Pauline did go to her mother in the master bedroom for help, but her mother was too busy calling for help to notice her daughter when she entered bleeding and sick.
In response to the questions about Pauline herself it almost seems that any trace of her has been erased ..except for her gravesite in Corsicana, Texas.
more later.........
The only possible photo of Pauline is a blurred silhouette copy of a copy showing a man and child sitting on a bench on the south side of the wrap-around porch next to that entry door on Elm Street. The childs silhouette shows her wearing a dress and those lace-up boots which children wore in those days. Her feet cannot touch the floor. Someone had written on it that it was the Amsel house. I have tried to find photos from old Durant studios to no avail.
There were many arrests made for likely suspects from far and near to Durant. There were articles about the deputy or sheriff traveling to towns to check out suspects. All suspects were released. Even a posse was formed soon after the murder. Although the sheriff and deputy were mention, neither made any significant comments in print.
I found Pauline listed as a student at the Presbyterian School, but no photos ..so far.
Reports of the murder made papers as far away as Wisconsin.
As far as I can tell, the Amsels lived in Durant from 1900 to 1914, but one new report mentioned that the Amsels had visitors there in 1916. Much later a report noted that Mr. Amsel was in Durant on business.
I dont know if the fact that the Amsels were Jewish had anything to do with this case. They were well-to-do and seemingly well-thought of in the town. It is pure speculation that Paulines death was better than her marrying a Gentile. However, this was a paramount subject in Durant for years.
I agree that law enforcement did not do right by Pauline! In reading about territorial lawmens reports about other cases during that time, it seems impossible that this case seems to be completely lost in history. About five months (5 months!) after the murder, there is a brief notation in the governors record that someone sent a request that had something to do with the case. So much for the first 48 hours!
In researching, I was surprised that it was not uncommon for lawmen to be former outlaws and former lawmen to become outlaws or at least be easily paid off. Lawmen had a hard job with little or no pay except in goods rather than money often and no travel money to speak of, so it was often easy to look the other way.
In ten years, we never saw a bullet hole in any floor, but an Amsel relative toured the house when I lived there and pointed out the bullet hole in the bedroom wall.
The distance from the sleeping porch to the master bedroom was at least 25 feet, a long way to walk and then back to her own bedroom if not impossible in her condition. The doctor, who was also a neighbor and friend, was quoted extensively about her FOUR wounds that he surmised was done with a razor. And, Pauline had to walk up two steps from the sleeping porch before she walked down that long hallway. Interestingly, blood was found on the sleeping porch, the master bedroom and Paulines room. But no mention of blood in the hallway!
I dont know why the intruder would shoot into a far-away bedroom when his hat and blood were supposedly found on the sleeping porch and from his struggle with Mr. Amsel a stray bullet could not have reach the point of the bullet hole in the bedroom without going through a corner wall first.
No, I dont think Pauline was able to run past her father while he was struggling with the man.
I dont know where a fourteen year old Jewish girl who went to a girls school in 1914 in a small town could have developed such a deep relationship with a Gentile male who would want to murder her.
From different accounts, the intruder carried a sharp knife, a gun, a razor, a small non-sharp knife (which was what he used on Mr. Amsel according to Mr. Amsel) and wore a hat with a label from a Chicago store and put on Mrs. Amsels coat. Logical gear for a burglar or a suitor intent on murder?
Why are we still interested in this case? For me, its because I lived in the same house at the same ages as Pauline and it makes me sad that no one was ever held accountable for ending her life.
Maybe the bullet hole WAS from another occurrence, but that story never was mentioned in Durant for the 20 year I live there.
The nearest synagogue was in Ardmore, Ok. about an hours drive from Durant and that might be a possible research project if there were any record, which I sincerely doubt. I think it has been torn down. And, I speculate that any secrets are gone with any rabbi of that day.
If Pauline were meeting someone, the downstairs sleeping porch would have been more logical with its three doors if escaping. The upstairs sleeping porch had only one way in or out .a trap almost. Besides, in the dark, I think even Pauline would have had a hard time maneuvering around in the dark in that house ..little lone a stranger to the house.
Maybe Pauline did go to her mother in the master bedroom for help, but her mother was too busy calling for help to notice her daughter when she entered bleeding and sick.
In response to the questions about Pauline herself it almost seems that any trace of her has been erased ..except for her gravesite in Corsicana, Texas.
more later.........
justthinkin
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Syl, the other thing is if Mr. Amsel struggled with the intruder for several minutes, he should have seen his face or been able to supply a decent description of the man. Also, a person without a knife wouldn't last several minutes against someone armed with a knife.
Now suppose this intruder was a total stranger, someone who'd been lurking around the home, had seen Pauline, and wanted to rape and kill her. If such a person was interrupted by the girl's father, the intruder would've either fled or stayed and also killed the parents to eliminate witnesses. He wouldn't stick around to inflict insignificant wounds so it all goes back to the adult Amsels themselves.
Now suppose this intruder was a total stranger, someone who'd been lurking around the home, had seen Pauline, and wanted to rape and kill her. If such a person was interrupted by the girl's father, the intruder would've either fled or stayed and also killed the parents to eliminate witnesses. He wouldn't stick around to inflict insignificant wounds so it all goes back to the adult Amsels themselves.
Hopefully some one has tried that avenue. I didn't research that very much. Maybe because I feel strongly that local lawmen were the primary source for this case not being solved. I can find no mention that they called in any other agencies, which seems illogical to me, but I try hard to remember that their resourses and training were pretty nil in those days for such a case like Pauline's.
Syl
Yes and actually, the local paper quoted Mr Amsel saying the "intruder" asked to be let go, so why a middle aged man would want to fight and follow the "intruder" out of the house to the street (another Amsel quote in the news) seems questionable.
It seems that the logical suspects, the people closest to the victim, were not considered OFFICIALLY as suspects. Un-officially was another story passed down through several generations in Durant, Oklahoma...........
justthinkin,
Well, your theory is certainly better than mine. I enjoyed your post. And you raised some good points, though I would need more on the motive. Syl seems to disagree about the gentile boyfriend, but without a larger jewish community in Durant, I'm inclined to disagree with him. A girl that age, regardless of religion, might develop an infatuation with a boy / man that her father did not sanction.
But murder their only child vs. allow her to establish a relationship with a gentile? Seems far fetched to me. And to believe the mother would go along with this? I'm simply not buying it.
Now, maybe there was another reason Mr. Amsel would want to murder his daughter. But if this is the case, it would be impossible to know.
Well, your theory is certainly better than mine. I enjoyed your post. And you raised some good points, though I would need more on the motive. Syl seems to disagree about the gentile boyfriend, but without a larger jewish community in Durant, I'm inclined to disagree with him. A girl that age, regardless of religion, might develop an infatuation with a boy / man that her father did not sanction.
But murder their only child vs. allow her to establish a relationship with a gentile? Seems far fetched to me. And to believe the mother would go along with this? I'm simply not buying it.
Now, maybe there was another reason Mr. Amsel would want to murder his daughter. But if this is the case, it would be impossible to know.