Henry James Dufty was born 6 Feb 1849 in Chatham, Ontario, Canada to Thomas John Dufty (1817-1854) & Sarah Ann Keatley (1828-1903).
On 13 Aug 1908 Henry took an ax to his son Frederick A Dufty cut off his head gouged out his eyes and mutilated the skull. He then went to his daughter's house and took the ax to his x-wife Mary as she was living with their daughter she got away, Zaiah G Dufty-La Com head was severed. She was expecting a baby in 2 days.
He claimed not to remember and played the insanity card, yest a week before the murders he bought grave plots for them all and had headstones put on them. When he was finished at his daughter's he went back home laid down on a mattress and cut his throat trying to commit suicide.
The victims and Henry. The wife Mary Ann Clark-Dufty recovered from her wounds and moved back to Montana. She had scuffled with him and cut her arm below the elbow and she knew she couldn't get the axe away so she ran and grabbed her grandchild and went for help.
The Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles, CA the plots were bought June 15th.
The above is photo of his daughter.
Here are some newspaper articles on the murders:
This was Henry's house in 1908
This is Henry & Son Frederick lived and where Henry killed him. 247 West Mountain View Ave, Los Angeles, CA
Zaidah's house she shared with her mother in 1908
Zaidah Dufty House was here 532 N Westlake, Los Angeles CA
Here is Dufty family, one son Clark was either already dead or he lived elsewhere at the time.
Mary Ann Clark
1859–1932
Clark A Dufty
1879–
Frederick A. Dufty
1881–1908
Zaidah Dufty
1883–1908
Henry died 24 Sep 1910 in Bernardino, CA according to the census record this is where he was, Home in 1910: Highland, San Bernardino, California, Street: Main Ward Building's-Hospital
Now called the Patton State Hospital. It would of looked like the 2 photos below taken in 1900.
Such a sad story, but what really amazed me is they are all buried in that cemetery and the stones are there, here's the Find A Grave Memorial for the family.
By today's standards in Criminal Justice System he would of went to prison depending on the state he would of either gotten life or sat on death row. Because he planned it out and he had gone to his daughter's house on more than one occasion with the axe in his hand, which neighbors had witnesses. His Psychological profile would of been done by a Mental Institution or doctor, but back then everyone out of the norm was crazy. So sad.
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