Willie Mae Hancock was born on 16th of Oct in 1896 in Conecuh, AL.
She was married first to Jesse Robert Pugh (1890-1956) married 15 Apr 1914 Mobile, AL. They had a son named Robert William Pugh (1915-1980).
They had a bitter custody battle over him in 1926. She won that battle. Here's newspaper article.
You can click on the link below article to read it better.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser-mrs-willie-mae/176555206/
Then in Jul of 1927 she married her second husband Frederick Clausen in Mississippi, he was a carpenter.
In 1928 she appears in another newspaper article Called Letters and Check Figures. Says the mother is not suitable to retain custody of child.
She and Frederick Clause divorce, not sure of date, I didn't find any record but it would of happened after this occurred and he was in Washington, D.C. during these proceedings. But she starts up and affair with her attorney Foster H. Hale Jr. Who is also married.
1931 all Hell breaks loose and she takes a pistol and shoots her lover attorney. I found newspaper articles that explain her love triangle and Foster's love triangle with her and his wife.
These first two article are an entire page with photos, just click the links.
Daily News
New York, New York •
Sun, Apr 24, 1932
Page 11
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-mrs-willie-mae-clauden/176553559/
Daily News
New York, New York •
Sun, Apr 24, 1932
Page 10
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-mrs-willie-mae-clausen/176553203/
She was arrested at the scene of the crime, she said "He wrecked my life and got what he deserved." She was 35 years old at the time and her son Robert was at the hotel at the time of the shooting he was 16 years old. Trial was set 28 Jun 1932. They wanted to try and prove it was premeditated murder.
She was getting $65 a week as being his mistress. In the end she was convicted of 2nd degree manslaughter and received 1 year in prison. Hardly seems fair.
She married again 26 Mar 1938 in Santa Rosa, FL to Lewis Cruickshank a born Scotsman. They would divorce in 1951 when they were living in Pensacola.
Willie Mae would die27 Jan 1983 in Baker, FL out living her only child Robert Pugh Jr, who died in 1980 in Orlando, FL.
I made Willie a tree on Ancestry and added all this info and newspaper articles to it for any descendants who may come across her and want to know her story.
I wonder mostly but her son and how all this affect him.
Comments
Post a Comment