I love digging in old newspaper articles, sometimes I can loose myself for hours reading them. That's what happened when I came across these two women and their murders.
I will start with the first murder, which was Martha Ann Whitla, She was adopted by John Whitla and his wife Jane Von Fossen. Her biological name was Pugh, she was born about 1840 in Ohio.
she was Hugh S. Peoples housekeeper and her body was found 12 Mar 1879 near 24th St. about 100 feet from the shore. there was a gag in her mouth and she was alive when she was thrown into the water. She was strangled, there were rope marks on her hands and legs, she had been in the water for over a month. She had been placed in a large coffee bag
Here's an article from 1880.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-martha-whitla/160980062/
Hugh S. Peoples was owed her money which she did collect a total of $400. He was a suspect and the jury found him not guilt. His son or a close relative named William Peoples married Agnes Jane Whitla her adoptive sister in 1864. So there was family relations.
The autopsy showed that Martha had given birth to at least one child maybe more.
Here's Jan 1882 article
https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-martha-whitla/160980560/
Here's a Feb 1882 article
https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-martha-whitla/160980749/
Here's a 16 Feb 1882 newspaper article about Martha's last movements around town and who she spoke to.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-martha-whitla/160980641/
Then the last articles are about the trial
https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-martha-whitla/160979689/
Unfortunately it was never solved and nothing else has come up about Martha.
The second murder is Anna N. Clemens She was about 25 years old probably murdered 5 Dec 1879. On 7 Apr 1880 by two Ecorse farmers who were going to Detroit by river and found her cloak. Her body was 9 Apr 1880, her arms were tied behind her back with clothesline, 2 large stones were attached. Her legs had been tied together and the line went around her head to her knees and back up. They thought she might of been a victim of malpractice, (Abortion).
Her brother Abbott Clemens was a clerk for the Detroit & Bay city Railroad at Bay City and was contacted about her death.
Two men were tried and were acquitted.
Somehow it was ascertained that she died at a house on Porter Street near Michigan Ave. The house was kept by Mrs. Harriet Schneider this is the same house Martha Whitla was staying at she she was murdered.
These articles I found about Martha mentions Anna.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1048584754/?match=1&clipping_id=180628405
Here's some articles about Anna
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1048398594/?match=1&clipping_id=180628724
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1048409677/?match=1&clipping_id=180628506
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1048410082/?match=1&clipping_id=180629030
Her family is mentioned but no names
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1112835364/?match=1&clipping_id=180628832
I wanted to make a blog on their stories because they will never be solved and I don't want them forgotten. This is heartbreaking, eve though there is no one left to grieve for their lost as they have all past as well and now know the truth, it is still a shame that these ladies went through what they did.
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