Samuel J. Raber and Jack Drumgoole: Murder

Samuel J. Raber was born in 1889 in Joliet, IL to Andrew Raber & Caroline Pletcher.

on July 9, 1913, Cherry de St. Maurie was murdered. She was the owner of The Cherry Club Brothel in Sacramento, CA. It was a widely known resort, place of sybaritic splendor. Some of her jewelry was missing.

Samuel J. Raber

Inmate #9251 Folsom Prison (California)

Received: 26 Oct 1914

Crime: Murder 1st degree

Sentence: Death

Folsom Prison Record for Samuel J. Raber

Execution for murder

1915: Clergy Michael Cahir counsels condemned man

Grainy mugshot of a man looking to the right with inmate number 9251.

Sam Raber, 9251, was executed at Folsom Prison in 1915.

Folsom Prison Chaplain Michael J. Cahir was by the side of 30-year-old condemned inmate Sam Raber, aka Sam Roberts, during his final days in 1915. Cahir was only 28 at the time.

Raber was sentenced to death for the July 8, 1913, murder of Cherry de St. Maurice, the well-known owner of Sacramento’s Cherry Club.

Raber and his girlfriend Cleo Sterling conspired to rob St. Maurice. Sterling was one of the club’s prostitutes.

Needing help, Raber enlisted his friend Jack Drumgoole, a professional boxer. In the dark of night, the men entered St. Maurice’s room. Startled by the intruders, she lunged forward, landing in Drumgoole’s path.

“Drumgoole grasped the woman by the throat to keep her quiet,” according to the Sacramento Star, Jan. 15, 1915.

Sterling was acquitted. Meanwhile, Drumgoole admitted strangling St. Maurice, earning a life sentence at San Quentin.

Jack Drumgoole & Samuel J. Raber Tulare County Sheriff record

8 Jul 1913 Wanted poster

Source: Ancestry.com -California State Archives

Jack got life in prison

Jack Drumgoole

Inmate #30905 San Quentin Prison (California)

Crime: Murder 1st degree

Sentence: Life

He died 28 Nov 1920 from tuberculosis.

This was a time where prostitution was a huge commodity and police were paid to look the other way. Sacramento, California had its own redlight district on 3rd street and Riverfront. But the women who owned the Brothels made the most money and that was something during the early eightieth century. A woman didn't need a man to take care of her, these women took care of themselves and ran their business, Cherry ran a high-class ones called “The Cherry Club” and “Cherry’s Place”.

I found some wonderful newspaper articles on the crime, along with photos of Cherry de St. Maurice.