The Fortune Teller Murder: Vera Carl

Tea Time Crimes

Saturday, September 2nd, 1933, hundreds of people flocked to the station as five women (Ms. Eleanor Jarman, Mrs. Bessie Opas, Mrs. Vera Carl, Mrs. Louise Murphy and Miss Katherine Brockman) were ushered onto a train to be sent to Oakdale Reformatory where they’d carry out their sentences. We know about Eleanor’s crimes, but what did the other four other women do to earn themselves a seat next to the supposedly “most dangerous woman alive?”

Tea of the Day: Wild Maine Blueberry Green Tea

Theme Music by Brad Frank

For a full list of sources, go to https://tea-time-crimes.simplecast.com/episodes.

Sources:

• “Prophecies Are True In Chicago Mystery Murder.” (AP) The San Bernardino County Sun, Sun, Jul 17, 1932, Page 22, https://www.newspapers.com/image/49261328/
• “Grocer Slain in Store, Quiz Widow and Son.” Chicago Tribune, Sun, Jul 17, 1932, Page 5, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355134970/
• “Husband Slain After Seeress Foretells Fate.” Chicago Tribune, Mon, Jul 18, 1932,Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355135382/
• “Police Forego Seance with Seeress of Death.” (AP) Alton Evening Telegraph, Tue, Jul 19, 1932, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/16343529/
• “Seeress Finds Cash in Death Picture Cards.” (U.P.) Daily News, Wed, Jul 20, 1932 ·Page 355 (3), https://www.newspapers.com/image/415074302/
• “Cards Forecast Woman’s Freedom.” (UP) Martinsville, IN, The Reporter-Times, Mon, Aug 01, 1932, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/551592762/
• “Grand Jury Clears Widow, Brother of Murder Charges.” Chicago Tribune, Sat, Aug 06, 1932, Page 3, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355061142/
• “Solve Fortune Teller Murder: Accuse Widow.” “Shot when he tries to play a prank on friends.”Chicago Tribune, Mon, Feb 27, 1933, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/354928197/
• “New Witness Disputes Alibi in Carl Slaying.” Chicago Tribune, Fri, Jul 22, 1932, Page 8, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355136335/
• “Widow Denies Part in Fortune Teller Murder.” Chicago Tribune, Tue, Feb 28, 1933, Page 13, https://www.newspapers.com/image/354928716/
• “Slayer Tells of Killing In Insurance Plot.” Chicago Tribune, Wed, Jun 28, 1933, Page 16, https://www.newspapers.com/image/354985651/
• “State to Close Today In Carl Murder Trial.” Chicago Tribune, Thu, Jun 29, 1933, Page 6, https://www.newspapers.com/image/354985914/
• “Two Sentenced to Life Terms in Carl Murder.” Chicago Tribune, Sat, Jul 15, 1933, Page 6, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355101063/
• “Slayer Accuses Widow Carl as Murder Plotter.” Chicago Tribune, Sat, Jul 22, 1933, Page 3, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355162238/
• “Widow Swears Denial of Part in Carl Murder.” Chicago Tribune, Tue, Jul 25, 1933, Page 3, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355163655/
• “Woman Faints as Sentence Meted.” (AP) Lexington Herald-Leader, Wed, Jul 26, 1933, Page 7, https://www.newspapers.com/image/683308671/
• “Thou Shalt Not Kill Thy Husband!” By Elizabeth Walker, Detroit Free Press, Sun, Sep 17, 1933, Page 46, https://www.newspapers.com/image/97968323/
• “Blonde Tiger Girl and 4 Other Women are Sent to Prison.” (AP) The Gazette, Sun, Sep 03, 1933, Page 2, https://www.newspapers.com/image/548016620/
• “In Search of the Blonde Tigress: The Untold Story of Eleanor Jarman,” by Silvia Pettem, Published by Lyons Press 2023.
• “Parole Board to Give Killers Hearing Today.” Chicago Tribune, Tue, Oct 09, 1951, Page 7, https://www.newspapers.com/image/370193743/
• Chicago Tribune, Tue, Mar 18, 1969, Page 28, https://www.newspapers.com/image/376637673/
• “Blonde Tiger Girl and 4 Other Women Are Sent to Prison.” (Chicago AP) and “Woman Scientist’s Discovery Fixes Virus in Kidneys As Cause Of Sleeping Disease.” (St. Louis UP) The Gazette, Sun, Sep 03, 1933, Page 2, https://www.newspapers.com/image/548016620/
• Vera Carl in the 1940 United States Federal Census, United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls. Retrieved on July 15th, 2024 on Ancestry.com
• Vera F. Grilec in the Cook County, Illinois, U.S., Marriages Index, 1871-1920, Cook County, Illinois, U.S., Marriages Index, 1871-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011, Retrieved on July 15th, 2024 at Ancestry.com
• Frances Grilec in the 1950 United States Federal Census, Original data: Department of Commerce. Bureau of the Census. 1913-1/1/1972. Population Schedules for the 1950 Census, 1950 - 1950. Washington, DC: National Archives at Washington, DC. Retrieved on July 15, 2024 at Ancestry.com
• George Carl in the 1940 United States Federal Census, Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls. Retrieved on July 15, 2024 at at Ancestry.com
• Ivan Grilec in the 1940 United States Federal Census, Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls. Retrieved on July 15, 2024 at Ancestry.com
• Camille Kruse in the Cook County, Illinois Marriage Index, 1930-1960, Original data: Cook County Clerk, comp. Cook County Clerk Genealogy Records. Cook County Clerk’s Office, Chicago, IL: Cook County Clerk, 2008. Retrieved on July 15, 2024 at Ancestry.com
• Chicago Tribune, Wed, Jun 05, 1968, Page 38, https://www.newspapers.com/image/376642230/
• D George Carl in the U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Illinois, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 258, Retrieved on July 15, 2024 at Ancestry.com
• “Police Nonplussed by True Prediction of a Murder.” By Bryce Engle, The Odessa American, Sun, Nov 29, 1959 Page 48, https://www.newspapers.com/image/297560430/
• Women in Health Sciences - Biographies: “Margaret Gladys Smith (1896 - 1970), Bernard Becker Medical Library Digital Collection, https://beckerexhibits.wustl.edu/mowihsp/bios/smith.htm
• “encephalitis lethargica disease” by Fid Backhouse and other, Britannica.com, https://www.britannica.com/science/encephalitis-lethargica
• “Tigress Weeps As Prison Door Closes on Her.” Chicago Tribune, Sun, Sep 03, 1933, Page 3, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355172231/
• “Mrs. Carl, Blue Over Conviction Sees Mrs. Opas.” Chicago Tribune, Thu, Jul 27, 1933, Page 14, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355164440/

Bessie Opas

• “Bessie Opas Goes on Trial.” Streator Daily Times-Press (Streator, Illinois) Thu, Jul 20, 1933 ·Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/542785420/
• “Wife Innocent, Mate Believes.” The Rock Island Argus, Wed, Jun 21, 1933, Page 8, https://www.newspapers.com/image/531348582/
• “Wife Repudiates Confession of Opas Death Plot.” Chicago Tribune, Wed, Jun 21, 1933, Page 16, https://www.newspapers.com/image/354981356/
• “Mrs. Opas Makes Not Guilty Plea In Murder Case.” Chicago Tribune, Thu, Jul 20, 1933, Page 14, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355161768/
• “Mrs. Opas Given Maximum Term In Murder Plot.” Chicago Tribune, Tue, Aug 08, 1933, Page 3, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355095224/
• “Woman Convict Refused Cigaret, Candy Alimony.” Chicago Tribune, Wed, Nov 08, 1933,Page 20, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355255864/
• “Five Are Jailed in Plot to Kill.” The Pantagraph, Tue, Jun 20, 1933, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/69152384/
• “ Woman On Trial In Alleged Attempt To Slay Her Husband.” Belleville Daily Advocate, Thu, Jul 20, 1933, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/767539720/
• “Death Plotter Admits Killing Autoist On Dare.” Chicago Tribune, Thu, Jun 22, 1933, Page 6, https://www.newspapers.com/image/354981720/
• “Tigress Weeps As Prison Door Closes On Her.” Chicago Tribune, Sun, Sep 03, 1933, Page 3, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355172231/

Louise Murphy

• “Criminal Court Speeds Murder Trials of Seven.” Chicago Tribune, Fri, Aug 18, 1933 Page 8, https://www.newspapers.com/image/355102211/