Re: Koogle - Murder 1948
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In reply to:
Koogle - Murder 1948
Cora Roess 7/24/09
I have not found anything on the second man named as a suspect.
Mansfield News Journal
April 28, 1948
Victim, 60, Murdered By Sex Maniac
Prowler Seen On Night of Crime
Plymouth – Police of East Cleveland held a 27-year-old man today in connection with the brutal sex-slaying of Mrs. Ilda M. Koogle, 60, formerly of Plymouth.
Mrs. Koogle, the former Miss Ilda Morehouse fo Perrry, O, years ago was a trimmer at the Hanick Millinery store in Plymouth.
Old residents remember her well. Misses Daisy and Grace Hanick of Plymouth and Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Geiger of Mansfield called at the Koogle home Sunday to extend sympathies to the family.
LEFT TO DIE
Mrs. Koogle was attacked, beaten and left to die in the back yard of her home at 15119 Terrace road, East Cleveland, last Friday night.
Police Chief Horace A. Weaver of East Cleveland said Mrs. Koogle was beaten on the head with a “heavy blunt instrument” and her skull fractured in several places.
Firemen yesterday searched rooftops of schools, garages and other buildings in the vicinity of the Koogle home in a vain effort to find the missing murder weapon or Mrs. Koogle’s purse and wrist watch.
East Cleveland detectives said the description of the suspect in custody tallied closely with that of a prowler seen near the Koogle residence Friday night. They add a women’s belt found in his pocket would be shown to relatives of the slain woman for identification.
Mrs. Koogle’s clothing and personal effects found with her body were sent to the Cleveland police laboratory for scientific investigation.
Police Chief Horace A. Weaver of the suburb termed the women’s murder “the most brutal killing I have ever seen in which there was so little evidence to go on.”
Coshocton Tribune, The
July 2, 1948
24-Year Old Gardener Confesses Slaying Cleveland Woman
Cleveland-Police Chief Horace S. Weaver of East Cleveland reported that a 24-year-old gardener signed a statement early today admitting the slaying of Mrs. Ilda Koogle, 60, last April 24.
Chief Weaver said James Buchanan admitted in the statement that he was grabbing Mrs. Koogle’s death in the driveway of her suburban East Cleveland home.
Weaver quoted Buchanan as saying he had left home the evening of April 24 with the intention of “stealing someone’s purse” and assaulted Mrs. Koogle when he saw her standing near her residence.
Buchanan denied in his statement any knowledge of how the woman’s battered body was dragged to the rose arbor, where it was found, Chief Weaver said.
Weaver said Buchanan also admitted staging several other robberies in East Cleveland. He reported the gardener was arrested upon the tip of a union business agent, Earl S. Bowen, 52, who allegedly chased Buchanan after being robbed.
The police chief said he would file first degree murder charges against Buchanan in the death of Mrs. Koogle.
Mansfield News Journal
July 7, 1948
Koogle Case Suspects Will Face Grand Jury
Cleveland-James Buchanan 24 and Edward (Red) Burrell, 20, last night were bound over to the Cuyahoga county grand jury on the first degree murder charges in the April 24 slaying of Mrs. Ilda Koogle, 60, former resident of Plymouth.
The Advocate
July 7, 1948
Pair Held to Jury
Cleveland, July 7 – James Buchanan, 24, and Edward (Red) Burrell 20, last night were bound over to the Cuyahoga county grand jury on first degree murder charges in the slaying of Mrs. Ilda Koogle, 60, last May.
Delphos Daily Herald
July 8, 1948
Second Man Held in Case
Cleveland Police Hold Edward Burrell, 20, its Suspect in Murder of Widow of Van Wert Man
Cleveland Police arrested a second suspect in the murder of Mrs. Ida Koogle., 60, widow of Clyde Koogle of Van Wert. Edward Burrell, 20, is being held to answer charges to the Cuyahoga county grand jury on first degree murder.
James Buchanan was arrested last week. Burrell was taken into custody after Buchanan told officers that he was an accomplice in the robbing of Mrs. Koogle which occurred last May. Mrs. Koogle was found beaten to death in a rose arbor at her home.
July 8, 1948
Delphos Daily Herald
Cleveland Gardener Confesses
Suspect Linked to Other Crimes
Cleveland- A 24-year-old gardener confessed early today to the April 24 slaying of Mrs. Ilda Morehouse Koogle, 60-year-old former Plymouth woman.
Police Chief Horace S. Weaver of East Cleveland reported that James Buchanan admitted in a signed statement that he beat Mrs. Koogle to death while attempting to grab her purse.
The aged victim, a native of Perry, O., who worked for several years before her marriage as a trimmer at the Hanick Millinery store in Plymouth, was found beaten to death near her home.
Chief Weaver said Buchanan, who already has been linked with several brutal hammer attacks on women in the Cleveland area, signed the statement after police escorted him to the Koogle home. The confessed slayer broke down after several hours of questioning, Weaver said.
FOUND IN ROSE ARBOR
Police quoted Weaver as saying he had left his home the evening of April 24 with the intention of “sealing someone’s purse,” and assaulted Mrs. Koogle when he saw her standing near her residence.
Buchanan denied, however, any knowledge of how the woman’s shattered body was dragged to the rose arbor, where it was found, police said.
The suspect in his signed statement said he killed Mrs. Koogle in the driveway and left her there.
Chief Weaver said officers found a fountain pen and a wrist watch, believed to have belonged to Mrs. Koogle, in Buchanan’s home during a search last night.
ADMITS OTHER CRIMES
Chief Weaver said Buchanan also confessed to a number of other robberies in East Cleveland. Several women, who had suffered various degrees of beatings in recent purse snatchings, identified Buchanan as the slugger in a police lineup yesterday.
Police reported the arrest followed a tip given by a Union business agent, Earl S. Bowen, 52, who said he pursued Buchanan after being robbed.
The police chief said that he would file first degree murder charges against Buchanan in the death of Mrs. Koogle.
Marysville Tribune
Sept 21, 1949
BLOCKS EXECUTION
Columbus, Sep 21-James Buchanan, Cleveland murderer who was scheduled to die in Ohio’s electric chair tonight, has been granted a reprieve by Governor Lausche until Oct. 26. Buchanan was convicted of the holdup-murder of Mrs. Ilda Koogle, while the 66-year old widow was returning home from church.
Portsmouth Times
Oct 27, 1949
Killer Goes To Ohio Penitentiary Death
Columbus, Oct 27 – James Buchanan, 26-year-old Cleveland killer, died last night in the electric chair at Ohio Penitentiary.
He was convicted of the slaying of Mrs. Ilda Koogle, 66, while she was returning from church, April 23, 1948.
Buchanan was the 15th man to be electrocuted by Ohio this year-greatest number in the state’s history for any year.
Marysville Tribune
Oct 27, 1949
Cleveland Man Dies in Chair
Columbus Oct 27-James Buchanan, 26-year-old Cleveland slayer, died lastnight in the Ohio Penitentiary electric chair with the words “Lord, save me,” on his lips. He was sentenced to die for the fatal beating of Mrs. Ilda Koogle, 66-year-old Cleveland widow returning from church April 29, 1948.
The short, stocky killer showed little emotion, when he was marched into the small red brick death house and strapped into the chair. A moment before the first charge of electricity was sent into his body at 8:03 p.m., he murmured, “Lord, save me.”
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Re: Koogle - Murder 1948
Cora Roess 9/06/09