The document summarizes information about the Axeman of New Orleans serial killer case that occurred from 1918 to 1919. It provides details of the multiple attacks, including victims, crime scenes, and weapons used. It also outlines three theories for the identity of the Axeman: 1) there were multiple copycat attackers, 2) it was a supernatural entity, and 3) the primary suspect was Joseph Mumfre. The interview transcript discusses these three theories with the interviewee expressing skepticism of theories 2 and 3 but believing there could have been multiple attackers.

1. 3. Copy

2. Interview:
You should document the process of getting your interview. You should produce a range of questions and also a list of
interviewees.
You should provide an unedited transcript of the interview as well as at least one draft of it.
Interviews can be written in whatever style you prefer.

3. Interview:
My Interview will be done as a conversation, I will want to talk fluidly with someone else as I feel like I will get a much
more genuine response and understand what people are genuinely thinking about my magazines topic. However even
though I want this to be primarily in a conversation I do intend to have some key topics I want to focus my interview on
so I will lead the interviewee to talk about certain party's of my magazine. When carrying out the interview I will start
by talking about what happened in the axeman murder spree, I will go over each victim and what happened to them.
When I give the facts about each victim I will listen to what the interviewee says when I am telling them these facts,
from this I hope that they will jump in and discuss any points that don’t seem quite right or anything that doesn’t make
sense, this will allow my interview to generate someone else's opinion or theory on what happened in the case. Once I
have gone through each crime scene I will then start to discuss the theory's that other people have had on the case
and the suspects linked to the case. After I have heard the interviewees response to these theories I will then ask
them a few more directed questions to really understand what they think about the case.

4. Interview:
Now that you have heard of the Axeman of New Orleans I would like to know what your opinion on the three theories is, we will start with the first
theory. Do you believe that it could have been multiple copycat attackers involved?
I do believe that there is obviously a strong chance that it wasn't just one person, especially like if in the final attack the dead guys wife saw multiple
people inside of her house, it would make that far more easily explained. Also just the threat of a whole city would be much easier if there was a lot of
people involved wouldn’t it, but you know the chance of that threat not just being some d**k who wrote a note to a news outlet, maybe some guy who
likes jazz, like a lot of jazz just wanted everyone to have a party. Because I call Bull on the idea that everyone in New Orleans had jazz on like really, no
everyone would have been that scared surely.
Ok and what do you think about it being a ghost or ghoul?
Don’t even get me started, what an absolute load of rubbish, who genuinely believes that some random ghost is going under peoples doors and killing
them, not to mention the fact that there is evidence that he forced his entry through windows using a chisel or whatever it was. And back to that note
right why on earth would a ghost write a note like why, a ghost would just do it or would shout it or summet you know?
Ok and finally do you believe it could be the theory, which I am personally more inclined to believe, that it could be James Mumfree?
Yeah like the guy clearly existed or whatever but like it just doesn't’t really make sense to me, but like I think the guy was probably just a bit of a t**t.
Because think about it really if the guys making money off Italians why would he
kill them that’s just not economical, wouldn't it be better to just batter them so that word of mouth spreads, rather than outright killing them. Also the
guy doesn’t seem like the kinda guy who would write a letter like that its just a bit dodgy, although he does take many names so he could have just
changed his name to “the devil” or whatever it was for a laugh.

5. Copy:
The Three Cases I'm Doing:
• Axe Man Of New Orleans
• Cleveland Torso Murders
• Boy In The Box
Set-Up:
• Need to talk about the facts and everything that is known for sure.
• Then I need to give suspects with evidence to support each theory.

6. Axe Man of New Orleans• Active for over a year.
• May 1918 to October 1919.
• City of New Orleans.
• City was in panic due to unknown serial killer nicknamed “Axeman”
• First Victims – Italian Grocer named Joseph Maggio and wife cathrine – may 23rd.
• Attacked in apartment over Maggio grocery store.
• Axe was never his own and would typically be left at the scene.
• As they were asleep their throats were slit – with straight razor - before head was bashed in with axe.
• When police investigated they found killers bloody clothes as he changed before moving from scene.
• Robbery ruled out.
• Money and valuables were left.
• message written in chalk read: “Mrs. Joseph Maggio will sit up tonight. Just write Mrs. Toney”
• Month later: couple attacked in morning of June 27, 1918.
• Louis Besumer, a grocer, and his mistress Harriet Lowe.
• In their quarters at the back of their store.
• Besumer struck above right temple
• Lowe hacked over left ear.
• Both were still alive.
• Crime made news paper but lots focused more on the mistress scandal.
• Lowes face was partially paralyzed, on august 5th had surgery to try to correct it. Died two days later.
• Lowe had time to say that it was louis besumer who attacked her – spent nine months in prison, was aquitted on may 1st
1919, ten min jury deliberation.
• August 5th third similar attack, Mrs. Edward Schneider – 8 Months Pregnant – 28 years old
• As she lay in bed she awoke to see a dark figure above her, face bashed in.
• Discovered by husband just after twelve, who was returning from work.
• Scalp had been cut open and face covered in blood.
• Survived and gave birth to a healthy baby two days later.
• One man arrested but was released due to lack of evidence.
• 5 days later another grocer attacked – Joseph Ramano – August 10th.
• Lived with with two nieces – who woke to sound of commotion in uncles adjoining room.
• Entered room to find he had a serious blow to head – saw assailant fleeing.
• Though injured could walk to ambulance – died two days later due to head trauma.
• Girls gave a brief description – dark skinned, heavy set man, dark suit and slouched hat.
• Similar to the other crimes – scene ransacked – killer used owners own tools not his own – doors + windows chiseled to
gain entery – majority of victims were italian.
• Extra Police put to work – armed men watched over their families while they slept.
• Axeman reported to be seen in neighborhoods – axes + chisels found in peoples back gardens – doors + Windows
appeared tampered with.
• After this the attacks stopped.
• Panic subsided until March 10th 1919 – Charles Cortmigilia – grocer – lived with wife and daughter in town of Grenta – Just
across river from new Orleans.
• Screams heard in early morning hours, neighboring grocer lorlando Jordan went to investigate and found the three had
been attacked.
• Rosie had woken to find husband struggling with assailant – husband fell to floor – assailant turned and
slammed axe in to Rosie and her daughter.
• Neighbor arrived – charles lay I n pool of blood, rosie in doorway with serious head wound – clutching
dead daughter.
• Charlles released from hostpital after 2 days, wife remained in care.
• Rosie accused neighbor lorland and his 18 year old son frank. Lorlando was a 69 year old and in too poor health to
commited crime and Son Frank too big to fit through pannel in back door. But were arrested and found guilty.
• Evene though charles denied claims made by his wife that the jordanos attacked them.
• Frank scenetenced to hang and Lorlando life in prison. - charles divorced his wife after trial.
• A year later she reversed her claim and both were released from prison.
• Message to Times-Picayune newspaper march 14 1919
• Music flowed from homes all over new orleans, dance halls filled, amateur jazz bands played at parties at hundreds of
houses. – nno one was killed.
• Severeral weeks quiiet.
• August 10 1919 Steve Boca attacked – awoke to find looming figure – suffered a blow to head but was able to stumble to
a friends house where he fell unconscious- awoke was unable to remember details from the attack.
• Sep 2 druggist William Carson escaped axeman by firing several shots at an intruder – who left a broken door and axe
behind.
• Sep 3 young girl Sarah Laumann attacked in her locked and shuttered home – lived alone – found unconcious in bed
suffereing from head injury and missing teeth. Recovered.
• Bloody axe on front lawn.
• Last attack on october 27 – Grocer Mike Pepitone was killed.
• Struck 18 times in the head.
• Wife heard a noise and arrived at door to see a man fleeing scene.
• Recalled seeing two figures.
• Bolt with heavy nut like something used to secure a circus tent used as murder weapon – circus on
nearby two lane avenue that weekend.
• Theory:
• 1 – It wasn’t just one killer – some propose that the final killing of pepitone was a mafia killing because
of his farther killing a man in the past- attack on louis Besumer and anna lowe Scrutinized, 1 injured 1
Killed, charged in bizarre fashion. Besumer wrote letters back and forth in yidish and Russian, came to
conlusion that part of spy ring or a spymaster for the kaiser. However he would have had to bash his
own head in, case ended being claimed as a domestic dispute where mistress was attacked – was
acquitted – lots of factors to suggestit was the Axeman. - speculated some killings were a copy cat.
• 2 – Some belive that based on content of the letter that the axeman was a supernatural spirit that was
able to shrink under a door and then become large man that witnesses described, however there were
chisel marks and damage to doorways.
• 3 – actual suspect – Joseph Mumfre - ester, mike pepitone survived last attack and moved to LA
• Married Angelo Albano – second anniversary of mike pepitones death, albano disappeared – never
found.
• Before marriage ester said albano ended buisness relations with man who went by many names –
including joseph mumfre.
• December 5 1921 – he visited esters house 554 east 66th street LA – Demanded $500 and her jewelery
– Threatened to kill her same way he killed her husband.
• Ester killed him with a revolver – when arrested she claimed Mumfre was the axeman – had seen him.
• Was Aquitted.
• Police found he lead a blackmailing gang in new orleans – targeted Italians – almost all axemans victims
were Italian.
• In and out of prison for 10 years – time out of prison coincided with the attacks.
• Ester said there were two men.

7. Between May 1918 and October, a serial killer terrorised the citizens of New Orleans, this killer was nicknamed the “AXEMAN”. The first murder to shake the city took place on the 23rd of May; the killer took the lives of an Italian Grocer, Joseph Maggio, and his wife Catherine in their
apartment above their grocery store. The attacker broke in with an axe and a straight razor, the tools they used in the attack were never their own and would always be left at the scene. While the couple slept the killer slit their throats with the straight razor before bashing their heads in
with the axe. When the police investigate the crime, they found that the killer had left his bloody clothes, meaning that he changed before leaving the scene, they were also able to rule at robbery because anything valuable was left in plain sight. Also, nearby the killer left a message written
in chalk that read, “Mrs. Joseph Maggio will sit up tonight. Just write Mrs. Toney”.
The next attack took place a month later the 27th of June, both Louis Besumer, a grocer and his mistress Harriet Lowe were attacked in their quarters at the back of the store. An axe to the head struck both; Besumer was struck over the right temple whilst Lowe was hacked over the left ear,
however both survived the initial attack. Although Lowes face was partially paralysed, she was operated on to try and correct he face, she would die two days later. In the two days however, she told the police that it was Louis Besumer that attacked her, he was then charged with murder
and spent 9 months in prison before being acquitted on May 1st, 1919 due to a 10-minute jury deliberation.
Another similar attack took place on August 5th, the victim was Mrs. Edward Schneider who was 28 years old but more importantly was 8 months pregnant. As she lay in bed she woke to find a dark looming figure stood over her with an axe, the attacker then used the axe to bash in her face.
Her husband who was returning from work later found her just after 12 O’clock. He found her in bed with her scalp cut and her face covered in blood. However even after this, two days later she gave birth to a healthy baby. One person did get arrested but was released shortly after due to
a lack of evidence.
5 Days later the 10th of august another grocer was attacked, Joseph Romano. H lived with his two nieces who slept in the adjoining room to his. The two nieces woke to hear a commotion coming from their uncle’s room, when they entered his room they saw he had taken a serious blow to
the head; they also saw the assailant fleeing from the scene. Even though Joseph was able to walk to the ambulance he would later pass away due to a head trauma. The girls were however able to give a brief description of the attacker; he was a dark-skinned heavyset man, who wore a
large black jacket and a slouched hat. The scene was also very similar to the others; it was ransacked but nothing was taken, and all murder weapons were left at the scene.
After this the policed increased the amount of manpower they had working, whilst men sat with loaded weapons at night to protect their families. People reported seeing the Axeman in their neighbourhood, people found axes and chisels in their back garden and people reported that they
doors and windows had been tampered with over the next few months. The extra effort appeared to work, until March 10th, 1919 in a town called Grenta, just across the river from New Orleans, the Axeman attacked Charles Cortmigillia and his wife and daughter. Their screams were heard
in early morning hours by the neighbouring grocer, Lorlando Jordan, who when investigating found the three had been attacked. Rosie had woken to find her husband struggling with the attacker, after her husband fell to the floor the Axeman turned and slammed his axe into her and her
child. When Lorlando arrived, he found Charles in a pool of blood and Rosie in the doorway with a head wound and clutching her dead daughter. Charles was released from hospital after two days whilst his wife stayed in care. When Rosie became conscious she accused her neighbour
Lorlando and his son frank of the attack. However, Lorlando was 69 years old and too weak to carry out the attack and his son was too large to fit through the panel in the back door. However, both were tried and found guilty of the murder even though Charles had stated his wife was not
telling the truth, after the trial he divorced her because of this. Frank was sentenced to hang and Lorlando was sentenced to life in prison, however a year later she reversed her claim, and both were released, as the only evidence was her testimony.
The next act of the Axeman would shake the whole city of New Orleans. The Axeman sent a message to Times-Picayune:
Hell, March 13, 1919
Esteemed Mortal:
They have never caught me, and they never will. They have never seen me, for I am invisible, even as the ether that surrounds your earth. I am not a human being, but a spirit and a demon from the hottest hell. I am what you Orleanians and your foolish police call the Axeman.
When I see fit, I shall come and claim other victims. I alone know whom they shall be. I shall leave no clue except my bloody axe, besmeared with blood and brains of the whom I have sent below to keep me company.
If you wish you may tell the police to be careful not to rile me. Of course, I am a reasonable spirit. I take no offense at the way they have conducted their investigations in the past. In fact, they have been so utterly stupid as to not only amuse me, but His Satanic Majesty, Francis Josef, etc.
But tell them to beware. Let them not try to discover what I am, for it were better that they were never born than to incur the wrath of the Axeman. I don ‘t think there is any need of such a warning, for I feel sure the police will always dodge me, as they have in the past. They are wise and
know how to keep away from all harm.
Undoubtedly, you Orleanians think of me as a most horrible murderer, which I am, but I could be much worse if I wanted to. If I wished, I could pay a visit to your city every night. At will I could slay thousands of your best citizens, for I am in close relationship with the Angel of Death.
Now, to be exact, at 12:15 (earthly time) on next Tuesday night, I am going to pass over New Orleans. In my infinite mercy, I am going to make a little proposition to you people. Here it is:
I am very fond of jazz music, and I swear by all the devils in the nether regions that every person shall be spared in whose home a jazz band is in full swing at the time I have just mentioned. If everyone has a jazz band going, well, then, so much the better for you people. One thing is certain
and that is that some of your people who do not jazz it on Tuesday night (if there be any) will get the axe.
Well, as I am cold and crave the warmth of my native Tartarus, and it is about time I leave your earthly home, I will cease my discourse. Hoping that thou wilt publish this, that it may go well with thee, I have been, am and will be the worst spirit that ever existed either in fact or realm of
fancy.
The Axeman
On that night not, a single person was attacked, this mostly likely down to everyone in the city partying. Jazz music flowed from people’s houses, people filled dance halls and armature jazz bands played at people’s parties. After this there were several weeks where there were no attacks.
August 10th, 1919 Steve Boca was attacked, he woke up to find the Axeman looking over him, he was then struck over the head like the other attacks that had taken place. After the attack however, he was able to stumble to a friend’s house before he passed out, when he awoke he was
unable to recall the events of the evening due to his head trauma.
Then on the 2nd of September a druggist called William Carson escaped an attack from the Axeman by firing several shots at an intruder, it is believed to be the Axeman because an axe and a broken door was left behind at the scene. On the 3rd a young girl called Sarah Laumann who lived
alone in a shuttered off house was attacked, she was found unconscious with a serious head trauma and missing teeth, she did however survive from the attack.
The last attack was a grocer by the name of Mike Pepitone on October 27th; he would not survive the attack. When the Axeman carried out the attack he smashed Pepitone over the head a total of 18 times. When his wife heard the commotion, she ran into the room she saw the attacker
fleeing the scene, however she recalled seeing two figures in the room. Another abnormality in the situation was a bloody Heavy-duty bolt and nut, much like one used to secure a circus tent, found to be used as a murder weapon. This however wasn’t too suspicious as there was a circus
on a nearby two-lane avenue.
Theories:
The first theory is that it wasn’t just one killer carrying out the attack. One attack believed not to be the Axeman is that of Mike Pepitone who many believe to have been a mafia hit, this is due to his father murdering someone in the past. Another suspicious attack was the attack of Louis
Besumer and Anna Lowe, as one was killed, and one was injured along Besumer being charged in suspicious circumstances. It was found that Besumer wrote letters back and forth in Yiddish and Russian, and investigators concluded that he was part of a spy ring or was a spymaster for the
Kaiser. However, in this theory he would have had to bash in his own head, there are also lots of things to suggest it was the Axeman such as evidence of a break in, Pepitone was also acquitted and case was closed as a domestic dispute. Many people believe that many of the murders
where copycats which is supported by different eyewitness statements.
The second theory is the most outlandish with a few people believe that the letter from the Axeman he is some form of supernatural being that can shrink down to get underneath doors and then regrow to the size people saw him to be. However, the Chisel marks on the doors and him
leaving his bloody clothes at the crime scene prove this to be rubbish.
The third theory, the only theory to focus on an actual suspect, is that the Axeman was a man named Joseph Mumfre. He is linked to Mike
Peptones wife ester, Mike Pepitone was the last person to be murdered by the Axeman. After Ester survived the attack she moved to LA where she married her second husband Angelo Albano, however mysteriously on the second anniversary of Mike Pepitones murder Albano disappeared
and wasn’t seen again. Ester told investigators that before they got married Albano had ended business relations with a man who went by many names, one of which was James Mumfre. On December 5th, 1921 Mumfre visited Esters house on 554 east 66th street La and demanded $500
and her Jewellery. More importantly however he threatened to kill her like he had killed her husband, ester after this threat shot him revolver in her door way. When she was arrested she claimed that Mumfre was the Axeman as she had seen him when he killed her husband. She was
eventually acquitted. There is also other evidence that implicates Mumfre, the police found that he ran a blackmailing gang in New Orleans, that would primarily target Italians and almost all the Axeman’s were Italian grocers. He had also been in and out of prison over the previous 10
years, and his time out of prison coincided with all the Axeman’s attacks. However, if it was him Esters first report of seeing two intruders in her house would be false, calling her legitimacy into question.