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The Axeman of New Orleans

A serial killer terrorized New Orleans, attacking victims with their own axes. He promised to spare anyone playing jazz music. On that night, the city played. The killer was never caught.

May 1918 - October 1919
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
50+ witnesses

The Axeman of New Orleans was a serial killer who attacked residents with axes and chisels in 1918-1919. His letter promising to spare anyone playing jazz remains one of crime history’s strangest documents.

The Attacks

According to documented records:

Over 18 months, the Axeman:

  • Attacked at least 12 people
  • Killed at least 6
  • Used victims’ own axes or similar tools
  • Entered through cut panels in doors
  • Targeted Italian-American grocers initially
  • Expanded to other victims

The Letter

On March 13, 1919, newspapers published a letter from the “Axeman”:

  • He claimed to be a “fell demon from the hottest hell”
  • He promised to pass over any house playing jazz
  • The designated night: March 19, 1919 (St. Joseph’s Night)
  • He would spare those playing music

That Night

New Orleans responded:

  • Dance halls were packed
  • Private parties played jazz
  • The city filled with music
  • No attacks occurred that night
  • A song called “The Mysterious Axeman’s Jazz” was composed

The Victims

Targets included:

  • Joseph Maggio (grocer) and wife - killed
  • Louis Besumer and Harriet Lowe - attacked
  • Anna Schneider - attacked (pregnant, survived)
  • Joseph Romano - killed
  • Charles and Rosie Cortimiglia - attacked, daughter killed
  • Many others

Pattern

The attacks followed a pattern:

  • Entry through door panels
  • Victims’ own axes used
  • Often struck in sleep
  • Not robbery—money sometimes left behind
  • Usually survived if they woke during attack

Suspects

Various theories include:

  • A deranged individual
  • Organized crime (targeting Italian grocers)
  • Multiple attackers
  • Joseph Mumfre (killed by a victim’s widow in 1921)

The End

The attacks stopped:

  • After October 1919
  • The killer was never identified
  • Joseph Mumfre was shot by Esther Albano (her husband was a victim)
  • She claimed Mumfre was the Axeman
  • This has never been confirmed

Historical Context

The era matters:

  • Italian immigrant community
  • Jazz was emerging
  • Post-WWI tension
  • Racial and ethnic prejudices
  • Fear of outsiders

Legacy

The Axeman case:

  • Is one of America’s most bizarre unsolved cases
  • Inspired American Horror Story
  • Represents New Orleans’s dark history
  • The jazz connection is unforgettable

Sources

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