On February 8, 1911, the Scott Mausoleum, a symbol of wealth for the Scott and Strong families in Erie, Pennsylvania, was desecrated by unknown vandals, coined by nationwide papers as ghouls. With the inside of the mausoleum heavily damaged – and a body missing – the crime set off shockwaves throughout the country during a time in which grave robbery, extortion and murder reigned supreme.
Hundreds of reporters and newspaper correspondents throughout the country and world descend upon the Great Lakes port city. Private Detectives from the Perkins Detective Agency in Pittsburgh took charge of the case, pitted against rival detectives from the famous Burns Detective Agency. The case took a sinister turn when a series of letters were sent to wealthy local philanthropist Charles Hamot Strong, threatening to blow up his mausoleum and murder his granddaughter.
My guest Justin Dombrowski is the author of “Erie’s Great Mausoleum Mystery: Ghouls, Grave Robbers & Extortion”.
The author’s Facebook page Shadows From the Boulevard.
Purchase the book on Amazon here.
