Finding aid for the Edward S. Sullivan papers 7111
Bo Doub authored the finding aid -- with some of the collection-level notes adapted from the seller of the material, Daniel
Oliver, LLC. The following students from CORE 450: Los Angeles: A Polymathic Inquiry (2022-2023 cohort) processed and described
the collection's case files: Xyla Abella, Kendall Damon, Beatrix Heard, Sol Lagos, Gabrielle Latimore, Jared Levine, Tomás
Manea, Saniya Patel, Sam Rios, Kristina Shea, Karthik Srinivasan, and Eliana Yeager.
USC Libraries Special Collections
2021 February
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-0189
specol@usc.edu
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: Edward S. Sullivan papers
Creator:
Sullivan, Edward S.
Identifier/Call Number: 7111
Physical Description:
4.42 Linear Feet
7 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1930-1970
Abstract: A photographic and manuscript archive created and compiled by Edward S. Sullivan, a Los Angeles-based correspondent for the
seminal crime publication
True Detective, whose ground-level journalistic techniques often blurred the line between reportage and private investigation. The photo
portion of the archive contains "evidence" of hundreds of murders, assaults, stick-ups, forgeries, and other criminal acts
spanning from the 1930s through the 1960s. The majority of these images were used as illustrations for Sullivan's true-crime
articles, either for
True Detective or his freelance work for other publications. The material is mostly related to criminal activity in California, but adjacent
western states, as well as Mexico, are also represented. Aside from the photographs, the collection contains Sullivan's case
folders, presumably used as research or reference for his work. All of the case files include newspaper clippings and about
half contain some sort of manuscript notations by Sullivan, primarily notes from interviews with sources on both sides of
the law, and they are composed with the dashed-off, slang-heavy prose of a "gumshoe" detective.
This note was adapted from the seller's description.
Language of Material:
English
.
Scope and Contents
A photographic and manuscript archive created and compiled by Edward S. Sullivan, a Los Angeles-based correspondent for the
seminal crime publication
True Detective.
The collection holds approximately 1200 photographic prints containing "evidence" of hundreds of murders, assaults, stick-ups,
forgeries, grifts, kidnappings, dog-poisonings, and other criminal acts spanning from the 1930s through the 1960s. The majority
of these images were used as illustrations for Sullivan's true-crime articles, either for
True Detective or his freelance work for other publications. The material is mostly related to criminal activity in California (Los Angeles,
the San Francisco Bay Area, the Central Valley, San Diego, etc.) but adjacent western states, as well as Mexico, are also
represented. About half of the folders are sorted alphabetically, containing either single photos or groups of related images,
and the other half of the folders are related to individual cases.
Many of the photographs were taken by Sullivan himself. His personal law enforcement connections, along with
True Detective's positive depictions of police, allowed him a level of access not necessarily available to his colleagues in the trade.
Most of the prints have typed labels affixed to the bottom which functioned as notes to the art department or as captions
for publication. One example notation accompanies a photograph of the rear entrance to a suburban home, reading: "BACK DOOR
OF GRANDMA'S APARTMENT ...HERE HER SON ENTERED TO FIND THE BODY."
The remaining portion of the photographs were either printed by Sullivan from negatives that he sourced, or wire photographs
acquired from news agencies such as United Press International (UPI) or Acme. Before his time with
True Detective, Sullivan was a copy editor for the
Los Angeles Examiner and a reporter from the San Francisco branch of the International News Service before that. It is likely the photographs
pertaining to crimes in the 1930s and 1940s were used in conjunction with his work with these or other publications.
The collection includes photographs and files related to many important cases of California's crime history, such as the murder
of George Alberts by three merchant seamen in Alameda, a case which was prosecuted by a young Earl Warren and derided by many
activists as an anti-union frame-job; Lucille Miller, a woman who gained notoriety for orchestrating a real life "double indemnity"
scam; and the trial of David Lamson, a Stanford professor accused of murdering his wife in what is considered to be one of
the state's first "trials of the century." These appear alongside many other photographs of crimes and characters such as
Florentino "The Cat" Ortega, a burglar and murderer who "bore a puma tattoo and prowled like a cat."
Aside from the photographs, the collection contains 50 case files, presumably used as research or reference for Sullivan's
work. All of the files organized by case include newspaper clippings pasted in chronologically. About half of the case files
contain a system of manuscript notation by Sullivan, primarily notes from interviews with sources on both sides of the law,
and they are composed with the dashed-off, slang-heavy prose of a private "gumshoe" investigator. Notating a police sergeant's
initial conclusion about a 1956 murder in Van Nuys, Sullivan writes "CONSENSUS: someone who knew her; no struggle...half dozen
partial prints--good nuff to eliminate--strange prints--killer--odd he so careless...no hot suspect at moment."
One of the case files contains the notes of an interview with Ian Hemensely, dubbed "the Hollywood Raffles" (an allusion
to a fictional gentleman thief). Hemensely was a burglar from Rhodesia who broke into the Bel-Air homes of celebrities such
as Zsa Zsa Gabor and Rosemary Lane, and often wrote apologetic poems on the walls of his victims' homes. Accompanying the
file are photographic mugshots of one of Hemensely's associates, Ernie "Casino" Candiottio, and one of Raffles himself, with
Sullivan's affixed caption reading, "NOTE YELLOW HAIR DYE WEARING OFF."
Some of the case files contain ephemera such as wanted posters, police bulletins, and--in one case--a flyer circulated to
dentists in the Riverside area with images of a Jane Doe's dentures and a caption inquiring, "Did you make these teeth?" Additionally,
there are a handful of carbon copies of letters that Sullivan sent to the
True Detective editors in New York which further showcase Sullivan's closeness to sources and ability to procure information. One such example
involves a story about a woman arrested for arranging the murder of her husband on Halloween night. In a letter about his
research for the story, Sullivan writes that the accused wife "admitted to the police in confidence that she had a long standing
lesbian affair with [the shooter], but told them she would deny it on the stand."
This note was adapted from the seller's description.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special
Collections at specol@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Daniel Oliver LLC, February 11, 2021.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder no. or item name], Edward S. Sullivan papers, Collection no. 7111, Regional History Collection, Special Collections,
USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Processing Information
The following students from CORE 450: Los Angeles: A Polymathic Inquiry (2022-2023 cohort) processed and described the collection's
case files: Xyla Abella, Kendall Damon, Beatrix Heard, Sol Lagos, Gabrielle Latimore, Jared Levine, Tomás Manea, Saniya Patel,
Sam Rios, Kristina Shea, Karthik Srinivasan, and Eliana Yeager.
Material grouped under the "Newspaper clippings" and "Photographs" series is unprocessed.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Crime and the press -- California -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Criminal investigation -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Criminal investigation -- History -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Private investigators -- California -- Los Angeles -- 20th century -- Archival resources
True crime stories -- California -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Case files
Photographs
News photographs
Newspaper clippings
Wire photographs
Sullivan, Edward S. -- Archives
Box 1, Folder 10
Aldrige, Robert Earl
1952
General
Aldridge raped and murdered 14-year-old Mary Louise Zaris in Santa Barbara in 1952. Aldridge was also linked to the mysterious
death of out-of-work actress Pauline Evans. His wife turned him into the authorities after she began to suspect his involvement
in Mary's murder.
Box 1, Folder 16
Atteberry, Gordon Ellis
1959
General
Hollywood hypnotist Gordon Ellis Atteberry was accused of running a $100,000 burglary ring; he was taken into custody after
5 months evading police capture.
Box 2, Folder 17
Bates, Rosalind
1961
General
Rosalind, an attorney, was murdered in Silverlake. Don't know motive of murder. Could be because she was an attorney. It was
reported that she received a threatening phone call two weeks before the murder took place. Loren Augustus Davis was arrested
as a potential suspect but was later cleared.
Box 1, Folder 6
Bauerdorf, Georgette
1944-10
General
Bauerdorf, an oil heiress, was found dead in a bathtub; her boyfriend was a soldier. Murder remains unsolved.
Box 1, Folder 12
Best, Ary J.
1959
General
The middle-aged couple were arrested in Los Angeles after murdering a 60-year-old tourist, taking his car and $500 in cash.
The two admitted to the crime, but claimed it was self-defense.
Box 2, Folder 14
Biswell, Susan (Kilgore)
1960
General
Susan, age unclear, an heiress, was murdered in Santa Monica behind a bar while by 21 year old Fernandez. Fernandez didn't
have motive. Susan had been arrested six times before that for drunk driving. She was the daughter of wealthy bakery owners
in the Pacific Palisades. Her maiden name was Biswell but used the name Kilgore--the name of her second husband.
Box 1, Folder 7
Bouncing Ball Strangler
1958-1960
General
Also known as Southside Strangler; killing method was striking and bludgeoning to the head. Seven confirmed, five suspected,
totaling 12.
Box 3, Folder 7
Boyer, Durella "Corky"
1959
General
Durella "Corky" Boyer, a waitress, was found strangled and beaten in bed. The culprit, Larry L. "Cowboy Tex" Vance, 22, admitted
to choking her after being questioned by the police.
Box 2, Folder 6
Bums, Barbara Ann
1956-1962
General
Daughter of famous comedian Bob Burns is arrested for carrying a pistol. They find out she's addicted to narcotics and she
goes to jail for it. Eventually she dies of an overdose.
Box 3, Folder 3
Carp, Sally and Buford, Jodie
1956
General
Charles Raymond Elms: 17 year old boy, self-described as a heroin addict, confessed to killing of Buford. Autopsy report does
not conclude that victim was attack. No document of trial outcome. Murder of Carp was only two block away; stabbed three
times by someone they knew: Axelrod. Carp threatened to tell Axelrod's wife of their affair. Got into an argument, and Axelrod
killed her with a knife.
Box 2, Folder 18
Diefenbach, Karl
1960
General
Found naked in a hotel near Disneyland. Signs of strangulation. A 17 year old Emille William Kollhopp confessed to the crime.
Diefenbach was a "known homosexual" and offered two boys--Kollhopp being one of them--up to his room for drinks. After murdering
the victim, Kollhopp and his accomplice robbed the room and took off for Phoenix. Second perpetrator was named Terry Allen
Smith.
Box 1, Folder 4
Doran, Officer Eugene
1959-1961
General
19-year old Robillard was arrested in Salt Lake, Utah for the murder of Officer Duran; Robillard was originally wanted for
car theft and robbery. He shows them the license plates that were discarded in the San Francisco waterfront.
Box 2, Folder 12
Douglas, Donald Ross
1957-10-1957-11
General
Donald R. Douglas, a door-to-door salesman, confirms three of the nine felony counts of kidnapping and rape. Prior to this,
he confessed to 13 attacks on various woman in parts of Los Angeles Metropolitan area. Likewise, he is identified as a potential
"sex psychopath" by superior Judge Louis Burke.
Box 3, Folder 2
Ellroy, Jean & Long, Bobbie
1958-1959
General
Nurse found dead; beaten and strangled with her own silk-stocking (Jean Ellroy). Another female waitress found strangled with
silk-stocking (Bobbie Long). Unsolved crime.
Box 2, Folder 11
Fabiano, Peter
1958-03
General
On Halloween night of 1958, Betty Fabiano reports hearing her husband, Peter Fabiano, answer the door. At the time, they presume
that they are "trick-or-treaters," however, Betty hears a loud bang, revealed to have been Peter dead on the floor. Peter
was later revealed to have been shot by Goldyne Pizer as a favor to Joan Rabel, his wife's old friend.
Box 1, Folder 13
Gluskoter, Rochelle
1946-1947
General
6-year-old Rochelle Gluskoter was mysteriously kidnapped in February of 1946 after she was picked up by a stranger from school.
Her body was not found until November of the next year. In the months after her disappearance, clues, alleged sightings, and
even a fake ransom note led the police down various avenues of investigation, but to this day the case remains unsolved.
Box 2, Folder 1
Goldsmith, Ruth N.
1957-1958
Box 1, Folder 8
Harvey, Harry Arthur Jr.
1956
General
Harvey was held for murder Kathleen Ferguson--slain 2/19/56---body found 5/15/56--Harvey held 6/9/56. Acquitted 8/31--but
9/13 sent back to SQ--1-10--as parole violator. Ferguson's body stuffed in 2 cartons/cardboard boxes.
Box 2, Folder 10
Hemensley, Iain Anthony
1959
General
Robber breaks into a home in West Los Angeles to steal jewelry and electronics. He left a poem in lipstick on the mirror.
He wanted to be like Raffles, another robber who was known for leaving poems in the homes of people he robbed.
Box 1, Folder 14
Hendershot, Alivia Alice
1958
General
The body of Alivia Alice Hendershot was found at Seal Beach in 1959. Her husband and her ex-husband were taken into questioning
after her death, but the two were soon released. Dairy worker George Joseph Enneman eventually confessed to the rape and murder
of Mrs. Hendershot and was indicted for the crime.
Box 3, Folder 4
Hipperson, Marjorie
1957
General
Multiple cases of assault and murder in Hollywood area; suspect nicknamed in papers as "Prowler." Several men came forward
claiming as the "Prowler", but it does not seemed to be solved
Box 2, Folder 7-8
Horner, Agnes & Fred
1955-1956
General
This case file includes an envelope of photographic prints labeled "Horner Art."
Box 2, Folder 15
Hudgens, Raymond J.
1962
General
Triple murderer. 22 years old. Killed estranged wife and parents. A manhunt for him ensued. He confessed to the murders. Hudgens
tried to kill himself before he was seized. Crossed state lines to Arizona to kill them.
Box 3, Folder 6
Jepsen, Barbara Jean
1956-1958
General
Young bride and expecting mother, Barbara Jean was found naked with a butcher knife protruding from her right breast. The
autopsy demonstrated that the victim was sexually assaulted during her interaction with the murderer. After two years, Frank
Neil Rippee claims to be Barbara Jean Jepson's murderer.
Box 3, Folder 5
Jerome, Helene
1958-1962
General
Ex-Actress found dead in Hollywood Apartment. First suspect Edgar McAdoo was cleared. Murder case was categorized as unsolved
mystery until the confession of Michael John Donahue 4 years later. Questioned for several murders. No documentation of trial
outcome.
Box 1, Folder 15
Johnson, Janet
1965
General
British immigrant Janet Johnson's body was found strangled in a garage by four boys on their way to school in 1965. Janitor
Wesley Haney was linked to Johnson's death after evidence placed them at the same school.
Box 3, Folder 1
Johnson, Oleta Hatcher
1956-1957
General
Young ex-soldier killed and assaulted the 18-year-old wife of a neighbor. Confessed to forcing his way in the home, and when
rejected, Tipton stabbed and assaulted her. Pled not guilty due to insanity. Sentenced to death, approved a stay, but was
ultimately executed by gas chamber.
Box 2, Folder 19
Kinman, Donald
1958-1959
General
Donald Kinman committed two murder-rapes. One of them was found murdered in a hotel the other found murdered in a trailer
park. He was caught and sentenced to life. There is a picture of one of the victim's corpses in the back of the blue folder.
Box 3, Folder 11-12
Miller, Mrs. Lucille
1964-1965
General
Mrs. Lucille Miller, 35, mother of three, was convicted of killing her dentist husband who had been under the influence of
barbiturates. Her husband, Dr. Gordon E. Miller, was found in the charred interior of his car along a deserted Alta Loma road-way.
It was later revealed that Mrs. Miller had an affair with her attorney, Arthwell C. Hayton.
Box 2, Folder 20
O'Brien, Edith
1959
General
Man and a woman under heavy influence of alcohol. Got into an argument, and the man beat and strangled the woman to death.
Man has no recollection why he did it. Admitted to guilt; sentenced 5 years to life in prison.
Box 2, Folder 4
Officer George Elder
1961
General
Off-duty police officer gets shot in pursuit of a pair of bandits after they robbed $300 from a grocery market
Box 2, Folder 13
Pascal, Betty Jane
1965
General
(All of information was gathered in 1965.) 1955: Wife murdered her husband. Her name was Betty Jane Pascal. Husband was a
bartender, aged 31. Wife was a former model with red hair. Made a Halloween pumpkin for her son then shot her husband in the
head. Mar a Vista home. She turned herself in. She pled guilty to manslaughter. After her prison term, she was part of another
crime. She committed extortion in 1965. Judged called it "a vile extortion case."
Box 3, Folder 8
Patten, Bryce N.
1960
General
Bryce N. Patten, teacher-deputy, was found on a road near Casitas Pass, shot seven times by a .32 caliber automatic. The three
men convicted for murder were Roger Lee Parker (25), Donald Eugene David (27), and David Alan Combes (32).
Box 2, Folder 5
Pennington, Robert Leonard Jr.
1952-1959
General
A woman gets swindled into a marriage with a murderer. Eventually she comes to learn the truth and gets him arrested and convicted
of 2nd degree murder. However, she decides to stay married to him because she loves him
Box 1, Folder 11
Prestridge, Meredith Jean
1959
General
Meredith Jean Prestridge's body was found in the trunk of her and her husband's car in Fresno. Prestridge and her killer,
Robert Lee Kilmer, had been childhood sweethearts. Kilmer killed himself as the police stormed his house.
Box 2, Folder 16
Rape
1957-1958
General
Sullivan trying to connect a string of rapes in the hopes of seeing if it's the same perpetrator. They found one guy who committed
at least two of these crimes--Frederick A. Loar.
Box 1, Folder 5
Rue, Clifford
1958-10
General
Sullivan switched the structure of the files; the murderer is both the main title and the rest of the folder title instead
of murdered in main and murderer in rest of folder title. Rue was a nightclub owner, and the murder victim, Goldsmith, was
a gambler.
Box 1, Folder 3
Savoy, Kennedy S.
1958-1960
General
Savoy's murder was part of a string of serial crimes from bandits known as "Shotgun Slayer"; he was a film studio executive
at Goldwyn. Scott is executed via gas chamber by state in 1960.
Box 3, Folder 10
Shaw, Darlington Walter
1961
General
Cabinet maker, Darlington W. Shaw, butchered his wife, then dumped her dismembered body in three different southland counties.
The severed leg, torso, and head were identified by the victim's daughter.
Box 2, Folder 2
Sherman, John Henry
1958
General
Victim was found after a few days at the bottom of a foothill
Box 2, Folder 3
Smith, Mrs. Patricia Faye
1955-1959
General
Perpetrator was scarred by the victim with a hot iron 4 years prior in self defense. He sought victim out again as revenge
for the disfigurement and hoped to disfigure her as well.
Box 3, Folder 9
Waters, Larry
1959
General
Larry Waters, a 17-year-old honors student, was found shot by a .25 caliber pistol in Nevada on August 28, 1959. Waters' body
was found washed on the Truckee River. Thane Archibald, a 20 year old ex-convict, was found guilty for killing Larry Waters.
Box 1, Folder 9
Wein, Eddie Simon
1956-1959
General
The Hollywood Rapist was a prolific criminal the suspect to multiple reported rape as well as the murder of women such as
Barbara Jean. He was described as a "knife-wielding intruder" that terrorized women in their Hollywood Homes. The rapist,
prosecuted and convicted of 22 felony charges connected to his alleged attacks on multiple women, was identified as Edward
Simon Wein. Sentenced to death in the San Quentin gas chambers but was later reversed to life in prison.
Box 2, Folder 9
Wilson, James
1961
General
Divorcee is stabbed 28 times in the head and neck by a James H. Wilson. James is mentally ill and claims that he "blacked
out" during the stabbing, not remembering any of it. The victim was found in his car and died in an ambulance.
Box 3, Folder 13-15, Box 4
Newspaper clippings
Processing Information
These clippings were previously stored loose in plastic bags without any apparent filing connection to the case files.