Case File: Dr. Harvey Burdell: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:04, 1 September 2024

Overview

In 1927 a student of music and a member of the Mendelsohn Chorus was brutally killed just feet from her sisters home where she was staying. A small down girl, she had only returned two Minneapolis two weeks prior - having spent the previous year in college before going home in Pelican Rapids for part of the summer. She wasn't found until later in the afternoon when neighborhood boys were playign hide-and-seek, and one dodged into a shed to hid, but instead stumbled over the body of Pearl Osten.

Locations

1413 5th St N, Minneapolis - home of Mrs. H. Salchert, right next to the shed.
1415 5th St N, Minneapolis - home of Johnny Kerner, who found the body
1418 6th St N, Minneapolis - home of Mrs. A. W. Kampf, passenger on street car, among last to see Pearl alive; also of Charles Dorinski
1422 6th St N, Minneapolis - home of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Lanseth
1835 Harvester St, St. Paul, Minnesota - residence Robert F. Roffler, street car conductor
2623 Newton Ave N, home of Mrs. John Munson and residence of Pearl from Feb to Jul 1927
3321 43rd Ave S, residence of friend Nora Aas, where sister assumed Pearl had spent the night.
Bostrom Mortuary, 3008 27th Ave S.
Jolly Peasant Tearoom, 218 8th St S.
Norwegian Grove, a township in Otter Tail County, Minnesota

Gallery

Pearl Osten Case Gallery

People


Type	Name	(Born-Died)	Description
Victim	Osten, Pearl	1907-1927	beaten and strangled
Suspects	"man in small coupe"		accosted Pearl Friday night
	"negro and white man"		unidentified, released
	young man on street car		a young man, well dressed, accompanied her from streetcar
Witnesses	Aas, Nora		friend of Pearl's
	Anderson, Mrs. Effie		passenger on street car
	Bergesen, Rev. B. E.		pastor of Zion Luthern Church, their church in Minneapolis
	Christianson, Adolph		harvest worker and lodger in Wisconsin
	Dorinski, Charles		saw a man loitering about the Langseth house
	Hayes, Mark		passenger on the streetcar
	Huisinger, M. L.		identified black man as loitering near shed
	Kempff, Mrs. A. W.		passenger on street car
	Kerner, Johnny	c1915-?	found the body
	Logowski, Joe		passenger on street car, paid not particular attention
	Munson, Mrs. John		previous landlord to Pearl
	Nelson, Dr. Frank		President of Minnesota College
	Nelson, Mrs. Helma		landlord to Charles Dorinski
	Nelson, Melvin		boy playing with Johnny Kerner when Pearl was found
	Nelson, Mrs.		mother of Melvin Nelson, talked to police
	Panning, A. E.		proprietor of the Jolly Peasant Tea Room
	Roffler, Robert F.		street car conductor, witness
	Salchert, Mrs. H.		neighbor, heard nothing
	Sanbeck, Dagny	c1913-?	heard screams
	Severs, Carl		passenger on the streetcar
Officers & Investigators	Bell, Dr. E. T.		performed autopsy with Coroner
	Brunskill, Frank W.		Superintendent of Police
	Crummy, Andrew		Capt of the Detectives.
	Forby, William		Detective
	Hanaford, Walter		Detective
	Helwig, Richard		Detective
	Marxon, Al		Detective
	Seashore, Gilbert		Coroner
Family	Hovland, Theo Mathilde	1871-1957	mother of Pearl
	Lanseth, Alma Osten	1897-1992	sister to Pearl
	Lanseth, Johan Melvin	1889-1959	brother-in-law to Pearl
	Osten, Alma {Langseth/Shields)	1897-1992	sister to Pearl
	Osten, Martin Andreas Simon	1867-1956	father of Pearl

Documentation

Burials

Newspaper Articles

3 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Journal): Honor Pupil, 21, Slain Returning From Night Job

@@ Line 183: / Line 183: @@
 ==Documentation==
 ===Burials===
-* [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/26992941/martin-andreas-osten?_gl=1*cja61h*_gcl_au*NDg3MDgwNjA2LjE3MjIyNjA3NzY.*_ga*MTQxMTExNTQ4NS4xNjg5MzQyODM5*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*YTNkMzlkMzYtNDA3MS00Nzc5LTk1MjMtMDc2N2ZmNGMyNWZlLjUyMi4xLjE3MjQxODI1MDEuMTAuMC4w*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*YTNkMzlkMzYtNDA3MS00Nzc5LTk1MjMtMDc2N2ZmNGMyNWZlLjY0Ni4xLjE3MjQxODI1MDEuMC4wLjA. Find-a-Grave]: "Martin Andreas Osten" (1867-1956), West North Immanuel Church Cemetery, Norwegian Grove, Minnesota
+*
-* [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/26992943/pearl-gilma-osten?_gl=1*pu7b86*_gcl_au*NDg3MDgwNjA2LjE3MjIyNjA3NzY.*_ga*MTQxMTExNTQ4NS4xNjg5MzQyODM5*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*YzM0MWUwYzYtZjgwYi00OTNkLWE0ZjQtM2Q4MzE4YzU2MjU1LjYxNi4xLjE3MjMzMjAzNTAuMC4wLjA.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*YzM0MWUwYzYtZjgwYi00OTNkLWE0ZjQtM2Q4MzE4YzU2MjU1LjQ5Mi4xLjE3MjMzMjAzNTAuMjcuMC4w Find-a-Grave]: "Pearl Gilma Osten" (1907-1927), West North Immanuel Church Cemetery, Norwegian Grove, Minnesota
-===Census Records===
-* [https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/162730769:7884?tid=193423375&pid=372602522910&hid=1029453030839&_phsrc=QFx10096&_phstart=default 1910 US Federal Census]: "Gilma P. Osten", 3, with parents in Norwegian Grove, Otter Tail County, Minnesota
-* [https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/47652482:6061?tid=193423375&pid=372602522910&hid=1029453030841&_phsrc=QFx10089&_phstart=default 1920 US Federal Census]: "Gilma Osten", 12, with parents in Norwegian Grover, Otter Tail County, Minnesota
 ===Newspaper Articles===
 * [https://www.newspapers.com/image/811621608 3 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Journal)]: Honor Pupil, 21, Slain Returning From Night Job
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/186916880/ 3 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: Girl Death Suspect Hunted; Mystery Veils Strangling of Student
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/186916756/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 3 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Daily Star)]: Search for College Girls Slayer Shifts to St. Paul
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182427914/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 3 Oct 1927 (Star Tribune)]: Children Find Body in Shed; Two Men Held
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/186917873/ 4 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: New Arrest in Killing of College Girl
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182428426/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 4 Oct 1927 (Star Tribune)]: 3 Questioned as Suspects are Cleared.
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/186919299/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 5 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: New Clue Spurs Girl Killer Hunt - Two Friends of Student are Sought
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182429205/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 5 Oct 1927 (Star Tribune)]: Night Prowler Sought on Tip in Girl's Death
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182430162/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 6 Oct 1927 (Star Tribune)]: Police Halted in Search for Girl's Slayer
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/186920856/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 6 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: Funderal Held for Girl Victim of Strangler - Police Pursue all Clues to Slayer Without Results.
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182431002/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 7 Oct 1927 (Star Tribune)]: Police Follow Single Clue in Murder Case
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/811622521/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 7 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Journal)]: Clues Point to Murder of Slain Girl's Escort
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182431911/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 8 Oct 1927 (Star Tribune)]: Girl's Slayer Still Eluding Police Search
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/186925717/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 8 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: Sleuth Goes to Pelican Rapids in Killer Hunt
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/811622858/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 8 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Journal)]: Detective Goes North for Clue in Girl's Murder
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182436150/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 10 Oct 1927 (Star Tribune)]: Police Trace New Clue in Girl's Death
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/186927590/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 10 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: Police Trail Infatuated Youth; Watch Found Stolen
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182436589/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 11 Oct 1927 (Star Tribune)]: Osten Girl's Watch Subject of Search
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/811565189/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 11 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Journal)]: Girl Murder Inquiry Leads to Moorhead
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182437780/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 12 Oct 1927 (Star Tribune)]: Letters Give Hope of Clue in Osten Case
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/186930225/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 12 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: Police Obtain Slain Girl's Last Letter
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/186933134/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 13 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: Slayer Hunt is Continued
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/811565861/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 13 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Journal)]: Mrs. Kempf called to see photo of body found, not the man seen with Pearl
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/186949054/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 22 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: New Pearl Osten Death Clue Found
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/811569493/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 23 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Journal)]: New Clue Hunted in Osten Murder
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/186951441/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 24 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: New Attacks Spur Hunt for Osten Killer
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/186952759/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 25 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: Negro Is Held as Strangler
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/811570018/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 25 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Journal)]: Prisoner Viewed in Osten Murder
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/186953984/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 26 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: Jailed Suspect Seen Near Girl Murder Scene
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/811570325/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 26 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Journal)]: Prisoner Linked to Osten Murder
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182466666/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 27 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: Attack Suspect's Story Unshaken
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/811571095/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 27 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Journal)]: Innocent, Says Grilled Prisoner
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/179022803/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 31 Dec 1927 (Minneapolis Star)]: note that police are still working on the case.
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/85776189/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 5 Jan 1928 (Brainerd Daily Dispatch]: Howard Wandrei and Wendell Whaley questioned.
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182437053/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 10 Jan 1928 (Star Tribune)]: Home Town Raising $2,000 to Help Find Pearl Osten's Slayer
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/178672950/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 10 Jan 1928 (Minneapolis Star)]: Reward Is Proposed for Pearl Osten Slayer
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182443845/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 15 Jan 1928 (Star Tribune)]: Pelican Repids $2,000 Reward Believed Key to Solution of Pearl Osten's Murder
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182469108/ 27 Jan 1928 (Star Tribune)]: Governor's Office Gets Petition for Osten Reward
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/811645869/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 15 Feb 1928 (Minneapolis Journal)]: Reward Offered for Pearl Osten Slayer
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/221771155/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 15 Mar 1928 (St. Cloud Times)]: Suspect Arrested for Music Student Murder
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/811564074/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 3 Jul 1928 (Minneapolis Journal)]: Farm Loss Widespread
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/181546900/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 1 Nov 1928 (Star Tribune)]: Police Query Prisoner on Osten Death
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/178663853/?match=1&terms=brutal%20murder%20Minneapolis 2 Nov 1928 (Minneapolis Star)]: Pearl Osten Murder Clue is Uncovered
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/178667247/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 3 Nov 1928 (Minneapolis Star)]: Funds Sought to Push Osten Murder Hunt
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182425574/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 6 Nov 1928 (Star Tribune)]: New Inquiry Asked in Osten Murder
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182427429/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 8 Nov 1928 (Star Tribune)]: Osten Murder Suspect Will be Examined
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182428961/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 9 Nov 1928 (Star Tribune)]: 3 Witnesses to View Osten Case Suspect
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/182430280/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 10 Nov 1928 (Star Tribune)]: Fail to Identify Osten Slaying Case Suspect
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/180410525/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 5 Sep 1929 (Star Tribune)]: A grand jury inquest is held into the police department; Andrew Osten, and Mr. and Mrs. Langest testify.
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/178845512/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 5 Sep 1929 (Minneapolis Star]: Tale of Seer Renews Osten Murder Sift
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/811520312/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 7 May 1931 (Minneapolis Journal)]: Pearl Osten Murder Fund Is Returned
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/187592454/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 23 Jul 1937 (Minneapolis Star)]: Police Believe Solution Close in Girl's Death
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/187592520/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 24 Jul 1937 (Minneapolis Star)]: Brings Convict for Death Quiz
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/183264662/?terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 25 Jul 1937 (Star Tribune)]: Osten Suspect is Questioned
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/183265274/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 26 Jul 1937 (Star Tribune)]: Calls Osten Murder Tip a Falsehood
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/187592676/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 27 Jul 1937 (Minneapolis Star)]: Lie Detector to Help Osten Murder Probe
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/183265739/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 29 Jul 1937 (Star Tribune)]: Pearl Osten Slaying Suspect Alibi Fails
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/183265821/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 30 Jul 1937 (Star Tribune)]: Osten Suspect to Get Rest Before the Test
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/187593046/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 2 Aug 1937 (Minneapolis Star)]: Blais Will Not Take Lie Detector Test
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/812314231/?match=1&terms=%22Pearl%20Osten%22 6 Aug 1937 (Minneapolis Star)]: Woman Accuses Osten Suspect
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/409610337/?match=1&terms=%22Nora%20Aas%22 21 Nov 1956 (Billings Gazette)]: Sidney Resident's Rites Conducted
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/955934417/?terms=%22Nora%20Rennie%22 11 May 1960 (Sidney Herald)]: ads of congratulations to Mrs. Nora Rennie for opening "Youth-Town Store"
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/349735590/?match=1&terms=%22Nora%20Rennie%22 25 Nov 1970 (Missoulian)]: Woman Dies of Exposure
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/416137593/?match=1&terms=%22Nora%20Rennie%22 26 Nov 1970 (Billings Gazette)]: Funeral of Nora Rennie
-* [https://www.newspapers.com/image/412216577/?match=1&terms=%22Nora%20Rennie%22 31 Oct 1970 (Billings Gazette)]: Insurance claim is upheld
 ===Vital Records===
 *