Case File: Pearl Osten
Overview
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
People
| Type | Name | (Born-Died) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victim | Osten, Pearl | 1907-1922 | murdered |
| 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 | ||
| Dorinski, Charles | saw a man loitering about the Langseth house | ||
| Hayes, Mark | passenger on the streetcar | ||
| 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 | |
| Forby, William | Detective | ||
| Hanaford, Walter | Detective | ||
| Helwig, Richard | 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
- Find-a-Grave: "Martin Andreas Osten" (1867-1956), West North Immanuel Church Cemetery, Norwegian Grove, Minnesota
- Find-a-Grave: "Pearl Gilma Osten" (1907-1927), West North Immanuel Church Cemetery, Norwegian Grove, Minnesota
Census Records
- 1910 US Federal Census: "Gilma P. Osten", 3, with parents in Norwegian Grove, Otter Tail County, Minnesota
- 1920 US Federal Census: "Gilma Osten", 12, with parents in Norwegian Grover, Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Newspaper Articles
- 3 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Journal): Honor Pupil, 21, Slain Returning From Night Job
- 3 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star): Girl Death Suspect Hunted; Mystery Veils Strangling of Student
- 3 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Daily Star): Search for College Girls Slayer Shifts to St. Paul
- 3 Oct 1927 (Star Tribune): Children Find Body in Shed; Two Men Held
- 4 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star): New Arrest in Killing of College Girl
- 4 Oct 1927 (Star Tribune): 3 Questioned as Suspects are Cleared.
- 5 Oct 1927 (Minneapolis Star): New Clue Spurs Girl Killer Hunt - Two Friends of Student are Sought
- 5 Oct 1927 (Star Tribune): Night Prowler Sought on Tip in Girl's Death
- 2 Nov 1929 (Minneapolis Star): Pearl Osten Murder Clue is Uncovered
Vital Records
- 1907: Minnesota Birth Index: "Gilma Osten" - 14 Feb 1907, Otter Trial County
- 1907: South Immanuel Lutheran Church Records: "Pearl Gilma Osten", baptised 3 Mar 1907
- 1912: Marriage records for Alma Caroline Osten to Johan Melvin Langseth; and sister Clara Alice Osten to Bernie Sillerud - same page
- 1927: Minnesota Death Index for "Pearl Gilma Osten" - 2 Oct 1927, Hennepin County