When the headless body of a pregnant young woman was found across the Ohio River from Cincinnati in 1896, the shock of the discovery was felt far beyond the region. As the story of the young woman was revealed, it became a crime that was tailor-made for the popular culture of the era. The horror of the crime, its characters, and its cause created a melodrama that could only be found in pulp novels -– a villain deflowers a pretty young girl and then murders her to cover up her unplanned pregnancy so that he can continue to live a life of debauchery.
Such a tragedy understandably resonated with the public, prompting stories, legends, and even a folk ballad. You see, this tale became a warning to young women of the era to practice chastity and to avoid the mortal sin of abortion, a crime so heinous, religious figures claimed, that the Devil himself had a hand in in its continued existence.