March 28, 1934 :: w/ THE BREMELORIAN
We always talk about the Erland’s Point Massacre around halloween.
But it actually happened in spring, in the run up to Easter.
Churches were preparing for holiday services, parents were collecting eggs and kids were dreaming of the easter bunny. On March 28th 1934, Leo Hall was dreaming of something else… money.
In 1934, the economy was barely starting to recover after the great depression. Unemployment was 21%, down from 25%. Prohibition had been repealed in an effort to boost cash flow and bring crime down, but this had a side effect. As the black market crumbled, men who were comfortable breaking the law found themselves broke.
Frank and Anna Flieder were wealthy retirees. Didn’t seem like the depression or prohibition phased them much. Neighbors used to say they heard speed boats near the Flieder home in the night. Could have been rum runners, or just rumors. Either way, the Flieders had money. While out for dinner one night, the Flieders had a fateful encounter with a waitress named Peggy.
Peggy Peterson was from Enumclaw and had no family in Seattle. Her main squeeze, Larry Paulos, was in jail again, so she ended up dating Leo Hall. After Peggy got home from work one night, she probably kicked her shoes off and told Leo all about the Flieders. They had invited her to some party they were having. Leo wanted to go, but not for the party. He wanted to rob the Flieders. He promised Peggy it was just about the money, no one had to get hurt. Peggy agreed to go. They caught a ferry to Bremerton and hitchhiked out to Erland’s point.
Things spiraled out of control fast…
Peggy ran away in fear when the killing began. Some of the victims fought back. One was laid into bed and never got back up. Another was found shoved into a closet. The crime scene was discovered covered in glass and blood. Murder weapons and bodies strewn about the house. Six people were murdered in cold blood, and then, their bodies were robbed of jewelry and cash.
Police were called, but the deputy left to guard the crime scene had a money making scheme of his own.
He let people in for 25 cents a pop. More than 100 people wandered through the crime scene before the detectives arrived, littering and stealing. The deputy made $37 that day ($800 in today’s money). Seattle reporters arrived and found the scene completely unguarded. They took gruesome photos of the bodies for the front page of the papers. The telephone at the scene of the crime had been ripped out of the wall during the murders so reporters asked the neighbors to use their phones.
The best detective in Seattle was called in.
But even with Luke May on the case, it went cold for 18 months. In the meantime, Peggy ghosted Leo and decided to marry Larry instead. Plagued by guilt and nightmares, Peggy eventually confessed the whole thing. After a dramatic trial, Leo Hall was hanged for his crimes.
Peggy was acquitted. She moved to Portland, where she went back to waitressing to support herself. // DEENA TAYLOR
CHECK OUT DEENA’s Bremerton History Podcast Bremelore. Find it wherever you podcast. And at bremelore.wtf. And for historical reference on this story, check out the historylink.org essay by Daryl C. McClary from 2003.
