Who dunnit?

[<<] [>>] by Sally Green
6th December 2007 (Other News)

It was the chauffeur in the drawing room with the croquet mallet! Francis Rattenbury was bludgeoned to death with a croquet mallet by his wife's 17-year-old lover in 1935. Read all about it in the Daily Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?...

Don Oakley adds: While researching an old croquet booklet, another case of "Mallet Rage" was found. It is claimed to have been published in the 'Ontario County Journal', July 22, 1887. This being the county in New York state. It reads:

The inhabitants of the north part of the town were considerably excited last Thursday over the peculiar antics of a German named Charles Stiege. He rushed into peoples' houses, terrified the women and children, and finally, at the height of his mad pranks, entered the house of Orrin Outhouse, seized Mrs. Outhouse and threw her out of doors. He was followed up by the neighbours and was finally captured by Thomas Farnsworth, who brought him down with the aid of a croquet mallet. He was then put in a buggy between two strong men, who proceeded to bring him to jail, but he escaped from them at the head of Main street, and gave them another chase. Deputy Sheriff Sleght was then called upon to assist in his capture, which was finally effected after much trouble. After Stiege was put in jail, it was found that he was suffering from a deranged mind. He kept pounding on the wall and calling for "two kegs of beer." He was arraigned next morning before Police Justice Gooding, when it was found through an interpreter that his name was Charles Stiege, and that his home was in Rochester. He claimed that his brother and another man had conspired to kill him, and that he went into the houses to get away from them. It was decided that he was suffering from delirium tremens, and he was taken to jail to await further developments.

Source: www.rootsweb.com/../miscnewspaperevents1888.htm

Enjoy, but remember to keep your mallet at your bedside - just in case!