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Chicago Tribune October 14, 1930
"Sweetest Little Jazz Killer" to Hang By Mary Sunshine, columnist
For its first forty-seven years, the Cook County Jail went without hanging a woman. Any female assaulter or murderess to be sent there could consider herself lucky. Eventually, and usually before too much time had passed, the lady in question would be proved innocent and freed, hopefully to begin life anew, and to have a more joyful existance than before. The prison's charmed history was brought to a screeching halt a few years back. In February of that year, one Miss Katelyn Helinski, a young immigrant from Hungary, was hung for a crime it was later discovered she did not commit. "I had a feeling that gal was innocent," confides Mrs. Morton, the former Matron of Cook County's murderess row. "Poor dear just couldn't afford a lawyer, or say much in English to defend herself." Indeed, all that Miss Helinski seemed capable of saying when asked for a final statement was a defiant "Not guilty!" Mrs. Morton retired comfortably from her job soon after the horrific event, saying it left her "disgusted and appalled". Morton's last week, however, also saw another event that's likely to stay in our collective memory for a while: the much-fanfared and ballyhooed release of jazz slayers Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly. I'm sure we all remember the infamous duo's grand tour of the Orpheum circuit, and their subsequent breakup. That's the last we heard of those glam-girls-with-guns for a while. Then, just a handful of months ago, they were back in the headlines. Roxie and Velma, it was found, had taken for a lover the same man, and attractive and dark stallion by the name of Daniel Lissy. When he and Velma decided to share her bed, Roxie apparently wasn't too happy. Both Daniel and Velma were discovered stabbed to death in Roxie's tiny apartment, and the blood was fresh on the young woman's hands. Responses to this act varied between disgust and disbelief, but sympathy for Roxie, in general, has been scarce this time around. This reporter, for one, doesn't believe that the brutal murderess deserves anymore pity, and coming from me, such is a very unusual statement. She killed once before, and, taking pity on the innocent country bumpkin whom we all assumed her to be, we released her. She was given another chance. It seems that Miss Hart has taken this blessing for granted, and has chosen to return to her life of crime. Many others share my viewpoint, as was made clear when Roxie's final appeal occurred yesterday. The verdict? She will be hanged. In one week, this final action will take place in the Cook County Jail's courtyard. It is to be a public affair, and anyone who has grown to despise Chicago's one-time 'Sweetest Little Jazz Killer' may watch. A large crowd is expected, but as disgusted as she is with Hart's behavior, this reporter will not be able to bring herself to attend.
Miss Sunshine can be contacted at: (414)555-6309 during office hours.
Chicago Tribune October 14, 1930
"Sweetest Little Jazz Killer" to Hang By Mary Sunshine, columnist
For its first forty-seven years, the Cook County Jail went without hanging a woman. Any female assaulter or murderess to be sent there could consider herself lucky. Eventually, and usually before too much time had passed, the lady in question would be proved innocent and freed, hopefully to begin life anew, and to have a more joyful existance than before. The prison's charmed history was brought to a screeching halt a few years back. In February of that year, one Miss Katelyn Helinski, a young immigrant from Hungary, was hung for a crime it was later discovered she did not commit. "I had a feeling that gal was innocent," confides Mrs. Morton, the former Matron of Cook County's murderess row. "Poor dear just couldn't afford a lawyer, or say much in English to defend herself." Indeed, all that Miss Helinski seemed capable of saying when asked for a final statement was a defiant "Not guilty!" Mrs. Morton retired comfortably from her job soon after the horrific event, saying it left her "disgusted and appalled". Morton's last week, however, also saw another event that's likely to stay in our collective memory for a while: the much-fanfared and ballyhooed release of jazz slayers Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly. I'm sure we all remember the infamous duo's grand tour of the Orpheum circuit, and their subsequent breakup. That's the last we heard of those glam-girls-with-guns for a while. Then, just a handful of months ago, they were back in the headlines. Roxie and Velma, it was found, had taken for a lover the same man, and attractive and dark stallion by the name of Daniel Lissy. When he and Velma decided to share her bed, Roxie apparently wasn't too happy. Both Daniel and Velma were discovered stabbed to death in Roxie's tiny apartment, and the blood was fresh on the young woman's hands. Responses to this act varied between disgust and disbelief, but sympathy for Roxie, in general, has been scarce this time around. This reporter, for one, doesn't believe that the brutal murderess deserves anymore pity, and coming from me, such is a very unusual statement. She killed once before, and, taking pity on the innocent country bumpkin whom we all assumed her to be, we released her. She was given another chance. It seems that Miss Hart has taken this blessing for granted, and has chosen to return to her life of crime. Many others share my viewpoint, as was made clear when Roxie's final appeal occurred yesterday. The verdict? She will be hanged. In one week, this final action will take place in the Cook County Jail's courtyard. It is to be a public affair, and anyone who has grown to despise Chicago's one-time 'Sweetest Little Jazz Killer' may watch. A large crowd is expected, but as disgusted as she is with Hart's behavior, this reporter will not be able to bring herself to attend.
Miss Sunshine can be contacted at: (414)555-6309 during office hours.
