Are these firsts we should be proud of?
By ElicBxn
@ElicBxn (63235)
United States
March 26, 2013 7:27pm CST
Before Jack the Ripper there was the Servant Girl Annihilator.
Before there was the Beltway Sniper there was Charles Whitman.
There are many things about Austin to be proud of.
It is calls itself the "Live Music Capital of the World" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Austin
Its the home of Dell Computers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_Computers (okay, Round Rock, but that's about the same thing.)
Its called Silicon Hills in recognition of its heavy and very active high tech community.
It has 4 Universities, University of Texas, St. Edwards University, Huston-Tillotson University and Concordia University, along with lots of more "specialized" universities and the community college.
But did you know that the first serial killer that didn't actually lure people to themselves, but went looking for them happened in Austin? Some even speculate that the same person might've picked up their murder spree in London 3 years later!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servant_Girl_Annihilator
And the first "peace time" sniper (meaning that it wasn't in a theater of war) happened in Austin as well! And he was only recently surpassed in victim.
Now, I obviously wasn't around for the first one, but I WELL remember the second.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Whitman
So, I just wanted to share some of Austin's less... happy... history with my friends around the world.
2 people like this
7 responses
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
27 Mar 13
Was the Bionic Man from there as well?
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (58444)
• Philippines
9 Aug 16
Those are definite first that you don't want to be associated to Austin. First time, I've heard of the Servant Girl Annihilator. Sounds wicked!
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
9 Aug 16
O Henry coined the term. He was living in Austin at the time of the murders. I'm including a link so you know who he is. There actually shouldn't be a "." after the "O" but its sometimes included.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Not to be confused with Oh Henry!. O. Henry Portrait of O. Henry, by W. M. Vanderweyde, 1909 Born William Sidney Porter (1862-09-11)September 11, 1862 Greensboro, North Carolina Died June 5,
@stealthy (8181)
• United States
7 Apr 13
I grew up in Denton, TX and while I can't think of much in the way of crime like you are talking about while I was growing up, there is some history of it in the area. Bonnie and Clyde robbed banks in the area and my dad once repossessed a car from Clyde's uncle. Earlier than that there was a famous old west style robber gang in the area and my grandmother had a china cabinet that a maid gave her that supposedly her husband had gotten in a raid made by the gang.
If I remember right, Whitman was the sniper who shot people from the UT campus clock tower. My sister was there then and she walked across the open area where he shot the first victim just minutes before he did it and even heard the first shot when she was getting in her car but didn't realize what it was at the time.
The city that I now live in has a high crime rate, higher than Austin, with many frequent murders.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Mar 13
i would have to do a search to look up whats first in AZ here, maybe the grandest canyon?
and it may not be first but maricopa county right now here has a very famous murder case. Jodi arias sliced and diced her bf Travis alexander.
scarey to think we lived in an area with someone that cold of a killer. anyway, my home state Ohio had a lot of great famous movie stars and singers. I think rock and roll was started in cleveland.
and it may not be first but maricopa county right now here has a very famous murder case. Jodi arias sliced and diced her bf Travis alexander. scarey to think we lived in an area with someone that cold of a killer. anyway, my home state Ohio had a lot of great famous movie stars and singers. I think rock and roll was started in cleveland. @ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
27 Mar 13
I know Roy Rogers was born in Cincinnati. I always liked him.
I know we drove through Ohio when I was a kid, but I don't remember much about it, I never was much of a passenger, too prone to motion sickness.
Now, Arizona on the other hand. I remember going there in either 1963 or 64. That's when we saw the Grand Canyon. Then Mom and I went to Canyon de Chelly and I looked down the 300 foot cliff. After that we stayed a couple of nights in Arizona on our way to Las Vegas. We stopped at the Casa Grande Ruins and then the ruins in Phoenix before we met up with cousins in Phoenix.
My mother used to have a cousin, or was it aunt, who delivered mail to Zane Grey.
@WildHorses (718)
• United States
27 Mar 13
Yes, every state has it's bad history and California is not exempt. The Wild West here had a lot of rampant activity.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
27 Mar 13
As I said, I knew about Charles Whitman, I maybe have discussed him before. But it took listening to the radio and hearing an interview with Steven Saylor that I first heard about the the Servant Girl Annihilator(s).
http://www.amazon.com/A-Twist-at-The-End/dp/0312980663
I got the book and read it, well worth it I might add.
