Harry Powers
Serial Killer Luring Victims
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Moundsville, West Virginia
TIME PERIOD
June – July 1931
VICTIMS
5 confirmed
In June and July of 1931, Harry F. Powers, a Dutch-born American serial killer, lured multiple victims through "lonely hearts" advertisements, ultimately murdering them for their money. The crimes primarily took place in Quiet Dell, West Virginia, where Powers constructed a garage that served as the site of the murders. Powers was arrested in 1931 after police investigations linked him to the disappearances of several women, including Asta Eicher, a widowed mother of three. He was convicted of first-degree murder and executed by hanging on March 18, 1932, at the West Virginia State Penitentiary. Significant evidence included fingerprints and photographs that connected him to prior criminal activities, as well as the discovery of remains in his garage, solidifying his status as a notorious serial killer.
Harry Powers is believed to have lured his victims through lonely hearts advertisements, with the intention of murdering them for their money. There is speculation that he may have had more victims beyond the confirmed five, as some believe his criminal activities could have spanned multiple states. His case has inspired various works of fiction, suggesting a lasting fascination with his crimes and the persona he created to deceive his victims.
The Sinister Tale of Harry Powers
The Lonely Hearts Murderer
In the shadowy corridors of early 20th-century America, the story of Harry Powers unfolds—a chilling saga of deceit, murder, and the pursuit of justice. Born Harm Drenth in Beerta, Groningen, Netherlands, on November 17, 1892, Powers would become infamous as a serial killer who preyed on the vulnerable through lonely hearts advertisements. His life, marked by manipulation and malice, ended at the gallows of the West Virginia State Penitentiary on March 18, 1932.
The Deceptive Path to America
Harm Drenth immigrated to the United States in 1910, initially settling in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. By 1926, he had made his way to West Virginia, where he would later meet Luella Strother, a farm and grocery store owner. Their union in 1927 was a product of the same lonely hearts advertisements that Powers used to lure his victims. Despite his marriage, Powers continued to solicit women, receiving a flood of responses—10 to 20 letters daily—each one a potential prey.
In Quiet Dell, West Virginia, Powers constructed a garage and basement at his home, a seemingly mundane project that would later reveal itself as the gruesome scene of his crimes.
The Grim Murders
Assuming the alias "Cornelius Orvin Pierson," Powers began a correspondence with Asta Eicher, a widowed mother of three from Park Ridge, Illinois. On June 23, 1931, he visited Eicher and her children—Greta, Harry, and Annabel. Under the guise of romance, Powers and Eicher disappeared together, leaving Elizabeth Abernathy to care for the children. A forged letter soon instructed that "Pierson" would return for the children, which he did, under the pretense of a European trip. Powers directed one of the children to withdraw money from Eicher's account, but the forged signature thwarted his plan.
Meanwhile, Powers ensnared Dorothy Pressler Lemke, a lonely woman from Northborough, Massachusetts. Convincing her to withdraw $4,000, Powers sent her belongings to his West Virginia address rather than their supposed new home in Iowa. With Eicher, her children, and Lemke all vanished without a trace, the stage was set for a police investigation.
Unraveling the Mystery
By August 1931, authorities were probing the mysterious disappearances. "Pierson," caught emptying Eicher's house, led them to Quiet Dell, where Powers lived with his unsuspecting wife. A search of the property unveiled a horrific scene beneath the garage—bloody clothing, hair, a child's bloody footprint, and a burned bankbook.
The townspeople, drawn by morbid curiosity, witnessed the excavation of a freshly filled ditch, revealing the bodies of Asta Eicher, her children, and Dorothy Lemke. Autopsies confirmed the brutal nature of their deaths: the Eichers were strangled, young Harry bludgeoned with a hammer, and Lemke found with a belt around her neck.
Trial and Execution
Following his arrest, Powers bore the marks of a violent interrogation—his bruised face a testament to the intensity of his questioning. On September 20, 1931, a lynch mob attempted to exact vigilante justice, but fire hoses and tear gas dispersed the crowd, prompting Powers' transfer to the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville.
His trial, held in a local opera house to accommodate the throng of onlookers, unfolded over five days. Witnesses recounted evidence of his guilt, while Powers himself took the stand. On December 12, 1931, the jury delivered its verdict—death by hanging.
On March 18, 1932, Harry Powers met his end on the scaffold, maintaining a silent defiance to the very last moment.
Cultural Legacy
The macabre tale of Harry Powers inspired Davis Grubb's novel "The Night of the Hunter," which was adapted into a film in 1955, with Robert Mitchum portraying the character inspired by Powers. The case continued to captivate authors and audiences, with Jayne Anne Phillips revisiting it in her 2013 novel "Quiet Dell," and Sergio Aquindo's 2012 graphic novel "Harry & the Helpless Children" exploring the media frenzy surrounding the crimes.
Sources
For further reading and sources, please refer to the Wikipedia article on Harry Powers: Harry Powers on Wikipedia
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First Victim Abduction
Harry Powers lures Asta Eicher and her children, abducting them from Park Ridge, Illinois.
Investigation Begins
Police start investigating the disappearances of Asta Eicher and her children after concerns arise.
Powers Arrested
Harry Powers is arrested after police find evidence linking him to the disappearances in Quiet Dell.
Bodies Discovered
The bodies of Asta Eicher, her children, and Dorothy Lemke are uncovered on Powers' property.
Lynch Mob Incident
A lynch mob attempts to take Powers from jail but is dispersed with tear gas.
Sentenced to Death
Harry Powers is sentenced to death after a five-day trial held in a local opera house.
Execution
Harry Powers is executed by hanging at the West Virginia State Penitentiary.
In June and July of 1931, Harry F. Powers, a Dutch-born American serial killer, lured multiple victims through "lonely hearts" advertisements, ultimately murdering them for their money. The crimes primarily took place in Quiet Dell, West Virginia, where Powers constructed a garage that served as the site of the murders. Powers was arrested in 1931 after police investigations linked him to the disappearances of several women, including Asta Eicher, a widowed mother of three. He was convicted of first-degree murder and executed by hanging on March 18, 1932, at the West Virginia State Penitentiary. Significant evidence included fingerprints and photographs that connected him to prior criminal activities, as well as the discovery of remains in his garage, solidifying his status as a notorious serial killer.
Harry Powers is believed to have lured his victims through lonely hearts advertisements, with the intention of murdering them for their money. There is speculation that he may have had more victims beyond the confirmed five, as some believe his criminal activities could have spanned multiple states. His case has inspired various works of fiction, suggesting a lasting fascination with his crimes and the persona he created to deceive his victims.
The Sinister Tale of Harry Powers
The Lonely Hearts Murderer
In the shadowy corridors of early 20th-century America, the story of Harry Powers unfolds—a chilling saga of deceit, murder, and the pursuit of justice. Born Harm Drenth in Beerta, Groningen, Netherlands, on November 17, 1892, Powers would become infamous as a serial killer who preyed on the vulnerable through lonely hearts advertisements. His life, marked by manipulation and malice, ended at the gallows of the West Virginia State Penitentiary on March 18, 1932.
The Deceptive Path to America
Harm Drenth immigrated to the United States in 1910, initially settling in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. By 1926, he had made his way to West Virginia, where he would later meet Luella Strother, a farm and grocery store owner. Their union in 1927 was a product of the same lonely hearts advertisements that Powers used to lure his victims. Despite his marriage, Powers continued to solicit women, receiving a flood of responses—10 to 20 letters daily—each one a potential prey.
In Quiet Dell, West Virginia, Powers constructed a garage and basement at his home, a seemingly mundane project that would later reveal itself as the gruesome scene of his crimes.
The Grim Murders
Assuming the alias "Cornelius Orvin Pierson," Powers began a correspondence with Asta Eicher, a widowed mother of three from Park Ridge, Illinois. On June 23, 1931, he visited Eicher and her children—Greta, Harry, and Annabel. Under the guise of romance, Powers and Eicher disappeared together, leaving Elizabeth Abernathy to care for the children. A forged letter soon instructed that "Pierson" would return for the children, which he did, under the pretense of a European trip. Powers directed one of the children to withdraw money from Eicher's account, but the forged signature thwarted his plan.
Meanwhile, Powers ensnared Dorothy Pressler Lemke, a lonely woman from Northborough, Massachusetts. Convincing her to withdraw $4,000, Powers sent her belongings to his West Virginia address rather than their supposed new home in Iowa. With Eicher, her children, and Lemke all vanished without a trace, the stage was set for a police investigation.
Unraveling the Mystery
By August 1931, authorities were probing the mysterious disappearances. "Pierson," caught emptying Eicher's house, led them to Quiet Dell, where Powers lived with his unsuspecting wife. A search of the property unveiled a horrific scene beneath the garage—bloody clothing, hair, a child's bloody footprint, and a burned bankbook.
The townspeople, drawn by morbid curiosity, witnessed the excavation of a freshly filled ditch, revealing the bodies of Asta Eicher, her children, and Dorothy Lemke. Autopsies confirmed the brutal nature of their deaths: the Eichers were strangled, young Harry bludgeoned with a hammer, and Lemke found with a belt around her neck.
Trial and Execution
Following his arrest, Powers bore the marks of a violent interrogation—his bruised face a testament to the intensity of his questioning. On September 20, 1931, a lynch mob attempted to exact vigilante justice, but fire hoses and tear gas dispersed the crowd, prompting Powers' transfer to the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville.
His trial, held in a local opera house to accommodate the throng of onlookers, unfolded over five days. Witnesses recounted evidence of his guilt, while Powers himself took the stand. On December 12, 1931, the jury delivered its verdict—death by hanging.
On March 18, 1932, Harry Powers met his end on the scaffold, maintaining a silent defiance to the very last moment.
Cultural Legacy
The macabre tale of Harry Powers inspired Davis Grubb's novel "The Night of the Hunter," which was adapted into a film in 1955, with Robert Mitchum portraying the character inspired by Powers. The case continued to captivate authors and audiences, with Jayne Anne Phillips revisiting it in her 2013 novel "Quiet Dell," and Sergio Aquindo's 2012 graphic novel "Harry & the Helpless Children" exploring the media frenzy surrounding the crimes.
Sources
For further reading and sources, please refer to the Wikipedia article on Harry Powers: Harry Powers on Wikipedia
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
First Victim Abduction
Harry Powers lures Asta Eicher and her children, abducting them from Park Ridge, Illinois.
Investigation Begins
Police start investigating the disappearances of Asta Eicher and her children after concerns arise.
Powers Arrested
Harry Powers is arrested after police find evidence linking him to the disappearances in Quiet Dell.
Bodies Discovered
The bodies of Asta Eicher, her children, and Dorothy Lemke are uncovered on Powers' property.
Lynch Mob Incident
A lynch mob attempts to take Powers from jail but is dispersed with tear gas.
Sentenced to Death
Harry Powers is sentenced to death after a five-day trial held in a local opera house.
Execution
Harry Powers is executed by hanging at the West Virginia State Penitentiary.