Lizzie Halliday
Irish-American Serial Killer
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
New York, United States
TIME PERIOD
1891-1906
VICTIMS
4 confirmed
Lizzie Halliday, an Irish-American serial killer, was responsible for the deaths of at least four individuals in upstate New York during the 1890s. Her criminal activities spanned from 1891 to 1906, with significant incidents occurring in 1894 when she became the first woman sentenced to death by electric chair, although her sentence was later commuted. Halliday was apprehended in 1888 and was linked to the suspicious deaths of her husbands and a nurse while institutionalized at Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, where she spent the remainder of her life until her death on June 28, 1918. Key evidence against her included the suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths of her spouses and the arson of her properties for insurance money, leading to her conviction and subsequent institutionalization.
Lizzie Halliday is believed to have killed her first two husbands, as well as four other victims, suggesting a pattern of violence throughout her life. Some speculate that her actions may have been influenced by mental illness, which led to her institutionalization after her death sentence was commuted. Additionally, there is a theory that she may have killed a nurse while in the mental institution, further indicating a continued propensity for violence.
The Enigmatic Crimes of Lizzie Halliday: America's First Female Serial Killer
In the late 19th century, the rural landscapes of upstate New York were shaken by the chilling acts of Lizzie Halliday, an Irish-American woman whose malevolent deeds earned her a grim place in history. Born as Eliza Margaret McNally around 1859 in County Antrim, Ireland, Lizzie's life unfolded into a macabre tale that left an indelible mark on true crime chronicles.
A Troubled Beginning
Lizzie's early life was marked by frequent relocations. Her family moved to the United States when she was a young child, with sources differing on whether she was three or eight at the time. [2][3] The first of her many marriages began in 1879 in Greenwich, New York, when she wed a man known as Charles Hopkins, whose real name was Ketspool Brown. [3] Together, they had a son who would later be institutionalized. [3] Lizzie’s husbands seemed to meet untimely ends, with Hopkins dying in 1881, shortly after their marriage.
She then married Artemus Brewer, a pensioner, in that same year. Brewer died within a year, and her subsequent marriage to Hiram Parkinson ended abruptly when he left within the first year. Lizzie's pattern of rapid marriages continued with George Smith, a war veteran who had served with Brewer. Following a failed attempt to poison Smith with arsenic, she fled to Bellows Falls, Vermont, where she married Charles Playstel, only to vanish two weeks later. [3]
A Path of Destruction
In 1888, Lizzie resurfaced in Philadelphia, working at a saloon owned by the McQuillans, acquaintances from Ireland. Assuming the alias "Maggie Hopkins," [4] she established a shop, which she later burned down for insurance money, earning her a two-year sentence at Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary.
In 1889, under the name "Lizzie Brown," she became the housekeeper for Paul Halliday, a 70-year-old farmer in Burlingham, New York. [2] They married, but their union was tumultuous, characterized by Lizzie's erratic "spells of insanity." Within two years, the Halliday family home and barn burned down, with suspicions pointing to Lizzie. She was even accused of stealing horses and selling them in Newburgh, New York. Remarkably, she was acquitted of these crimes on the grounds of insanity, though accounts differ on whether this occurred in 1890 or 1893.
A Series of Murders
The most notorious phase of Lizzie Halliday's life began in earnest in May 1891 when the Halliday home was consumed by flames, resulting in the death of Paul Halliday's intellectually disabled son, John. Lizzie was suspected of arson, given her animosity towards John, but she maintained he died trying to save her. The discovery of John's locked bedroom door in the rubble and Lizzie's possession of the key deepened suspicions. [5]
Later, she burned down the family barn and mill, attempting to flee with another man before her arrest and subsequent institutionalization. She was released, only to return home to Paul Halliday, who vanished in August of the same year. Lizzie claimed he had gone to a nearby town for masonry work, but neighbors were dubious, prompting a search warrant. On September 4, the bodies of Margaret and Sarah McQuillan, relatives of the McQuillans from Philadelphia, were found shot and buried in hay on the Halliday property. Lizzie's erratic behavior during questioning, including tearing her clothes and speaking incoherently, led to further speculation about her sanity.
A few days later, Paul Halliday's mutilated body was discovered under the house floorboards, also shot. Lizzie was charged with their murders and held for trial in Sullivan County Jail in Monticello, New York. Her time in jail was marked by violent outbursts, including attacking the sheriff’s wife, setting her bed on fire, and attempting suicide multiple times. Ultimately, she was chained to the floor for the remainder of her incarceration there.
The Media Frenzy
Lizzie Halliday's case captivated the nation, with tabloid stories sensationalizing her crimes. The New York World described her case as "unprecedented and almost without parallel in the annals of crime." [3] Investigative journalist Nellie Bly secured an interview with Lizzie, uncovering the truth about her numerous marriages and confirming details through independent research. Robert Halliday, Paul's son, provided additional insights to reporters.
Speculation grew as the Sullivan County Sheriff suggested a possible connection between Lizzie and the infamous Jack the Ripper, though no evidence ever supported this claim. The New York Times pondered the possibility of Lizzie being responsible for at least six deaths, given the mysterious deaths of two husbands and her attempt to poison a third. [3] Lizzie even confided to Robert Halliday about a murder she allegedly committed in Belfast, though the veracity of this claim remains unverified. [7]
The Trial and Aftermath
On June 21, 1894, Lizzie Halliday was convicted of murdering Margaret and Sarah McQuillan. She became the first woman sentenced to death by electrocution in New York State. However, Governor Roswell P. Flower commuted her sentence to life in a mental institution after a medical panel declared her insane. [7][8][9][10]
Lizzie spent the rest of her life at Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. There, she became a model patient, entrusted with sewing privileges. Her relationship with Nellie Wicks, an attendant, turned tragic when Lizzie, upset over Wicks's plans to leave, murdered her by stabbing her 200 times with scissors in 1906. [12]
Lizzie's life ended on June 28, 1918, when she succumbed to Bright's disease after nearly 30 years in the asylum. [13][14][15][16][17] Her life and crimes remain a chilling reminder of the darkness that can lurk behind a seemingly ordinary facade.
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First Murder
Lizzie Halliday's house burns down, killing her son John.
Paul Halliday Disappears
Lizzie claims her husband Paul has gone to work, but suspicions arise.
Bodies Found
Two bodies of women are discovered buried in a barn, linked to Lizzie.
Paul Halliday's Body Found
The mutilated body of Paul Halliday is discovered under the floorboards.
Conviction
Lizzie Halliday is convicted of murdering Margaret and Sarah McQuillan.
Death Sentence
Halliday becomes the first woman sentenced to death by electric chair.
Sentence Commuted
Governor commutes Halliday's death sentence to life in a mental institution.
Nurse Murdered
Halliday kills nurse Nellie Wicks in the asylum, stabbing her 200 times.
Death
Lizzie Halliday dies in the asylum from Bright's disease.
Lizzie Halliday, an Irish-American serial killer, was responsible for the deaths of at least four individuals in upstate New York during the 1890s. Her criminal activities spanned from 1891 to 1906, with significant incidents occurring in 1894 when she became the first woman sentenced to death by electric chair, although her sentence was later commuted. Halliday was apprehended in 1888 and was linked to the suspicious deaths of her husbands and a nurse while institutionalized at Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, where she spent the remainder of her life until her death on June 28, 1918. Key evidence against her included the suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths of her spouses and the arson of her properties for insurance money, leading to her conviction and subsequent institutionalization.
Lizzie Halliday is believed to have killed her first two husbands, as well as four other victims, suggesting a pattern of violence throughout her life. Some speculate that her actions may have been influenced by mental illness, which led to her institutionalization after her death sentence was commuted. Additionally, there is a theory that she may have killed a nurse while in the mental institution, further indicating a continued propensity for violence.
The Enigmatic Crimes of Lizzie Halliday: America's First Female Serial Killer
In the late 19th century, the rural landscapes of upstate New York were shaken by the chilling acts of Lizzie Halliday, an Irish-American woman whose malevolent deeds earned her a grim place in history. Born as Eliza Margaret McNally around 1859 in County Antrim, Ireland, Lizzie's life unfolded into a macabre tale that left an indelible mark on true crime chronicles.
A Troubled Beginning
Lizzie's early life was marked by frequent relocations. Her family moved to the United States when she was a young child, with sources differing on whether she was three or eight at the time. [2][3] The first of her many marriages began in 1879 in Greenwich, New York, when she wed a man known as Charles Hopkins, whose real name was Ketspool Brown. [3] Together, they had a son who would later be institutionalized. [3] Lizzie’s husbands seemed to meet untimely ends, with Hopkins dying in 1881, shortly after their marriage.
She then married Artemus Brewer, a pensioner, in that same year. Brewer died within a year, and her subsequent marriage to Hiram Parkinson ended abruptly when he left within the first year. Lizzie's pattern of rapid marriages continued with George Smith, a war veteran who had served with Brewer. Following a failed attempt to poison Smith with arsenic, she fled to Bellows Falls, Vermont, where she married Charles Playstel, only to vanish two weeks later. [3]
A Path of Destruction
In 1888, Lizzie resurfaced in Philadelphia, working at a saloon owned by the McQuillans, acquaintances from Ireland. Assuming the alias "Maggie Hopkins," [4] she established a shop, which she later burned down for insurance money, earning her a two-year sentence at Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary.
In 1889, under the name "Lizzie Brown," she became the housekeeper for Paul Halliday, a 70-year-old farmer in Burlingham, New York. [2] They married, but their union was tumultuous, characterized by Lizzie's erratic "spells of insanity." Within two years, the Halliday family home and barn burned down, with suspicions pointing to Lizzie. She was even accused of stealing horses and selling them in Newburgh, New York. Remarkably, she was acquitted of these crimes on the grounds of insanity, though accounts differ on whether this occurred in 1890 or 1893.
A Series of Murders
The most notorious phase of Lizzie Halliday's life began in earnest in May 1891 when the Halliday home was consumed by flames, resulting in the death of Paul Halliday's intellectually disabled son, John. Lizzie was suspected of arson, given her animosity towards John, but she maintained he died trying to save her. The discovery of John's locked bedroom door in the rubble and Lizzie's possession of the key deepened suspicions. [5]
Later, she burned down the family barn and mill, attempting to flee with another man before her arrest and subsequent institutionalization. She was released, only to return home to Paul Halliday, who vanished in August of the same year. Lizzie claimed he had gone to a nearby town for masonry work, but neighbors were dubious, prompting a search warrant. On September 4, the bodies of Margaret and Sarah McQuillan, relatives of the McQuillans from Philadelphia, were found shot and buried in hay on the Halliday property. Lizzie's erratic behavior during questioning, including tearing her clothes and speaking incoherently, led to further speculation about her sanity.
A few days later, Paul Halliday's mutilated body was discovered under the house floorboards, also shot. Lizzie was charged with their murders and held for trial in Sullivan County Jail in Monticello, New York. Her time in jail was marked by violent outbursts, including attacking the sheriff’s wife, setting her bed on fire, and attempting suicide multiple times. Ultimately, she was chained to the floor for the remainder of her incarceration there.
The Media Frenzy
Lizzie Halliday's case captivated the nation, with tabloid stories sensationalizing her crimes. The New York World described her case as "unprecedented and almost without parallel in the annals of crime." [3] Investigative journalist Nellie Bly secured an interview with Lizzie, uncovering the truth about her numerous marriages and confirming details through independent research. Robert Halliday, Paul's son, provided additional insights to reporters.
Speculation grew as the Sullivan County Sheriff suggested a possible connection between Lizzie and the infamous Jack the Ripper, though no evidence ever supported this claim. The New York Times pondered the possibility of Lizzie being responsible for at least six deaths, given the mysterious deaths of two husbands and her attempt to poison a third. [3] Lizzie even confided to Robert Halliday about a murder she allegedly committed in Belfast, though the veracity of this claim remains unverified. [7]
The Trial and Aftermath
On June 21, 1894, Lizzie Halliday was convicted of murdering Margaret and Sarah McQuillan. She became the first woman sentenced to death by electrocution in New York State. However, Governor Roswell P. Flower commuted her sentence to life in a mental institution after a medical panel declared her insane. [7][8][9][10]
Lizzie spent the rest of her life at Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. There, she became a model patient, entrusted with sewing privileges. Her relationship with Nellie Wicks, an attendant, turned tragic when Lizzie, upset over Wicks's plans to leave, murdered her by stabbing her 200 times with scissors in 1906. [12]
Lizzie's life ended on June 28, 1918, when she succumbed to Bright's disease after nearly 30 years in the asylum. [13][14][15][16][17] Her life and crimes remain a chilling reminder of the darkness that can lurk behind a seemingly ordinary facade.
Sources
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
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First Murder
Lizzie Halliday's house burns down, killing her son John.
Paul Halliday Disappears
Lizzie claims her husband Paul has gone to work, but suspicions arise.
Bodies Found
Two bodies of women are discovered buried in a barn, linked to Lizzie.
Paul Halliday's Body Found
The mutilated body of Paul Halliday is discovered under the floorboards.
Conviction
Lizzie Halliday is convicted of murdering Margaret and Sarah McQuillan.
Death Sentence
Halliday becomes the first woman sentenced to death by electric chair.
Sentence Commuted
Governor commutes Halliday's death sentence to life in a mental institution.
Nurse Murdered
Halliday kills nurse Nellie Wicks in the asylum, stabbing her 200 times.
Death
Lizzie Halliday dies in the asylum from Bright's disease.