Louise Vermilya

American Serial Killer (1868–1913)

Louise Vermilya, born Louesa Woolf on July 1868 in Cook County, Illinois, was an American serial killer who gained notoriety as a "black widow." Her chilling saga unfolded around the turn of the 20th century, bringing to light a series of mysterious deaths that initially seemed to be mere coincidences within her immediate family. However, the true nature of her criminal activities only surfaced when she expanded her lethal grasp beyond her family, culminating in the murder of policeman Arthur Bissonette. This pivotal moment raised alarm bells among authorities who began to investigate the strange and similar fates suffered by her two husbands, several family members, and two associates.

Sketch of the accused killer by journalist Marguerite Martyn, November 1911

Quick Facts

• Born: Louesa Woolf, July 1868, Cook County, Illinois, U.S.
• Died: December 31, 1913 (aged 45), Illinois, U.S.
• Victims: 9
• Span of Crimes: 1893–1911
• Criminal Penalty: Charges dismissed
• Imprisoned: 1911–1913 while awaiting trial

Early Life

Louise Vermilya was born into a large family as the oldest daughter of five girls and the third oldest among eleven siblings. Her parents, Wilhemina (née Munaroe) and John Woolf, were Prussian immigrants who settled in Illinois. At only 16 years old, Louise married Fred Brinkamp, a 24-year-old man, on April 2, 1885. The couple soon moved to Barrington, a village in Lake County.

Early Murders

The death toll began with her first husband, Fred Brinkamp, whom she allegedly poisoned in 1893. Living on their farm near Barrington, his death was ruled a heart attack, and Louise collected $5,000 from his life insurance policy, as she was named the beneficiary. The circumstances of Brinkamp's death would raise eyebrows only after Louise’s subsequent actions.

Brinkamp left behind six children, two of whom would meet grim fates not long after. Cora, aged eight, and her younger sister Florence, who was just four and a half, both died under suspicious circumstances shortly after their father's demise.

Undertaker E.N. Blocks, who owned a mortuary in Barrington, later remarked on Louise's odd fascination with death. He noted, "While I never employed her for a couple of years, I couldn't keep her out of the office." He also mentioned that she seemed to have an uncanny ability to appear at the scene of every death almost immediately after hearing about it.

Subsequent Murders

In 1906, Vermilya moved to Chicago, bringing her minor children with her. It was here that she claimed her next victim—her stepdaughter, Lillian Brinkamp, aged 26. The coroner labeled Lillian’s cause of death as "acute nephritis." The number of deaths within the Brinkamp family began to raise suspicions, leading some to believe they were cursed.

Vermilya remarried a 59-year-old man named Charles Vermilya, who died three years later from what seemed to be sudden illness. She inherited $1,000 in cash and a house in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Shortly after, her stepson Harry Vermilya died following a quarrel with Louise over selling the Crystal Lake estate. Again, no suspicion arose, and the deaths were dismissed as coincidences.

In 1910, Vermilya inherited an additional $1,200 after her 23-year-old son, Frank Brinkamp, passed away. Notably, on his deathbed, Frank expressed doubts about his stepmother, telling his fiancée, Elizabeth Nolan, that he feared he was "going the way his father did."

What makes this case even more intriguing is that around this time, Vermilya began to poison acquaintances. Jason Rupert, a railroad fireman, fell ill after dining with her on January 15, 1910, and died two days later. This marked the beginning of a disturbing pattern of boarders in her home meeting untimely deaths.

In February 1910, she married Richard Smith, a train conductor and boarder at her residence. Just two days after enjoying a meal prepared by Louise, he too succumbed to death, with an autopsy revealing gastritis as the cause. Interestingly, Smith was still legally married at the time. His estranged wife suspected foul play, proposing three possible motives: Louise’s love for Smith, a financial motive, or jealousy from C.C. Boysen, an undertaker believed to be infatuated with her.

The Undoing

It was a dinner with Arthur Bissonette in October 1911 that led to Vermilya’s downfall. Both Bissonette and his father began experiencing severe abdominal pain during the meal. A tip-off from Bissonette's father led homicide detectives to investigate. He mentioned seeing Vermilya sprinkle "white pepper" over their food, which raised red flags. An autopsy was conducted on Bissonette, revealing arsenic poisoning.

Coincidentally, Bissonette had recently been accepted into the Home Guard with Vermilya's help, and he had made a will naming his fiancée, Lydia Rivard, as the beneficiary of his estate, despite Louise's presence as a witness. She later claimed ignorance of the will, which deepened suspicions against her.

Suicide Attempts and Trial

On November 4, 1911, Vermilya was hospitalized after allegedly ingesting "white pepper." By November 9, her condition worsened due to existing heart problems, and she was released from the county hospital on November 24.

Despite her health deteriorating, she was required to attend court proceedings, often in a wheelchair. On November 6, 1911, she was arraigned for the murder of Arthur Bissonette. However, on March 7, 1912, the case was dismissed when it was revealed that Bissonette had been taking medication containing arsenic, complicating the prosecution's case.

The legal process became convoluted, with the prosecutor's reluctance to try her for multiple murders. He decided to focus on the case against Richard Smith, which was seen as the strongest. An autopsy revealed arsenic in Smith's liver, confirming foul play. Vermilya was rearrested and charged again.

The trial commenced on March 21, 1912, lasting 16 days, but ended in a hung jury. Complicating matters further, juror selection proved challenging; many men were biased due to sensational newspaper coverage. By October 12, 1912, Vermilya remained in custody, and her continued trial was delayed.

On June 28, 1913, she was released on a $5,000 bail due to her declining health and the oppressive summer heat in the non-air-conditioned jail, pending her trial for Smith’s poisoning.

Dismissal of Charges

On April 18, 1915, a conference between the Assistant State’s Attorney and the State Attorney resulted in the conclusion that obtaining a conviction on the Smith indictment would be impossible. The Assistant State’s Attorney noted that a subsequent trial would incur significant costs without strong evidence. Consequently, all charges against Vermilya were dropped.

After this, Louise Vermilya’s life became quiet, with no further records or documentation appearing in local papers. It is estimated that throughout her criminal enterprise, she amassed a staggering total of $15,000 from the nine deaths.

See Also

• List of serial killers in the United States

Sources

• United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900.
• Tenth Census of the United States, 1880.
• "Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871–1920." Index. FamilySearch.
• "Woman Suspected of Poisoning Nine" (PDF). The New York Times. November 1, 1911.
• "5 Nov 1911, Page 3 - Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com."
• "The day book. [ volume ] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, November 25, 1912."
• "The day book. [ volume ] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, December 31, 1913."
• "7 Mar 1912, Page 3 - Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com."
• "18 Apr 1915, Page 12 - Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com."
• "7 Apr 1912, Page 1 - Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com."
• "The day book. [ volume ] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, June 27, 1912."
• "22 Mar 1912, Page 6 - Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com."
• "12 Oct 1912, Page 3 - Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com."
• "28 Jun 1912, Page 11 - Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com."

For a deeper dive into this captivating case, check out the Wikipedia article on Louise Vermilya.