31: Tillie Klimek Part III

Today we conclude our conversation about Tillie Klimek with an exploration of her trial and how 1920s newspapers colored the public (and history’s) view of her. We also take a quick sidebar into the background of Judge Marcus Kavanagh's thoughts about women and how this contributed to the verdict and sentencing. 

Sources

Martin, Alison. "This week in history: Chicago serial killer Tillie Klimek dies in prison." Chicago Sun-Times (IL), November 19, 2020. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb-newsbank-com.chipublib.idm.oclc.org/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=news/17EDE16BD1F83C28.

"From our archives – March 14, 1923." Mexia News, The (TX), March 14, 2017: 4. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb-newsbank-com.chipublib.idm.oclc.org/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=news/163244C312AE49A0.

Daily Times (Chicago, Illinois), November 23, 1931: 10. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb-newsbank-com.chipublib.idm.oclc.org/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A176820A8B9EC1C11%40EANX-NB-16C22ACF9EC2C604%402426669-16C172605C3A5DE6%409-16C172605C3A5DE6%40.

Daily Times (Chicago, Illinois), June 1, 1931: 3. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb-newsbank-com.chipublib.idm.oclc.org/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A176820A8B9EC1C11%40EANX-NB-16C3529F71BE60F1%402426494-16C2115FA42D89A6%402-16C2115FA42D89A6%40.

Daily Times (Chicago, Illinois), November 20, 1936: 82. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb-newsbank-com.chipublib.idm.oclc.org/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A176820A8B9EC1C11%40EANX-NB-16C3D040C58001FC%402428493-16C3CB8353C95CCE%4081.

Marcus Kavanagh One of Many Judges in Iroquois Theater Fire Trials. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/marcus-kavanagh-circuit-court-judge-iroquois-theater-fire.php. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kavanagh, Marcus. The Criminal and His Allies. Indianapolis, The Bobbs-Merrill company, 1928. Internet Archive, http://archive.org/details/criminalhisallie0000kava.

Forbes, Genevieve. 1923. "GUILTY" IS KLIMEK VERDICT: LIFE IN PRISON FOR WOMAN AS ARCH POISONER HEARS VERDICT WITH: "ISN'T IT WARM?" LIFE TERM FOR TILLIE KLIMEK; SHE'S UNMOVED PENALTY SETS RECORD HERE FOR WOMAN SLAYERS. Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963), Mar 14, 1923. https://chipublib.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/guilty-is-klimek-verdict/docview/180477844/se-2 (accessed September 1, 2025).

TILLIE KLIMEK IS STRONG WITNESS IN OWN DEFENSE. 1923. Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963), Mar 13, 1923. https://chipublib.idm.oclc

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