Part 1 The Victim, The Investigation
Part 1 The Victim, The Investigation
The Victim
Pretty, buxom Margaret "Marie" Lavor usually plied her ancient trade at the corner
of Sixth Avenue and C Street in old-time Anchorage. On the night of Aug. 25, 1919,
she dressed for an appointment, adorning herself with a valuable necklace and other
gold and diamond jewelry that she commonly wore.
Marie had cashed $600 worth of checks. Later, only $25 would be found in the cash
register, so it was presumed that she had the money on her. She asked a "frequenter
of her place" to sell cigars and soft drinks in her absence, and left.
When Marie had not returned by 8 the next morning, her friends were concerned and
the authorities were notified.
The Investigation
During the ensuing investigation, two deputies questioned Marie's associates and identified
the man last seen with her. They went to great lengths to search every empty cabin
for a clue which might lead them to find the woman. In fact, as reported in the Anchorage
Daily Times, they had even "taken the measurements of the footprints and for the first
time in Anchorage have taken finger impressions."
The deputies had suspected that the woman had been murdered for her money and valuables,
but could not find a body.
The marshal hired a searcher and his dog to track down clues. A few days later, the
dog scented blood on the ground at the southeast corner of William Dempsey's cabin
on B Street. Following the trail to Dempsey's outhouse, the found a blood-soaked shirt,
vest and trousers.
With the help from the same dog, Lavor's body was found on Sept. 4—at the bottom of
a well on abandoned property.
The cribbed well measured about 2.5 feet at the top but enlarged as it went downward.
A false bottom made of heavy boards was built about 3 feet from the real bottom of
the well. Beneath that floor was the body of Marie Lavor.
With assistance of volunteers, the body was removed—no small task since she weighed
about 210 pounds. The cause of death was obvious. The lower left side of the woman's
head had been crushed by a blow from a blunt instrument. There were no other marks
of violence on her body other than those caused by the fall when she was thrown down
the well.
The unfortunate victim was dressed in her street clothes. She was wearing a gold bracelet
and ring, diamond breast pin, and gold nugget chain and earrings, but no money was
found on her body.
Evidence suggested that the crime had been premeditated, for the top curbing of the
well had been removed so the opening would be large enough to admit a body the size
of Lavor's.