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Wineville Chicken Coop murders

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Beaconboy (talk | contribs) at 04:27, 5 May 2015 (→Judicial case: Removal of what was reported in 2011 by New York Daily News, as this was originally reported as a part of the court case in 1929.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

1928 Northcott Farm Site

The Wineville Chicken Coop Murders[1]—also known as the Wineville Chicken Murders[2]—was a series of abductions and murders of young boys that occurred in Los Angeles and Riverside County, California, between 1926 and 1928. The case received national attention.[2] The 2008 film Changeling is based in part upon events related to this case.[3]

Murders

In 1926, 19-year-old Saskatchewan-born ranch owner Gordon Stewart Northcott took his 13-year-old nephew, Sanford Clark (with the permission of Sanford's parents), from his home in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Once in California, Northcott beat and sexually abused his nephew.

In August 1928, Sanford's older sister, 19-year-old Jessie Clark, visited Sanford, now 15, in Wineville due to concern for his welfare. Once in Wineville, Sanford told her that he feared for his own life and one night while Gordon Northcott slept, Jessie learned from Sanford about the horrors and murders that had taken place at Wineville. Jessie returned to Canada in the next week or so.

Once in Canada, she informed the American Consul in Canada about the horrors in Wineville. The American consul then wrote a letter to the Los Angeles Police Department, detailing Jessie Clark's sworn complaint. As initially there was some concern over an immigration issue, the Los Angeles Police Department contacted the United States Immigration Service to determine the extent of the complaint from Jessie. On August 31 1928, the United States Immigration Service (inspectors Judson F. Shaw and Scallorn) visited the Northcott Ranch in Wineville. The Immigration Service found 15-year-old Sanford Clark at the ranch and took him into custody. Gordon Northcott had seen the agents driving up the long road to his ranch. Prior to Northcott fleeing into the treeline, he told Clark to stall the agents, or he would shoot him from the treeline with a rifle. In the two hours that Clark stalled for Northcott, Northcott had kept running. Finally, when Clark felt that the agents could protect him, he told them that Northcott had fled into the trees that lined the edge of his chicken-ranch property.[4]

Gordon Northcott and his mother, Sarah Louise, fled to Canada and were arrested near Vernon, British Columbia.[5]

Sanford Clark testified at the sentencing of Sarah Louise Northcott (his grandmother) that Gordon Northcott (his uncle) had kidnapped, molested, beaten, and killed three young boys with the help of Northcott's mother, Sarah Louise Northcott, and Clark himself. In addition to the three young boys murdered, Clark stated that Northcott had also killed a Mexican youth (never identified, but referred to in the case as the "Headless Mexican"), without the involvement of his mother or himself. Northcott had forced Clark to help dispose of the "head" (of the Mexican youth) by burning it in a firepit and then crushing the skull into pieces with a fence post. Northcott stated that "he had left the headless body by the side of the road near Puente (La Puente, California), because he had no other place to put it."[6]

Clark said quicklime was used to dispose of the remains, and that the bodies (of Lewis and Nelson Winslow, as well as that of Walter Collins) were buried at the Wineville ranch. Authorities found shallow graves exactly where Clark had stated that they could be found at Wineville. Upon the discovery of the graves, it was discovered that the graves were empty of complete bodies. However, there were partial body parts that remained. During testimony from both Sanford Clark and his sister Jessie Clark, it was learned that the bodies had been dug up by both Gordon Northcott and his mother, Sarah Louise Northcott, on the evening of August 4, 1928 (a few weeks before Sanford was taken into protective custody by authorities) and that Gordon and his mother had taken the bodies out to the desert where they were most likely burned in the night.[7] The complete bodies were never recovered. There were only partial body remains of hair, blood and bones found in the graves at the Wineville burial sites. It was these partial body parts, coupled with the testimony of Sanford Clark, that allowed the State of California to obtain the death penalty against Gordon Northcott and a life sentence for his mother, Sarah Louise Northcott. It was also this evidence that allowed the State of California to unequivocally conclude that Walter Collins, the Winslow Brothers and the unidentified Mexican boy had all been murdered.

Aftermath

Police found no complete bodies; but they discovered personal effects of the three children reported missing, a blood-stained axe, and partial body parts, including bones, hair and fingers, from the three victims buried in lime near the chicken house at the Northcott ranch near Wineville – hence the name "Wineville Chicken Coop Murders".[2] Wineville changed its name to Mira Loma on November 1, 1930, due in large part to the negative publicity surrounding the murders. The new city of Eastvale, California, took parts of the area of Mira Loma in 2010; and the new city of Jurupa Valley took parts of Mira Loma in 2011.[8][9] Wineville Avenue, Wineville Road, Wineville Park and other geographic references provide reminders of the community's former name.[1] Sanford Clark returned to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. City of Saskatoon records indicate that Sanford Wesley Clark died on June 20, 1991,[10] and was buried in the Saskatoon Woodlawn Cemetery on August 26, 1993.

Judicial case

Canadian police arrested Gordon Stewart Northcott and his mother on September 19, 1928.[11] Due to errors in the extradition paperwork, they were not returned to Los Angeles until November 30, 1928.[12][13] During the period that Sarah and Gordon Northcott were being held in Canada, awaiting extradition back to California, Sarah Louise Northcott confessed to the murders,[5][14] including that of nine-year-old Walter Collins. Prior to being extradited to California, Sarah Northcott retracted her statement, as did Gordon Northcott, who had confessed to killing more than five boys.[15][clarification needed]

Once Sarah Louise Northcott and her son, Gordon Northcott, were extradited from Canada to California, Sarah Louise Northcott, once again, pled guilty to killing Walter Collins. There was no trial. Upon her plea of guilty, Superior Court Judge Morton sentenced her to life imprisonment on December 31, 1928, sparing her the death penalty because she was a woman. Sarah Louise Northcott served her sentence at Tehachapi State Prison,[16] and was paroled after fewer than 12 years.[17][18] During her sentencing, Sarah Louise claimed her son was innocent and made a variety of bizarre claims about his parentage, including that he was an illegitimate son by an English nobleman,[14] that she was Gordon's grandmother,[19] and that he was the result of incest between her husband, George Cyrus Northcott, and their daughter.[9] She also stated that as a child, Gordon was sexually abused by the entire family. Sarah Louise Northcott died in 1944.

Gordon Northcott was implicated and participated in the murder of Walter Collins, but because his mother had already confessed and been sentenced for the murder of Walter, the state chose not to bring any charges against Gordon in the death of Walter Collins.[20] It was speculated that Gordon may have had as many as 20 victims, but the State of California could not produce evidence to support that speculation, and ultimately only brought an indictment against Gordon in the murder of an unidentified Mexican boy[5] known as the "Headless Mexican" and brothers Lewis and Nelson Winslow (aged 12 and 10, respectively).[21] The brothers had been reported missing from Pomona on May 16, 1928.[22]

In early 1929, Gordon Northcott's trial was held before Judge George R. Freeman in Riverside County, California. The jury heard that he kidnapped, molested, tortured, and murdered the Winslow brothers and the "Headless Mexican" in 1928. On February 8, 1929, the 27-day trial ended with Gordon Northcott convicted of the murders.

On February 13, 1929, Freeman sentenced Gordon Northcott to death,[23] and he was hanged on October 2, 1930, at San Quentin State Prison, at the age of 23.[2][24]

Involved parties

Gordon Stewart Northcott

Gordon Northcott
File:Northcott booking.gif
Born
Gordon Stewart Northcott

November 9, 1906
Bladworth, Saskatchewan
Died(1930-10-02)October 2, 1930 (aged 23)
San Quentin State Prison
Cause of deathHanging
Conviction(s)February 8, 1929
Criminal penaltyDeath
Details
Victims3 (confirmed), 1 (implicated)
Span of crimes
1926–1928
CountryUSA
State(s)California
Date apprehended
September 19, 1928

Gordon Northcott (November 9, 1906 – October 2, 1930)

Gordon Stewart Northcott was born in Bladworth, Saskatchewan, Canada, and raised in British Columbia. He moved to Los Angeles, United States, with his parents in 1924. Northcott asked his father to purchase a plot of land in Wineville, California, where Gordon built a chicken ranch and home with the help of his father (who was in the construction business) and his nephew Sanford. It was this pretext (building a ranch at Wineville) that Northcott used to bring Sanford from Saskatchewan to the United States. Northcott abducted an undetermined number of boys and molested them at the chicken ranch. Typically, after molesting the children, Gordon would drive his victims home and let them go.

There was a rumor that Northcott had "rented" his victims to wealthy southern Californian pedophiles, but there was no evidence to prove that speculation. Ultimately, Northcott was convicted of the murder of the Winslow boys and an unidentified Mexican teenage boy that Gordon had murdered and then decapitated. The Mexican boy was Northcott's first victim.

Northcott's second murder victim was Walter Collins.[25] A few days after abducting Walter Collins, Northcott received a phone-call from his mother, Sarah Louise Northcott, informing him that she was immediately on her way out to see him at the ranch in Wineville and was going to stay for a few days. The drive from Mrs. Northcott's home in LA to Wineville was only about an hour. By then, Northcott had already held and molested Walter at the ranch for a few days. During Sarah's visit, Walter was kept in the chicken coops.[25]

Owing to prior incidents, Sarah was well aware that her son had sexually abused boys. She became suspicious of the chicken coops and Gordon's desire to keep her away from them. At some point during her visit to the ranch, Sarah discovered Walter in the chicken coop. According to Sanford Clark's testimony, she told Gordon that Walter could identify him; Gordon had once worked at a supermarket where Walter had shopped with his mother, Christine Collins.

Since Walter could identify Northcott, Sarah told her son that Walter knew too much and needed to be silenced permanently. Sanford Clark testified that Sarah decided that all three of them should participate in the murder of Walter Collins. That way, none of them, Sanford, Gordon, or Sarah, could go to the police and implicate the two others without placing themselves at risk. Gordon Northcott suggested using a gun, but Sarah feared that the noise might alert neighbors. The blunt end of an axe was chosen as the murder weapon and was used to dispatch Walter as he lay sleeping on a cot in the chicken coop. Gordon, Mrs. Northcott and Sanford Clark (against his will) each delivered the fatal blows to Walter. They dispatched the Winslow brothers in a similar manner.[25]

Northcott family tree

Sarah Louise Northcott[26]George Cyrus Northcott[27]
John ClarkWinifred Northcott Clark[28]Gordon Stewart Northcott[29]
(November 9, 1906 – October 2, 1930)
Jessie Clark[30]June McInnes ClarkSanford Wesley Clark[31]
(March 1, 1913 – June 20, 1991)		Kenneth ClarkEddie Clark
Jerry ClarkRobert Clark

Sanford Clark

Sanford Wesley Clark (March 1, 1913 – June 20, 1991)[32]

Sanford's older sister, Jessie, became suspicious of the letters Sanford was forced to send home from Northcott's ranch that assured the family he was well. She went to the ranch in Wineville, and stayed several days. However, she became terrified of Northcott, left and returned to Canada, where she told the American Consul (in Canada) about the crimes that had occurred at Wineville.

Sanford Clark was never tried for murder, because the Assistant District Attorney, Loyal C. Kelley, believed very strongly that Sanford was innocent,[33] a victim of Gordon's death threats and sexual abuse, and that he was not a willing participant in the crimes, nor was he a criminal. Mr. Kelley told Sanford that he had "secured an entirely unique settlement to Sanford's legal situation by having Sanford signed into the nearby Whittier Boys School, where an experimental program for delinquent youths was under way. Mr. Kelley assured Sanford that Whittier Boys School was unique because of its compassionate mission of genuine rehabilitation".[34] Sanford was sentenced to five years at the Whittier State School (later renamed the Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility). His sentence was later commuted to 23 months, because the trustees of the Whittier School for Boys felt that "Sanford had impressed the Trustees with his temperament, job skills and his personal desire to live a productive life during his nearly two years there."[35] Upon Sanford's release from Whittier Boys School, Mr. Kelley's "punishment" of Sanford, ("that Mr. Kelley had single-handedly pushed through the Justice system for Sanford"), was now complete."[36] As Sanford boarded a ship to be deported back to his native Canada (by American authorities) he was requested by Mr. Kelley to: "Use your life to prove that rehabilitation works ... go prove that I am right about you Sanford."[36] "He threw his body and soul into fulfilling Mr. Kelley's request, the only thing that he had been asked to do for the best man he had ever met, a man who believed in him. The thought of failing Mr. Kelley was intolerable. Sanford left the Whittier Boys School resolved to go after a normal life the way that a passenger who falls off a ship will swim to land."[37] Clark's son, Jerry Clark, credits Clark's wife June, his sister Jessie, associate prosecution counsel Loyal C. Kelley, and the Whittier State School for helping rehabilitate Sanford from the emotional and physical horrors of Gordon Northcott.

Clark served in World War II, and then worked for 28 years for the Canadian postal service. He married, and he and his wife, June, adopted and raised two sons. They were married for 55 years and were involved in many different organizations. Sanford Clark died in 1991 at age 78.[38] Sanford Wesley Clark was buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1993.[39]

Christine and Walter Collins

"Christine Collins" redirects here. For the American rower, see Christine Collins (rower).

Walter Joseph Anson Collins (February 1, 1888 – August 16, 1932)[40]
Christine Ida Dunne Collins (December 14, 1888 – December 8, 1964)[41][42]
Walter C. Collins (September 23, 1918 – c. 1928) Murdered at age nine.

Nine-year-old Walter Collins disappeared from his home in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles on March 10, 1928.[43] Initially, Christine Collins and the police believed that enemies of Walter Collins, Sr., had abducted their son.[44] Walter Collins, Sr. had been convicted of eight armed robberies and was an inmate in Folsom Prison.[45][46] The police searched a nearby lake in the hope they would find young Walter’s body.[47]

Walter Collins' disappearance received nationwide attention and the Los Angeles Police Department followed up on hundreds of leads without success.[15] The police faced negative publicity and increasing public pressure to solve the case,[48] until five months after Walter's disappearance,[15] when a boy claiming to be Walter was found in DeKalb, Illinois. Letters and photographs were exchanged before Walter's mother, Christine Collins, who worked as a telephone operator, paid for the boy to be brought to Los Angeles. A public reunion was organized by the police, who hoped to negate the bad publicity they had received for their failure to solve this case and others. They also hoped the uplifting human interest story would deflect attention from a series of corruption scandals that had sullied the department's reputation. At the reunion, Christine Collins claimed that the boy was not Walter. She was told by the officer in charge of the case, police Captain J.J. Jones, to take the boy home to "try him out for a couple of weeks," and Collins agreed.[48]

Three weeks later, Christine Collins returned to see Captain Jones and persisted in her claim that the boy was not Walter. Even though she was armed with dental records proving her case, Jones had Collins committed to the psychiatric ward at Los Angeles County Hospital under a "Code 12" internment—a term used to jail or commit someone who was deemed difficult or inconvenient. During Collins' incarceration, Jones questioned the boy,[15] who admitted to being 12-year-old Arthur Hutchins Jr., a runaway from Illinois, but who was originally from Iowa.[49][50] A drifter at a roadside café in Illinois had told Hutchins of his resemblance to the missing Walter, so Hutchins came up with the plan to impersonate him. His motive was to get to Hollywood so he could meet his favorite actor, Tom Mix.[48] Collins was released ten days after Hutchins admitted that he was not her son,[51] and filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department.[15] This aspect of the case is depicted in the 2008 film Changeling,[5] although in the film Hutchins does not confess until after Mrs. Collins has been released.

On September 13, 1930 Collins won a lawsuit against Jones and was awarded $10,800 (approximately $154,078 in 2014 dollars[52]), which Jones never paid.[15] The last newspaper account of Christine Collins is from 1941, when she attempted to collect a $15,562 judgment against Captain Jones (who was by then retired) in the Superior Court.[53]

Christine Collins and hope

Christine Collins first became hopeful that her son Walter might still be alive after her first interview with Gordon Stewart Northcott (when he was extradited from Canada to the Riverside County Jail Hospital on December 7, 1928). Mrs. Collins asked Northcott if he had killed her son, and after listening to his repeated lies, confessions, and recantations, concluded that Gordon Northcott was insane. Because Northcott did not seem to know whether he had even met Walter, much less killed him, Mrs. Collins clung to the hope that her son was still alive.[54] In October 1930, Northcott sent her a telegram saying he had lied when he denied that Walter was among his victims. He promised to tell the truth, if she came in person to hear. Just a few hours before Gordon Northcott's execution, Mrs. Collins became the first woman in more than three decades to receive permission to visit a serial killer on the eve of his execution at San Quentin. But upon her arrival, he balked. "I don't want to see you," he said when she confronted him. "I don't know anything about it. I'm innocent." A news account said, "The distraught woman (Mrs. Collins) was outraged by Northcott's conduct—All he told me was another pack of lies'—but comforted by it, as well: Northcott's ambiguous replies and his seeming refusal to remember such details as Walter's clothing and the color of his eyes gave her continued hope that her son still lived."[55]

The boy who came forward

In 1935, five years after Northcott's execution, a boy and his parents came forward and spoke to authorities.[56] Six years earlier, the boy had gone missing, and the parents reported his disappearance to the police. At the time of the boy's disappearance, authorities speculated that he might have been a murder victim at Wineville. In fact, Northcott had taken the child to Wineville, molested him, and then returned him to Los Angeles County. This would have matched what Northcott had done with previous victims. Initial reports also speculated that Northcott might have murdered as many as 20 boys at Wineville, but this was never confirmed. Sanford Clark also never told authorities about any escape attempts from the chicken coops. The historical record and Sanford Clark's own testimony indicate that only three boys were ever held in the chicken coop, Walter Collins and the two Winslow brothers, all of whom were murdered.[25]

Partial body evidence

During the murder investigation, police searched the three graves that Sanford Clark had identified to authorities, and discovered "51 parts of human anatomy (partial-body) ... those silent bits of evidence, of human bones and blood, have spoken and corroborated the testimony of living witnesses".[57] While Walter Collins 'whole-body' had never been found, it was this 'partial-body' evidence that allowed authorities, and the State of California, to conclude that Walter Collins had been murdered (coupled with Sanford Clark's testimony at the sentencing hearing of Sarah Louise Northcott).[58] While partial-body parts had been collected at Walter's grave, they were never introduced as evidence in a trial against Gordon Northcott. Amongst the reasons for this was that the State of California already had enough evidence (they believed) to convict Gordon Northcott for murder of the Headless Mexican boy and the Winslow brothers (which ultimately resulted in Gordon Northcott's conviction and execution). In addition, Gordon Northcott's mother, Sarah Louise Northcott, had already confessed and been sentenced for the murder of Walter Collins. As Walter Collins' entire body had not been found, Christine Collins still hoped that Walter had survived. She continued to search for Walter for the rest of her life.[59] Christine Collins stayed in denial over the murder of her son Walter, and chose to believe that Walter may have still been alive in spite of the fact that the State of California had absolutely no doubt that Sarah Louise Northcott, Gordon Northcott and Sanford Clark had all participated in the murders of the two Winslow Brothers and Walter Collins, and that Walter Collins was indeed dead.

Arthur J. Hutchins, Jr.

Arthur J. Hutchins, Jr. (c.1916 – c.1954)

In 1933, Arthur J. Hutchins, Jr., wrote about how and why he impersonated the missing boy. Hutchins' biological mother had died when he was 9 years old, and he had been living with his stepmother, Violet Hutchins. He pretended to be Walter Collins to get as far away as possible from her. After living on the road for a month, he arrived in DeKalb. When police brought him in, they began to ask him questions about Walter Collins. Originally, Hutchins stated that he did not know about Walter, but changed his story when he saw the possibility of getting to California.

After Arthur Hutchins reached adulthood, he sold concessions at carnivals. He eventually moved back to California as a horse trainer and jockey. He died of a blood clot in 1954 at the age of 38, leaving behind a wife and young daughter, Carol. According to Carol Hutchins, "My dad was full of adventure. In my mind, he could do no wrong."[60]

Rev. Gustav Briegleb

Dr. Gustav A. Briegleb (September 26, 1881 – May 20, 1943)

Briegleb was a Presbyterian minister and pioneer radio evangelist. He was the pastor of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Jefferson Boulevard at Third Avenue, Los Angeles, California. He took up many important causes in the City of Los Angeles in the 1920s and 1930s, most notably the poor handling of the Walter Collins kidnapping case in 1928. He fought to have Christine Collins released from a mental hospital after she was committed there as retaliation for disagreeing with the LAPD's version of events.[61][62]

Lewis and Nelson Winslow

Lewis Winslow (c.1916–1928)
Nelson Winslow, Jr (c.1918–1928)

Lewis, age 12, and Nelson, age 10, were the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson H. Winslow, Sr. They went missing on May 16, 1928, from Pomona, California. On May 26, 1928, H. Gordon Moore, a local Scoutmaster, reported that they ran away to Imperial, California, to pick cantaloupes. Moore helped with the search for the two boys.[63] Gordon Northcott was convicted of kidnapping and killing the Winslow brothers. Nelson Winslow, Sr. led a lynch mob with the intent of hanging Gordon Stewart Northcott after completion of the trial but before sentencing. The police convinced the group to disband before seeing Northcott.[64]

  • "The Big Imposter", an episode of the radio series Dragnet, which aired on June 7, 1951, was based on these events. When the show moved to television, the radio script was adapted into a teleplay and broadcast on December 4, 1952. The plot focuses primarily on the story of Arthur Hutchins' impersonation of Walter Collins. In this version, the parental figure who reports the disappearance of the character based on Walter Collins is a widowed grandfather, raising the child on his own after the deaths of the boy's parents, rather than a single mother.[65]
  • Changeling, a 2008 film written by J. Michael Straczynski and directed by Clint Eastwood, is also based in part on the Gordon Stewart Northcott case. The film primarily depicts the plight of Christine Collins (played by Angelina Jolie), the mother of Walter Collins, and her search for her real son. The film depicts all the major figures in the case except for Gordon Northcott's mother and accomplice, Sarah Louise Northcott, who was convicted of killing Walter. In the film, there is a reference to a boy who came forward several years later after Northcott's execution and related having escaped from the chicken coops, and suggesting that Walter Collins may have also escaped. There has never been any substantiating evidence put forward that such an escape ever occurred, or that the boy who came forward even knew of a Walter Collins, to support this notion presented in the film. Jolie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for this film.
  • "Haunted" (Episode 93) of Criminal Minds includes a man who survived a similar event to the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders.

References

  1. ^ a b Johnson, Kim Jarrell (2006). Jurupa. Arcadia Publishing. p. 67. ISBN 0-7385-3082-4.
  2. ^ a b c d Kurz, John (1988-12-15). "Mira Loma History, Riverside County, California: Wineville Chicken Murders". Rubidoux Historical Society. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  3. ^ Foundas, Scott (2007-12-19). "Clint Eastwood: The Set Whisperer – Shooting quietly on the Changeling set". LA Weekly. Retrieved 2007-12-29.
  4. ^ Paul, James Jeffrey, "Nothing is Strange With You", p.88
  5. ^ a b c d Sandra Stokley (2008-10-30). "Riverside County 'chicken coop murders' inspire Clint Eastwood movie, new book". The Press-Enterprise. A. H. Belo Corporation. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
  6. ^ Paul, James Jeffrey, Nothing is Strange With You, p. 43
  7. ^ Paul, James Jeffrey, "Nothing is Strange With You, p. 81
  8. ^ "Jurupa Valley History: Mira Loma History". Riverside County Planning Department. 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  9. ^ a b Rasmussen, Cecilia (2004-10-31). "During the 1920s, Boys Became the Prey of a Brutal Killer". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  10. ^ "Northcott Murders: James Jeffrey Paul's Research Materials". Riverside Public Library. Retrieved 2010-03-06.
  11. ^ "Murder Farm' Fugitive Held: Young Northcott Arrested by Canadian Police Mother Also Believed to be in Their Custody Blood Found on Suspects' Ranch Called Human". Los Angeles Times. 1928-09-20. Retrieved 2010-04-24.
  12. ^ "Error in Extradition Papers to Delay Northcott's Return: Officers Go On To See Suspect State Aides Discover Flaws in Legal Documents Burying Alive Charge Laid to Sanford Clark Examination Continues of "Death Farm" Clews". Los Angeles Times. 1928-09-26. Retrieved 2010-04-24.
  13. ^ "Youth's Nerves At High Tension: Northcott Embarrassed on Debarking from Train Request for Picture Brings Defiant Refusal Prisoner Lodged in Cell That Housed Hickman". Los Angeles Times. 1928-11-30. Retrieved 2010-04-24.
  14. ^ a b "Boy Slaying Admitted: Life Term Given Mrs. Northcott". Los Angeles Times. 1929-01-01. Retrieved 2009-02-08. Reprinted in Los Angeles Times Daily Mirror, Changeling stories – Part III, October 28, 2008, page 1page 2
  15. ^ a b c d e f Sacha Howells (2008-11-07). "Spoilers: Changeling – The Real Story Behind Eastwood's Movie". film.com. RealNetworks. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
  16. ^ "San Joaquin Valley; Northcott Plea in Vain. No Hope for Woman's Parole for Many Years to Come, Chairman Says". Los Angeles Times. 1936-02-14. p. 9. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  17. ^ "Mother of Gordon Northcott, Wineville Boy Slayer, Paroled". Los Angeles Times. 1940-05-22. p. A1.
  18. ^ "Mrs. Northcott Reported in East; Whereabouts of Ax Murderess Under Parole Disclosed". Los Angeles Times. 1941-01-09. p. 1A.
  19. ^ "Ring". Time magazine. February 11, 1929. Retrieved 2008-10-03. In Riverside, Calif., Gordon Stewart Northcott, while on trial for abusing and murdering three boys, heard his mother testify that she was not his mother, but his grandmother.
  20. ^ Rachel Abramowitz (2008-10-18). "'Changeling' revisits a crime that riveted L.A." Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
  21. ^ "Northcott Convicted of Slaying Three Boys; His Last Dramatic Plea Fails to Move Jury". New York Times. 1929-02-07. Retrieved 2008-01-16.
  22. ^ Wetsch, Elisabeth (1995). "Chicken Murders". Serial Killer Crime Index. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  23. ^ "Northcott put in Doomed Row: Slayer Becomes No. 46,597 at San Quentin Meeting With "Mother" May be Arranged Later Youth "Wisecracks" About Forthcoming Hanging". Los Angeles Times. 1929-02-13. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  24. ^ Gribben, Mark (2007-02-27). "Poetic Justice". The Malefactor's Register. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  25. ^ a b c d Flacco, Anthony, The Road Out of Hell
  26. ^ "Sarah Northcott" (1 photograph: b&w jpeg). Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection. 1928. Retrieved 2010-05-09. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help) "Sarah Northcott, Gordon's mother, held in Canada and jointly accused with her son of murder."
  27. ^ "Cyrus G. Northcott" (1 photograph: b&w jpeg). Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection. 1928. Retrieved 2010-05-09. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help) "Cyrus G. Northcott, father of the suspect and asserted owner of the farm, was grilled by police in September 1928 and denied any knowledge of the crimes."
  28. ^ "Winifred Clark" (1 photograph: b&w jpeg). Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection. 1928. Retrieved 2010-05-09. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help) "Gordon Stewart Northcott's older sister, Mrs. Winifred Clark, who had arrived at the farm and discovered the truth. She returned safely to Calgary."
  29. ^ "Northcott leaving jail" (1 photograph: b&w jpeg). Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection. 1929. Retrieved 2010-05-09. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help) "Northcott signing out in the 'big book' at the Los Angeles County Jail as he departed for Riverside to go on trial as the slayer of the Winslow brothers. Soon after, his mother revealed that he is actually the son of her daughter, Mrs. Winifred Clark."
  30. ^ "Jessie Clark" (1 photograph: b&w jpeg). Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection. 1928. Retrieved 2010-05-09. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help) "Jessie Clark, 19-year-old Saskatoon, Canada, girl who said, 'Gordon said he burned four boys on a pyre.'"
  31. ^ "Sanford Clark" (1 photograph: b&w jpeg). Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection. 1928. Retrieved 2010-05-09. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help) "Sanford Clark, 15, who asserted four boys were slain on a 'murder farm' by Stewart Northcott, 24. He is shown looking over photos of missing boys. He claimed Walter Collins was a victim and picked his photo out of 30 but could not identify a boy found and returned as Walter Collins."
  32. ^ Paul, James Jeffrey (September 2008). Nothing is Strange with You: The Life and Crimes of Gordon Stewart Northcott. Xlibris. p. 258. ISBN 978-1-4363-6627-4. Grave marker for Sanford Clark and his wife June, veteran's section of Woodlawn Cemetery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
  33. ^ Anthony Flacco, The Road Out of Hell, p. 208
  34. ^ Anthony Flacco, The Road Out of Hell, p. 221
  35. ^ Anthony Flacco, The Road Out of Hell, pp. 226, 228
  36. ^ a b Anthony Flacco, The Road Out of Hell, p. 227
  37. ^ Anthony Flacco, The Road Out of Hell, pp. 229–230
  38. ^ Gonzales, Ruby (2008-12-21). "Clark, chief witness in `20s child murders led exemplary life". Whittier Daily News. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
  39. ^ "City of Saskatoon Woodlawn Cemetery Alphabetical Listing (C)". Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
  40. ^ Harnisch, Larry (2009-01-30). "Changeling – Finding Christine Collins". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-05-11. Death certificate from California archives.
  41. ^ Harnisch, Larry (2008-11-10). "Changeling – Finding Christine Collins". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
  42. ^ Girardot, Frank (2008-11-20). "Christine Collins mystery solved". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Retrieved 2010-06-17.
  43. ^ "New Kidnapping Clew Furnished in Hunt for Missing Collins Boy: Glendale Man Helps Police". Los Angeles Times. Times-Mirror Company. 1928-04-04. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
  44. ^ Harnisch, Larry (2009-02-06). "Walter Collins in an undated prison photo". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  45. ^ Harnisch, Larry (1926-11-16). "Robbery 1st Degree, 8 Counts, Consecutively (Violation of Section 211a of the Penal Code)". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  46. ^ Harnisch, Larry (1928-04-06). "Police suspect kidnapping is retaliation against boy's father, a Folsom inmate". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  47. ^ Harnisch, Larry (1928-04-06). "Police Capt. Jones and LAPD officers search the lake in Lincoln Park for the body of Walter Collins". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  48. ^ a b c "'Changeling' production notes". universalpicturesawards.com. Universal Pictures. Archived from the original (Microsoft Word document) on February 18, 2012. Retrieved October 18, 2008.
  49. ^ "Hoax Discussed in Collins Suit: Hutchens Boy's Deception Subject of Argument Witnesses Tell of Seeming Truth of His Story Capt. Jones Lays Damage Action to Politics". Los Angeles Times. 1929-07-13. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  50. ^ "Hutchens' confession". photograph: b&w. Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection. 1928. Retrieved 2008-09-14. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help) "The written confession of the boy who finally revealed he was Arthur Hutchens, Jr., not Walter Collins, then later told juvenile authorities he was not Billy Fields. He was later identified as Arthur Hutchens."
  51. ^ "Enigma Boy Identified:Youth Impersonating Walter Collins Now Declared to be Arthur Hutchens, Jr., of Iowa". Los Angeles Times. 1928-09-21. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  52. ^ "Inflation Calculator". Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  53. ^ "Suit to Renew Old Judgment Recalls Northcott Murders: Mother of Supposed Victim Who Was Imprisoned as Insane in Imposter Mixup Tries to Collect Damages". Los Angeles Times. 1941-01-29. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
  54. ^ Paul, James Jeffrey, Nothing is Strange With You, pp. 131–132
  55. ^ Paul, James Jeffrey, Nothing is Strange With You, pp. 239–240
  56. ^ Paul, James Jeffrey, Nothing is Strange with You, p. 252
  57. ^ Paul, James Jeffrey, Nothing is Strange With You, p. 224.
  58. ^ Paul, James Jeffrey, Nothing is Strange With You
  59. ^ Rasmussen, Cecilia (1999-02-07). "The Boy Who Vanished–and His Impostor". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
  60. ^ Jones, Oliver (2008-11-14). "Inside Story: How a Boy Became the Changeling Impostor". People (magazine). Retrieved 2008-11-16.
  61. ^ Walker, Joe (2008-11-15). "Rev Gustav Briegleb". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2009-05-06.
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  64. ^ "Northcott in Terror: Mob's Jail Visit Arouses Fear". Los Angeles Times. 1929-02-11. Retrieved 2009-07-13. Reprinted in The Los Angeles Times, The Daily Mirror: Changeling – Part IX, 2008-11-05.
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Further reading

  • Duffy, Clinton T. (1962). 88 Men and 2 Women. Doubleday.
  • Flacco, Anthony; Jerry Clark (November 2009). The Road Out of Hell: Sanford Clark and the True Story of the Wineville Murders. Union Square Press. ISBN 978-1-4027-6869-9.
  • Jenkins, Philip (1994). Using Murder: The Social Construction of Serial Homicide. Aldine Transaction. p. 184. ISBN 0-202-30525-2.
  • Paul, James Jeffrey (September 2008). Nothing is Strange with You: The Life and Crimes of Gordon Stewart Northcott. Xlibris. ISBN 978-1-4363-6627-4.
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