Crime exhibit on display at Lawrence County Historical Society

Staff report

New castle, Pa.

Lawrence County has been the home of many notorious crimes, especially unsolved ones.

Interns at The Lawrence County Historical Society, 408 N. Jefferson St., recently put together an exhibit on crime. This week is the last opportunity to view the exhibit and to hear lectures by the interns.

The exhibit focuses on three different groupings of crimes as well as current crime statistics, hoping to open discussion on what communities have done and are doing to combat crime.

The first focus is on the Torso Murders, which occurred in West Pittsburg, and the Swamp Murders. The connections of these deaths with Cleveland, Ohio, once stumped famous FBI investigator Elliot Ness. Information surrounding these unidentified bodies is being uncovered and put on display for the public to see.

After these murders are the infamous Black Hand, which surrounded the Hillsville, Pa., community with its activities. The Black Hand was a type of Italian and Italian-American extortion racket. On display will be testimonials of those involved in the Pinkerton Detective Agency-led trials of 1907.

In the early 1930s, Irene Schroeder and Glenn Dague were thrill-seekers like infamous bank robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.

They robbed stores within the area and killed police officer Brady Paul. The two were apprehended in Arizona and brought back to New Castle for trial. They were sentenced to death by electrocution, making Schroeder the first female to be executed in this way in Pennsylvania.

The exhibit will be on display from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Saturday. The entry fee is $5, and those under 18 will be admitted free. The interns will host a lecture at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Call the society at 724-658-4022 for information and tickets. Tickets are available at the door and can also be purchased online at lchs-crime.eventbrite.com,