Marie Louise Stumpf: Survivor or Victim?
In the early morning of 12 January 1909, Marie Louise Stumpf left her family home early on North First Street, before sunrise to go to confession before Mass at St. Mary's German Catholic Church.
She was sexually assault, beaten, and robbed. My grandmother, a white woman, the unmarried daughter of a successful businessman would be on the front page of nearly every newspaper in the country the next day.
Her assailant, a black man and the son of former slaves, would be executed in the Richmond City Jail within 40 days. Newspapers stated that Charlie Gillespie was 24 years old. His death certificate suggests he was just 14.
A complex series of events with many complicated moving pieces, the only thing that's clear is that Marie Louise suffered something horrific.
A Complex Story with Many Moving Parts
The Events of the Morning
A timeline of the morning is pieced together from articles from Richmond newspapers, historical maps and court recorded testimony.
Newspapers
A typo uncovers the scope of the story. The vast differences in reporting is a social commentary.
The Police & Courts
Hustings Court Judge Samuel B. Witt lead the judicial process, but many others played starring roles.
Charlie Gillespie
Who was Charlie?
Was he 14 or 24 years old?
Was he truly guilty?
Black Codes.
Timeline
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