Related Records

1. Newspaper article about Elfrieda Knaak case in Chicago Daily News. See also Charles Hitchcock.

   Record Type: Archive

   
2. An audio tape interview with Henry Spruth - In 1983 Catherine Shively interviewed several longtime Lake Bluff residents using an audio tape recorder. This interview is with Henry Spruth

   Record Type: Archive

   
3. Barney Rosenhagen - A Xerox article from a Louisiana newspaper showing an image Barney Rosenhagen, who was police chief at the time of the furnace murder. The caption reads : Barney Rosenhagen is the chief of police at Lake Bluff, Ill., where Miss Elfrieda Knaak claims she burned herself in the furnace of the village hall as a test of her love for Charles Hitchcock. Another Xerox article from a New York paper about Rosenhagen and Knaak entitled: Self - Tortured Teacher is Dead, describing the encounter between Hitchcock and Knaak in the hospital after Knaak was found in the village furnace. Source: Newspapers.com

   Barney Rosenhagen

   Record Type: Archive

   
4. Barney Rosenhagen obituary - A Xerox obituary for Barney Rosenhagen titled : Lake Bluff Tragedy Hastens Death of Marshall Rosenhagen. Rosenhagen was chief of police when Elfrieda Knaak was found burned in the Village Hall furnace. According to the article : Rosenhagen had been suffering from a heart ailment for some years but the investigation into Miss Knaak's mysterious death aggravated the trouble and forced him to give up his duties as marshall about two weeks ago. He died during the night. A mimeograph of the Waukegan Daily News about Rosenhagen's early death.

   Barney Rosenhagen obituary

   Record Type: Archive

   
5. Charles Hitchcock - Charles Hitchcock Chicago Tribune photo.

   Record Type: Photo

   
6. Charles Hitchcock - Three Xerox articles about Charles Hitchcock An article dated November 29, 1928 : Barney Rosenhagen, police chief at the time of the Elfrieda Knaak furnace death, too ill to resume responsibilities after the Knaak incident. Lake Bluff police officer, Hitchcock was a suspect at the time and denied that he loved Knaak, who on her deathbed maintained her love for him was only spiritual. An article from the Lake Forester dated December 29, 1928 announcing Charles Hitchcock's resignation from the police force. Another article from the Lake Forester dated August 23, 1929, announcing that Charles and his son Raymond Hitchcock, aka Raymond Bacon, confessed to a burglary and posted bond.

   Charles Hitchcock

   Record Type: Archive

   
7. Elfrieda Knaack - Chicago Tribune photos of Elfrieda Knaak.

   Miss Elfrieda Knaack

   Record Type: Photo

   
8. Eugene Spaid and Marshall Rosenhagen - Photograph of Chief Eugene Spaid on left and Marshall Barney Rosenhagen on the right inspecting the hair fibers from Elfrieda Grace Knaak on Nov. 1, 1928.

   Chief Eugene Spaid (L) and Marshall Benard Rosenhagen 1928

   Record Type: Photo

   
9. Gruesome Discovery Made in Village Hall Basement - Panel in Exhibit: Furnace Girl Panel lays out the story of Elfrieda Knaak and her gruesome death. The panel talks about the facts surrounding her first being found and then the story on how she came to be found in the Village Hall furnace room.

   Photo 3023

   Record Type: Photo

   
10. Letter to Rosenhagen from Grower - Elmer Vliet's note on orange paper summarizes the letter between George Grower and Bernhard Rosenhagen: "To these papers from Al Kuhlman pertain to the vacation of Ravine Ave. running E from Evanston to Glen south of block 8 and north of the ravine. It would appear that Mr. Grower who sold lot 10 Block 8 to Rosenhagen felt that the street vacation of 1914 was not valid whereas Village Attorney Max. Pryzaborski who was newly appointed by Mr. Mawman who became Village President May 1925 felt that it was. About 1932 Mr. McMaster asked the Village Board to vacate this block of Ravine Avenue. On advice from Dave Smithson no action was taken. November 19, 1974 EBV." (Elmer Vliet)

    Summary by Vliet

    Record Type: Archive

    
11. Notice of Refusal and Neglect - Notice of Refusal and Neglect in which Eliza Quarta refused to select a Commissioner to estimate and determine damage to her building, therefore a Commissioner was appointed for her and has concluded that the building have decayed, deteriorated, and depreciated more than 50%. Due to this, Quarta has 10 days to tear the building down or the Village will tear the building down for her and she will be charged all expenses. Attached are Commissioner's reports.

    Doc 3036

    Record Type: Archive

    
12. Seek Furnace Death Secret at Inquest - A copy of the Chicago Evening American article on the Furnace Mystery.

    Record Type: Photo

    
13. Village Furnace - Village Furnace 1928.

    Village furnace Oct. 31, 1928

    Record Type: Photo