In the early 20th century, fear gripped New Orleans as several individuals became victims of the mysterious Axeman, a jazz-loving serial killer. His attacks were violent and brutal. No clear motive for the crimes ever emerged, and he was never caught.
On the night of March 19, 1919, the city of New Orleans danced to jazz music in order to stay alive. The Axeman had allegedly written a letter that promised to spare any home playing jazz at 12:15 a.m.
He wrote, “Those who do not jazz it out…will get the axe.” The letter was published in the Times-Picayune. Homes, bars, and dance halls across the city erupted with music in an attempt to ward off death. That night, there were no attacks.
Overall, at least four people, mostly Italian grocers, were killed between 1918 and 1919. Up to 17 people were attacked. The Axeman’s method was strangely consistent. The victims were often bludgeoned with their own axes while they were sleeping.
He usually broke into homes by removing a small door panel and crawling through the hole, so he likely had a slight build. Those who were wounded by the Axeman but survived his attacks could only give vague descriptions of him as a “heavyset dark man.”
Among the most infamous attacks carried out by the Axeman was when he slashed the throat of Joseph Maggio and fractured his skull.
His wife, Catherine, choked to death on her own blood. Then, a two-year-old girl was killed on March 9, 1919, and her parents were injured in a separate attack.
Some people believed the Axeman’s letter was a prank, while others thought it was a real and genuine message. It was worth noting that the letter came at a time when the city shut down Storyville, a hub for jazz and New Orleans’ famed red-light district.
During that period, Black musicians were also criminalized for musical performances. Perhaps the Axeman’s bizarre obsession with jazz reflected the cultural tensions of the era as much as personal madness.
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The Axeman’s last victim was believed to be Mike Pepitone. His widow, Esther Albano, shot a man named Joseph Manfre in California because she claimed that he had confessed to her husband’s murder.
Joseph Manfre had a criminal record and was a suspect in similar crimes. He could have been the Axeman, but the evidence is unclear.
One theory is that Esther may have killed her husband and framed Manfre for the murder, so she could inherit everything.
“A woman like that—with motive and opportunity—would’ve been overlooked because of her gender. We were all looking for a man,” said Bond Ruggles, a local historian who has been studying this case for years.
More than a century later, unanswered questions about the Axeman still haunt the city.
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By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
