Photograph was edited for publication purposes. Mrs. Kate Hayden, 71, wife of real estate developer Samuel Hayden, was murdered in her Beverly Hills mansion on February 9, 1955. Police initially questioned two men, one a former butler who had been fired two weeks before the murder. Both men had alibis, however, and were released after taking lie-detector tests. The family's maid, Peggy King, also known as Margaret Moore, took a lie-detector test as well. King's test was not as conclusive, and after questioning she broke down and confessed to the killing. She told police she and Mrs. Hayden had been arguing about the preparation of a meal. After striking the older woman with the ax many times, she staged the crime scene to make it look like a robbery and told police she hadn't seen anything. Photograph caption dated February 9, 1955 reads "Ax murder suspect. L. to R., Nathaniel Smith, 24, and Rutherford Leon Bennett, 39 of 1403 W. 39th street (both Chrysler emoloyes (sic)) were held for questioning in the brutal hatchet slaying of Mrs. Kate Hayden, 71, wife of a Beverly Hills realtor. They were picked up Wednesday afternoon by Beverly hills police and Sheriffs deputies. Bennett is supposed to have been fired from his butler job two weeks ago by the Haydens." The men are standing next to each other. Behind them on the wall are the words "Mon.-Wed.-Sat., C. H. Anderson, Chief of Police."
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;36 x 29 cm. Photographic prints
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