108 - The Morner Family Murders

Forgotten Darkness Podcast

On December 12, 1911, a missed milk delivery led to the discovery of four dead bodies on a farm near Albany, New York.  The possible murderer can't be found.

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Opening music from https://filmmusic.io. "Dark Child" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Closing music by Soma.

SOURCES

“$1000 Reward For Murderer.” Rutland Daily Herald, December 16, 1911.

“1911 Shocking Defreestville Murders Still Unsolved.” Albany Times-Union, April 10, 1966.

“Another Morner Tragedy Reported.” Buffalo Enquirer, February 2, 1912.

“Arrest Man at Williamstown.” Boston Globe, December 18, 1911.

“Bloodhounds on Murderer's Trail.” Warren Times-Mirror, December 15, 1911.

“Bloodhounds Trail Slayer of Family.” New York Times, December 15, 1911.

“Caught As Slayer of Whole Family on Morner Farm.” New York Evening World, March 1, 1912.

“Detectives Assert Murder Suspect is Guilty of Lesser Crime.” Meriden Record-Journal, August 29, 1912.

“Dogs Lose Trail of Suspected Man.” Buffalo News, December 15, 1911.

“Donato Has Not Been Caught.” Rutland Daily Herald, December 20, 1911.

“Edward Donato a Man of Mystery.” Albany Evening Journal, December 22, 1911.

“Funeral Resembles a Picnic.” Rutland Daily Herald, December 18, 1911.

“Governor May Offer Reward For Murderer.” Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, December 17, 1911.

“Family of Four Brutally Slain.” Buffalo Commercial, December 14, 1911.

“Foully Slays Whole Family; Find Bodies in Manure Pit.” Elmira Star-Gazette, December 14, 1911.

“Held For Morner Murders.” New York Times, December 16, 1911.

“Jesse Morner Has Narrow Escape.” Glens Falls Post Star, August 21, 1912.

“Link Morner Case With Dorp Suicide.” Glens Falls Post-Star, November 11, 1912.

“Massena Italian May Be Donato.” Ogdensburg Journal, May 17, 1912.

“Morgan Williams Back Home.” Scranton Times, December 22, 1911.

“Morner Estates.” Berkshire Eagle, October 24, 1914.

“Morner Murder Suspect Freed.” Albany Argus, May 19, 1912.

“Morner Suspect is Released.” Buffalo News, December 20, 1911.

“Mrs. Williams Says Her Son is Innocent.” Scranton Tribune-Republican, December 20, 1911.

“Murder Suspect Held, Albany Police Notified.” Buffalo News, December 15, 1911.

“Police File Still Remains Open in Morner Murders, 35-Year-Old Mystery.” Albany Times-Union, December 29, 1946.

“Police Think They Have Slayer of Morner Family.” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, March 1, 1912.

“Sheriff Says Donato is Man.” Rutland Daily Herald, December 19, 1911.

“Sleuthing Isn't Profitable.” Rutland Daily Herald, February 10, 1912.

“Spurned Love Caused Hatchet-Fiend to Murder Entire Morner Family.”

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