File:Gunness Pony, 1908 - LaPorte, Indiana (46525254905).jpg

Date: 1908 Source Type: Postcard Publisher, Printer, Photographer: Stansbury Postmark: November 30, 1908, South Bend, Indiana Collection: Steven R. Shook Remark: The message written on the reverse of this postcard is as follows:

"The pony on this card is the one that was sold at the auction. They are going to stop digging over there to day as they say they have all the bodys."

Belle Gunness, often referred to as the Lady Bluebeard, is considered to be the first American female serial killer. Soon after the discovery of numerous bodies buried on Gunness' property, a number items of her personal property were auctioned. The auction, which took place on May 29, 1908, on the Gunness farm, attracted nearly 5,000 attendees. More than 500 carriages were tied about the farm. Most items sold at five to ten times beyond their ordinary sale value. The three items attracting the greatest attention at the sale were Gunness' pony, the pony cart, and a shepherd dog. The dog sold for $107 ($2,940 in 2019 dollars).

Born in 1858 in Selbu, Norway, Belle Gunness emigrated to America in the mid 1880s. Belle married Mads Sorenson in 1893, and together they operated a store in Chicago. The store burned down, and Mads and Belle collected insurance on the property. Mads Sorenson died in 1900, with Belle collecting approximately $8,000 through his life insurance policy.

On April 1, 1902, Belle married Peter Gunness in LaPorte, Indiana. Together, Peter and Belle owned and operated a small farm on McClung Road in LaPorte County. Belle again collected insurance on a husband when Peter died after a coffee grinder allegedly fell from a shelf hitting him on the head. Following Peter's death, Belle began advertising in Norwegian language newspapers in America for a husband.

Several suitors answered Belle's advertisements. However, many of these potential bridegrooms would suddenly leave in the night, leading Belle's 18 year old niece, Jenny Olson, to be suspicious as to their welfare. Jenny then mysteriously disappeared, though Belle told friends and neighbors that she had left for schooling in California.

The final man to respond to Belle's advertisement was Andrew Helgelein. Belle requested that Andrew sell his property and bring his money (about $3,000) to LaPorte, which he did in 1908. Andrew's brother, Asa Helgelein became suspicious when letters from Andrew ceased to arrive. Asa therefore traveled to LaPorte County to inquire about the welfare of his brother.

In the early morning of April 28, 1908, the Gunness farmhouse burned to the ground. The Gunness children were found in the ashes of the home, as well as the body of a headless woman. This headless body, however, was much smaller in size than the rotund stature of Belle's body. After sluicing through the ashes of the home, dental work reportedly to be Belle's was found. Asa Helgelein arrived several days after the fire, and at his urging, the LaPorte County Sheriff began to further investigate the fire and Belle's relations with out-of-town men. The investigation turned into a national sensation, as numerous bodies were soon found to be buried on Belle's farm..

The remains of Andrew Helgelein were the first to be found, buried in a shallow grave in the garden. Jenny Olson's body was soon discovered nearby. In all, at least twelve other bodies were recovered from the property. It has been estimated that Belle may have buried forty men on the farm.

Enormous crowds, numbering in the thousands, visited the farm during the investigation. Special trains from Chicago and Indianapolis, as well as from other towns and cities, brought curious onlookers to the farm. Picnics were common. A farm building was used as a temporary morgue, where onlookers could view the remains as they were recovered and put on display. Numerous postcards were produced and sold during and after the investigation.

Ray Lamphere, a farm hand of Belle's, was eventually charged with murder and arson. Though not convicted of murder, Lamphere was found guilty of arson and incarcerated in the nearby Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, where he died a few years later. While in prison, Lamphere maintained that Belle had escaped and insisted that her body was not found in the debris of the burnt house. Lamphere's statement led to numerous reported sightings of Belle Gunness across the United States for many years, none of which were ever confirmed.