Axeman of New Orleans

[travisgreyfox]

Thought this was an appropriate time for this thread since Halloween is right around the corner.

Before I get to the record, a little background information:

The Axeman of New Orleans was an American serial killer active in New Orleans, Louisiana (and surrounding communities), from May 1918 to October 1919. -From Wikipedia. The Axeman ended up killing at least 12 people and injuring many more and was never identified or caught. The city of New Orleans was gripped in utter fear during this time. The Axeman even capitalized on the city dwellers fear in 1919 by writing to the newspaper the following:

"...Undoubtedly, you Orleanians think of me as a most horrible murderer, which I am, but I could be much worse if I wanted to. If I wished, I could pay a visit to your city every night. At will I could slay thousands of your best citizens."

"...Now, to be exact, at 12:15 (earthly time) on next Tuesday night, I am going to pass over New Orleans again. In my infinite mercy, I am going to make a little proposition to you people. Here it is: I am very fond of jazz music, and I swear by all the devils in the nether regions that every person shall be spared in whose home a jazz band is in full swing at the time I have just mentioned. If everyone has a jazz band going, well, then, so much the better for you people. One thing is certain and that is that some of your people who do not jazz it on Tuesday night (if there be any) will get the axe."

Needless to say, the entire city area packed with revelers playing jazz music loudly and celebrating as if their lives depended on it! A famous local composer named Joseph Davilla wrote up a theme just for this occasion called "The Mysterious Axeman's Jazz (Don't Scare Me Papa).

The song can be heard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_iSLK74ZI4

More Axeman information: https://mysteriousuniverse.org/2016/01/ ... ns-axeman/