F.K. Von Dahmer, a 23-year-old White man known as “Charlie,” was a bartender of Russian descent living in the booming gold-town of Juneau, Alaska. In early 1909, he worked at the Montana Saloon on Front Street. His name was recorded inconsistently in newspapers of the era, appearing as Dahmer, Damer, and even Dalmer.
On the evening of January 18, 1909, a dispute that had started earlier in the day turned fatal. The conflict centered on Kitty O'Brien, a 36-year-old dance-hall entertainer. Accounts vary, but O'Brien told her 18-year-old companion, Robert F. Stroud, that Von Dahmer had beaten her and refused to pay for her services. One report claimed he had viciously beaten and robbed her. In response, Stroud bought a box of bullets for his .38 revolver and, around 7:30 p.m., went to confront Von Dahmer at his cabin.
An argument and a physical struggle broke out between the two men.
In the ensuing violence, two shots were fired, and Von Dahmer was killed by a gunshot to the temple. The exact sequence of events remains unclear. Stroud later claimed he acted in self-defense, alleging that Von Dahmer was armed. However, police reports and other accounts suggested that Stroud first knocked Von Dahmer unconscious with his pistol and then deliberately shot him. One source stated that Stroud then robbed Von Dahmer’s body and gave the money to O'Brien.
After the shooting, Stroud surrendered to the city marshal. Because Alaska was a U.S. territory at the time, the case proceeded in federal court. Both Stroud and O'Brien were indicted for first-degree murder, and the weapon was identified as O'Brien's revolver. The charges against O'Brien were later dropped due to a lack of evidence.
Stroud was ultimately convicted of manslaughter. On August 23, 1909, a judge sentenced him to 12 years in the federal penitentiary on McNeil Island. This conviction marked the beginning of a long and violent criminal career that would eventually lead to Stroud becoming the infamous inmate known as the "Birdman of Alcatraz." The case was closed with his sentencing in August 1909.
