Angles Snell: A Notorious Figure in Early 20th Century Crime
Background
Angles Snell, born in Tiverton, Rhode Island, was a man with a notorious reputation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known to law enforcement across Massachusetts and his native Tiverton, Snell had a long criminal record that included multiple convictions for assault, theft, and illegal liquor sales. He had been married and divorced at least twice and was rumored to have been involved in other serious crimes, including arson and possibly even murder.
Criminal Activities
Snell's criminal activities were diverse and spanned several years. His known offenses included:
- Four convictions for assault, theft, and selling liquor illegally.
- Being tried and acquitted for setting fire to a barn in Dartmouth in 1893.
- Supplying fishermen with illegal liquor and then robbing them once they were intoxicated.
- Alleged involvement in the murder of a man named Peleg Cornell in Little Compton.
The Murder of Burden Head
In the weeks leading up to the murder of Burden Head, Snell had issues with Head and allegedly threatened to kill him and Sarah Sherman, the hotel's housekeeper who had been the subject of his infatuation. On the day of the murder, Snell had given Head sea clams for bait and was among those searching for the body when Head was reported missing. He was also the first to report Head missing, which raised suspicions among the investigators.
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