James P. Watson: The Bluebeard Killer
Early Life
James P. Watson, born Charles Gillam in 1871 in Paris, Arkansas, endured a tumultuous childhood marked by instability and abuse. His father was absent, and his mother remarried, introducing the surname "Olden" into his life. This environment led Watson to run away from home at the age of 12.
Criminal Activities
Watson's criminal career was characterized by a series of fraudulent marriages and murders across the United States and Canada. Operating under various aliases, he targeted women through personal ads, marrying them to access their assets before ultimately murdering them. The exact number of his victims remains uncertain, with estimates ranging from seven to over twenty-five.
Known Victims
- Marie Austin – Married in March 1918 in Calgary, Alberta. She was bludgeoned with a rock, and her body was disposed of in a lake near Coeur D'Alene, Idaho.
- Unnamed Seattle Widow – Married in late 1918. While honeymooning in Spokane, Washington, Watson pushed her over a waterfall, resulting in her death.
- Beatrice Andrewartha – Married in February 1919 in Tacoma, Washington. In spring 1919, Watson drowned her in Lake Washington near Seattle.
- Elizabeth Prior – Married on March 25, 1919, at Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. During a trip near Olympia, Washington, they quarreled, leading Watson to fatally strike her with a hammer.
- Bertha Goodrich – Married in June 1919 at North Yakima, Washington. While honeymooning near Seattle, Watson bludgeoned her and disposed of her body in a lake.
- Alice Ludvigson – Married in July 1919. During a boating trip near Port Townsend, Washington, she allegedly fell overboard and drowned in the St. Joe River.
- Nina Lee Deloney – Married in December 1919 in El Centro, California. Her body was discovered a month later outside of town, showing signs of strangulation, skull fractures, and mutilation.
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