Joseph Briggen

Serial Killer

Serial Killer Joseph Briggen: The Historical Case Behind the Legend

Background

Joseph Briggen is frequently identified in modern serial-killer references as a California farmer and suspected serial murderer who supposedly killed a dozen or more laborers between the late nineteenth century and 1902. The story most often associated with him is particularly gruesome: Briggen allegedly recruited homeless men and transients as farmhands, murdered them when they demanded their wages, dismembered their bodies, and used the remains to feed his hogs. Later accounts generally place the number of victims at twelve or more and describe Briggen as the owner of unusually successful prize-winning pigs. However, a closer examination of surviving historical information reveals a major problem with the traditional version of Briggen's story. The documented 1902 murder connected to Joseph Briggen is substantially different from the account repeated in modern serial-killer encyclopedias. There is a verifiable victim, Joseph Mattli, and there are historical records establishing Mattli's death, Briggen's prosecution, and Briggen's imprisonment. At the same time, the frequently repeated claims of twelve murdered ranch hands, numerous skulls, and victims being fed to hogs are much more difficult to substantiate. For that reason, Briggen's classification as a serial killer should be regarded as historically disputed rather than unquestionably established.

Joseph Briggen in San Mateo County

Records place a man named Joseph Briggen in San Mateo County, California, before the murder. His surname appeared in several forms in contemporary and later accounts, including Briggen, Brigger, and Briggan. Such spelling variations were not unusual in records involving immigrants during this period. A Joseph Briggen appears in San Mateo County naturalization records in the early 1890s, confirming that a man of that name was living in the area well before the homicide for which he became notorious. Later serial-killer accounts generally describe Briggen as having been born around 1850 and portray him as a northern California farmer who raised Berkshire hogs. They claim his animals regularly performed well at agricultural exhibitions and that Briggen attributed his success to their feed. Those accounts then attach a sinister explanation to that statement, claiming human remains were incorporated into the animals' food. These colorful details became central to the Briggen legend, but they should not be treated with the same degree of certainty as the documented Mattli murder. ...

Confirmed Victims: (1)

Joseph Mattli Age: (35), Date of Death: 1902-06-15

Marc Hoover: Joseph Briggen and his hogs he used to dispose of ...