Joseph Douglas Ball: The Alligator Man of Elmendorf
Early Life and Background
Joseph Douglas Ball was born on January 7, 1896, in San Antonio, Texas, to Frank Xavier Ball and Elizabeth Hart. He was the second of eight children in a prominent family; his father was a successful farmer and later a general store owner. After serving on the frontlines in Europe during World War I, Ball returned to Texas and engaged in bootlegging during Prohibition. With the repeal of Prohibition, he established the Sociable Inn in Elmendorf, Texas, where he kept five alligators in a pond behind the tavern, charging patrons to watch him feed them live animals.
The Disappearances Begin
In the mid-1930s, several women associated with Ball began to disappear under mysterious circumstances. Notable among them were barmaids Minnie Gotthardt and Hazel Brown. Minnie, who had been romantically involved with Ball, vanished in 1937. Hazel, another employee and romantic interest, disappeared shortly thereafter. Ball provided various explanations for their absences, often suggesting they had left town suddenly.
Investigation and Grim Discoveries
As the number of missing women grew, suspicions around Ball intensified. In September 1938, Bexar County deputies John Gray and John Klevenhagen arrived at the Sociable Inn to question him. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Ball retrieved a handgun from his cash register and fatally shot himself through the heart on September 24, 1938.
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