Dutchess County Carving: The Thanksgiving Murder of the Germond Family
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
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Sources:
https://modernfarmer.com/2017/10/death-dairy-farm-family-murdered-1930-still-unsolved/
https://poklib.org/a-murder-on-thanksgiving/
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Zevon Odelberg is a true crime podcast host and disability advocate. Zevon has cerebral palsy and he wants Kinda Murdery to be welcoming community for people with disabilities and for people living with challenges of any kind. Life can be hard, but being together makes it better.
Warning, Kind of Murdery contains adult themes, explicit language, and descriptions of
violence. It is not suitable for anyone, and we recommend you stop listening.
Now. True crime with a dash of the paranormal, the garish,
the strange in the darkly comic. I'm Zevnodelberg, host of kind of Murdery,
a podcast that's about more than just murder. It's my very own pocket
dimension, home to a curated collection of bizarre and compelling stories, the unsolved,
the unsettling, and the unbelievable. I cover it all just so long
as it's kind of Murdery. That's right, folks, No lies, there,
nothing but Turkey Day truth bombs. Because just like it says in the
intro, I am Zevanodelberg, and this is kind of Murdery. I am
back. We are back. My apologies that there was no episode Last Sunday,
A dear friend passed away and I was traveling for her memorial service.
She was an amazing person and for me, her sudden absence, while painful,
is also a reminder that I we have so much to be thankful for,
not the least of which is the opportunity to wake up each morning reveling
in the good days and soldiering through the bad ones. And I do my
best to be mindful that each day, good or bad, is a gift,
and today is the day to be mindful of the power of gratitude.
It's Thanksgiving Day, and I hope your Thanksgiving is a happy one, full
of love, laughter, and delicious food. But I also know that holidays,
especially family holidays, can be a difficult time for many people. I've
had some tough ones myself, so if you're having a hard time this holiday,
please remember that you can call nine eight eight, the free three digit
lifeline number, anytime, seven days a week, twenty four hours a day
to receive immediate counseling for mental health, substance use, and suicidal thoughts.
And also, please always remember that you are loved and the world is a
better place with you in it. So if you're not having a happy Thanksgiving,
if it doesn't feel like you have much to be thankful for, I
understand sometimes Thanksgiving feels that way, but please know, for whatever tiny bit
of joy it may spark, that I am profoundly thankful for you. Thank
you for listening, thank you for being part of the kind of murdery community.
Without your steadfast support, without you telling people to listen to the show,
without you showing up to listen every Thursday and every Sunday, there would
be no kind of murdery. And so again, on this day of thanks
I am so grateful for you. Now, this is just a segue.
I'm not equating how grateful I am for each and every one of you to
a delicious Turkey day side dish. But I am also very thankful for the
smell of fresh baked stuffing that's permeating my house right now. My wife makes
this incredible cornbread, sausage and sage and other magic ingredients, stuffing that's basically
pure ambrosia. And so, as I said today on Thanksgiving, I hope
that we all have have much to be thankful for. But even if it
doesn't feel that way, then hopefully at least we can be thankful not to
have spent our Thanksgiving Eve being brutally murdered on a dairy farm. Such was
the fate of the Germand family from upstate New York in nineteen thirty. We're
about to investigate a ninety three year old cold or maybe not so cold case.
So please join me as we uncover what truths we can and solve what
mysteries we may. Kind of murderies Duchess County Carving the Thanksgiving Murder of the
Germand Family starts now. In the deep shadows of Thanksgiving Day, nineteen thirty,
a grim tail unfolded in Stanford, New York, one that seeped into
the annals of true crime history. The Germand family, residing on their serene
dairy farm, found themselves at the heart of a tragedy that would send ripples
of horror through Duchess County and beyond. The Details of this case, as
gruesome as they are perplexing, would attract the attention of none other than Franklin
D. Roosevelt, the then Governor of New York and a fellow resident of
Duchess County. The night before Thanksgiving, a time typically filled with anticipation and
joy, became the backdrop for a harrowing incident. Four members of the Germand
family were brutally murdered, their lives extinguished in a place where they should have
felt the safest, their own home. This heinous act occurring on the eve
of a day synonymous with gratitude and family only amplified the shock and horror that
would envelop the community. As the news of the tragedy spread, The peaceful
image of the dairy farm was shattered, replaced by a crime scene that would
puzzle and disturb investigators. The motivations behind the killings, the methods used,
and the identity of the perpetrator or perpetrators remain shrouded in mystery, although I
believe there are some truths that we will reveal today now. The brutality of
the murders contrasted sharply with the tranquil rural setting, created a dichotomy that would
haunt all those who learned of it. Governor Roosevelt, known for his leadership
and his empathy, could not ignore such a significant and disturbing event happening within
his own county. His attention to the case signaled its severity and the impact
it had, not just locally, but nationally. As we delve into this
dark chapter, we tread carefully. We must piecing together the clues and circumstances
that led to this unspeakable crime. In a tale that seems more akin to
a chilling novel than reality, we explore the depths of human nature and the
shadows that can lurk in the most unexpected of places. The investigation into the
murders of the German family on that fateful Thanksgiving Eve opens a window into a
past filled with mystery, tragedy, and a quest for justice that captured the
attention of a nation. The evening of November twenty sixth, nineteen thirty,
Bernice Jermond, an year old student at Eastman Business College in Poughkeepsie, was
en route to her family's farm, nestled on Salt Point Road. The journey,
ordinary in every aspect, was about to spiral into a narrative steeped in
mystery and horror. As the bus trundled to a halt in front of the
German property, Bernice, with a note of concern, remarked to the driver,
mister Dennis Haggerty, while looks like nobody's home, the house is dark.
These words, innocent and unsuspecting, would tragically become her last known utterance
to the outside world, a prelude to her encounter with an unknown and deadly
fate. The German household, usually a beacon of warmth and familial comfort,
stood eerily silent and unlit. The modest dwelling, a symbol of their comfortable
yet unpretentious life, was shadowed by a shed and further back, a cattle
barn, integral parts of their dairy farm livelihood. The scene, as reported
by The Eagle News, painted a picture of a family not wealthy, but
content and well established in their community. Inside the home, a new high
priced radio in the parlor or and freshly baked pies awaiting the Thanksgiving celebration in
the pantry stood as testaments to their simple but fulfilling life. What transpired that
night, as Bernice stepped off the bus and into the darkness, remained shrouded
in mystery. The seemingly peaceful farm was to become the center of a gruesome
investigation, one that would reveal the stark contrast between the tranquility of agrarian life
and the brutal nature of the crime that occurred there. It was not just
a case of murder, It was a disruption of the very essence of a
family's sanctuary, turning a festive occasion into a grim charnel house that would haunt
the community and catch the attention of a future president. The investigation into the
events of that fateful Thanksgiving Eve would unfold a story filled with suspense, sorrow,
and the quest for answers. On Thanksgiving Day nineteen thirty, an unsettling
quiet hung over the Germand dairy farm, a silence that was about to reveal
a harrowing secret. The first hint of something amiss came from the board in
milk company, James DuMond, a diligent and punctual man, failed to deliver
his standard batch of milk, an uncharacteristic lapse that repeated the following day,
November twenty eighth. Concerned by this unusual behavior, the company dispatched Willard Coons
to investigate the delay at the Germand residence. Upon arrival, Coons was immediately
struck by the eerie stillness of the farm, a stark contrast to the usual
bustling activity. The only sound piercing the silence was the distressed mooing of cows,
a clear sign of neglect from a family known for their meticulous care of
their livestock. Coons, sensing something deeply wrong headed, toward the barn.
In the barn, a startling scene awaited him. One of the cows still
had a milker attached an indication of a sudden and abrupt interruption to a routine
milking. His apprehension, growing, Coons proceeded to the shed, where a
horrific discovery awaited him. The bloodied bodies of James jermad On forty seven,
at his young son Raymond, aged ten, laid there, painting a gruesome
picture of violence. Shaken and terrified, Coons raced to inform James's brother,
Paul Drummond of the grizzly find. After alerting Paul, Coons hurried back to
the board and factory to spread the alarming news. Driven by a mixture of
dread and urgency, Paul Germond, along with his father in law and neighbor
A. J. Curry, decided to venture into the German house before the
arrival of the sheriff. The scene that greeted them was one of utter devastation.
Inside, they found Mabel Jumond, forty seven, lifeless near the stove,
and Bernice in a haunting pose, wedged under the kitchen table. The
brutality of the scene was overwhelming, a stark testament to the violence that had
invaded the German family's home. The discovery sent shockwaves through the community. Turning
a place of familial love and thanksgiving preparation into a crime scene of unfathomable horror.
The peaceful farm, once a symbol of rural training equility, had become
the setting of a murder mystery that would captivate and horrify the nation. The
question of who could commit such an atrocity and why loomed large as the investigation
began to unfold, promising a search for truth laden with twists and turns.
As the news of the horrific murders on the German farm spread, the scene
quickly became a hive of activity. Police, coroners, doctors, neighbors,
and members of the press converged on the property, all seeking answers to a
crime that seemed incomprehensible in its brutality and suddenness. The farm, once a
symbol of pastoral peace, was transformed into a chaotic, epicenter of investigation and
speculation. The examination of the crime scene revealed chilling details. Each of the
four victims had been stabbed multiple times, with a total of twenty three stab
wounds shared among them. The precision of the attacks was noted, with each
victim receiving at least one stab wound near the heart. This suggested a level
of cold calculation and intent behind the violence. Particularly distressing was the evidence found
on Bernice's hand cut marks that indicated a desperate struggle to fend off her attacker.
The savagery of the crime was unprecedented for the local police, who found
themselves navigating unfamiliar in grizzly territory. The first suspect to emerge in their investigation
was a foreigner seen walking along the road near the farm. However, this
lead, like those that followed, yielded no concrete evidence linking him to the
murders. Another theory considered involved workers from a nearby sight. The proximity and
timing of their presence raised suspicion, but again the evidence was lacking, leaving
the investigators grasping at shadows. The angle of potential disgruntled suitors of Bernice was
also explored, considering the personal nature of the attacks. Yet this avenue,
too, led to dead inns. With each passing hour, the mystery deepened
and frustration mounted. The absence of clear motives or suspects left the police and
community grappling with unsettling questions. The idea that such a heinous act could be
committed seemingly without reason or traceable cause, was as perplexing as it was frightening.
As theories were pursued and discarded, the case of the German family murders
began to take on the grim aspect of an unsolvable enigma, a puzzle with
pieces that refused to fit together. The German farm tragedy, a case marred
by confusion in dead ends, escalated into a frenzy of activity in theories,
and yet remained mired in mystery. With the Duchess County Sheriff's Department and State
Police at the helm, the investigation into the brutal murders, now labeled the
worst crime in the county's history, continued. The constant arrival of reporters and
curious neighbors only added to the chaos, complicating the already challenging task of uncovering
clues. A breakthrough seemed to emerge with the discovery of a large butcher knife,
meticulously wiped clean of prints. This critical piece of evidence, traced back
to its purchase, hit a frustrating dead end when the shopkeeper failed to identify
the buyer. The pattern of promising leads turning into dead ends continued to be
a reoccurring theme in the investigation. Among the multitude of theories, one centered
on a mysterious stranger, the immigrant Florentine Ermendi, seen near the farm around
the time of the murders. His arrest in Brooklyn and subsequent release after failing
to be identified in a line up, exemplified the challenges facing the investigation.
Other theories, ranging from a scorned suitor of Bernice, to disgruntled hunters and
an irate road worker, all fizzled out without yielding any tangible results. As
the case gained national attention and stalled, it transformed into a politically charged issue.
The twenty five thousand dollars reward offered by authorities failed to produce any leads.
The involvement of Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt, prompted by local residents dissatisfaction
with the cases handling, added another layer of complexity. His decision to have
the state's attorney general take over was met with accusations of political maneuvering by the
Duchess County DA John R. Schwartz, and m criticism from the county's Republican
chairman Frederick H. Bontacou. I'm afraid I may have mispronounced mister Frederick H's
last name there, but its spelled bo NTec Ou. Feel free to reach
out and correct me. The investigation into the Jerman's murder took a significant turn
on February nineteen thirty three. Over two years later, the rest of neighbor
Arthur Curry. Sheriff Oakley Cookingham, driven by his belief in Curry's guilt,
built a case against him despite its circumstantial nature. Curry, with a history
of violence and an alleged motive linked to a dispute over hunting rights, seemed
a plausible suspect. However, the case against Curry unraveled in court. The
prosecution's theory suggesting the murders stemmed from an argument over hunting rights, was deemed
speculative by the judge. The lack of concrete evidence led to Curry's release and
the dismissal of the charges, leaving the sheriff and the court with quote too
much suspicion and too little evidence unquote. The German family murders a case entwined
with local and political intrigue, media frenzy, and labyrinth of theories ultimately remained
unresolved. The dismissal of charges against Arthur Curry marked another dead end in a
case that had become emblematic of unsolved mysteries, leaving a community and a nation
with unanswered questions and a legacy of speculation about what truly happened on that fateful
Thanksgiving Eve. The enduring mystery of the German Family murders. It was recently
revisited in a groundbreaking study by doctor Vincent Cookingham, a distant relative of Sheriff
Oakley Cookingham, who initially worked on the case. Doctor Cookingham brings a unique
perspective, bridging historical context with modern forensic analysis. Granted access to the original
records and the sparse remnants of evidence, doctor Cookingham has undertaken a thorough re
examination of the case. His findings are detailed in his recently published book,
The Germand Family Murders, A Forensic Conclusion to a cold case. In this
work, he meticulously dissects every aspect of the crime scene, sifts through the
web of rumors, and presents a compelling argument against the theory of a stranger's
involvement in the murders. Doctor Cookingham's investigation appears to circle back to a suspect
once dismissed, aj Curry. By applying contemporary forensic methods and insights to the
decades old evidence, Doctor Cookingham challenges the conclusions drawn by the investigators at the
time. His analysis suggests that the nature of the crime, the specific details
of the scene, and the context of the events align more convincingly with Curry
being the perpetrator than with any other theory proposed over the years. The release
of doctor Cookingham's book reignites the debates surrounding this notorious case. Is it possible
that, after years of speculation, dead ends, and a litany of suspects,
the true culprit was the one initially charged but subsequently released due to insufficient
evidence. Doctor Cookingham's conclusions invite readers and true crime enthusiasts to reassess the facts
and theories that have scrolled around the German Family murders for nearly a century.
In the world of cold cases, definitive answers are often elusive, and the
passage of time only complicates the quest for truth. Doctor Cookingham's book offers a
fresh, informed perspective, potentially closing a chapter on one of Duchess County's most
infamous and unsolved crimes. Yet, in the absence of incontrovertible proof, the
question remains, is the mystery of the German family murders a case I'm calling
the Duchess County carving truly solved or does it continue to be the subject of
conjecture and debate. Doctor Cookingham has presented his findings. He has decreed that
A. J. Curry was the killer, and we the public are left
to weigh the evidence, the Thanksgiving leftovers, if you will, and to
decide whether Duchess County carving the Thanksgiving murder of the Germand family is a cold
case. No more. Thank you for being here until next time. Happy
Thanksgiving everybody. I'm Zevanodberg and this has been kind of murgery.
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