The Axeman Of New Orleans

Posted: 05.26.2020 | Updated: 07.01.2025

The story of the Axeman is a tale that has haunted the people of New Orleans for more than a century. This chilling tale of a ruthless killer, who struck his victims in the head with an axe, has remained an unsolved mystery since his crime spree ended in October 1919. What was the Axeman of New Orleans’ motive? And will his true identity ever be found?

The City of New Orleans has a long history filled with mysterious people and dark secrets. Considered one of the most haunted towns in the United States, you can visit many times and still never see all the spooky locations NOLA has to offer. While you’re here, be sure to check out the exciting ghost tours offered by us here at New Orleans Ghosts.

Who Was the Axeman of New Orleans?

The true identity of the Axeman of New Orleans has remained a mystery; however, there is some speculation about who he may have been. No one knows why he chose to kill Italian grocery store owners or why he would break into the homes of New Orleans residents and never take a single valuable item.

His story remains one of the most horrifying tales of blood and murder in New Orleans’ history, proving that the most haunted thing in this town of Voodoo and magic is often the people who live here.

The Story of NOLA’s Axeman

“When I see fit, I shall come and claim other victims. I alone know whom they shall be. I shall leave no clue except my bloody axe, besmeared with blood and brains of the whom I have sent below to keep me company.” The Axeman—March 13, 1919

Those are the chilling words of the Axeman, from a letter he sent to a local newspaper, The Times-Picayune, warning the people of New Orleans that he was planning his next kill. He titled the letter with one single word, Hell.

From May 1918 to October 1919, the residents of New Orleans, Louisiana, lived in fear as a serial killer went on a killing spree, leaving few clues behind regarding his motive or his true identity. He was known simply as the Axeman, and more than a century later, his story remains an unsolved mystery.

The Axeman would break into the homes of Italian grocers late at night and leave behind a pool of blood, often taking the lives of his victims by bludgeoning their heads with an axe.

Why Did the Axeman of New Orleans Attack So Many Italian Grocers?

No one knows the true reason behind the Axeman’s strange obsession with specifically attacking Italian grocers. But it could have been a classic case of xenophobia. During the time of the Axeman’s attacks, there were many Italians immigrating to America, and they became targets of the dominant Anglo-Saxon class, who unfairly viewed the immigrants as swindling criminals.

How Jazz Music Helped Spare the Lives of Many New Orleanians

In the letter the Axeman sent to The Times-Picayune, he stated that he was very fond of jazz music. He went on to offer a proposition to the townsfolk. He swore that every person who had a jazz band playing at their house at 12:15 am the following Tuesday night would be spared from his wrath. Those who didn’t would likely get the axe.

Many people took the warning seriously, and fifteen minutes after midnight on March 18, 1919, jazz music filled the air in dozens of homes and bars across New Orleans and the neighboring suburbs. It may have sounded like a grand celebration for anyone who wasn’t in the know, but for those listening to the smooth sounds of jazz in their homes that night, it was a fearful moment as they waited anxiously for the sun to rise again.

The Victims of The Axeman

While it is uncertain just how many people were victims of the Axeman’s wrath, there are several stories of known victims who tragically met their fate at the hands of a madman.

His pattern involved breaking into the homes by chiseling away the door panels and attacking the residents using a hatchet or axe, typically one that was inside the victim’s homes, murdering or severely injuring them with the items they personally owned.

Joseph & Catherine Maggio

The first known victims were Joseph and Catherine Maggio. They were attacked in their home on May 22, 1918. Joseph was killed, and his wife, Catherine, was fatally wounded. Joseph was an Italian grocer; he and Catherine lived in an apartment above his store.

The Axeman broke into their apartment as they lay sleeping. He cut their throats using a straight razor and then proceeded to bash their heads with an ax.

When the police arrived on the scene, they found the bloody clothes the Axeman had left behind. They were able to rule out robbery as his motive, as none of the Maggio’s valuables were taken. He also didn’t take any money. Before he left, he wrote a note in chalk that read:

“Mrs. Joseph Maggio will sit up tonight. Just write Mrs. Toney.”

The investigators questioned several suspects following the murder, but they were all released eventually due to lack of evidence. The killing of the Maggios was the first of many confusing murders that lay ahead for the people of New Orleans.

Louis Besumer & Harriet Lowe

The next couple to be attacked were Louis Besumer and his mistress, Harriet Lowe. In the early morning hours of June 27, 1918, Louis, another grocer, and Harriet were asleep in the quarters in the back of the store Louis owned. 

When the people in town noticed the next morning that the grocery store was still closed, they discovered the couple lying in a pool of blood. Louis had been struck in the head with an ax, just above his right temple, and Harriet was struck over her left ear. Although the Axeman left them for dead, Louis and Harriet were still alive.

Several people in town were questioned, and one man was arrested but later released. One side of Harriet’s face became partially paralyzed from the attack, and she had surgery to help with the issue a few months later in August. Two days later, she died from complications with the surgery.

Louis and Harriet’s relationship became a scandalous topic in the news as she was his mistress. Harriet hyped up the media frenzy by making statements that were often taboo regarding the attack and Louis. 

On her deathbed, she gave investigators a harrowing and confusing statement, saying the man who attacked her was none other than Louis Besumer. Still, there was no evidence that Louis attacked Harriet, and it was hard to believe he would cause such a horrific injury to himself.

Anna Schneider

Anna Schneider was a victim of the Axeman, who didn’t fall under the same category as his other known victims. While the killer was prone to attack Italian grocers and their wives or partners for reasons unknown. Anna’s case was very different.

On the same night Harriet Lowe passed away, August 5th, 1918, 28-year-old Anna woke up to the frightening sight of a shadowy figure standing over her. The Axeman bashed her head in multiple times, cutting her scalp using what the police believed was a lamp sitting nearby. When Anna’s husband, Ed, returned home from work late that night, he discovered Anna’s body covered in blood. Anna was still alive, but she remembered nothing of the attack.  

Anna was eight months pregnant on the night of the attack. She gave birth to a baby boy two days after the horrific event.

Joseph Romano

Joseph Romano was an elderly man found by his nieces, Pauline and Mary Bruno, after the Axeman attacked him on August 10, 1918. He was injured with two cuts on his head. Pauline and Mary were two rare witnesses who caught a glimpse of the killer as he was fleeing the house. 

They described him as a dark-skinned, heavy-set man who wore a dark suit and a slouch hat. The cops later found that the panel of the back door had been chiseled, and they also found the murder weapon on-site in the backyard; this time it was a bloody hatchet.

Joseph died two days later due to injuries from the attack.

Charles, Rosie, and Mary Cortimiglia

On March 10, 1919, the Axeman headed to Mississippi and attacked the Cortimiglias family. A grocer by the name of Iorlando Jordano, the Cortimiglias’ neighbor, heard screams coming from next door and went to investigate. 

He found Charles Cortimiglia lying on the floor, bleeding. His wife, Rosie, was holding onto Mary, their dead infant daughter, who suffered from a head wound.

Rosie claimed that their Iorlando and his son Frank were the attackers; however, Iorlando was 69 years old and very frail. His son Frank was too large to fit through the door panel where the killer had entered. 

Still, the police arrested them, and they were found guilty of the crime. Frank was sentenced to be hanged, and Iorlando was sentenced to life in prison. Later, Charles, who also survived the attack, denied Rosie’s claims, divorcing her after the two men were on trial. Rosie later admitted to falsely accusing the Jordanos, and they were released from prison.

Steve Boca and Sarah Laumann

Steve Bocca and Sarah Laumann were two more victims of the Axeman’s brutal attacks. They were attacked in a similar fashion to all the other victims. Steve awoke to the Axeman attacking him on August 10th, while Sarah was attacked in her sleep on September 3rd. Although they both survived, neither of them was able to identify their attacker.

Mike Pepitone

Mike Pepitone was the last known victim of the Axeman’s attacks. On October 27, 1919, Mike’s wife, Esther, woke up to see Mike struck in the head by the Axeman. Blood covered the room; however, Esther was unable to describe what the man looked like.

After Mike was murdered, Esther moved to Los Angeles and remarried a man named Angelo Albano. On the second anniversary of Mike’s death, Angelo disappeared mysteriously. According to the story, Angelo once had a business agreement with a man named Joseph Mumfre. 

He visited Esther on December 5th, 1921, and demanded that she hand over $500 in cash and all her jewelry. If she refused, Mumfre told her he would kill her in the same way he had killed her husband. Esther didn’t give in to his demands. Instead, she shot Mumfre using her revolver.

When the police arrived, Esther told them she saw the same man the night her husband, Mike, was murdered. The police investigated Mumfre and found some circumstantial evidence that linked him to the murder.

Mumfre was the leader of a blackmailing gang from New Orleans known for targeting Italian residents. He was also the prime suspect in the shooting of the Sciambras that occurred in 1912.

While it seems that Mumfre could easily be identified as the Axeman, experts disagree that he was guilty of those crimes and say that there is no substantial evidence linking him to the attacks. It seems that the mystery of the crazed killer who enjoyed jazz music will remain unsolved forever.

Haunted New Orleans

Similar to the Zodiac Killer and Jack the Ripper, the Axeman will forever be a chilling tale of a serial killer that we will never know all the facts about. Too much time has passed for the killer to be identified and sentenced to pay for his crimes. But living in the haunting city of New Orleans, where witches and voodoo queens cast their dark spells, it is very likely he met his karma at some point down the road.

New Orleans is a town where you can hear multiple ghost stories on any given night while visiting a local bar or pub. There is so much haunted history here that those who are curious about all things spooky can’t possibly visit all the creepy locations where ghost encounters are common.

That is why it’s a good idea to book a tour with us here at New Orleans Ghosts for a chilling experience like no other. Learn about historical facts and urban legends linked to the most haunted hotspots in town when you take the tour with us. And be sure to check out our blog for information, updates, and exciting stories you can’t find anywhere else.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for more information about the

scariest and most haunted locations all throughout the United States.

Sources:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umgiWDDMnOo
• https://hnoc.org/research-collections/collection-highlights/mysterious-axman
• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/axeman-new-orleans-preyed-italian-immigrants-180968037/
• https://www.legendsofamerica.com/la-axeman/
• https://countryroadsmagazine.com/art-and-culture/history/the-axeman-new-orleans/
• https://lsureveille.com/155805/entertainment/louisiana-true-crime-the-new-orleans-axeman-who-murdered-italian-grocers-unfond-of-jazz/