Eliot Ness

10 4, 2020

Travel to Eliot Ness’ Cleveland

By |2020-10-04T13:00:14-04:00October 4, 2020|

Travel back to the era of Untouchables and learn about Eliot Ness’s tenure in Cleveland.

Eliot Ness served as Cleveland’s Safety Director for Mayor Harold Burton during the years of 1935 to 1941. In these short years, Cleveland went from the most dangerous metropolis in America to winning a National Safety Award.

Photos and stories reveal the Eliot Ness that you won’t get from the movies – because, in this case, the truth is more fascinating than fiction.

The speaker is local historian, author and all-around Eliot Ness expert Rebecca McFarland. McFarland is a fourth-generation Clevelander who has given hundreds of talks on Ness and discussed him on A&E’s Biography. She’s also the person who ensured Ness’s final resting place would be in Cleveland, as McFarland herself spread his ashes in Lake View Cemetery.

To watch more videos on local history:

10 15, 2019

James Badal & Mark W. Stone on the Cleveland Torso Murders

By |2019-10-15T06:00:01-04:00October 15, 2019|

This month, we were fortunate to host two of the preeminent experts on the Cleveland Torso Murders. Those experts are:

They were kind enough to let us film their talk at our library, so we could share it with those who could not attend that evening. Watch and learn about this grisly crime spree, including who Badal and Stone think the Torso Slayer is.

Warning: This video includes several graphic crime-scene photos and may be upsetting to some people.

By the way, this talk was part of our Month of Mystery. Throughout October, some of the best mystery and true-crime authors will be speaking at the library, including:

  • Brad Ricca, author of Mrs. Sherlock Holmes, the phenomenal true story of Grace Humiston, the first woman U.S. District Attorney, at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17.
  • Jane Ann Turzillo, who will take us on a tour of the murderers, tricksters, train robbers, and more in Ohio’s wicked past at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 22.

All of these author visits are open to all, free to attend, and require registration. Additionally, they’re all hosted at our Main Branch.

During our Mystery Month, you can also:

We also have mystery programs for all ages and at all of our branches, so visit our event calendar to see which intrigue you.

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