Frank Weinbecker, also known as "Stuttering Jack" or "John Rufus," was a sailor, along with Frank E. Bassett, (one of the accomplices in his murder), on the schooner, Mary E. Bayliss, out of Bridgeport, Connecticut in early July of 1878. The mate on that vessel was John Wynkoop, (also called Frank Weincoop in one report.) John later testified at the separate trials of Mrs. Lorena Elizabeth Alexander and Frank Bassett, conspirators in the murder of "Stuttering Jack" on the evening of July 12th, 1878.

    On September 28th, 1878, John was the mate on the sloop Franklin which Bassett had been hired to sail to Norwich, Connecticut. Mrs. Alexander accompanied them on that trip. While in Norwich, Bassett was arrested for the theft of a pocket-book containing $65 and belonging to a man by the name of McKay, who was in Bridgeport selling belting. Police Officer Jennings brought him back to Bridgeport. When Mrs. Alexander returned home, she discovered that Bassett had been to their house in her absence and had sold all the household furniture to satisfy the claim of McKay and had been locked up. This infuriated her. Seeking revenge, she started to hint around to anyone who would listen that Frank "had done enough to hang him," implying that he had murdered "Stuttering Jack." John, who had been given the responsibility of returning the Franklin to New London after Bassett's arrest, was the first person to hear Mrs. Alexander's veiled accusations.

    While John really only plays a peripheral role in this infamous murder case, (the newspapers were still reporting on it in 1937), and had no part in the murder itself, the case is such a macabre and fascinating one that I couldn't resist adding it to the collection here, dealing, as it does with "resurrectionists," body snatching, grave robbing and "burking," or killing a man for the purpose of selling his body to be dissected. There was nothing staid about our New England ancestors.

    Enjoy the goosebumps.

    Chris.

A Bridgeport Tragedy.
     From the Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, Monday, 30 September, 1878.

Crime, Stuttering Jack.
     From the Chicago Daily Tribune, Monday, 30 September, 1878, Page 3.

Stuttering Jack.
     From the Boston Globe, Boston, Mass., Tuesday, 1 October, 1878.

Murdered "Stuttering Jack."
     From the New York Times, Thursday, 3 October, 1878.

News Of The State, Fairfield County.
     From the Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, Thursday, 3 October, 1878.

Stuttering Jack's Murder.
     From the New York Times, Friday, 4 October, 1878.

The Silver Lake Mystery.
     From the New York Times, Saturday, 5 October, 1878.

Mrs. Alexander's Crimes.
     From the New York Times, Sunday, 6 October, 1878.

News Of The State, Fairfield County.
     From the Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, Friday, 18 October, 1878.

Trial of Mrs. Alexander.
     From the New York Times, Wednesday, 30 October, 1878.

The Bridgeport Barrel Murder.
     From the Washington Post, Thursday, 31 October, 1878.

A Woman On Trial For Murder.
     From the New York Times, Thursday, 31 October, 1878.

Weinbecker's Murderers.
     From the New York Times, Friday, 1 November, 1878.

News Of The State, The Bridgeport Murder Trial.
     From the Hartford Daily Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, Friday, 1 November, 1878.

News Of The State, The Bridgeport Murder Trial.
     From the Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, Saturday, 2 November, 1878.

The Bridgeport Murder.
     From the New York Times, Saturday, 2 November, 1878.

"Stuttering Jack's" Murder.
     From the Washington Post, Monday, 4 November, 1878.

A Murdereress Convicted.
     From the New York Times, Saturday, 9 November, 1878.

The Bridgeport Murder.
     From the New York Times, Tuesday, 25 February, 1879.

Stuttering Jack's Death.
     From the New York Times, Wednesday, 26 February, 1879.

The Bridgeport Murder.
     From the New York Times, Thursday, 27 February, 1879.

Frank Bassett Defending Himself.
     From the New York Times, Friday, 28 February, 1879.

Closing Bassett's Trial.
     From the New York Times, Saturday, 1 March, 1879.

Imprisonment For Life.
     From the New York Times, Sunday, 2 March, 1879.

An Old Crime Recalled.
     From the New York Times, Friday, 8 February, 1884.

Mrs. Alexander Insane.
     From the Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, Thursday, 7 August, 1902.

Golden Anniversary Fails To Attract Any Flowers And Friends To Aged Man.
     From the Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, Wednesday, 27 March, 1929.

26 Insane Inmates Taken From Prison To State Hospital.
     From the Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, Thursday, 11 February, 1932.

Oldest Lifer, Confined 58 Years, Dies.
     From the Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, Saturday, 27 November, 1937.