The Life & Times of Kuruko Darkwolf

Bertha Alice Williams Graham Gifford

Age  78

Born 10 00 1872

Died 08 20 1951

Buried in Church of God Faith of Abraham Cemetery, Morse Mill, Jefferson County, Missouri

Death Certificate  GiffordBertha

One of the things I’m working on is a timeline of events that transpired from the time Bertha’s first husband died to the trial. I’ve come across several others that may or may not have died under Bertha’s care. Some that I didn’t think did before may have been. It’s all in what the past gives up. I’ve been reading a lot of the old newspapers from the area. Fascinating stories they are. I’ve…

Eugene Boyrie Gifford

Age  74

Born 01 30 1883

Died 11 19 1957

Buried in Church of God Faith of Abraham Cemetery, Morse Mill, Jefferson County, Missouri

Bertha’s, second husband. Gene was always highly thought of both in Jefferson County and in Catawissa, while living on the Bend. No one knows how much he knew or what part he played in it. That was always a mystery. Did Bertha have something on…

Mary Brown Age  07 Born 00 00 00 Died 00 00 00 Buried in Unknown I don’t have much information on this one other than she was seven and her aunt’s name was Laura Brown, who was from East St. Louis, and that she died in Catawissa. I found several Mary Brown’s buried in the St. Louis area but theres no information. I found a Mary Minerva Brown that is buried in Union City Cemetery but she died from…

Ludelphia Creason Brinley Age  64 Born 09 08 1881 Died 06 02 1946 Buried in Brush Creek Cemetery Gray Summit, Franklin County, Missouri The Wife of Ed Brinley, she was often considered to be shy and meek. But when Ed died mysteriously, it was Ludelphia who insisted that something was amiss. She went to Frank Jenny and asked for an investigation. Her testimony was also damning to the defense. She…

Frank W. Jenny

Age  76

Born  02 02 1889

Died 07 30 1965

Buried in Union Cemetery, Union, Franklin County, Missouri

Was the prosecuting attorney for Franklin County at the time of the trial. In later years he was known to give out free legal advice.

Mary Catherine Brake Stuhlfelder Age  73 Born 11 07 1852 Died 01 10 1926 Buried in Buried In Rock Church Cemetery, Catawissa, Franklin County, Missouri Was last of the Stuhlfelders to pass while a patient of Bertha. Legend goes they weren’t too keen on Bertha taking care of her because of the three children passing, but they relented and let her anyway. She suffered from chronic myocarditis.…

Bernard Stuhlfelder Age  1 (16 Months) Born 11 25 1913 Died 02 26 1915 Buried In Rock Church Cemetery, Catawissa, Franklin County, Missouri Bernard is the youngest of the victims. He was suffering from broncho pneumonia when Bertha came and tended to him. He died after a long night of screaming from stomach pains. He’s the only one of the three Stuhlfelder children to have a headstone.  Death…

Frances S. Murphy Stuhlfelder Protte Age  90 Born 03 11 1896 Died 01 00 1987 Buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Kirkwood, St. Louis County, Missouri This poor woman lost three children to at a young age, a mother in-law, her oldest who was at the age of 18, her first husband in 1933 and her second husband in 1976. She died of natural causes at the age of 90 in a nursing home in Desloge, Mo.

George Stuhlfelder Age  55 Born 09 08 1877 Died 03 06 1933 Buried in Saint Patrick Cemetery, Catawissa, Franklin County, Missouri Lost three kids and his mother under the care of Bertha Gifford. His oldest son died in 1929. He, himself died four years after that to a cerebral hemorrhage. He was a watchman at the Gravel Plant. Death Certificate  StuhlfelderGeorge

Stories & Anecdotes 6

Stories and Anecdotes are miscellaneous  tales I’ve found around the internet. I’m trying to bring as many of them together as I can. Bertha Gifford was described as “a tireless attender of funerals, a visitor of sick persons and a connoisseur of stories dealing with violence, illness or blood.” She often visited sick neighbors, in one case bringing tomatoes, milk and butter, staying for hours to…

Andrew McDonnell Age  67 Born 08 15 1884 Died 05 08 1952 Buried in Saint Marys Cemetery, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, USA Was sent by Frank Jenney to pick up Bertha Gifford that fateful day in August 1928. Considered a shrewd police officer. Lots of questions though on his interrogation of Miss Bertha. Was the Police Chief of Webster Groves for many years. Died of a massive heart attack…

Henry A. Graham Age  34 Born 04 17 1872 Died 11 30 1906 Buried in Church of God Faith of Abraham Cemetery, Morse Mill, Jefferson County, Missouri Bertha’s first husband and first victim. They were married in December 25th, 1894 and proceeded to run the Morse Mill Hotel. In 1906, while both were thought to be keeping company with others, Henry became sick and passed away. Bertha then married Gene…