Died, Beheaded, Survived

On the morning of Sunday, January 24, 1892, a tragedy struck a young couple in Salt Lake City. Hawley and Charlotte Crippen had been married for four years and had a small son. For a while they had drifted from state to state, moving from Detroit to San Diego and then to New York. But here in Utah they had at last settled down. Hawley was building a reputation as an eye and ear surgeon and they were set fair for a bright future.

Then, on a cold day in the desert state, fate dealt them a cruel hand. At ten that morning, Charlotte suddenly put her hand to her head and fell in a heap to the floor. In desperation, Hawley called his colleague Dr Dart, the president of the Utah homeopathic medical association.