During the 1930’s kidnappings were a common occurrence, and wealthy St. Louisans were prime targets for criminals interested in collecting ransom. One dark and stormy night in 1931, a wealthy and respected St. Louis doctor was abducted and held for over a week. Although no request was made for ransom, he was released unharmed and returned to his family. No one was arrested in connection with this crime. Three years later, a down-on-his-luck tavern owner identified the perpetrators behind the crime, one of whom was a highly respected woman of St. Louis society. Listen to today’s episode of Fact or Fiction as I tell this crazy and mostly true story to my friend Tracy. Listen carefully because it’s more difficult than you think to recognize Fact or Fiction.
Note: I mispronounced Muench as Moonch. I apologize–it’s apparently pronounced Minch–rhymes with pinch. Oops! You can find more information on this at the following website:
https://www.muenchfamilyassociation.com/notorious-nellie.html
“Doctor Kelley Released to Post-Dispatch Man.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 28 April 1931, p. 1, 2, 6.
“Mrs. Nellie Muench Indicted with Convict and Gangsters on Charge of Kidnapping Dr. Kelley.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 13 March 1934, p. 1, 3.
“Mrs. Nellie Muench Indicted with Convict and Gangsters on Charge of Kidnapping Dr. Kelley.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 13 March 1934, p. 1, 3.
“Mrs. Muench Comes In and Is Released on Bond of $50,000.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 15 March 1934, p. 1-2.
“Doctor Who Said Mrs. Muench Bore Child Never Examined Her; Another Held as Forger.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 25 September 1935, p. 1, 3.
“Prosecution Leaves the Question of Penalty Up to the Jury.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 4 October 1935, p. 3A.
Works Cited
“A Great Runner of 1909 Runs Another Great Race in 1932.” The Kansas City Star, 14 August 1932, p. 31-32.
“Attorney Sues Mitzi Shop Owner for $10,000 Loan.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 21 May 1928, p. 5.
“Bail for Mrs. Muench Opposed; She and Indicted Gangsters Leave Town.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 14 March 1934, p. 1, 3.
“Commissioner Limbaugh Brands Jones Perjurer; Calls for Prosecution.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 24 October 1935.
“Details of Rebuttal Testimony Offered by State Yesterday; Attempt to Shake Alibi.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 4 October 1934, p. 4A.
“Doctor Kelley Released to Post-Dispatch Man.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 28 April 1931, p. 1, 2, 6.
“Dr. Muench Admitted Worthless Nature of Birth Statement by Drs. Pitzman and Thompson.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 18 October 1935, p. 1, 3-4.
“Dr. Muench Files Suit for Divorce, Petition Secret.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 4 July 1943, p. 1.
“Doctor Who Said Mrs. Muench Bore Child Never Examined Her; Another Held as Forger.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 25 September 1935, p. 1, 3.
“Early Trial Probable for Mrs. Muench.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 16 March 1934, p. 3.
“Ernest M. Tipton, Chief Justice of Missouri, Dies.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 25 February 1955, p. 7.
“Final Arguments on Rosegrant; State’s Attack on the Defense Alibi.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 5 October 1934, p. 4.
“How Nellie Muench Was Caught in Her Own Trap.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 28 February 1937, p. 80.
Krugman, Andrew. “Fear of Eating.” New York Times, late ed., 21 May 2007, p. A1.
Linzee, David. Infamous St. Louis Crimes and Mysteries. Palmerson and Reed Publishing, 2001.
“L. O. Muench Weds Miss Nellie Tipton.” The Evening Missourian, 30 October 1911, p. 1.
“Mrs. Muench at Jefferson City, Attorney Says.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 14 April 1944, p. 3A.
“Mrs. Muench Comes In and Is Released on Bond of $50,000.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 15 March 1934, p. 1-2.
“Mrs. Nellie Muench Indicted with Convict and Gangsters on Charge of Kidnapping Dr. Kelley.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 13 March 1934, p. 1, 3.
“Missouri Men Making Good as Coaches.” The Evening Missourian, 23 October 1914, p. 6.
“Motive of Baby Hoax Was to Hold Love of Physician.” The Maryville Daily Forum, 23 December 1936, p. 1.
“Muench Quartet Is Anxious to Go to Prison, Lacy Says.” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, 31 January 1937, p. 3.
“Nellie Tipton Muench Singing in Choir at Federal Reformatory.” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, 11 July 1943.
“No Trace Found of Doctor Named by Mrs. Muench.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 14 April 1936, p. 4A.
Notorious Nellie. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2020, from https://www.muenchfamilyassociation.com/notorious-nellie.html
“Pair to Be Brought Back from Chicago.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 14 November 1925, p. 2.
“Prosecution Leaves the Question of Penalty Up to the Jury.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 4 October 1935, p. 3A.
“Replevins $7,000 in Jewelry Pawned by Mitzi Shop Owner.” 30 April 1928, p. 3.
“Rosegrant Plans to Seek Bail in Supreme Court.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 29 March 1934, p. 6.
Shinkle, Florence. “Saga of the Baby Hoax.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 24 January 1983, p. 33.
Shinkle, Florence. “’The Strangest Female Personality’ of a St. Louis Era.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 23 January 1983, p. 135.
“Tipton, Ernest M. Papers | Harry S. Truman.” Www.Trumanlibrary.Gov, www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/personal-papers/ernest-m-tipton-papers. Accessed 27 Aug. 2020.
“Witness Testifies of Another Lawyer Visiting Muench Home.” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, 3 October 1935, p. 1.