The tragic triple-homicide and suicide that occurred on the Mailahn Family farm in Oswegatchie County, Wisconsin in 1912.
| Name | Born-Died | Description / Note |
| Victim | ||
| Mailahn, Dora | 1896-1912 | 6th daughter, killed by her brother in 1912 |
| Mailahn, John L. | 1903-1912 | 5th son and youngest child, killed by his brother in 1912 |
| Mailahn, Louis | 1846-1912 | The father, killed by his son in 1912 |
| Suspects | ||
| Mailahn, William | 1889-1912 | The 2nd son, killed his father, brother, and sister before taking his own life in 1912 |
| Family of Victim | ||
| Holz, Carl Friedrich Wilhelm “Charles” | Charles married Anna Mailahn, sister of Louis Mailahan. He was also a member of the coroner’s jury, and a neighbor across the street. Charles later purchased the Mailahn farm and their descendants still own it today (2024). | |
| Kefferman, Carolina | 1813-1909 | Grandmother |
| Kollath, Carl “Charles” | 1847-1919 | Brother-in-law to Louis Mailahn, sold him the farm where he was killed. |
| Mailahn, Alvina | 1884-1907 | 4th daughter |
| Mailahn, Anna | 1880-1906 | twin of Bertha, eldest daughters. Died of “Phthsis Pulmonalis (Consumption), heart failure” |
| Mailahn, Bertha | 1880-1905 | twin of Anna, eldest daughters. Married Jessie Welch. Died of “Tubercular abscess, tuberculosis of lungs” |
| Mailahn, Carrie | 1882-1909 | 3rd daughter |
| Mailahn, Cecelia | cousin who Eddie left his entire estate too. | |
| Mailahn, Edward Herman | 1887-1914 | Eldest son, discovered the bodies of his father and two brothers, died of tuberculosis. |
| Mailahn, Fredericka | 1849-1941 | Sister of Louis Mailahn, married Carl Kollath |
| Mailahn, George Lawrence | 1898-1970 | 4th son, discovered the body of his sister, the only family member to live a full life. |
| Mailahn, Hannah “Anna” | 1852-1888 | Sister of Louis Mailahn, married Charles Holz. |
| Mailahn, Lizzie | 1892-1907 | 5th daughter |
| Mailahn, Ludwig | 1811-1895 | Grandfather, moved his family to Outagamie County in about 1872 |
| Mailahn, Walter | 1897-1932 | The 3rd son, lived slightly longer than the rest of his siblings, died of tuberculosis |
| Schmidt, Augusta | 1859-1908 | Mother of the family, believed to have died of tuberculosis |
| Welch, Grant | 1905-1906 | infant son of Bertha Mailahn Welch, died of “lung fever” |
| Welch, Jessie | 1871-1950 | husband of eldest daughter Bertha Mailahn, married in 1904, also a member of the coroner’s jury for the deaths of previous inlaws in 1912. |
| Law Enforcement & Lawyers | ||
| Danielsen, Abe | Clerk of the Court | |
| Hoerning, Herbert | member of the coroner’s jury, also likely the Mr. Hoerning that was noted as a neighbor | |
| Johnson, Thomas E. | Coroner | |
| Kirschenlore, George | Deputy Sheriff | |
| Kreiss, Henry | Judge in Edward Mailahn’s probate case | |
| Riehl, William B. | 1875-? | member of the coroner’s jury, neighbor, & clerk that took the 1905 state census |
| Rooney, F. J. | District Attorney | |
| Smith, Charles | member of the coroner’s jury | |
| Smith, George | member of the coroner’s jury | |
| Verhagen, Martin | Under Sheriff | |
| Zuehlke, J. B. | Attorney for Edward Mailahn for his estate and probate | |
| Witnesses & Other People | ||
| Kluender, Charles | possible family friend, in the newspaper as having attended the funeral | |
| McCarty, Margaret | Witness to the will of Edward Mailahn, and resident with him at Riverview Sanitorium, likely an employee | |
| Schultz, William | neighbor, on whose farm William was kicked int he head by a horse. | |
| Seefelt, Otto | possible family friend, in the newspaper as having attended the funeral | |
Documentation
Cemetery Records:
- Town of Black Creek Cemetery – Black Creek, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
- Cypress View Mausoleum & Crematory – Chula Vista, San Diego, California, USA
- Oregon State Hospital Patient Memorial – Salem, Marion, Oregon, USA
Census Records:
- 1880 US Federal Census: Black Creek, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
- 1900 US Federal Census: Black Creek, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
- 1900 US Federal Census: Grand Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
- 1905 Wisconsin State Census: Center, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
- 1910 US Federal Census: Center, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
- 1920 US Federal Census: Brillion Village, Calumet, Wisconsin, USA (Walter Mailahn)
- 1930 US Federal Census: Lincoln, Lancaster, Nebraska, USA (George Mailahn)
- 1940 US Federal Census: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA (George Mailahn)
- 1950 US Federal Census: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA (George Mailahn)
Crime Scene Location:
- Mailahn Farm: 20 acres in Black Creek, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
Military Records:
- WW1 Draft Card: Walter Mailahn, 1918
- WW2 Draft Card: George Lawrence Mailahn, 1942
Newspaper Articles:
- Appleton Evening Crescent:
- 1904 (Nov 10): Marriage license for Bertha Mailahn & Jessie Welch
- 1912 (Feb 3): “Kills Father, Sister, Brother and Himself”
- 1912 (Feb 5): “Father Has Presentiment”
- 1912 (Feb 14): “Brother Tells of the Tragedy”
- 1913 (Sep 2): “Driven West By the White Plague”
- 1913 (Sep 5): “Auction”
- 1913 (Nov 28): “Part of Both Lungs Are Removed”
- 1915 (Oct 16): “Probate”
- Appleton Weekly Post:
- 1904 (Dec 8): Marriage of Bertha Mailahn to Jessie Welch
- 1912 (Feb 8): three stories
- “Fiend Kills Father, Sister, Brother and Ends Own Life”
- “Bury Four Bodies This Afternoon”
- “Stunned Victims; Then Cut Throats”
- Chula Vista Star-News:
- 1958 (Jul 17): HUBCAPS STOLEN
- 1963 (Jul 4): Wheel Stolen
- National City Star-News:
- 1970 (Jun 21): George Mailahn obituary
Probate Records:
- Probate of Edward Mailahn: Outagamie County, Wisconsin (1914/15)
Real Estate Records:
Vital Records:
