KETCHEL, STANLEY MURDERED ORIGINAL THE ILLUSTRATED RECORD (1910)

HISTORY: Stanisław Kiecal (September 14, 1886 – October 15, 1910), better known in the boxing world as Stanley Ketchel, was an American professional boxer who became one of the greatest World Middleweight Champions in history. He was nicknamed "The Michigan Assassin." He was murdered at a ranch in Conway, Missouri, at the age of 24. Despite being a middleweight he fought and was knocked out by heavyweight champion Jack Johnson in 1909. Hoping for a rematch with Jack Johnson, Ketchel moved to the ranch of his friend, R. P. Dickerson, near (on what is now referred to as Dickerson Ranch Road) Conway, Missouri, where he had hoped to regain his strength. Dickerson had just hired a cook, Goldie Smith, and a ranch hand, whom Smith said was her husband, Walter Kurtz. Walter Kurtz turned out to be Walter Dipley. Walter Dipley and Goldie Smith were not married, and in fact, had just met each other a month before Dickerson had hired them. After being upbraided by the "Michigan Assassin" for beating a horse on the morning of October 14, Dipley decided to get even with Ketchel by robbing him. The following morning, Smith seated Ketchel at the breakfast table with his back to the door and Dipley, armed with a .22 caliber rifle, came up behind him and shouted, "Get your hands up!" Ketchel stood up, and as he turned around, Dipley shot him. The bullet traveled from his shoulder into his lung and Ketchel fell to the floor mortally wounded. Dipley then took Ketchel's handgun and smashed Ketchel in the face with it. At the same time, Smith rifled Ketchel's pockets for his money. After promising to meet Goldie Smith later that night, Dipley ran from the ranch. As he lay dying, Ketchel told the former ranch foreman, C. E. Bailey, that Goldie Smith had robbed him, she told police officers that Ketchel had raped her and that that was the reason why Dipley had shot him. Her story fell apart and she admitted her complicity in the robbery, but stated she did not know Dipley was going to kill the reigning champion. In an effort to save the young fighter's life, R. P. Dickerson chartered a special train to take Stanley Ketchel to a hospital in Springfield, Missouri, but Ketchel died around 7 o'clock that night. His last words were: "I'm so tired. Take me home to mother." Dickerson also offered a $5,000 dead or alive reward (preferably dead) for Dipley, who was captured at a neighboring farmhouse the next day. Upon being informed of Ketchel's death, his manager Wilson Mizner reportedly said, "Tell them to start counting ten over him. He'll get up." Both Walter Dipley and Goldie Smith were found guilty of murder and robbery at a jury trial in January 1911, and both were given a life sentence. Goldie Smith had her murder conviction overturned and she served 17 months for the robbery. Walter Dipley served 23 years before he was paroled. He died in 1956, 22 years after his release from prison. Offered here is the full periodical The Illustrated Record dated October 22, 1910 with front page and complete coverage of the murder of Stanley Ketchel.

FULL DESCRIPTION: This is a complete, 16 page, The Illustrated Record. Includes front page and a full interior page covering the murder of Stanley Ketchel. Clean inside and out. Has a mild center crease. Minor edge wear. Pages are full and complete, but separated from binding. Bold color and print. 12 1/2" x 18." Exceedingly rare, the only example we have seen.