Murder at 2912 Washington

Buildings are just piles of boards and bricks without the stories that are attached to them.  During November 1912, St. Louis Police Officer Arthur Huddleston was killed by paroled murderer Albert Whitefield.  Whitefield had surprised his common-law wife, who was entertaining another gentleman caller.  Whitefield attempted to kill her before two St. Louis Police Officers responded to her cries for help.  Eventually Whitefield would shoot Officer Huddleston with another St. Louis Police Officer’s gun.

The murder occurred at 2912 Washington Avenue, the former home of Dr. Leete, a prominent member of St. Louis society.  By the early 1900s, the once fashionable mansions were converted to rooming houses.  Many St. Louis neighborhoods such as the Lucas Place neighborhood in Downtown have suffered similar fates as the tip of the “Golden Triangle” has continued to move westward.  Two buildings would occupy the site before the second building was torn down in the 1980s or 1990s.  The last building on the block was condemned as wrecked in 1995.   The south side of the 2900 block of Washington Avenue is one long vacant lot today.

2912 Washington Avenue had many residents and tenants during its history.  I write about that history in 2912 Washington Avenue and the Death of Arthur Huddleston.  Here is an excerpt from the book.

I can state two facts about 2912 Washington Avenue with absolute certainty.  First, in 1875, 2912 Washington Avenue was a three-story Victorian mansion owned by Dr. James M. Leete.  In 1930, 2912 Washington Avenue had become part of 2910-2916 Washington Avenue, a commercial property owned by Frank and Annie Dubinsky.  Grant Storage Battery Company operated out of 2910-2912 Washington Avenue, while Lindeman Hoffer Inc. Radios operated out of 2914-2916 Washington Avenue.   Clues to the structural history of the property can be gained by studying the Assessor’s records, but questions about the structure remain.

The first record of the property being sold is an 1887 transaction, in which the Harrison Wire Company sold the property to George F. Crane on October 26, 1887.  However Dr. Leete owned the property in 1875, and   according to the data on Dr. Leete’s 1880 Census card file, he resided at 2912 Washington Avenue with his wife and two children.  Dr. Leete was a 47-year-old former New Yorker, while    his wife, Cordelia H. Leete, was a forty-year old native of Arkansas.  Both their children, Louisa (6), and Clara (4), were born in Missouri.  One domestic servant also lived with them.  In checking the same information on the 1900 [VAN1] census card, Mrs. Leete  was the Head of Household, living with Louisa, 26, and Clara, 24, at 3555 Chestnut.

Since Dr. Leete presumably passed away between 1880 and 1900, it is possible that he passed away around the time the property was sold in 1887, and it’s also possible that the Harrison Wire Company could have been a company that he owned. He also could have sold it and moved the family to 3555 Chestnut prior to his passing.  For whatever reason, Dr. Leete is not listed in the Assessor’s records.

On December 8, 1887, George Crane sold the property to Oliver A. Hart for $1.00 after Crane had purchased the property for $500.00 dollars six weeks earlier.   Why Crane sold the property to Mr. Hart for that price is unknown.  It could have been to settle a debt, because Mr. Hart was presumably a wealthy man.

In 1880, Mr. Hart was living with his son August, daughter-in-law Clara, and their three children at 1408 Lucas Place in the exclusive Lucas Place subdivision.  At the time, Mr. Hart was the Head of Household.  Sometime between 1880 and 1900, Hart passed away, but his estate, located at 319 N. 4^th Street, was still listed in the Gold’s 1902 Directory of Saint Louis.       Since Mr. Hart did not live at 2912 Washington Avenue, he likely bought it as a real estate investment.   During his ownership, the original Leete home may have been torn down and rebuilt in 1902.  According to the Assessor’s Office house by house assessment in 1930, a new structure was built at 2910-2916 Washington Avenue that year.  The building initially served as residential space, but the Dubinskys rezoned the lot to commercial after their purchase of the property in 1927.

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