The Bridgeport Chloroform Murder, by Michael Treadwell
In 1878 an unusual murder took place in Bridgeport which captured the attention of the public. There were two perpetrators in the murder: Frank Bassett and his common law wife Lorena Alexander. Bassett and Alexander lived in a tenement in Barnum’s old carriage factory in East Bridgeport located on the corner of William Street and East Washington Avenue. Bassett worked and sailed on ships as his occupation. Alexander worked as a barmaid in the lower east side of Manhattan previous to living in Bridgeport. She had been living with Bassett for the last 10 months and earned money for both of them by sewing.
Lorena Alexander’s version of murder:
Bassett had been arrested for stealing a pocketbook. He needed to come up with some money to pay back what he had stolen. Without permission from Alexander, Bassett sold some of her personal trinkets, clothing, and furniture. When Alexander discovered what Bassett had done, she was furious. She went to talk with Assistant City Attorney Holt at his office. According to Holt, Alexander “wanted to know if something could not be done to get her articles back, and added with bitterness that Bassett was a very bad man and had done enough to be hung.” Holt asked her to elaborate further. Alexander began by saying that she had financial problems and needed money for her daughter. Alexander was aware that some people gave their bodies away for a fee after they passed away. Their body would then be dissected by the recipient.[1] Alexander spoke with a Dr. Sanford. She told Sanford she would “sell her own body to Yale…to be paid at the time of the contract.”[2] The money would then be used for her daughter. Sanford refused her offer but “told Alexander if she wanted to dispose of the dead bodies of any of her friends he would purchase them.” Alexander told Bassett of the conversation she had with Sanford. Bassett said “they might get hold of a body sometime and make a stake that way.” Bassett said to Alexander “jokingly that he guessed he would kill her to commence with.”[3]
Alexander continued: Bassett invited an acquaintance named Frank Weinbecker to supper. After supper Bassett suggested that Weinbecker take a nap. After Weinbecker fell asleep, Bassett took out a bottle of chloroform and poured the liquid onto a sponge. Bassett placed the sponge on his guest’s face. When the liquid had evaporated, Bassett told Alexander to bring him the bottle of chloroform so he could wet the sponge again. Alexander said she asked Bassett what he was going to do and Bassett told Alexander to “shut up or he would serve her the same way.” Alexander brought Bassett the bottle. He wet the sponge again and kept it over Weinbecker’s face. Alexander said she “cried and pleaded with Bassett as she saw Weinbecker gasping for breath but he swore at her and she did not dare resist him.”[4] Bassett removed Weinbecker’s coat and boots and put the body into an empty flour barrel and nailed it shut. He buried the coat and boots at the north side of the old carriage shop where they lived. The next day, Bassett hired a horse and wagon to carry the body. Alexander accompanied him on their trip to Dr. Sanford’s office.
Alexander claimed that “under his instructions (Bassett’s), she went in and told Sanford they had brought him a dead body that they found in their door yard”.[5] Sanford asked Alexander to show him a death certificate and she had none, so Sanford refused to take the body. Alexander claimed that “Bassett made no further effort to realize on his speculation but started for home.” On the way home, Bassett stopped at a remote part of the road, and rolled the barrel down the hill into the bushes.
Alexander claimed that she wanted to tell the police what happened but Bassett “kept her in fear of doing so,” and she feared that she could be in trouble with the law also. After telling Assistant City Attorney Holt her story, Holt brought her to police chief Marsh where she repeated her story. Alexander showed the police where Weinbecker’s coat and boots were buried outside of their apartment. Alexander then directed them to where the body had been dropped off and the barrel was found. The body was found “at the exact point where the woman directed them to look”.[6]
Frank Bassett’s Version of murder:
Bassett told the same story as Alexander — that Weinbecker was suffocated with a chloroform-soaked sponge. However, Bassett had his own story to tell. Bassett clearly stated that Alexander came into his room where he was reading the paper and said “I’ve chloroformed him (Weinbecker), I’ve fixed him.” Bassett said to her that “she had done wrong.” Basset claimed Alexander threatened him. If he contradicted her, she told him, “there is no use of your saying anything, for it would be as bad for me (Bassett) as for her.” When he looked at the body of Weinbecker, Bassett said, “I stood in the middle of the room dumbfounded”.[7]
Bassett explained he did what Alexander told him to do. Alexander had sent him to the store to buy a bottle of chloroform. “I followed her direction and helped barrel the body. I got a horse and wagon at her request.” Bassett believed that if he told the police what happened, Alexander “would have turned it on me, and what show would I have?” Bassett thought a woman’s evidence would be believed more than a man’s and therefore, he kept silent. Bassett said “he helped Alexander bury Weinbecker’s coat and boots under the hen coop next morning.” The next morning, they drove to New Haven with the body and spoke with Dr. Sanford. According to Bassett, Alexander told him, “she could get $25.00 for the body.” Bassett told the same story as Alexander, that Sanford refused to take the body because there was no death certificate. Bassett said they drove back to Bridgeport and Alexander “directed the way and helped take the barrel off the wagon”.[8]
Alexander’s trial took place in November of 1878 where she was found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Alexander’s conviction appeared on the front page of the New York Times with the headline “A Murderess Convicted”.[9] Bassett’s trial ended on March 1, 1879, where he was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
After being sent to prison, Alexander died a short time later in Middletown State Hospital. The year of her death is unknown. On the other hand, Bassett lived a long life. After spending 40 years in prison, the Connecticut Prison Association attempted to seek a pardon for Bassett in 1919. The Association attempted to find a home where Bassett could stay. The Board of Pardons refused to pardon him. In 1928 Bassett was placed in the state prison’s insane ward. A short time later he was transferred to Norwich state Hospital where he died in November of 1937. He was imprisoned for 58 years and was classified as being the oldest prisoner serving time.[10]
So, who actually placed the chloroform-soaked sponge over Weinbecker’s face? Bassett, Alexander, or both? “Each charged the other with being the chief actor.”[11] There were no other witnesses. Did Alexander fear for her life if she didn’t do what Bassett told her to do or was Bassett completely under the influence of Alexander? It is impossible to know with any certainty.
[1] Bridgeport Evening Farmer, Sept. 30, 1878
[2] Hartford Daily Courant, Nov. 27, 1937.
[3] Bridgeport Evening Farmer, Sept. 30, 1878
[4] Bridgeport Evening Farmer, Sept. 30, 1878.
[5] Bridgeport Evening Farmer, Sept. 30, 1878.
[6] Bridgeport Evening Farmer, Sept. 30, 1878.
[7] Bridgeport Evening Farmer, Feb. 27, 1879.
[8] Bridgeport Evening Farmer, Feb. 27, 1879.
[9] New York Times, Nov. 9, 1878.
[10] Hartford Courant, Nov. 23, 1919; Hartford Courant, Nov. 27, 1937.
[11] Bridgeport Evening Farmer, March 1, 1879.
