Helen Clevenger

Infobox Person
name = Helen Clevenger


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death_date = Death date|1936|07|16
death_place = Asheville, North Carolina
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nationality = flagicon|US American
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home_town = Great Kills, Staten Island, New York [cite news |title=STATEN ISLAND GIRL SLAIN IN THE SOUTH; N.Y.U. Student Stabbed and Shot in Her Hotel Room at Asheville, N.C. |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50715FA3F58107A93C5A8178CD85F428385F9 |work=New York Times |date=1936-07-17 |quote=Miss Helen Clevenger, 19 years old, of Great Kills, Staten Island, N.Y., was found shot to death in her room at an Asheville hotel this morning. ]
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Helen Clevenger (-July 16, 1936) was a an American college student murdered in Asheville, North Carolina on July 16, 1936.

Biography

Early life and education

Clevenger graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School. [cite news |title=DE WITT CLINTON WINS 'MATH' PRIZE; 76 High School Students Get Certificates in the Pi Mu Epsilon Tourney |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70712F83F58177A93C1A8178ED85F408385F9 |work=New York Times |date=1934-05-13 |page=N2 ] She continued her education at New York University. [cite news |title=N.Y.U. STUDENTS GET $5,200 SCHOLARSHIPS; Awards to 39 Undergraduates at Washington Square College Announced by Dean Loomis |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40910FB3854147B93C3A9178CD85F428385F9 |work=New York Times |date=1936-07-01 |page=23 ]

Death and afterward

Helen Clevenger was in Asheville, North Carolina visiting her uncle, W.L. Clevenger, a professor at North Carolina State College. In the early morning hours of July 16, 1936, she was shot and beaten in her room at the Battery Park Hotel.

The local police interviewed many witnesses and possible suspects in the killing before finally arresting hotel hallboy Martin Moore. [cite news |title=CLEVENGER SLAYER GETS QUICK HEARING; Negro Is Arraigned Secretly in Asheville on Two Charges Carrying Death Penalty |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0916F9355B1B7B93C3A81783D85F428385F9 |work=New York Times |date=1936-08-11 |page=15 ] Moore claimed that he was beaten by detectives into giving a written confession when he was really innocent. [cite news |title=Co-Ed's Slayer Gets Review |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20E11FE3E58107A93C6AB1782D85F428385F9 |work=New York Times |date=1936-09-24 |page=9 ] Moore was executed in the gas chamber in Raleigh, North Carolina in December 1936. [cite news |title=SLAYER OF CO-ED DIES IN LETHAL GAS ROOM; Moore Is Executed at Raleigh for Killing Helen Clevenger of Staten Island |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40613FA3E58107A93C0A81789D95F428385F9 |work=1936-12-12 |page=9 ]

It is said that Helen Clevenger haunts where she was killed, the Battery Park Hotel, now Battery Park Apartments. [cite book |first=Ken; Delas M. House, Jr. |last=Traylor |title=Asheville Ghosts and Legends |publisher=The History Press |year=2006 |isbn=1596291567 |pages=80-83 |chapter=The Spirits of the Battery Park Hotel |chapterurl=http://books.google.com/books?id=WZHiEzbSTK4C&pg=PA80&lpg=PA80 ]

References