Flashback: The Murder Of Elsie Sigel
May 5, 2011, 3:42 p.m.
Looking back at the dark history of 782 8th Avenue, where Elsie Sigel was murdered in 1909.
L: The mission where Sigel met Ling. R: Where Sigel was murdered.
Elsie Sigel, granddaughter of General Franz Sigel, was murdered in New York City in June of 1909. The 19-year-old was killed at 782 8th Avenue, between 47th and 48th streets, by Leon Ling. The NY Times described her killer as "an Americanized Chinaman," and said he lived above a chop suey restaurant at the 8th Avenue address (the middle building in the photo to the right; currently the FDNY Engine 54 quarters).
They reported that "her body was found in a trunk in a room occupied by Ling on June 18th. When the body was discovered Leon Ling and his roommate had disappeared." The roommate was later found and admitted to having seen the girl's body, and discussing her death with Ling, who was later found in Texas. Reportedly Sigel was strangled to death, and the paper notes that she met Ling through her mission work.
According to Wikipedia, during the murder investigation 35 love letters signed by Sigel were found in Ling's apartment. Allegedly the manager at the chop suey restaurant had also received love letters from Sigel, and it was believed that jealousy over this may have led to the murder, as Gain reported that he had received an anonymous letter threatening Sigel's life if they did not break up.
