Help with Researching a Murder

[Peter J]

Hope this is in the correct section...

Could anyone please advise how to research a murder (USA early-twentieth century), please? Is there a searchable, online database containing information of this kind?

Looking for info on Dennis Cummins, whom, it is believed, was murdered in the USA (state unknown) some time between 1909 and 1916.

Dennis was from Ireland, and married Kate Curtin, Cork City, in September 1909. It is believed he traveled to the US (reasons unknown) where he was murdered.

Widow Kate, remarried in Cork City, August 1916, to Jeremiah Long.

I appreciate info is scant, but any advice/assistance with this very much appreciated.

With thanks,

P.

[aghadowey]

Each state keeps it's own vital records and they started doing so at various dates which can make your search more difficult.
Start by finding when he left Ireland/arrived in U.S. For that period there are likely passenger manifests of U.S. arrivals giving a destination/person traveling to in U.S.
Newspapers liked to report murders and gruesome deaths so there might have been reports in local or national papers. Have you checked Irish or British papers in case the story was reported on that side of the Atlantic?

Added- how does wife Kate appear in 1911 census? married? widow?

[Peter J]

Thank you for this.

A quick search on the back of your kind advice is revealing the family were still at home in Ireland at the time of the 1911 census. Obviously this now narrows down Dennis' (recorded as Denis, on census form) possible date of death between 1911 and 1916.

In answer to your question, I have not as yet checked newspapers for reports of the death.

Are ships' passenger manifests searchable online (apologies if this is a daft question)?

Many thanks,

P

[*Sandra*]

There are many records free on family search - register for free.

https://www.familysearch.org/en/

A list of the collections:-

https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/list?count=20

Sandra

[shellyesq]

There is a Denis Cummins, born St. Ann's, Cork, who died in WWI in France on 8 May 1915.  He was killed in action.  His widow was Kate, and the pension ledger says she remarried to Jeremiah Long on 17 Aug. 1916. 

[Peter J]

There is a Denis Cummins, born St. Ann's, Cork, who died in WWI in France on 8 May 1915.  He was killed in action.  His widow was Kate, and the pension ledger says she remarried to Jeremiah Long on 17 Aug. 1916.

Oh my goodness! This must be him. That is quite a shock and a revelation as family legend had it that he had been murdered in the US. It makes you wonder how these 'stories' become so distorted and inaccurate.

Thank you so much. May I ask the source of the pension ledger you cite?

P.

[shellyesq]

It is on Fold 3.

[Peter J]

It is on Fold 3.

Please excuse my ignorance, but I do not know what 'Fold 3' is/means.

With thanks,

P

[shellyesq]

fold3.com is a subscription website with historical military records and other genealogical records.