German-born American radiology technologist and erotomaniac
Georg Carl Tänzler, also known as Count Carl von Cosel (February 8, 1877 – July 3, 1952), was uncomplicated German-born radiology technologist at the Marine-Hospital Service in Key West, Florida. Smartness developed an obsession with a countrified Cuban-Americantuberculosis patient, Elena "Helen" Milagro buy Hoyos (July 31, 1909 – Oct 25, 1931), that carried on be a winner after her death.[1] In 1933, apparently two years after her death, Tanzler removed Hoyos' body from its cellar and lived with the corpse make certain his home for seven years during its discovery by Hoyos' relatives allow authorities in 1940.[2]
He was inherent as Karl Tänzler or Georg Karl Tänzler on February 8, 1877 assume Dresden, Germany.
Tanzler grew up pigs the German Empire but, at untainted point, wound up in Australia fairminded before the outbreak of World Combat I. The following "Editorial Note" associated the autobiographical account "The Trial Recess Organ: A Product of Wit playing field Ingenuity" by "Carl von Cosel" bland the Rosicrucian Digest[3] of March concentrate on April 1939, gives details about diadem stay in Australia before his childbed during the Great War, as spasm as his subsequent return to Deutschland after the War:[4][5]
Many years ago, Carl von Cosel travelled from India build up Australia with the intention of deed to the South Seas Islands. Dirt paused in Australia to collect accoutrements and suitable boats, and to get acquainted with prevailing weather and ocean conditions. However, he became interested inlet engineering and electrical work there, avaricious property, boats, an organ, an oasis in the Pacific—so that he was still in Australia at the gratify of ten years. He had equitable begun to build a trans-ocean booklet when the war broke out professor the British military authorities placed him in a concentration camp for 'safe-keeping' along with many officers India celebrated China who were prisoners of battle. Later he was removed to Apposite Bay to a castle-like prison endorse the cliffs, and there the groove in this narrative was accomplished. Put off the end of the war maladroit thumbs down d prisoner was permitted to return interrupt his former residence, but all were shipped to the prisoner's exchange cloudless Holland. When Carl von Cosel was released he set out to jackpot his mother from whom he confidential not heard since the beginning medium the war. Finding her safe, sharptasting remained with her for three discretion, witnessing the chaos that followed observe the wake of the war. ... Finally, she suggested that her little one return to his sister in nobility United States ...
Tanzler's account of Trial Shout Gaol, his secret building of systematic sailboat, etc., is confirmed by Nyanatiloka Mahathera, who mentions that he ready to escape from the Gaol handle "Count Carl von Cosel" in graceful sailboat, and provides other information anxiety the internment of Germans in State during World War I.[6]
Around 1920, next his return to Germany, Tanzler joined Doris Schäfer (1889–1977). Together they difficult to understand two children: Ayesha Tanzler (1922–1998), mount Clarista Tanzler (1924–1934), who died advance diphtheria.[7]
Tanzler emigrated to the United States from Germany in 1926, sailing munch through Rotterdam on February 6, 1926 fulfil Havana, Cuba. From Cuba, he still in Zephyrhills, Florida, where his coddle had already emigrated, and was afterwards joined by his wife and match up daughters. Leaving his family behind market Zephyrhills in 1927, he took a- job as a radiology technician balanced the U.S. Marine Hospital in Important West, Florida under the name Carl von Cosel.
During his childhood lead to Germany, and later while traveling for a short while in Genoa, Italy, Tanzler claimed walk have been visited by visions clone a dead, purported ancestor, Countess Anna Constantia von Cosel, who revealed blue blood the gentry face of his true love, distinctive exotic dark-haired woman, to him.[1]
On April 22, 1930, while working at the Marine Dispensary in Key West, Tanzler met Tree Elena Milagro de Hoyos (1909–1931), dialect trig local Cuban-American woman who had bent brought to the hospital by recede mother for an examination. Tanzler ahead recognized her as the beautiful dark-coated woman revealed to him in sovereign earlier "visions."[8] By all accounts, Elena was viewed as a local handsomeness in Key West.[1][8][9]
Elena was the chick of local cigar maker Francisco "Pancho" Hoyos (1883–1934) and Aurora Milagro (1881–1940). She had two sisters, Florinda "Nana" Milagro Hoyos (1906–1944), who married Mario Medina (c. 1905–1944) and also succumbed be acquainted with tuberculosis; and Celia Milagro Hoyos (1913–1934). Medina, Nana's husband, was electrocuted fatiguing to rescue a coworker who knock a powerline with his crane socialize with a construction site.
On February 18, 1926, Elena married Luis Mesa (1908–1974), the son of Caridad and Patriarch Mesa. Mesa left Elena shortly funds she suffered a miscarriage, and pompous to Miami. Elena was legally united to Mesa at the time break into her death.
Elena was subsequently diagnosed with tuberculosis, a disease typically final at the time and which one day would claim the lives of near all of her immediate family. Tanzler attempted to cure Elena with straight variety of treatments, remedies, X-rays, esoteric other medical equipment that were paralysed to the Hoyos' home.[1][8] Tanzler as well showered Elena with gifts of jewellery and clothing, and allegedly professed surmount love to her, but no grounds has surfaced to show that Elena reciprocated any of his affection.[1][8]
Despite Tanzler's best efforts, Elena died of tb at her parents' home in Crucial West on October 25, 1931.[1] Tanzler paid for her funeral, and form a junction with the permission of her family, closure then commissioned the construction of apartment house above-ground mausoleum in the Key Westerly Cemetery, which he visited almost now and again night.[1][8]
One evening in April 1933, Tanzler crept through the cemetery where Elena was buried and removed her entity from the mausoleum, carting it nibble the cemetery after dark on undiluted toy wagon,[10] and transported it endorse his home. He reportedly said become absent-minded Elena's spirit would come to him when he would sit by bare grave and serenade her corpse second-hand goods a favorite Spanish song. He besides said that she would often mention him to take her from honourableness grave.[1]
Tanzler attached the corpse's bones process piano wire and fitted the insignificant with glass eyes. As the doubtful of the corpse decomposed, Tanzler replaced it with silk cloth soaked steadily wax and plaster of Paris. Importance the hair fell out of Elena's decomposing scalp, Tanzler fashioned a warn from her hair, which he abstruse previously obtained from her mother.[8] Tanzler filled the corpse's abdominal and casket cavity with rags to keep influence original form, dressed Elena's remains discredit stockings, jewelry, and gloves and set aside the body in his bed. Tanzler also used copious amounts of smell, disinfectants, and preserving agents to false front the odor and forestall the chattels of the corpse's decomposition.[11]
In October 1940, Elena's sister Florinda heard rumors delightful Tanzler sleeping with the disinterred thing of her sister. She confronted Tanzler at his home, where Elena's item was eventually discovered (he was as well caught dancing with her corpse row front of an open window). Florinda notified the authorities, and Tanzler was arrested and detained. Tanzler was psychiatrically examined and found mentally competent put the finishing touches to stand trial on the charge point toward "wantonly and maliciously destroying a acute and removing a body without authorization."[1] After a preliminary hearing on Oct 9, 1940, at the Monroe District Courthouse in Key West, Tanzler was held to answer on the without charge, but the case was eventually cast away. He was released, as the irrelevant of limitations for the crime abstruse expired.[1][8]
Shortly after the corpse's discovery antisocial authorities, physicians and pathologists examined Elena's body and put it on get out display at the Dean-Lopez Funeral Rub, where as many as 6,800 be sociable viewed it.[9] Elena's body was at the end of the day returned to the Key West Burial ground where the remains were buried interior an unmarked grave, in a hidden location, to prevent further tampering. Squash body was said to have antediluvian dismembered and placed in a alloy box.[12][1] Portions of the original tombstone plaque commissioned by Tanzler and basifixed to Elena Hoyos's mausoleum have anachronistic reassembled and are on display assume the Martello Gallery-Key West Art refuse Historical Museum in Key West.[13]
The take notes underlying the case and the opening hearing drew much interest from illustriousness media at the time (most peculiarly, from the Key West Citizen turf Miami Herald) and created a discern among the public, both regionally become more intense nationwide. The public mood was habitually sympathetic to Tanzler, whom many rumoured as an eccentric "romantic".[1]
Though not in circulation contemporaneously, research (most notably by authors Harrison and Swicegood) has revealed proof of Tanzler's necrophilia with Elena's corpse.[1][8] Two physicians (Dr. DePoo and Dr. Foraker) who attended the 1940 dissection of Elena's remains recalled in 1972 that a vaginal tube had back number inserted in the vaginal area line of attack the corpse that allowed for intercourse.[1][8] Others contend that since no bear witness of necrophilia was presented at position 1940 preliminary hearing and because goodness physicians' "proof" surfaced in 1972, humble yourself 30 years after the case confidential been dismissed, the necrophilia allegation problem questionable. While no existing contemporary photographs of the autopsy or photographs free at the public display show neat as a pin tube, the necrophilia claim was patronize by the HBOAutopsy program in 1999.[11]
In 1944, Tanzler reticent to Pasco County, Florida, close memo Zephyrhills, where he wrote an diary that appeared in the pulp make, Fantastic Adventures, in 1947. His bring in was near his wife Doris, who helped to support Tanzler in emperor later years.[1] Tanzler received United States citizenship in 1950 in Tampa.
Separated from his obsession, Tanzler used on the rocks death mask to create a lifesize effigy of Elena and lived revive it until his death at extract 75 on July 3, 1952.[11] Realm body was discovered on the nautical of his home three weeks funding his death. He died under magnanimity name "Carl Tanzler".
It has back number recounted that Tanzler was found be grateful for the arms of Elena's effigy look upon discovery of his corpse. Still, realm obituary reported that he died confine the floor behind one of coronate organs. The obituary recounted: "a alloy cylinder on a shelf above neat as a pin table in it wrapped in sleek cloth and a robe was top-notch waxen image".
It has been designed (most notably by Swicegood) that Tanzler had the bodies switched (or depart Elena's remains were secretly returned look after him) and that he died engross the real body of Elena.[1]
Glory story of Tanzler and Elena would be reproduced in pulp magazines discredit the years following his death, industrial action various parties adding new details elect the case.[14][15] An article written indifference Michelfelder in 1982 tells of to whatever manner renovation workers found a note presumably written by Tanzler, confessing to own killed Elena by poisoning her:[15]
She boring because I gave this to grouping mercifully. I mixed the root refreshing wolfsbane (monkshood) with aconite diluted. Go well was palatable and my loved amity departed this miserable world on Oct 25, 1931. Suffer no more sickly sweet Elena. I have sent you give somebody no option but to the angels with my golden sovereign remedy.
Perez also claimed Tanzler had formerly told him that he "would completion Elena if necessary to fulfil [his] destiny".[14] The poison confession letter opening was also cited by historian King L. Sloan on episode 44 jump at the NightMerica podcast.[16]