Post by Brian on Jun 26, 2009 23:58:35 GMT -5
02/18/07 at 05:24 PM
jackhammer
I was thinking about another angle today. Perhaps it's already been discussed here. If so, I apologize for the re-run. It was reported that Charlie was carrying about $63 in his pocket, while not a huge amount by today's standard, it wasn't such a small amount in those days. $63 in 1929, had the approximate purchase power that $742 dollars would| today. Now, you might say that because of the stock market crash and shaky economy at the time, folks may choose to keep their money out of the bank. I guess that I might have as well. However, why would a man, that was not thinking about killing his family (or at least thinking about doing something drastic), be carrying around that kind of money? IN HIS POCKET?
I feel that this might add to the pre-meditation part of the crime. In the documentary, it was said that Charlie had hitched up his mule and rode for miles to pay back a $2 debt. So, would it make sense that he would also want to leave this wortd not owing anyone? It was as if he were saying: "Here's my money. See to it that my family gets a proper burial."
Again, just my opinion.
To give you a sense of what things cost in those days, some food prices from 1929:
one pound can of peanut butter - $0.21
five 1LB cans of milk ? $0.47
one pound of coffee - $0.42
3 candy bars - $0.10
one pound of cheese and three pounds of macaroni - $0.89
12 cans of tomato soup - $0.89
Sources:
data.bis.gov/cqi-bin/cpical.pl
www.measuringworth.com/calculators/ppowerus/result.php
share4.esd105.wednet.edu/dlturner/marketing/tsld002.htm
Much of the evil in the world is brought about by people believing they are acting for good and righteous reasons. -
Margaret weis
jackhammer
02/18/07 at 05:39 PM
Maria
Oh Jackhammer what a great thread/post. I agree with your deductions. Might I add that we should figure in the cost of 8 new sets of store bought clothes, what ever that cost and the cost of having a family portrait made at a professional studio. This adds up to quite a sum of money. Especially if he didn't clear out his account. The only thing about the money going to bury his family properly is that he had a thousand dollar life insurance policy with Shenandoah Life Insurance Company. That probably covered the price of seven caskets and that big tombstone. But I agree it's one more plus for the pre-meditation column.
Maria
02/18/07 at 05:47 PM
jackhammer
Thanks Maria. I didn't know about the Life Insurance policy. If $63 equated to the buying power today of $740+, a thousand bucks was huge. It looks like he had the burials covered. (I guess that it wasn't cheap to bury 8 people.) Still, to have that kind of money in his pocket instead of having it hid away somewhere is kind of telling.
Much of the evil in the world is brought about by people believing they are acting for good and righteous reasons. -
Margaret Weis
jackhammer
02/18/07 at 05:58 PM
ladebug
Very interesting Jackhammer and you surely did a great deal of work on that one. Food for thought.
Ladebug
02/18/07 at 06:05 PM
Maria
Hey Ladebug,
I agree with you about that. Jackhammer's learning from the best. By the way.-.WELCOME HOME Ladebug.
We missed you.
Maria
02/18/07 at 06:09 PM
jackhammer
Quote:
Originally Posted by ladebug
Very interesting Jackhammer and you surely did a great deal of work on that one. Food for thought.
Hey, welcome back Ladebug!
Bet you're happy to be back from that cold, windy, snowy, Chicago. Okay, so we're cold and windy here, too. But no snow! Yay!
Much of the evil in the world is brought about by people believing they are acting for good and righteous reasons. -
Margaret Weis
jackhammer
02/18/07 at 06:10 PM
ecalhoun
I've always wondered how much the burial cost since so much was contributed by the community - at least the plot of land, and the neighbors digging the graves. I wonder what else? I'm sure they had to pay for the gravestone. I wonder how much of the other funeral services such as caskets, preparation, etc where taken care of. Anybody heard anything?
Break of Dawn Productions
"Bringing Light to the Darkest Night"
ecalhoun
02/18/07 at 06:21 PM
Maria
I read somewhere one time that in the early 1900's the average cost of a funeral for an adult was roughly $50.00 and included the casket and burial plot. I research more than just Charlie Lawson. Anything I sink my interest in gets researched. There would also have been the additional cost of the autopsy performed on Charlie's brain. I think I'll call the company in Winston-Salem tomorrow that made the Lawson tombstone and see if they have records on the tombstone they made for the family and how much it cost. I'll let you know one way or the other.
Maria
02/18/07 at 06:27 PM
jackhammer
Quote: Originally Posted by Maria
I read somewhere one time that in the early 1900's the average cost of a funeral for an adult was roughly $50.00 and included the casket and burial plot. I research more than just Charlie Lawson. ©Anything I sink my interest in gets researched. There would also have been the additional cost of the autopsy performed on Charlie's brain. Maria
Who would've had to pay for the brain examination? I would hope that it wouldn't have to come out of the brain owner's pocket. Seriously.
Much of the evil in the world is brought about by people believing they are acting for good and righteous reasons. -Margaret Weis
jackhammer
02/18/07 at 06:34 PM
Maria
Oh my Jackhammer, what WAS that in your Diet Dr. Pepper?
Maria
02/18/07 at 09:17 PM
linda
Maybe Charlie got the money out to pay for the crib that was on the paper found in his pocket and somehow he backed out getting it. Just a thought!!!
linda smith
02/19/07 at 12:31 PM
iluvnumber3
Linda that is a possibility. I am sure it has crossed someone's mind.
iluvnumber3
jackhammer
I was thinking about another angle today. Perhaps it's already been discussed here. If so, I apologize for the re-run. It was reported that Charlie was carrying about $63 in his pocket, while not a huge amount by today's standard, it wasn't such a small amount in those days. $63 in 1929, had the approximate purchase power that $742 dollars would| today. Now, you might say that because of the stock market crash and shaky economy at the time, folks may choose to keep their money out of the bank. I guess that I might have as well. However, why would a man, that was not thinking about killing his family (or at least thinking about doing something drastic), be carrying around that kind of money? IN HIS POCKET?
I feel that this might add to the pre-meditation part of the crime. In the documentary, it was said that Charlie had hitched up his mule and rode for miles to pay back a $2 debt. So, would it make sense that he would also want to leave this wortd not owing anyone? It was as if he were saying: "Here's my money. See to it that my family gets a proper burial."
Again, just my opinion.
To give you a sense of what things cost in those days, some food prices from 1929:
one pound can of peanut butter - $0.21
five 1LB cans of milk ? $0.47
one pound of coffee - $0.42
3 candy bars - $0.10
one pound of cheese and three pounds of macaroni - $0.89
12 cans of tomato soup - $0.89
Sources:
data.bis.gov/cqi-bin/cpical.pl
www.measuringworth.com/calculators/ppowerus/result.php
share4.esd105.wednet.edu/dlturner/marketing/tsld002.htm
Much of the evil in the world is brought about by people believing they are acting for good and righteous reasons. -
Margaret weis
jackhammer
02/18/07 at 05:39 PM
Maria
Oh Jackhammer what a great thread/post. I agree with your deductions. Might I add that we should figure in the cost of 8 new sets of store bought clothes, what ever that cost and the cost of having a family portrait made at a professional studio. This adds up to quite a sum of money. Especially if he didn't clear out his account. The only thing about the money going to bury his family properly is that he had a thousand dollar life insurance policy with Shenandoah Life Insurance Company. That probably covered the price of seven caskets and that big tombstone. But I agree it's one more plus for the pre-meditation column.
Maria
02/18/07 at 05:47 PM
jackhammer
Thanks Maria. I didn't know about the Life Insurance policy. If $63 equated to the buying power today of $740+, a thousand bucks was huge. It looks like he had the burials covered. (I guess that it wasn't cheap to bury 8 people.) Still, to have that kind of money in his pocket instead of having it hid away somewhere is kind of telling.
Much of the evil in the world is brought about by people believing they are acting for good and righteous reasons. -
Margaret Weis
jackhammer
02/18/07 at 05:58 PM
ladebug
Very interesting Jackhammer and you surely did a great deal of work on that one. Food for thought.
Ladebug
02/18/07 at 06:05 PM
Maria
Hey Ladebug,
I agree with you about that. Jackhammer's learning from the best. By the way.-.WELCOME HOME Ladebug.
We missed you.
Maria
02/18/07 at 06:09 PM
jackhammer
Quote:
Originally Posted by ladebug
Very interesting Jackhammer and you surely did a great deal of work on that one. Food for thought.
Hey, welcome back Ladebug!
Bet you're happy to be back from that cold, windy, snowy, Chicago. Okay, so we're cold and windy here, too. But no snow! Yay!
Much of the evil in the world is brought about by people believing they are acting for good and righteous reasons. -
Margaret Weis
jackhammer
02/18/07 at 06:10 PM
ecalhoun
I've always wondered how much the burial cost since so much was contributed by the community - at least the plot of land, and the neighbors digging the graves. I wonder what else? I'm sure they had to pay for the gravestone. I wonder how much of the other funeral services such as caskets, preparation, etc where taken care of. Anybody heard anything?
Break of Dawn Productions
"Bringing Light to the Darkest Night"
ecalhoun
02/18/07 at 06:21 PM
Maria
I read somewhere one time that in the early 1900's the average cost of a funeral for an adult was roughly $50.00 and included the casket and burial plot. I research more than just Charlie Lawson. Anything I sink my interest in gets researched. There would also have been the additional cost of the autopsy performed on Charlie's brain. I think I'll call the company in Winston-Salem tomorrow that made the Lawson tombstone and see if they have records on the tombstone they made for the family and how much it cost. I'll let you know one way or the other.
Maria
02/18/07 at 06:27 PM
jackhammer
Quote: Originally Posted by Maria
I read somewhere one time that in the early 1900's the average cost of a funeral for an adult was roughly $50.00 and included the casket and burial plot. I research more than just Charlie Lawson. ©Anything I sink my interest in gets researched. There would also have been the additional cost of the autopsy performed on Charlie's brain. Maria
Who would've had to pay for the brain examination? I would hope that it wouldn't have to come out of the brain owner's pocket. Seriously.
Much of the evil in the world is brought about by people believing they are acting for good and righteous reasons. -Margaret Weis
jackhammer
02/18/07 at 06:34 PM
Maria
Oh my Jackhammer, what WAS that in your Diet Dr. Pepper?
Maria
02/18/07 at 09:17 PM
linda
Maybe Charlie got the money out to pay for the crib that was on the paper found in his pocket and somehow he backed out getting it. Just a thought!!!
linda smith
02/19/07 at 12:31 PM
iluvnumber3
Linda that is a possibility. I am sure it has crossed someone's mind.
iluvnumber3