Death Of a "Good Time Girl"

This little tale harks back to the era of Prohibition and how one young woman went from nothing to a luxury lifestyle before falling victim to murder.  This "good time girl" was Louise Lawson, who grew up in a small Texas town, Walnut Springs.  She excelled in music, and dreamed of the big time.  When she reached 18, she took off to Broadway to realise her dreams.  But, as so often, the reality was so much different.  Six years later, she got a little work as an extra for D.W.Griffith and then appearing in Ziegfeld`s Follies.  But this did not provide any riches, so she learned other ways to make money.  It was 1921 and the era of he speakeasy was up and running.  Louise found that "entertaining" wealthy clients with "private" shows brought her substantial money.  Now she was banking hundreds of dollars every week, and had even acquired shares in a transit company.  

    She had a regular "client" Gerhardt Dahl, a top executive in the New York transit company she had shares in.  Her home was very opulent, full of the finest furniture and ornaments.  On the morning of February 8th 1924, two men called at her apartment and were heard discussing a bootleg delivery.  Louise was found tied up with a cloth stuffed in her mouth and then tape wrapped her mouth, causing her to suffocate.  A substantial amount of jewellry was missing.  Dahl insisted there was nothing improper in his dealings with Louise and stated he did not give her money.  She had been regularly banking $500 a week.  Dahl also stated he had no idea where she acquired her money.  The case remains unsolved.