Hill536
Member
On July 31, 1952, Lt. Coleman Peterson, USA, an Artillery officer stationed in the UP, shot and killed Maurice Chenoweth in Big Bay, Michigan.
Chenoweth was a retired Michigan State Trooper and U S Marine and the owner of the Lumberjack Tavern. Peterson armed with a “bring back” Luger suspected Chenoweth had an affair with his wife. Peterson shot and killed Chenoweth at the Lumberjack Tavern in Big Bay, just outside of Marquette, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Hollywood made a movie of the episode. The “Anatomy of a Murder” starring Jimmy Stewart in 1959, losing the Oscar to “Ben Hur”. The movie covers the trial that started on September 15, 1952,and Marquette County Attorney Thomas.Voelker (Stewart) used a rare version of the insanity defense called irresistible impulse that had not been used in Michigan since 1886. The jury deliberated for four hours on September 23, 1952, before returning a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Two days later, after Peterson was examined by a psychiatrist who judged him sane, he was released, left the area and divorced his wife. The movie leaves no doubt the wife was a little “flakey.”
The movie is available on Netflix or Prime and it’s pretty good at capturing the rural ways of the Upper Peninsula.
Now the pistol …. I got lucky enough to handle and iPhone photo is Chenoweth’s. It’s an early HE, circa 1910-15 I think. I can run the # with Roy. It’s been “Fitzed” with a great DA trigger that is smooth and light. (Wish I had a gauge.). It was meant to shoot people and was in its “hidey hole” behind the Lumberjack bar. Chenoweth never got to use it as Peterson came in blasting, shooting Chenoweth dead. Local lore says Chenoweth was an expert marksman often putting on shooting displays. One such display was shooting a Saltine Cracker out of his nephews hand at 25 yards. Uhhh yes! I know it’s BS!
The Lumberjack is going up for sale. It’s owner says it’s time to retire. The bar and the guns owner, Jack is ambivalent about selling the gun as he wants it to go with the business. Jack was kind enough to let me photo it. If you have any questions call him c/o the LumberJack, Big Bay, Michigan.
Chenoweth was a retired Michigan State Trooper and U S Marine and the owner of the Lumberjack Tavern. Peterson armed with a “bring back” Luger suspected Chenoweth had an affair with his wife. Peterson shot and killed Chenoweth at the Lumberjack Tavern in Big Bay, just outside of Marquette, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Hollywood made a movie of the episode. The “Anatomy of a Murder” starring Jimmy Stewart in 1959, losing the Oscar to “Ben Hur”. The movie covers the trial that started on September 15, 1952,and Marquette County Attorney Thomas.Voelker (Stewart) used a rare version of the insanity defense called irresistible impulse that had not been used in Michigan since 1886. The jury deliberated for four hours on September 23, 1952, before returning a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Two days later, after Peterson was examined by a psychiatrist who judged him sane, he was released, left the area and divorced his wife. The movie leaves no doubt the wife was a little “flakey.”
The movie is available on Netflix or Prime and it’s pretty good at capturing the rural ways of the Upper Peninsula.
Now the pistol …. I got lucky enough to handle and iPhone photo is Chenoweth’s. It’s an early HE, circa 1910-15 I think. I can run the # with Roy. It’s been “Fitzed” with a great DA trigger that is smooth and light. (Wish I had a gauge.). It was meant to shoot people and was in its “hidey hole” behind the Lumberjack bar. Chenoweth never got to use it as Peterson came in blasting, shooting Chenoweth dead. Local lore says Chenoweth was an expert marksman often putting on shooting displays. One such display was shooting a Saltine Cracker out of his nephews hand at 25 yards. Uhhh yes! I know it’s BS!
The Lumberjack is going up for sale. It’s owner says it’s time to retire. The bar and the guns owner, Jack is ambivalent about selling the gun as he wants it to go with the business. Jack was kind enough to let me photo it. If you have any questions call him c/o the LumberJack, Big Bay, Michigan.
