On February 8, 1963, 24 year old William Zantzinger, a wealthy Southern Maryland tobacco farmer and his wife Jane, set out for an evening of dancing at Baltimore’s annual Spinster’s Ball.
They arrived at the Emerson Hotel after having drinks and dinner at the Eager House Restaurant. Witnesses reported that Zantzinger smacked the hostess and the wine stewart with his cane. He then consumed two drinks before dinner and two double bourbons with dinner. His wife drank four double Cutty Sark with her meal. After being refused more drinks, she went to another table and drank from the glasses of the other guests.
At the ball Zantzinger hit an African American bellhop across the butt. After a few more bourbons, he said something about a Fireman’s Fund to a 30 year old waitress Ms. Ethel Hill. When she told him that she did not know what he meant, he yelled, "Don't say no to me, you nigger, say no, sir." He then hit her with his cane.
Hattie Carroll, a 51 year old mother of eleven, worked as a waitress at the Emerson Hotel when Zantzinger and his wife ordered drinks from the bar. Enraged that his drinks were not being served quickly enough he yelled, "What's the matter with you, you black son of a bitch, serving my drinks so slow!" He then proceeded to beat her with his cane. Eight hours later Hattie Carroll collapsed and died of a brain hemorrhage. In June of 1963, Zantzinger’s five attorneys won a change in venue. The case was moved to Hagerstown, Maryland where the charge of Homicide was amended to the lesser charge of Manslaughter. Three days later Zantzinger was found guilty.
In August of 1963 at sentencing for assaulting other hotel employees, Zantzinger was fined $125. For the death of Hattie Carroll, he was sentenced to six months in jail and a fine of $500. The judge allowed Zantzinger to delay the start of the jail sentence until September 15th to give him time to bring in his tobacco crops in. The story of Hattie Carroll was immortalized in a song by Bob Dylan, Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll.
PICTURES: Top L: Hattie Carroll. Top Middle: Gravestone. Top R: Husband's gravestone. Second Row L: The Emerson Hotel. Second Row R: The Emerson Hotel Dining Room.
SOURCES:
Internet Bernstein, Adam. "William Zantzinger, Convicted of Killing Hattie Carroll and Denounced in Bob Dylan song, Dies at 69." latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-zantzinger10-2009jan10,0,4825718.story, Web. 12 Jan. 2009.
"Hattie Carroll." FindaGrave.com, Web. 12 Jan. 2009. Site Visit
Gravesite. Baltimore National Cemetery, Baltimore, MD. 17 Jan. 2009.
INTERRED: Baltimore National Cemetery, 5501 Frederick Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21228. Phone: 410-644-9696
SUBMITTED: February 1, 2009. Pictures taken January 17, 2009, except black/white picture.
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