In 1929, New York City filled the air with the heat and beat of classic Jazz. Many filled the nights with laughter, endless sleep, and dancing. Through all of New York, its popularity and lifestyle had seized the dream of millions. The city of lights that filled each street corner captured a significant historical moment. Even so, not everyone shared this beautiful moment and enjoyed the music when clubs continued to peak in popularity. Instead, lying in the dark streets, areas where police did not patrol, and ignorant of the possibilities, Albert Fish, also known as the “Moon Maniac“, filled the streets with evil. In the darkness, Albert Fish stalked his victims and did not hesitate to take away their life, a life that could have been long-lived. Still, New York’s streets held significant importance to our generation but avoided highlighting the potential danger that awaited.
Albert Fish grew up in Washington, DC. There, he had found a lifestyle that suited him to a work life. Instead, Albert Fish’s childhood was filled with tremendous amounts of suffering. Albert Fish was the youngest in the family. He had three older siblings who later on contributed to his life of sadness. Among his family members, many were diagnosed with mental illnesses. His uncle, for example, had developed mania, while one of the two siblings was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and her sister was diagnosed with a “mental affliction” . Unfortunately for Albert, his suffering did not end there as later on in his life, many more came to be diagnosed with mental illnesses, one of them being his mother
The childhood of enjoyment and livelihood Albert Fish had wished to capture as a little boy was repeatedly redirected. Unfortunately, Albert was put in an orphanage where he spent most of his childhood. Albert Fish was physically abused in this Orphanage and grew up in an environment where he was fighting for his life. After years of countless abuse and neglect from those involved with the Orphanage, he was later taken out of the Thai environment by his mother. The history of abuse and negligence continuing in Albert Fish’s life has led to his mental corruption. Albert Fish was not only mentally broken but also started filling up a pool of hate and violence.
In Albert Fish’s adult life, he took upon the opportunity for a field of change and decided to move to the city of opportunities, New York City, in 1890. Instead of living a life filled with opportunities and potential success, Albert Fish lived a life of evil. Albert Fish filled the streets of New York with terror and preyed on those who were vulnerable. Before his inhumane acts, he started by sexually assaulting male children. This was the beginning of what awaited Albert Fish.
Little by little, his actions of violence began to grow, each becoming more brutal than the last encounter. Even so, the murder of Grace Budd was different from the other cases. Through the trails and mind of Albert Fish, he took the necessary steps to get away as a suspect.
The enjoyment and laughter that once filled the state of New York shifted into an environment of shock, filled with tension and sadness. The death of Grace Budd left many to wonder what happened to the 10-year-old child. In May 1928, Albert Fish introduced himself to the Budd family when he formally found interest in Grace Budd’s older brother. Albert Fish used another name to disguise his tracks when he decided to pursue his impulsive, horrific actions against Edward Budd. Soon after connecting with the Budd family, Albert Fish shifted his attention to Grace Budd after meeting her. After that encounter, Albert Fish did not hesitate to create a gate of opportunity to move his motives and scheming towards Grace Budd. With this shift of intention, Albert Fish seized the chance to take advantage of Grace Budd. The lies and deception had led to Albert Fish bringing Grace Budd to East Irvington, New York. In the abandoned house, there is where Albert Fish has committed the atrocious murder of Grace Budd, strangling the poor 10-year-old child Grace Budd to death.
1934 Wisteria Cottage building where Albert Fish claimed to murder Grace Budd and disassemble her body for cannibalistic motives
Unfortunately, as time has passed, the case has been apprehended due to multiple roadblocks. The only information and update investigators could follow up with was what appeared to be Grace Budd’s body. As stated in Brooklyn Daily Eagle on December 14, 1934, “…in Worthington Woods, between Ardsley and Elmsford, not far from where the skull of Grace Budd was found, unearthed other parts of a child’s skeleton, believed to be that of the Budd girl. Through the investigation, different pieces and bones were discovered from previous victims of Albert Fish. The ongoing investigation led to more discoveries about the older man Albert Fish and his horrendous actions behind closed doors.
Even though Albert Fish committed the crime in the year 1928, his deception and lies led to his avoidance of getting caught. Still, Albert Fish didn’t stop tormenting the Budd family. Even after the loss of a daughter, a friend, and a sister, Albert Fish would later, in the year 1934, send a letter to the Budd family anonymously, explaining all the horrific things he did to Grace Budd. In November 1930, the Budd family received a letter from Albert Fish. Even though Grace Budd’s disappearance has not been solved yet, receiving a letter jump started another investigation in hopes of finding closure to unanswered questions.
This letter that was sent to the family was a gateway opportunity for the parents to find out who had abducted Grace Budd. An investigator named King has successfully cracked the mystery of who the serial killer is. Through his success and findings, King tracked Albert Fish’s previous apartment, where he found other letters leading to a match. Now, the investigators knew the killer’s name, Albert Fish. Albert Fish’s luck had run out. The man who once terrorized the city would be put in ruins. He will be tracked and arrested for the heinous, inhumane crimes he has committed. On December 13, 1934, Albert Fish was caught and arrested for all the murders he had committed.
To such an extent, the families and friends who were victims of Albert Fish’s awful murders will find some relief knowing that they have caught the man behind these killings. Unfortunately, those who have lost family or even a friend can not bear the loss. Rest assured, justice was brought to Albert Fish and served. On January 16, 1936, Albert Fish was executed by the electric chair. The streets of New York that once filled the horrors of Albert Fish were once replaced and slowly uplifted by the relief that a maniac wasn’t lurking in the dark areas of New York.
Timeline of Albert Fish: Grace Budd Murder Case
https://www.sutori.com/en/story/albert-fish-grace-budd-murder-case–mcaUrwuKSAjAsS2YywaUt4zg
Bibliography:
“Albert Fish.” Wikipedia, March 15, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Fish.
“Grace Budd: Albert Fish.” Newspapers.com. Accessed April 3, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-grace-budd-al/129753874/?locale=en-US.
Carney, Courtney Patterson. “Jazz and the Cultural Transformation of America in the 1920s.” LSU Scholarly Repository. Accessed April 3, 2024. https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/176/#:~:text=Jazz%20greatly%20increased%20in%20popularity,defining%20the%20early%20twentieth%20century.
