ANNA HAHN

On December 1, 2021, the story of Anna Marie Hahn, born Filser, sent shockwaves through the nation as she was pronounced guilty of murder and sentenced to become the first woman in Ohio's history to be executed in the electric chair.

Anna Marie Hahn was born on July 7, 1906, in the picturesque town of Füssen in Bavaria. She was the youngest of twelve children in the Filser family. However, she displayed little interest in formal education and at the age of 18, found herself pregnant by an unknown man. Seeking a fresh start, she made her way to the United States, where she settled with her uncle.

In 1929, fate brought Anna Marie Hahn into the life of Philip Hahn, whom she married a year later. The couple faced numerous financial struggles from the outset. But, in an attempt to secure a stable future, they decided to open two delicatessen stores during difficult times. Tragically, their businesses failed, pushing Anna towards desperation. In a desperate bid to salvage their dire situation, she resorted to committing insurance fraud by setting both shops on fire, hoping to collect insurance money.

Philip Hahn's health took a sudden turn for the worse after Anna persuaded him to take out life insurance policies. However, she adamantly refused to seek medical help for him. It was only due to the intervention of his mother that Philip received the necessary medical attention and ultimately recovered. Nevertheless, the ordeal took its toll on their marriage, and the couple soon drifted apart.

While struggling with her own demons, Anna Hahn found herself at a horse race where, on a mere two-dollar bet, she won over 200 dollars. This event marked the beginning of her downward spiral into a gambling addiction that would soon prove to be her ultimate downfall.

To feed her insatiable appetite for gambling, Anna needed a more substantial source of income than what her failed insurance scams could provide. Deceptively presenting herself as a trained nurse and caregiver (professions she had never actually pursued), she preyed upon vulnerable individuals in need of assistance. Among her victims were Albert Parker, Jacob Wagner, George Gsellman, and George Oberndoerfer, all elderly and trusting souls.

In her sinister ploy, Anna portrayed herself as a long-lost niece or even accepted marriage proposals to win the trust of her victims. Through this web of deceit, she would rob them of their life savings and, in a cruel twist, administer a fatal dose of poison, ending their lives prematurely.

The murder of George Obendoerfer raised alarm bells for investigators. Suspicious circumstances surrounding his death prompted the police to launch a public search for a suspect. During this investigation, Anna's ex-husband, Philip Hahn, came forward with shocking revelations. He admitted to taking croton oil from Anna during their relationship, fearing that she might attempt to harm him using the potent laxative.

This discovery led to the unearthing of a damning piece of evidence in Anna Hahn's apartment: a promissory note for $2,000 made out to the late Albert Parker, a man who died under mysterious circumstances. As the police delved deeper into the enigmatic deaths and illnesses surrounding Anna Hahn, her dark schemes began to surface.

The mounting evidence left no room for doubt, and Anna Hahn was charged with the murder of Jacob Wagner. The exhumation and autopsy of Wagner's body confirmed that he had succumbed to poisoning by arsenic and croton oil. The ensuing trial, lasting four weeks and drawing intense media attention, resulted in her conviction and a death sentence.

Despite desperate attempts to appeal the verdict, Anna Marie Hahn met her grim fate on December 7, 1938, as she was executed in Ohio's electric chair. Her story serves as a chilling reminder of the destructive power of addiction and the darkness that can lie hidden behind seemingly ordinary facades.