Gordon Stewart Northcott's handwritten confession, Riverside, 1928

Item Overview

Title

Gordon Stewart Northcott's handwritten confession, Riverside, 1928

Date Created

[circa December 1928]

Date

1928-12

Publisher

Los Angeles Times

Language

English

Collection

Los Angeles Times Photographic Collection

Notes

Description

Gordon Stewart Northcott was accused of kidnapping, molesting, torturing, and brutally murdering three young boys and aiding in the murder of another in 1928, which his mother admitted to. She received a life sentence in jail. Northcott was found guilty on all accounts and was executed by hanging on October 2, 1930 at the age of 23.
This confession appears in the article, "Five Deaths Confessed. Northcott Cites Nine Murders. Walter Collins and Winslow Boys Named as Victims; Father Accused. Youth Breaks on Desert Trip; Louis Winslow's Death Laid to Nephew." Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 1928: pg. 1.
Photograph of handwritten confession note reads, "Dec 3rd. I killed Alvin Gothea on the Ranch Feb-2-1928. No self-defense. Gordon Stewart Northcott will plead guilty to above charge in Riverside County tomorrow. G. S. M." "I will take Gordon Stewart Northcott into judicial court, in Riverside, on Dec. 4th at 10 a. m. to enter the above plea. Earl Redwine."

Caption

Text from negative sleeve: Eastman, George. Gordon Scoot ['Stewart' is written in below with an arrow to Scoot] Northcott murder case, 1928. nitrates.

Physical Description

Extent

1 photograph

Medium

b&w nitrate negative

Keywords

Genre

cellulose nitrate film
news photographs
forensic photographs

Names

Redwine, Earl W. 1894-1967
Northcott, Gordon Stewart, 1906?-1930

Location

Riverside (Calif.)

Resource type

still image

Subjects

Confessions
Trials--California--Los Angeles
Serial murderers--California--Riverside