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The building that once housed the Globe International Lodging House now is home to the Drift Inn Saloon.
The International Lodging House in Globe, Arizona was built and owned by Pasquale Nigro, an Italian immigrant in the early 1900s. The building is located on North Broad Street and is now occupied by the Drift Inn Saloon.
Pasquale Nigro made his fortune in the Tombstone area before coming to Globe where he owned numerous mining claims, businesses and real estate. Nigro came to Tombstone in the 1880s. He was the owner of the Comet Saloon in Tombstone.
In October of 1906 the International Lodging House was the scene of what the Daily Arizona Silver Belt newspaper called the “worst murder in Globe history.” The article began, “What is believed to be the most horrible and mysterious murder in the annals of Gila County history was disclosed Sunday afternoon when the body of Joseph Ludwig, a miner most recently employed at the Big Johnny mine, was found in a canyon leading into the foothills about a mile from the city and several hundred yards south of Bohse’s Laundry.”
The article went on to tell the story of the murder and what was known so far. The body had been found by H.C. Houser, an employee of the Arizona Silver Belt. He had been out hunting with two small boys, Glenn Schuck and Warren Davies. Houser immediately reported the finding to the Sheriff’s office. After viewing the murder scene authorities took the body to the undertaking establishment of F.L. Jones & Son. Within a few days a $350 reward was offered for information leading to the capture and conviction of the perpetrator or perpetrators.
The body had been nearly cut in half by a dynamite blast. It appeared that Ludwig had been lying on his belly on top of the dynamite when it exploded tossing the body 20 feet from the blast site and leaving a considerable depression in the ground. A stick of unexploded dynamite was found and believed to have been placed near the victim’s head. Had it exploded, identification of the body may have been impossible. Ludwig’s throat had also been cut.
Deputy Sheriff Cy Byrne and William Sparks went back to the scene that night with lanterns and found pieces of tissue and flesh in the surrounding bushes but not a lot of blood. They also found Ludwig’s heart lying underneath a mesquite bush. The mystery grew deeper as more information was learned.
It was soon discovered that Ludwig had been staying at the International Lodging House in room #18. A towel tied around the throat of Ludwig had come from the International. According to Mrs. John J. McInerny, Manager of the International, Ludwig had checked in on the evening of Thursday, Oct. 25, 1906. On Friday afternoon she had entered the room and found his bed saturated with blood and there were blood stains on the floor. She had removed the bedding and had it immediately washed in cold water and had mopped the floor. She apparently thought nothing of it and did not contact authorities, even after three days had passed and Ludwig had failed to return and pay her.
A theory that Ludwig’s death was a suicide was suggested by some of the local law enforcement. The theory was that Ludwig had cut his own throat and when that failed he cleaned himself up, tied a towel around his neck and walked to the site with the dynamite
and set the blast off. Two witnesses at the International supposedly saw Ludwig leaving his room on Friday the 26th. One man said he saw who he thought was the occupant of room 18 leave shortly before Mrs. McInerny discovered the blood in his room.
A “colored woman” who lived in the back of the International claimed that she had seen Ludwig pass by her room that afternoon and leave by the back stairs. He had his coat collar pulled up and something tied around his neck. He looked like a “mighty sick man.”
The woman would later be identified as Hattie Jackson.
The suicide theory did not hold up. One would have to believe that Ludwig with his throat cut (his windpipe had been severed 2/3 through) and severely bleeding walked nearly two miles then 39 hours after he was last seen blew himself up. Four doctors would testify later at the coroner’s hearing that a man with his windpipe cut so severely could not have walked that distance or stayed alive for 39 hours with no medical attention. No knife was found at the International or at the site where Ludwig’s body was found. They said that the towel tied around his neck with string was tied so tightly it would have suffocated him.
There was a report that a man had been subpoenaed who had claimed that he overheard some men talking in the International Saloon which was located in the same building as the rooming house. He had alleged that they had said something to the effect “that Ludwig would have to be put out of the way.” The men were questioned and released.
The Coroner’s jury investigated and deliberated for a week. They returned a verdict of homicide. The Arizona Silver Belt reported: “The verdict in part was: That the name of the deceased was Joseph Ludwig sometimes known as Joe Erpelding; that he was a native of Luxembourg. Aged about 35, unmarried and a miner by occupation; that he came to his death in Globe, Gila County, Arizona, between Oct. 25, 1906 and the morning of Oct. 28, 1906 at the hands of parties unknown to this jury. The verdict was signed by E.L. Jones, E. Mckuen, George Shanley, Jack Comelius, J.F. Hechtman and H.C. Houser.”
The coroner’s jury received new information which only deepened the mystery and left many questions unanswered. Joseph Ludwig had come from Bisbee where he was known as Joe Erpelding. Shortly after arriving in Globe he changed his name to Ludwig. Did he have enemies that may have been after him? A friend of his, J.E. Kelly had seen him Thursday night around 8:30. He said that Ludwig was somewhat despondent about losing some money gambling but gave no indication that he even contemplated hurting himself. The doctor that performed the autopsy said that Ludwig’s heart had been cut out of his body by a very sharp instrument probably right after his throat had been cut.
Another important development which allowed for a possible timeline of the killing and established when Ludwig was last seen alive was uncovered. Mrs. Williams who managed the boarding house at Copper Hill said that Ludwig was at her house the morning of Friday, Oct. 26, and had asked for a room and paid her for four days rent in advance. This was the day when the bloody bedding had allegedly been found at the International Lodging House. The coroner’s jury felt that this meant that Ludwig had
been murdered Friday morning between the time he left the Copper Hill and the discovery of the bloody bedding. What was not known was what happened between the time he was last seen alive and the gruesome discovery of his body some 39 hours later.
The Arizona Silver Belt on Nov. 7 said of the coroner’s jury findings: “So far as the coroner and his jury are concerned, the case is ended, without clearing the mystery surrounding the death of Ludwig but the officers will continue working on the case in the hope of learning the motive for the crime and the identity of the murderer or murderers. So far it has proven the most baffling mystery in the annals of the county and it is possible that it may never be unraveled.”
The plot thickens next month with part two of the Globe International Murder Mystery.
John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.
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