The Sad and Disturbing Case of Rose Torrence

Tea Time Crimes

Monday, January 19th, 1953 was the last time Willie Torrence saw his wife, Rose. On Tuesday, Willie called the police and learned that a body of a woman matching Rose’s description had been found. Join us as we try to make heads or tails of a case fraught with racial tension and sparse news coverage.

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This episode is sponsored by Kyoot Tees.

For a full list of sources, go to https://tea-time-crimes.simplecast.com/episodes.

Sources:

• By William A Fowlkes, “Woman’s Slayer Still Free.” New Pittsburgh Courier, Sat, Feb 07, 1953, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/40111565/
• Obituary, Mrs. Rosa Bradley Torrence, The Atlanta Constitution, Thu, Jan 22, 1953, Page 28, https://www.newspapers.com/image/398007330/
• Obituary, Torrence, The Atlanta Constitution, Fri, Jan 23, 1953, Page 23, https://www.newspapers.com/image/398007574/
• By George Coleman, “Torrence Case Suspect is Indicted on Murder Charge.” Alabama Tribune, Fri, Feb 27, 1953, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/554730305/
• “City Orders Family Vacate Bombed House.” The Atlanta Constitution, Thu, Apr 28, 1949, Page 10, https://www.newspapers.com/image/397759629/
• Department of Commerce - Bureau of the Census: Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930 Population Schedule, Retrieved June 29th, 2024 from https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2298451:6224
• Department of Commerce - Bureau of the Census: Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1940 Population Schedule, Retrieved June 29th, 2024 from https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/50802384:2442
• “Negro Tenants Guarded in Rubble.” The Atlanta Constitution, Wed, Apr 27, 1949, Page 20, https://www.newspapers.com/image/397759553/
• “Atlanta Woman Beaten to Death.” California Eagle, Thu, Jan 29, 1953 ·Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/693598503/
• “Wealthy Woman Beaten to Death.” Spokane Chronicle, Sat, Jan 24, 1953, Page 2, https://www.newspapers.com/image/566321803/
• “Rich Negro Woman Found Beat to Death in Atlanta.” Alabama Journal, Sat, Jan 24, 1953 ·Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/457048878/
• “Suspect Indicted in Sewer Death.” The Atlanta Journal, Sat, Feb 21, 1953, Page 7, https://www.newspapers.com/image/968741277/
• “Negro Lady Killed, Stuffed into Sewer.” Beatrice Daily Sun, Sun, Jan 25, 1953 ·Page 8, https://www.newspapers.com/image/507433478/
• “Mistrial Declared in Murder Trial of Major Bailey.” The Black Dispatch, Sat, Apr 18, 1953 ·Page 6, https://www.newspapers.com/image/872012484/
• “Atlanta Woman Who Moved into White Neighborhood is Found Dead in City Sewer.” The Black Dispatch, Sat, Jan 31, 1953, Page 5, https://www.newspapers.com/image/872011484/
• “Bailey Case Winds Up in Mistrial as Atlanta Jury Hangs.” New Pittsburgh Courier, Sat, May 23, 1953, Page 10, https://www.newspapers.com/image/40111880/
• “Seeks Hole in Murder Confession.” The New York Age, Sat, May 23, 1953, Page 12, https://www.newspapers.com/image/40477532/
• “ Bailey Case Declared Mistrial By Judge As Jury Panel is “Hopelessly Deadlocked.”” Alabama Tribune, Fri, May 22, 1953, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/554731109/
• Atlanta Scene by Alyce Martin Ware, and “Willena Torrence Allen Selected English Ave Teacher of the Year.” The Atlanta Voice, Sat, May 13, 1978 ·Page 4, https://www.newspapers.com/image/519871810/
• Obituaries - Torrence, The Atlanta Constitution, Fri, Nov 02, 1956, Page 18, https://www.newspapers.com/image/397505884/
• Obituaries - Mrs. Willena T. Allen, The Atlanta Constitution, Wed, Aug 27, 1997 ·Page 82, https://www.newspapers.com/image/403353798/
• National Archives at Washington DC; Washington DC, USA; Applications for Headstones For U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1941; Retrieved on June 29th, 2024 at https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/821686:2375
• Georgia Department of Health and Vital Statistics, 1914 - 1940; Retrieved on June 29th, 2024 at https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/60041277:2562
• “Seeking to Tell a Story: Political action from slavery to civil rights.” Archives Research Center at AUC Robert W. Woodruff, https://digitalexhibits.auctr.edu/exhibits/show/seekingtotell/segregation
• “This Day in History.” By History.Com Editors https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/kkk-founded
• “Ku Klux Klan in the Twentieth Century.” New Georgia Encyclopedia, Published July 7th, 2005 and edited Aug 12, 2020, https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/ku-klux-klan-in-the-twentieth-century/
• A 'Forgotten History' Of How The U.S. Government Segregated America : NPR, MAY 3, 201712:47, HEARD ON FRESH AIR hosted by Terry Gross with guest Richard Rothstein author of “The Color of Law.”