What a Creep

Harry Powers & the Inspiration for "The Night of the Hunter"


Listen Later

What a Creep
Harry Powers: The Inspiration for “The Night of the Hunter”
Season 27, Episode 3

Harry Powers, often called the "Lonely Hearts Killer," was a notorious American serial killer active in the early 1930s. Born Herman Drenth in the Netherlands in 1892, he emigrated to the United States and eventually settled in West Virginia. Powers used personal ads in newspapers to target his victims, posing as a lonely, wealthy bachelor seeking companionship. He lured women, often widows or divorcées, with promises of marriage and financial security. In 1931, Powers was arrested and charged with the murders of Asta Eicher, a widow from Illinois, her three children, and another woman named Dorothy Lemke from Massachusetts.

His murders were shockingly brutal; he confined his victims in a hidden room in his garage before killing them. After murdering his victims, Powers took their money and belongings. Powers' trial received extensive media coverage due to the horrific details and his manipulative use of "lonely hearts" ads. He was ultimately convicted and sentenced to death, being hanged on March 18, 1932, in Moundsville, West Virginia. His crimes have inspired books and films, solidifying his infamy as a symbol of betrayal in love and trust. Harry Powers was also a significant inspiration for the novel and subsequent film The Night of the Hunter. The novel was written by Davis Grubb in 1953 and adapted into a film in 1955. (We covered this on one of my other shows, Book Vs. Movie!) Content Warning: Murder 

Sources for this episode:·         West Virginia Archives & History:·         The Hur Herald·         Wikipedia·         West Virginia University Libraries:·         Murderpedia:·         Serial Killer: The Quiet Dell Killer·         West Virginia’s Lonely Hearts Killer by Angela Fielder·         Newspapers.com: The History of Lonely-Hearts Ads·         YouTube “Well, I Never”·         YouTube “Appalachian Monsters…”·         YouTube “Scary Facts”
Be sure to follow us on social media. But don’t follow us too closely … don’t be a creep about it! 

  • Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/CreepPod @CreepPod
  • Facebook: Join the private group! 
  • Instagram @WhatACreepPodcast
  • Visit our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/whatacreep
  • Email: [email protected] 
  • We’ve got merch here! https://whatacreeppodcast.threadless.com/#
  • Our website is www.whatacreeppodcast.com 
  • Our logo was created by Claudia Gomez-Rodriguez. Follow her on Instagram @ClaudInCloud




...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

What a CreepBy Margo Donohue

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

957 ratings


More shows like What a Creep

View all
Dorking Out by Margo Donohue

Dorking Out

188 Listeners

Once Upon A Crime by Esther Ludlow

Once Upon A Crime

4,899 Listeners

Hollywood Crime Scene by Rachel Fisher and Desi Jedeikin

Hollywood Crime Scene

4,223 Listeners

You're Wrong About by Sarah Marshall

You're Wrong About

21,634 Listeners

Trashy Divorces by Hemlock Creatives

Trashy Divorces

2,009 Listeners

Done & Dunne by Hemlock Creatives

Done & Dunne

547 Listeners

HOLLYWOODLAND by Double Elvis

HOLLYWOODLAND

1,546 Listeners

Sounds Like A Cult by Studio71

Sounds Like A Cult

3,898 Listeners

Scamfluencers by Wondery

Scamfluencers

7,102 Listeners

Infamous by Campside Media / Sony Music Entertainment

Infamous

1,066 Listeners

Fixing Famous People with Chris DeRosa & Dominick Pupa by Chris DeRosa & Dominick Pupa

Fixing Famous People with Chris DeRosa & Dominick Pupa

505 Listeners

Trashy Royals by Hemlock Creatives

Trashy Royals

244 Listeners

Daily Fail by Kristen Meinzer

Daily Fail

255 Listeners

Diss and Tell by Wondery

Diss and Tell

829 Listeners

The Big Flop by Wondery

The Big Flop

1,104 Listeners