On this day, Sept. 24, in 1938, a man suspected of killing more than a dozen women and feeding them to his pet alligators, fatally shot himself.
After graduating from the University of Texas, Joe Ball opened a saloon near San Antonio with an alligator pond in the back. On weekends, Ball charged customers to watch the feedings — using live dogs, cats and possums.
After several barmaids, girlfriends and his wife disappeared, sheriff’s deputies began asking questions.
When deputies asked to look inside a 55-gallon barrel suspected of holding rotting meat, Ball rang the “No Sale” on the register, grabbed a .45-caliber pistol from under the counter and shot himself.
A handyman confessed to being forced at gunpoint to help hide some of the body parts.
-Scott McCabe
