The Pensacola Police Historic Society

As he made his way to the house, he kept to the shadows, in case anyone was awake and saw him. He eased up to the window and peered in; all was dark, and no one was moving. It looked safe. Slowly, he made his way up the steps. They made a creaking sound. He turned the doorknob and pushed the front door open.

He knew what he wanted to do, and it wasn’t pleasant. In fact, it was horrific. In the darkness, he entered the bedroom of Preston and Hattie. They were sleeping soundly. Without warning, the intruder made a mighty swing of the axe, and buried it in the head of Preston Pickern. The blow, followed by another…and another, crushed his skull. Preston’s sleep became permanent. It didn’t kill him immediately, but he never regained consciousness. Hattie, waking to a terrible deed, began a confused attempt to fight off the attacker – to no avail. She was attacked next. Seconds later, she was beaten into unconsciousness. A few moments earlier, the bedroom was a peaceful, serene room of slumber. Now it was a horrendous, bloody crime scene.

After the invader finished his work in the adults’ bedroom, he made his way to the children. Without feeling, without conscience, the killer struck the two small sleeping angels with the axe also. He dropped the bloody axe on Emmett’s bed and fled the house.

Did you know there was an axe murder in Pensacola in 1926 that terrified the entire city? You can learn about it the next meeting of the Pensacola Police Historic Society. We will meet at the Pensacola Public Library, 239 N. Spring Street, at 5:00 PM on Monday, May 19.

See you there!