During the Second World War, executions and mass killings were carried out on a huge scale.
Under the guise of the conflict, many nations used it to massacre populations and civilians
on a level never seen before.
The civilian cost of the war was far greater than the military cost, and as different countries
occupied new lands, they sought to inflict terror on the people there.
Across Europe for example, groups such as the Einsatzgruppen killed millions of people
after the advancements of the German Army, and the Russians carried out horrific war
crimes against populations when they advanced towards Germany towards the conclusion of
the war in Europe.
With people and armies travelling to new places, there was often a struggle by those living
in lands to continue whilst their country was occupied, or whilst troops were using
their homeland as a base.
Some soldiers found themselves thousands of miles from home also, but in Australia there
was one American soldier who found himself a long way from home, but he carried out a
spate of murders that terrorised Melbourne.
Eddie Leonski is the only citizen of another country to have been executed in Australia,
based in the law of his own country.
So join us today, as we look at ‘The Execution Of Eddie Leonski.’
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Edward Joseph Leonski was born on December 12th 1917 in New Jersey.
He was the sixth child of his parents who were Russian immigrants.
It was noted that the family life at the time was not stable, and Eddie grew up in a abusive
family where his parents abused alcohol and were reliant on it.
One of his brothers was also placed inside of a psychiatric institution, and it was said
that his mother was controlling and overprotective.
Leonski was regarded as a mamas boy, and he was picked on by the local children in his
neighbourhood.
Despite his childhood not being ideal, no-one would know the monster that Eddie Leonski
would become.
It was later said that his crimes were born from a resentment or hatred of his mother,
and that he even wished to kill her at one point.
Following his schooling, he worked as a delivery boy for a local business, but as America entered
the Second World War, Leonski was called up for military service in the army.
This must have been a very interesting time for the young man, as he was leaving his home
and leaving behind the family that inflicted damage to him.
But little did Eddie Leonski know, that when he left for the army, he would never see his
family again in America.
He was called up for the Army in February 1941, and he was transferred to Australia,
and in particular Melbourne arriving there on the 2nd February 1942.
US Soldiers were based in Melbourne at the time, and it was said that when they arrived
they brought with them Jazz music, chocolate bars, nylon stockings and other luxuries.
But amongst their midst they also brought with them a serial killer.
The country itself had been living on edge for some time, as a few months before 242
Japanese aircraft had attacked Darwin in the north of Australia, killing 100s of people.
There was censorship in Australia at the time, and panic was going through the civilian population
and more shelters were built.
Guard posts were established on the coast to prevent a Japanese attack or invasion,
but many people thought the country would fall.
The Australian’s turned to the US to help, and in Melbourne in 1942 a large American
tent settlement turned up named Camp Pell based in the Royal Park near to the city’s
zoo.
It was a time inside Melbourne of great fear, and things were to get worse.
Eddie Leonski lived inside of Camp Pell, and his job was to prepare breakfasts in the tented
city for the American soldiers.
Because of this, it meant that his day was done at around 11am, meaning that he had the
rest of the day to do what he liked if he wanted.
He was known for drinking himself silly, getting drunk before mid-day and also then going to
the local pubs and inns, and getting into fights.
He was also a bit of a showoff, but Leonski would be known for more than just being a
drunken American soldier.
He began a crime spree in which he would murder 3 women inside of the city.
On the 3rd May 1942 after being in Melbourne for a few months, a 40 year old woman named
Ivy Violet McLeon was found dead inside of Albert Park.
She had been beaten savagely and was strangled to death.
Her murder stood out as the killer left her purse and this was found on her body, which
meant that they were dealing with not a robber, but a cold blooded killer.
Her body had been left half naked and was arranged in a horrific position.
The authorities tried to find a lead, but nothing came up until 6 days later, another
woman’s body was found.
The body of 31 year old Pauline Thompson was found after she had been on a night out, and
it was noted that she was last seen spending time with a young man who was described as
having an American accent.
Eddie Leonski had been drinking gin squashes with Thompson who was a talented singer who
had come to Melbourne to perform for the American soldiers.
As she kissed him goodnight, he killed her, strangling her to death.
This caused great panic amongst the Melbourne population, and hinted towards one of the
American soldiers being a serial killer.
One of those men brought to hopefully help protect Australia was infact terrorising it.
Women in the city began to panic, thinking that every American soldier they see could
have been the killer.
The killer began to be known as ‘The Brownout Killer,’ given as Melbourne during war time
kept low light in the city, and not a full blackout. 15 days after the first murder,
Eddie Leonski would strike one final time.
Gladys Hoskins who was 40 was murdered whilst she was walking home from work at the Chemistry
Library at the University of Melbourne.
She was a woman like the other victims who had carved out her own way in life, but it
would be taken by Leonski.
After murdering Hoskins, he made an error though, as later that evening he approached
another woman and asked her for directions.
He was out of breath and covered in mud.
Once this was given to police, the description given of Leonski matched the man who was seen
with Pauline Thompson, and the survivors were able to pick out Eddie Leonski, the 24 year
old serial killer out of a line up of American servicemen who were based in Melbourne.
It was also noted how he also had attacked other women at the time, as these survivors
were able to help identify him too.
Eddie Leonski’s crimes shocked Australia and the American military, and he was placed
on trial charged with the three murders.
Despite his trials occurring on Australian soil, it was conducted under American military
law as he was a member of the military.
Leonski confessed to the crimes, and was sentenced to death at a court martial hearing on the
17th July 1942.
His sentence was appealed, but this was rejected by General MacArthur who confirmed the death
sentence.
It was MacArthur himself who even signed the order of the execution to ensure that Leonski
paid for his crimes.
For MacArthur, Leonski had brought needless terror to the country, and had caused relations
between the Melbourne population and his forces to become strained.
There were issues as to who would perform the execution, and the executioner was given
guaranteed anonymity for 75 years, and all we know is that he was a short and solid man
who brought his own tools for the job.
He used a coiled nylon rope 2 cms thick to perform the job.
Eddie Leonski was told of his execution a few days before, and he studied the method
of execution over the weekend knowing that somewhere in the prison gallows were being
built for him.
He knew that the gallows were being tested to ensure his death was quick and clean.
He knew all of the procedure, but it was said it didn’t bother him.
Two priests came to visit him and they had a thanksgiving service with Leonski, before
they offered him a cigarette and after a few puffs on the 9th November 1942 he was brought
for his execution.
A US Army officer arrived at his cell and said, ‘Private Leonski, in the name of the
United States you are now called upon to have the verdict of the court carried out.’
The officers accompanied him to his place of execution, and he was asked if he had anything
to say and he did not.
He was led into a room where the gallows had been created, and the executioner in a leather
mask stepped forward.
He secured Eddie’s legs and his hands, and also placed a black cloth cap on his head.
Eddie nodded his head to the American doctors who he had sensed, and then the priests prayed
in latin.
The hangman then secured the rope and noose over Leonski’s head, and a witness said
to him, ‘I’m sorry buddy,’ but Leonski replied, ‘It’s okay pal, carry on.’
Then the hangman adjusted the noose with the knot sitting under the angle of his jaw not
he left side of his neck, he then stepped back from the trapdoor and the American guards
did the same.
He grabbed the lever and pulled in one motion, opening the trapdoor and Leonski’s body
fell.
Instantly he was killed by the drop.
Eddie Leonski terrorised Melbourne during a few months, and he paid for his murderous
spree with his life.
He was permanently interred at the Schofield Barracks on the island of O’ahu Hawaii,
in a place marked for prisoners who died in military custody.
He claimed his killed the three women as he had a twisted fascination with female singing
voices, and wished to take them from the women.
He is remembered today as the Brownout strangler, a dangerous and psychopathic serial killer
who was incredibly dangerous.
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